Steel

I wasn’t born
to be a sword,

to be the thrust point
of any fight;

I’ve lived a whole life
of blunted regret over that.

I was asked
to be a shovel,

to dig deep,
put in unsung work;

instead I lay there 
dissatisfied, a waste of steel.

It’s not too late
to shrug off self pity of course,

but now instead of
turning my own soil,

I should help dig others’ gardens,
load them with compost

I’ve been hoarding
for a lifetime,

provide some hope
that what will grow there

will fuel the next generation
of steel.

About Tony Brown

A poet with a history in slam, lots of publications; my personal poetry and a little bit of daily life and opinions. Read the page called "About..." for the details. View all posts by Tony Brown

2 responses to “Steel

  • Lucy

    Beautiful, this is so beautiful. It made me tear up a bit, especially the first few lines. Just… wow. I can absolutely connect with this; I love the meaning and theme throughout this piece that delves into our own personal growth and what we truly seek in life. Excellent piece that is evocatively and eloquently written. ❤️❤️

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