Warrior.

Get up.
The world is anticipating your next blow.
Your audience is stuck
Somewhere between applause and sorrow.

Take a deep breath
Wipe the tears from your dirty face.
Notice your surroundings
Remind yourself that you’re not your mistakes.
Remind yourself that feeling things
Is not a sin.
There’s nothing wrong with you
For being broken again.

Tiny eyes look up to you
Searching for your safe embrace.
Every pain you carry?
All for their dreams you’ll chase.
They mustn’t know
You’re withering away inside.
You can do this, make them believe
Yeah, sure, …everything’s alright.

You push forward
You whisper to the fighter who’s down:
Get back up, get back up
Don’t let them see your falling crown.
You knew it wouldn’t be easy
You signed up, regardless
You forecasted this ache
Intuition foretold that it would end up like this.

From the depths of your insecurities
To the heights of your anxieties
The ride that you chose to buckle into
Hold on tight for the upcoming remedies.
They shout from the other side
Promise of their deliverance
Cover your ears in disbelief
Continue on with your own belligerence.
You know the power you have
Burning inside of you
Water yourself down for the masses
You know they can’t handle you.

Unsure of your purpose
You spread yourself thin.
Is it today or tomorrow that you’re supposed to be here?
You know you can’t ever win.
Chin up, darling
The strong don’t drop their head
Take this weapon heavy in your grasp
If you could run you would have already fled.
Spin, spin, spin
Spiral down til there’s nothing left
You look up to find peace
Only to gain a new scar on your neck.
They come for you
You knew they would
You’re done with being scared
Fight! Fight like you know you should.
Scream into the darkness
They really don’t have anything on you
You know you can overcome this
A loss can be a win, too.

There’s fire in your eyes
They only think they know your next play
They’ll try to figure you out
Your wild heart can never be tamed.
Dub you as weak
Let them assume your disposition
Surprise, she’s alive
Though bleeding from this new incision.
You can only keep down
What wishes to remain low
You’re free from yourself

A warrior is in you, I know.

This pain is just proof
You are surely alive
Your feelings do not make you weak
If they say they’re not scared, guess what?
They lie.
You are more than those voices
That call to you when you are low
You are strong, you are brave

A warrior is in you, you know.

Despite these falling tears
You pick yourself up from the ground
Step over the bodies that wish to pull you back
Surprised at the sight of the strength you’ve found.
You take one last look
From over your burdened shoulder
As it all burns to the ground behind you
Smile as you continue to move forward.

You see?
Your pain is but strength that you now choose to show.
A warrior is in you,

…may they always know.

|copyright © Katie Bailes – it’s complikatied blog|