one gets braver

with each prick
and each gauze
to stop the bleeding.
one learns to think
over fumes of
alcohol applied to the wound.
one learns
halt
and
stop.
these moments are crucial
they are the only moments
really,
throughout our
fighting lives
there’s too much movement
and not enough grief for
what’s lost
not enough praise or pause.
one gets braver
the more he
can stop
reassess and
take a little pain
push against his
fragility
&win a moment or two
with his-self
before he gets back into
the roar
&confusion
with everybody else.

-from Farewell to Armor, out now on Amazon.com.  Join Jim Trainer for a very special night of poetry and spoken word, with Don Bajema and Maleka Fruean, at the Brandywine Workshop, 728 S.Broad Street, Philadelphia PA 19146 at 7pm.
For more details, please visit the events page and ‘Like’ us on Facebook.