꧁ Short Stories & Poems ꧂

Poem 1 ⚔ ~ What Is Courage?

   Vanessa L.

What is courage? So often I've been asked. A feeling? A feeling that materializes deep in one's body, deep in one's soul from experience and yearning. A feeling that is not only bound deep into the human heart, it's a feeling which one has to yearn to have, where one has to strive in order to move forward. A feeling that compels you to progress, to become better than what you are now. A feeling that allows you to move ever so boldly through a path that so many have cowered from. Courage is a simple word. Not a word that means you must be ready for war, no. But a word that means you've got determination. Determination is a necessity if you wish to meet your desired goal, to attain your aspirations and make your family proud. One that means you've let it be known that you stepped forward and you chose to climb every mountain coming your way. A word that means one is willing to stumble along the way to fulfill their hopes and dreams. And I for one, can say I saw courage the moment I laid eyes upon colored soldiers. It was at that very moment I knew that these men were willing to stumble, willing to climb every mountain, and willing to face so close to death for the sake of their country, and most importantly these men were ready to receive criticism and were ready to have disapproval come from every prejudiced man. Courage ran in the veins of these men, and courage ran through the veins of those who've fought and worked hard to have these men fight with us to restore our Union. I saw courage on the sandy graveyard of Fort Wagner, I saw courage under the burning sun, and at my very last breath, I saw courage within every shot fired at the enemy. Courage is instilled in me and these men, and future colored soldiers, forevermore.