Here There Be Lions
Ten feet tall and armed to the teeth
Afraid of nothing
A little man with a good mind
And a big ego.
Always suffered from high self-esteem.
Besides God was on his side.
Never feared the beasts of the world
Not lions or tigers or bears
Or wolves or snakes or monsters
Real or imagined.
But time wore cracks in the armor
And even the gentle rain that fell on it
Caused rust and weak spots.
Injuries followed, and
Ego suffered.
Began to worry about wolves and tigers and bears,
To wonder where the lions are.
To fear viruses and infections and
Other creatures far more deadly than monsters,
And fear for the well-being of those he loved
Those he could not protect.
Now his armor is gone
Broken by time.
And loss and grief.
Gone the confidence,
The fearlessness.
He doubts his own self.
Every time he walks out the door,
Afraid, he wonders
Where the lions are
And where God is.
11 thoughts on "Here There Be Lions "
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dust to dust…
I feel this strongly, Wayne, being in a similar time of life. Out like a lamb.
Great poem. I identify.
Very vulnerable, which is powerful. I think choosing to keep living through fear and grief is actually as brave as it gets.
Great meditation on life.
Wow! Those last lines hit hard. Power-filled lines and thoughts.
“Suffered from high self esteem” is great.
“Always suffered from high self-esteem.” Hilarious!
These last two lines are powerful.
Where the lions are/
And where God is
so powerful
This is how life happens.
The picture of the armor being chipped away by life is painfully beautiful ! Thank you for sharing!