Rallying

The following was partially inspired by a line spoken by Bill Friday in a recent conversation with him.  Can you spot it?  Let us know in the comments which line you think came from him…

The rest is from the turmoil in my mind. It’s a culmination of a lot of the things I’m struggling with mentally, on global and far smaller scales. I can’t help everyone. We can’t help everyone.  … or, can we? What happens if we try and fail? What happens if we don’t even bother to try? 

I wrote this on my phone, so please forgive the formatting. Thank you, my faithful kingdomites, for being you, for being amazing and loving. 

……………………………….

The rally cry sounds from all corners,

And I turn my face to the chorus ready to lift my voice,

My heart pumping empathetic chords,

I’m ready to step forward, to lead the line, to inspire,

But I falter and fall behind.

 

The world burns and I turn my back,

While trying to ignore its warming ebbs and flows,

I’m too tired to lift a water bucket,

Too drained of energy to join the fight for life,

And naïve in my security.

 

The ache of my selfish hypocrisy,

Fed by exhaustion and powered by guilt,

Rages unchecked in my thoughts,

Like an unemployed poet in a boardroom,

Passionate but impotent.

 

The rally cry sounds from all corners,

And I pretend I can’t hear its beckoning song,

To save my heart the expensive guilt,

To shield my mind from the torment and chaos,

But, even in that, I fail.