Fear

Conquer or be conquered they say.

But I say-

True courage lies in facing day by day

Fear straight between the eyes,

Calling out his lies.

 

His voice that whispered, “Inadequate!”

And said I must myself equate

To those around me;

That “Inferiority is what they see!”

And that I myself cannot be.

 

“Measure up you won’t, so do not try!”

And, believing Fear, I used to sigh.

Down my gaze would fall,

Cringing through the crowds, I clung to wall;

Hoping to be seen not at all.

 

Would it ever change?

I thought not, but my thoughts needed a rearrange.

I opened a Book, and inside read

A truth that transformed me; and, in fear’s stead,

Truth's voice gave me courage for the dread:

 

"Your worth is not found in estimation;

Not your own, nor that of any generation.

Who you were created to be,

And the price once paid to set you free,

Sums the one value firmly fixed for thee."

 

And, above that, the Book described

How, if I should put aside my pride,

I may be surprised to find 

Others also fight to leave fear behind;

They too are in need of someone kind.

 

So now when through a door I walk,

When I hear Fear’s lying lips begin to talk,

I do not listen, instead I look

For people as described in the Book-

People I once for granted took.

 

And should the voice of Fear persist, I quote

My worth as in the Book was wrote.

But, recently I have found,

That with my eyes above the ground

I see more friends all around.

 

The more this teaching I take to heart,

The more Fear and I have grown apart.

To him I am not immune,

But with his lies I refuse to commune;

I have claimed another, Truth, as my tribune.

 

Courage 

Is not the absence of fear they say

And I say-

To act in courage one must

Speak a Truth in which may be placed all trust, 

And let Fear’s lies collect hell’s dust.