On the Edge of Nothingness
unpublished

Teetering on the edge of nothingness,

looking headlong into the abyss

can I hold my balance here?

Darkness glaring back at me,

as I stare into my fate,

I am held here by my fear.

T’was a summer day,

when day was day,

but now it is winter’s night.

T’was joy and laughter,

now agony and pain

as I presently consider my plight.

Let me back to those days of old,

before oldness overtook my years.

Let me back to those of bold,

before boldness was overtook by fear.

Yes, teetering here on the edge of nothingness,

and yes, looking down into this abyss.

No. Here I cannot remain.

I may be consumed by the darkness felled,

or trapped in the flames of hell,

but headlong I’ll charge with a defiant yell.

I will not back down from this fight.

Courage is not fear unfelt.

It is accepting the cards as dealt,

and challenging fate’s cold hands.

Yes, I could balance myself here,

and yes, I could avoid what I fear,

but what kind of life would that be.

Cowards and heroes are all the same,

though we call them by different names,

they all have stared into the abyss.

But cowards remained where they were,

to life’s imposed limitations they defer,

but I cannot stomach this.

I will challenge fate’s far flung abyss.

My spirit’s light shed will curse the darkness.

Proudly I will live, cause proudly I will die.

Yes, I will face each consequence eye to eye,

And yes on the morrow if I rise,

I will gladly this way again.