how does one find beauty
in himself when every lesson
he has learned has been about
destruction
after all
we find the damaged to hold the most beauty
the lost to be the most cherished
when will it be glorious for one
to lose all of his battles and still
have the heart of a victor
the eyes of a king
the clinch of a tiger
at times -- I like to think --
I don't have to hide my scars
from all of the mountains
I didn't make it to the top of
instead -- I face the currents
knowing I will never drown
in rivers made by those who
would never dive deeper than
sunken ships
what would you do if you were
in the presence of a sailor
washed up on the shore
still breathing--