What Does Not Kill Us (precipice shape poem)

by Larry Chamberlin   Nov 21, 2016


I have been broken
many times in life;
hopes shattered,
dreams turned to nightmares;
faced deep chasms of despair;
tested my resolve to end it all
against my refusal to give in.

It's really not true
that you always
grow stronger
in the places
you are broken;
but you can find ways to grow
around spots you cannot heal
like a tree engulfing the knob
of a branch lopped long ago.

Terrible things do happen
to whole masses of us:
bullets and ballots.
Mourn the passing of the dead
including the dead left walking
yet place your next step firmly
beyond limits of your survival
into sacred paths of recovery.

Those who are
gone cannot help;
only those who are still
able to grow carry hope;
only they can propel themselves
by dint of tenacious conviction
into the unknowable future.

7


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Latest Comments

  • 7 years ago

    by Larry Chamberlin

    Thanks to all for your congrats.

  • 7 years ago

    by Em

    Well worthy win Larry :)

  • 7 years ago

    by Mr. Darcy

    Well done Larry on your win. A lovely unique write.

  • 7 years ago

    by Brenda

    Larry, congratulations on your front page win! Well done!

  • 7 years ago

    by Brenda

    Larry, this is excellent! I know a lot of us can relate about being at the bottom and having to figure out whether to go on or just end it. I really loved how you described healing and how we do and not always heal stronger but learn to deal with it. Learning to go on and picking a path to do that, one of life's difficult decisions. Well done-

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