Our minds tell us to stay where we are
..not to rock the boat
to ignore that mountainbut there’s the other half of it
…words we hear only
in the darkroom
telling us to detest mediocrityto embrace and conquer the things we hate
to roar back at our fears
whispering that pain is fuel
for greatness
©Vivian Zems
August 11, 2019 at 10:49 am
I loved this . Thank you for sharing Vivian
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August 11, 2019 at 10:51 am
Thanks Bruce!
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August 11, 2019 at 11:10 am
This is so powerful!💖 I believe a certain amount of fear and determination is necessary to acheive goals and greatness 😊
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August 11, 2019 at 4:45 pm
Indeed they are😊
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August 11, 2019 at 11:20 am
So many questions to think about when reading this poem. Very clever
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August 11, 2019 at 4:44 pm
Thank you 😊
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August 11, 2019 at 12:24 pm
How easy it is to forget the other half of it.
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August 11, 2019 at 4:44 pm
Absolutely
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August 11, 2019 at 12:35 pm
Hell YES! I love the build up to the glorious declaration at the end.
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August 11, 2019 at 4:44 pm
Thank you 🙏🏾
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August 11, 2019 at 12:58 pm
Sadly greatness is intoxicating and achieving it we often hurt others by our ambition and carelessness. It is a hard life!
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August 11, 2019 at 4:43 pm
Indeed!
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August 11, 2019 at 12:58 pm
This reads like a manifesto!
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August 11, 2019 at 4:43 pm
Thanks Rosemary 🌹
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August 11, 2019 at 2:08 pm
That external, go-along, everything-is-fine contrasted to an inner drive is a welcome encouragement!
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August 11, 2019 at 4:42 pm
Thank you 🙏🏾
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August 11, 2019 at 2:39 pm
Sometimes we need to be a lion and roar at our own insecurities and fears. Roar on, I say for only then can there be growth.
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August 11, 2019 at 4:42 pm
Absolutely 😁
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August 11, 2019 at 2:45 pm
That really touched a cord in me!
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August 11, 2019 at 4:42 pm
Thanks Chris😊
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August 11, 2019 at 3:29 pm
i like its take-charge mood. so good. great poem!
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August 11, 2019 at 4:41 pm
Thank you 🙏🏾
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August 11, 2019 at 3:29 pm
Love your poem’s take-charge mood. Nice poem!
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August 11, 2019 at 4:41 pm
Thank you!
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August 11, 2019 at 3:57 pm
Wow!
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August 11, 2019 at 4:41 pm
🙏🏾
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August 11, 2019 at 6:21 pm
I enjoyed your take charge attitude in this@
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August 12, 2019 at 9:40 pm
Thanks Toni!
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August 11, 2019 at 6:32 pm
‘Pain is fuel for greatness’- love this!
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August 12, 2019 at 7:11 pm
Thanks Linda😊
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August 11, 2019 at 7:21 pm
What powerful words. I love the wisdom here, the truth of combating challenges.
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August 12, 2019 at 7:11 pm
Thank you 🙏🏾
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August 11, 2019 at 11:05 pm
I love the music roaring at the end of the poem! And thus we surprise ourselves by leaping into greatness.
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August 12, 2019 at 1:04 am
Absolutely…thank you 🙂
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August 11, 2019 at 11:33 pm
This is so powerful – super fuel. I love so many of your phrases. One cannot read without embodying, “roar back at our fears.” I really love this poem!
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August 12, 2019 at 1:04 am
Thank you ! 🙂
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August 12, 2019 at 2:23 am
Insightful and powerfully rendered. Pain is fuel for greatness … it is also fuel for a lot more pain. The trajectory to greatness is not easier controlled or manipulated, once it is set in motion. This is a piece that gives pause. An awesome write!
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August 12, 2019 at 7:11 pm
Thank s Wendy😊
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August 12, 2019 at 2:29 pm
So hopeful and inspirational. Excellent!
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August 12, 2019 at 7:10 pm
Thanks Phillipa 😊
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August 12, 2019 at 5:46 pm
To glide with the ordinary (and easy) or go for it…
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August 12, 2019 at 7:10 pm
Absolutely!
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August 13, 2019 at 3:08 pm
I’m all about embracing our horrors. We might not be able to conquer them right away, but… If we hold on, we might shock it long enough to show them that they can’t control us.
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August 17, 2019 at 7:45 pm
Absolutely!
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August 15, 2019 at 3:07 am
Pain as a pathway to greatness? Does it have to be that way?
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August 15, 2019 at 9:14 am
Absolutely. Sacrifice, life lessons, determination, learning from mistakes- it’s all in there😊
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