Defeat is not Surrender
#10 of Poems
An update to an older poem I wrote about a year ago.
Defeat is not surrender, nor is darkness light. Though pain may overwhelm us it cannot stop our bright.
Defeat is not surrender, nor is the battle lost.
Defeat is not surrender, though we have paid great cost.
For in our hearts a forest grows, its branches strong and green, and our forests will grow again though all we hear is keen.
It seems to drown out all we know. It seems to black out light. But if you listen carefully, your heart will guide you right.
Much pain endured, many hearts lost we've hurt and we've despaired, but we are stronger than you know. We wear the heroes' pale.
Music, as strong as candlelight that lights until the dawn will honor and will shine with you till all your fears are gone.
And if you listen closely, and if you listen close, Music will teach you secrets, the language magic spoke.
That language that we long thought dead that death and pain had beat is not something that can be killed and it still sings as sweet.
As sweet as music ever was and once again shall be you must now listen - careful, close - to what it says, I plea.
For we did lose the hearts and minds of those we thought our friends and if we hope for peace to come them we must understand.
I know I ask a thing absurd a thing that rhymes with pain but if you want a kinder world you must not now abstain.
But do not compromise too much or let the pain drown out the secret words of dreaming light your forest must still sprout.
For we must hold the line - strong, true - that they would see us yield that they would trample in the dirt and vicious power wield.
We must not fear to hold the line against those who seek cold unflinching power, reckonings, vendettas grim and old.
And we must not fear to hold firm against those who don't think who put some power's word above those they push to the brink.
For those you love, and those who you like, and those who you hope love you, whose dreams are made of candle light, whose forests live in you, they need you now. They need you strong. They need to hold your hand as they stand with you and with me to save our broken land.