The Courage to Speak Freely 

What It Takes 

It takes courage to write anything these days.

It takes courage to say what’s on your mind.

It takes courage to chase your fears away.

It takes effort to turn water into wine.

 

I don’t have a lot of courage,

And I don’t have a lot of time.

I don’t hold a lot of grudges,

But I do have a mountain to climb.  

 

I only have conviction to seek the truth,

As I hold pencil to paper.

I only have a voice to raise the roof,

I hope they appreciate the labor.

 

It takes courage to speak up and out loud.

It takes courage to be able to bend.

It takes courage to stand up and be proud.

It takes courage to be counted and then,

                               

If it takes all I have, I will do this,

                                                                    - if just to feel free again.

 

~d.lawrence

From my book Looking In from Outside: Poetry & Prose, titled “What It Takes.”

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Photo courtesy of Pawel Czerwinski