POETRY

Cowards and Tragic Heroes

The coward destroys, despises, and hates —
Denies all virtue, knowledge, charity —
Empowers only hooded hangmen, debates
Nobody, certain he is right — he’ll flee
From love and risk and pain at any cost,
And will not suffer any suffering
To bring success, for that condemns — he’s tossed
The future into Hell so none can sing.

The coward hates, resents such excess love —
Resents success, ignores the failures, pain
The bold must bear. He’ll smash them with his glove,
He’ll poison, lie, condemn all honest gain.
The scientist, philosopher, investor
Is busy with the future, trips and falls
And springs and leads again — he will not nest or
Relax for long — he has to scale more walls!

The coward trembles at the fear of loss —
He cannot love, he dare not take the risk.
Inventor, artist, businessman — his cross
Is borne if he knows that his love may whisk
Away at any moment. An excessive
Love, risk of pain, is necessary. Great
The genius lifting us, his love expressive
And delicate — successful, seems our fate.