If I Were to Surrender All My Words – a poem

If I were to surrender all my words,
my skill (if skill this can be rightly claimed)
and fixed desire to fashion words with plain
precision, thought and love, would all rewards
of such a humble act impel me toward
that end? My saner thoughts call for refrain
from leaps of faith and self-inflicted strain
unless a measured gain that would award.
Still, in the shadow of that Holy Cross,
time’s ultimate denial of the Will
where leaping faith-filled loss did end all strife,
I see and choose the path of my own loss,
surrendering my words, desire and skill
in fumbling faith that I will find new life.

3 January 2000