A Profile in Personal Courage

An excerpt from my latest book, “A Narrow Painted Road Seems So…”

Available worldwide on Amazon & Kobo

A Profile in Personal Courage

Author’s advice: 

The solitary image below stands on just one leg. While beautiful, it seems ill-defined with a shadowy and a finite cool color palette. This creature is unsure of himself, looking within his hollow heart for answers to arrive at some conclusion about his inflexibility. We must find this ironic as others have always viewed him as flowing and flexible, until now.

This poem, though using metaphorical imagery, is self-evident. Even so, I will offer you a few insights why I used some unusual phrases in the brief essay that follows the poem. 

A Profile in Personal Courage

A solitary soul stands alone so preposterous,

no longer a mere reflection, now a beacon.

A cacophony, their platitudes ring so boisterous,

bounce around him like so many who have weakened

to temptations of easy mirrors grown squalid,

he’s polished his keen vision to a deep stained-less screen,

their certitudes still echo behind, he greets a less solid

footing, slipping and sliding on a cellophane sheen. 

Poet’s Notes:A Profile in Personal Courage

First, I’m proud of the image used to introduce this poem. It captured a blue ribbon (first place) in the 2011 Florida Council of Camera Clubs statewide competition in the Creative Photography category. 

This poem ponders a man with a closed mind, listening only to that which supports his beliefs, but an unspoken event occurs to open his aperture. We do not know why. Maybe he doesn’t either. Let’s explore the rationale for the language used.

When we follow what we are certain is true, that is the time to challenge why we are so sure of ourselves (“no longer a mere reflection”). That stand may isolate us from our peers (“A solitary soul stands alone so preposterous”). We may do so despite the surrounding noise to the contrary (“A cacophony, their platitudes rang boisterous”). We may even share our discoveries with others (“now a beacon”). Even though the strength of our newfound convictions may cause others to see us as feeble pariahs we remain strong (“bounce around him like so many who have weakened”).

The simple path of the benign follower (“to temptations of easy mirrors”) no longer draws our hero. In fact, they have become a sordid taste to his evolving social palate (“grown squalid”). He has, for an unspoken reason, clarified his view of himself and the impurity of his earlier motives (“he’s polished his keen vision to a deep stained-less screen”). With the old platitudes haunting him  (“their certitudes still echo behind”), he second-guesses his new attitudes (“he greets a less solid / footing, slipping and sliding on a cellophane sheen”). End of poem. 

So is that it? What else? As in real life, some applaud someone for taking a stand if he’s transforming himself, but we do not see the entire story. We cannot peer into the future, nor can he. The rest of the story remains a mystery. This is where your imagination takes control. Go wild.

Oh, by now, you will have observed an abab rhyme pattern. Mechanics cleverly contrived. 

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You will have noticed all poetic terms and quotes from the verse are italicized.

So what do you think of the format? Each poem in the book is preceded by some “author’s advice” and one of my original images, then followed by a short essay to explore what was on the poet’s (my) mind as the poem was composed. I’d appreciate your feedback. Thanks in advance.

With pen in hand… Gene