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‘Crows, waters, trees’ and other poems by Linda M Crate

By: Linda M Crate

crows, waters, trees

i have always
worked hard,
learned the value
of it from
a young age;
disciplined and with
a strong will power

i wonder how
similar or different
our lives were
she who shared the same soul

our names and lives
are different,
but we are the same;
she was fierce and brave
never doubted herself—

maybe one day i will become
that trusting of myself,

but i still struggle with self-doubt
even if i retained the fierce and brave;
when i look out into the world with these eyes
i find comfort in crows, waters, and trees—

cannot help but wonder what brought
her peace?
maybe one day she’ll tell me.
-linda m. crate
the right footing
she was not afraid
of the death
that claimed her

nor shall i be afraid
of the dangers
i face,

but because of her
i have surer footing and am
more careful to remain

balanced;
the wrong footing can
betray you—

yet she taught me more than that
she whispered to me of the sun and the stars,
and suddenly i remembered the flames

within me;
suddenly i didn’t feel the wearying winter
i had carried in my bones.

###

she chose to be my friend

life isn’t always a promised land
of milk and honey,
rainbows and petals dancing delicate
in a summer’s song;

but it is not always hell
with every adders sting and winter
either

one must overcome those things
wearying the soul—

they want to rend the dreamers to pieces,
but i remember they are only conditioned to
shatter as they have been shattered;

but i will rise above
i have always been a warrior

when i am weary
i see the samurai with her sword,
and i know all will be well;
she helped me

i don’t why but i am grateful
she chose to be my friend and not my enemy.

###

more than my katana

who needs a hero when
you’re the samurai?

i am not your damsel in distress
always i have saved myself,
wild and fierce;
you won’t tame me

if you try to ensnare me and take me far
from my dreams then i will be the tiger that strips
you of your life with my claws—

all my life it has felt like a race:
who can get a car first, or job, or marriage,
or kids—

life is a journey not a race,
and i will always find what is mine;

won’t ever be voiceless
i swallowed it for too long
now i have found it is more than my
katana that speaks.
-linda m. crate

###

there are no weak phoenixes

they mistake my kindness
for weakness,
they don’t see the tiger
sleeping inside of me;
even when she prowls around them they
feel nothing—
the samurai and i are both warriors
born in different ages,
yet we are birds of a feather in that we fight
for justice and for truth and for our dreams;
i will not be broken by those who have
forgotten their names—
i know who i am,
and i accept my power and my magic
no matter who doesn’t i will always accept
myself;
because i am full of songs and i will sing them all
i will not be the bird that surrenders to the cage
whose wings are broken beneath her
flailing as her heart is broken within her and she cannot find
her way back to the wilds—
they should not underestimate my strength
for whilst my tears will heal them,
my fires will destroy any who seek to slay this phoenix.

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