Forged in Struggle
Battles waged within, and the blooms that follow

Beneath hidden corridors of the heart,
where shadowed dreams collide,
a fierce battle unfolds,
the unyielding tide of doubt,
bloodied scars on an unfinished canvas,
the artist wrestles with truth,
fear and longing, side by side,
each brushstroke a confession,
each color a heartbeat.
Memories glimmer like dying stars,
stories carved into fragile skin,
the struggle to rise, to breathe,
as gales thunder through the soul's corridors,
and clarity dances just beyond reach.
Fists clenched against the storm,
the spirit unfurls,
a web spun from anguish and grace,
sown with fibers of hope.
Then, in the dark soil of despair,
something stirs, a seedling of light,
emerging silently, a surge of life unfurls,
fragile yet unyielding,
a testament to survival,
glistening after the rain,
reminding us that even amidst the thorns,
beauty rises, radiant and resolute,
transforming battles into a garden of dreams.
About the Creator
Tim Carmichael
Tim is an Appalachian poet and cookbook author. He writes about rural life, family, and the places he grew up around. His poetry and essays have appeared in Bloodroot and Coal Dust, his latest book.


Comments (3)
This was gorgeous!
Well-wrought! Life struggles always toward the light.
truly magnificent!! there are so many messages in this poem and each message could reflect differently to so many. in my opinion, this should have gotten TS.