Poem - A Woman Takes Up Her Calling

A Woman Takes Up Her Calling

Whoso beset her* round
with dismal stories,
do but themselves confound—
her* strength the more is.            

(John Bunyan, “He Who Would Valiant Be”, Verse 2)

 

Circled by her saboteurs,

Mocked by the Accuser,

Hobbled by provocateurs,

And labeled as a Loser –

Trying to focus on her goal,

Shutting out their prattle,

Stands the lone creative soul

In solitary battle.

She hoists up a bipartite freight:

The heft of her vocation

Added to the ballast weight

Of adverse cerebration.

“Summon all your strength!“ I say,

“The thing’s within your reach!

Stand up tall, prepare to slay

By action or by speech.”

And now she rises to full height,

And now she flies away.

And now puts enemies to flight,

Now merges work with play.

To see a woman thwarted makes me furious.

To see her at full strength -- a thing most glorious!

 

©2022 – Paul Erlandson

 

*It is of course “him” and “his” in Bunyan’s original -- PE