Stand tall, Shoulders back, Nerves flat, Never fall.
Head high, Speech clear, No fear,
Just try.
But it would be nice to sit,
To slump,
To limp,
And fall into despair’s deep pit.
Oh how good it would feel to cry!
And water feelings with my tears
Flooding anxiety to wash away the daunting fears.
But the embarrassment of sorrow will force the river dry.
Society says it’s not okay, People say it is,
And when I look both ways Shame is the one who wins
Yet every time I’m pulled to my feet
By determination’s steady arm
That restores my heart’s triumphant beat And reassurance that I’ve done no harm.
Next I feel resilience
Lay her hand on my back.
In flows back the wisdom of experience That before all this I lacked.
Finally purpose takes my hand
To remind me what I’m doing here. Only he will understand
Why I need him so near.
The spirits do not shield, stop, or kill The failure powered knife.
They only keep me still
So that I may walk through life.
Like a shark if I stop moving Stop trying, stop improving I’ll fall out of the sky
And I will surely die.
Pauli Voelkel is a sophomore at Harriton High School.
