The Battle
War Cry
“You cannot swim for new horizons until you have courage to lose sight of the shore.” ― William Faulkner
The tension mounts in escalating moments
Of friction and unease.
My heartbeat and breathing, in unison,
Resound in a tempo rubato.
I’m terrified, unsure of my next step
As I venture toward the unknown.
Will the road drag me to hell
Or lift me toward heaven?
Methinks my end will likely be hell
For my body rebels,
Wreaking torrential sweat and dripping profusely
To the rhythmic thunder of my heartbeat;
Like white noise, it reverberates,
Drowning all else,
Precluding the possibility of sanity.
*
An ocean, encompassing a multitude of sorrows,
Floods to overwhelm
As it rises and falls, gaining strength.
All that’s safe and warm succumbs to the sea
While I remain sinking on shore as the tide
Weaves in and out in repeated synchrony.
Darkness, looming all too close for comfort,
Threatens the shell of my existence.
My mouth opens, harboring a howl,
But no sound escapes save the emptiness
Of a lone, residual breath.
Stumbling, teetering on the edge of an abyss,
Tears fall unabashedly.
*
I am Tantalus, incarnate,
Banished to hell, forbidden water or nourishment,
With no relief in sight as a hell of my own making
Replenishes itself like a reoccurring nightmare.
*
A breeze lingers amidst encroaching darkness.
In the dimness, I stretch out my hand,
Longing to capture its essence,
Rebelliously resisting
Capitulation to the enemy forces.
The breeze is whisper soft,
Hardly discernable,
But I feel its existence.
Hope surges, rebounding in my chest
Flooding the scourge of futility.
In the span of a breath and heartbeat,
I am reminded I am worthy.
With this enlightenment, strength surfaces,
A gift freely given, enabling me to rise,
A battle cry screeching from my lungs,
ready to slay my fears and insecurities.
The gift, embellished with self-awareness,
Thrusts the sword steady in my hand.
I am ready for battle - ready to fight to the death.
*
I lift my feet from depths of sand and foaming water,
Shaking them free of all entanglement and doubt.
Turning my back on the obtrusive darkness,
I begin the long trek to lights lining faraway lands.
My breath grows steady and my heartbeat evens
Into a rhapsody of refined, renewable energy,
Encapsulated by life’s promises and possibilities.
*
I have won the battle.....
An ongoing, incessant war of which
I must always be aware and strive to conquer.
Yes, I have won the battle…..today…..
About the Creator
Cindy Calder
From Charleston SC - "I am still learning." Michelangelo
Keep reading
More stories from Cindy Calder and writers in Poets and other communities.
Day 4 of Quitting
If this is how sobriety feels, maybe it’s better to go through life a little buzzed… this, along with other hits like, I want to kill myself, I wish I was dead, and I’m going to throw myself off a bridge have been the only thoughts on rotation these past few days. I promise myself that if, in a month, I still feel like this (‘this’ meaning despondent, full of rage, and simultaneously numb) I can go back to smoking. Until mid-February though? Nicotine is off the table.
By sleepy drafts6 days ago in Longevity
Comments (31)
I can see why this poem was so popular. It's such an easy, flowing read. I like a lot here, but especially "Precluding the possibility of sanity." which I can see myself quoting quite often, especially on Mondays. I also liked "...lights lining faraway lands." Great imagery. It's a great poem for resolution - as in "being resolved" to accomplish something. Nice work!
Love the triumphant tone when it switches and they overcome their own internal struggle. Full of excellent imagery Cindy, like "I lift my feet from depths of sand and foaming water, Shaking them free of all entanglement and doubt." The repetition of a few key features from earlier on makes this link nicely, and it does feel like a real victory, even if it must be fought again😊
fascinating read... really well done, brilliant style. nice!
Wow, I don't know how I missed this, must be my crazy life during the last semester, but it's so gorgeous and haunting, Cindy!
great work dear, your poem’s a total banger! It nails Faulkner’s vibe—ditching fear for gutsy new horizons. Those waves and that epic battle cry? Pure fire, capturing the grind to conquer doubt. Straight-up inspiring!
This is glorious! Intense but glorious. Exceptional writing, Cindy!
Nice to read 🌸 Good morning! May every moment of the new day be filled with peace, love and success. May God bring you countless smiles today. ☀️
This is sublime, Cindy. Powerful, dramatic, a little melodramatic in the best way, genuine, poetic, beautiful, fraught, tense and just a masterful piece. I love all the Greek reference points and use of the term tempo rubato. Marvellous, just marvellous. Clickng the save button on this one so I can revisit it. My own issue is that I waited so long to actually read it. Congrats on this getting Top Story, it's fully deserved.
wonderful - favorite part is this: I lift my feet from depths of sand and foaming water, Shaking them free of all entanglement and doubt. Turning my back on the obtrusive darkness, I begin the long trek to lights lining faraway lands. My breath grows steady and my heartbeat evens Into a rhapsody of refined, renewable energy, Encapsulated by life’s promises and possibilities.
Congrats on Top Story! 🎉 Well deserved. Keep up the good work!
Fabulous work Cindy! Very inspiring! 💕💖
You made it! Congratulations ❤️ 🎊
Such rich imagery and eloquent lines! Congrats on a well-deserved Top Story, Cindy!
Cindy, congratulations on your top story! Such a powerful poem and just when I thought it hit its high note, the ending, "Yes, I have won the battle, today" spoke volumes, so so many volumes.
There is nothing more terrifying than the adventure embarked upon when we contemplate embracing change. Invoking the punishment of Tantalus is a brilliant stroke. It lends moral weight and conviction to the contemplated action. I wish I could say more, but quite frankly I am thunderstruck by the emotions experienced reading your poem and sufficiently speechless that I needed to meditate on it for several minutes before writing anything at all. Congratulations on Top Story! Richly deserved!
Cindy, so well-wrought. A good read I need right now!
Back to say congratulations on your Top Story! 🎉💖🎊🎉💖🎊
Amazing poem
You started with an amazing quote and this just got better! Loved this. Not surprised it's a top story. Well done!
Wow, what a fabulous piece it is!!. Good job
Wow Cindy... this really hit home for me!! It felt like a portrayal of one's fight with their own demons/ depression/ anxiety/ all of it!! So well done and congrats on Top Story!!
Powerful journey—your battle cry of hope really shines through the darkness!
That's incredibly powerful. Well done and congrats on the TS.
Congratulations on getting TS. Way to go, girl for this poem speaks volumes.
Exceptional work. A well deserved swift top story