Tuesday, November 21, 2017

Leading with my chin

Leading with my chin                                                                              

As an old man now, I aspire
to be somebody who can take a punch –

not a speed bag’s wobbly pummeling,
mind you, but a stolid heavy bag full of grit,

eye-bolted solidly through a ceiling beam
and not in some gymnasium for anyone

to try but maybe a garage or cellar,
collecting dust in the corner but still intact.

Somebody who can take a punch if need be
and absorb the blow from any angle,

any adversary and not be moved
more than an inch or two off dead center,

returning quickly to a perfect plumbness.
I’d be going through life then leading with my chin,

not from haughtiness or spunk
but with poise and a quiet faith,

bearing the blows of whatever
rough-housing opponents may cross my path. 

To be somebody who can take a punch,
take a punch, take a punch and not hit back.

O child of God, aspire to the love that allows
an innocent man to turn his cheek for just one more blow.


No comments:

Post a Comment