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thecreativesophie · 7 months ago

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Verses of Persistence

For my final creative project, I have decided to write a series of poems. My inspiration was the motto written on Temple's campus, "Perseverance Concurs," and my own journeys as a nontraditional student, having to retake courses and experiencing other moments of adversity in my life. I am also fascinated by the concept of the indomitable human spirit and hope to capture that in my work.

In my poems, I explore a range of experiences—from the sparks of initial determination in "The Spark Within" to the grinding, day-to-day battles depicted in "Forge Ahead." I touch on both the solitude of personal struggle in "The Unseen Flame" and the shared burdens and eventual relief found in "Bridges Over Troubled Water."

"Paths Repeated" and "Against the Current" highlight the sometimes cyclical nature of challenges, emphasizing that setbacks are not failures but part of the path toward growth. "Mountains Within" shifts the perspective inward, suggesting that the greatest barriers to success are often the doubts and fears we harbor inside.

In "Echoes of Effort" and "Resilience," I attempt to honor the quiet, often overlooked moments of decision and the breakthroughs that define the perseverance journey. The concluding poem, "Conquered Realms," encapsulates the essence of what it means to conquer—not external foes, but one's inner turmoil and despair, transforming them into wisdom and peace.

While these are my intended messages, I recognize anyone may take anything from these, and I am interested to hear what these poems mean to all of you. Most of all, I hope you enjoy.

The Spark Within

In the quiet corners of night's deep shadow, where doubt seeds sprout in whispering rows, there lies a spark—not seen, but felt— a tiny star in a dense, dark belt.

This ember of will, this flicker of spirit, endures the winds, so cold, so austerely; it dances alive, though hidden from view, fuelled by the trials it’s destined to subdue.

Each challenge faced, each failure met, are kindling gathered, on fire set. The flames surge high, then low, then high, a testament that spirits never truly die.

For in the marrow of every weary bone, amidst the echo of every stifled moan, burns the unwavering desire to prevail— a light undoused by the fiercest gale.

And so it thrives, through tempest and through trial, this indomitable force, neither meek nor mild. A beacon that burns, relentless, within, urging the heart to strive, to win.

Paths Repeated

Footprints fade on trodden trails, paths repeated in the vale— where once I stumbled, now I stride, upon these loops of trials tried.

In the echoes of my steps, linger lessons of missteps; each falter taught, each slip confessed, in every fall, a future blessed.

The road retaken speaks of grit, not of failure, nor of quit. A testament to steadfast will, climbing steadfast, higher still.

For wisdom lies in routes rerun, in courses charted, re-begun. What once seemed endless, cyclic plight, now guides me forth in renewed light.

Beneath the canopy of time’s repeat, new strength is found, and hope replete. Each journey back through what was known carves deeper grooves where light has shone.

Against the Current

Against the torrent, harsh and cold, the waters fierce with stories old, I swim upstream, a path alone, fighting tides like hardened stone.

The current claws with chilling grip, against my skin, a biting whip. Yet forward I press, through froth and foam, where weaker wills might cease to roam.

In relentless push, I find my pace, in every stroke, a small embrace of hopes that buoy me through the rush, of dreams undrowned by river's crush.

For upstream lies the source, the peak, the place where rivers dare to speak of beginnings pure, untamed, unspent, from which all waters are descent.

So with each pull against the flow, within my heart, a fire aglow. It’s not defiance fuels my fight, but love for paths bathed in right light.

And though this journey marks me sore, each scar a badge of all I bore, onward I swim, with spirit fierce, my course by stars of destiny pierced.

Mountains Within

Mountains loom in mindscape's mist, Formidable in their silent call, Each peak, a story of a clenched fist, And the silent roar after a fall.

I tread paths wrapped in stony skin, Where echoes dance in hollow winds, My breath—a vapor thin and worn, From lungs of dreams yet to be born.

These heights, they whisper ancient tales, Of those who've walked before and bled, Their footprints left in rocky trails, Their spirits steep where I now tread.

Climbing, climbing, never cease, Each step a stitch in pain's release, The summit far, obscured by clouds, Yet each ascent, silently vowed.

Within these climbs, the heart finds beat, Stronger than the rock beneath my feet, And with each peak, my soul's own plinth, Forged in the fires of the mountains within.

For every mountain stood, every summit kissed, Reveals the vastness of the grit I enlist, Not just to conquer peaks that rise, But to own the mountains within, where true triumph lies.

Echoes of Effort

In the quiet corners of the striving heart, Echoes of effort resonate, part by part. Each pulse, a drumbeat in a silent war, A rhythm that stirs the core to explore.

In sweat-soaked echoes, the whispers rise, From depths where dormant courage lies. They speak in tones only the soul understands, Murmuring of trials faced with shaking hands.

The whispers grow louder with each new test, As resilience builds its enduring nest. In the realm where echoes blend and bend, The spirit's mettle meets its transcend.

Efforts, like stones thrown into vast lakes, Ripple outwards, each wave overtakes The calm, the still, the formerly placid— Transforming the quiet into vibrant vivid.

For every echo returns to its source, Carrying tales of an unyielding force. Each reverberation a testament, pure and deft, To the indelible marks of steps hard-left.

And when the night folds heavy, dark, and deep, When body lies down with shadows to keep, The heart slows, and the echoes meld Into dreams of battles bravely quelled.

Here, in the echoes of efforts past, Lie the seeds of victories, vast. In each echo, an infinite story unfurls— Of perseverance conquering, echoing through worlds.

Bridges Over Troubled Water

In the fabric of a tempest tossed, Where waters rage and lines are crossed, There stand bridges, old and worn, Over troubled waters, sworn.

Built by hands that knew the ache Of loss, and the strength that stakes A claim on futures yet unwon, Underneath the unforgiving sun.

Each plank, a story, a battle faced, Each cable, a bond, not easily erased. They arch across the churning fears, Weathering storms of a thousand years.

These bridges are legacies of the brave, Spanning dark waters with the hope they gave. For every soul that ever dared To reach the other side, prepared.

We walk these bridges, step by step, In the echoes of those who never slept. Their dreams cast long shadows in the mist, Guiding us through climes unmissed.

For troubled waters will always be, But so will the bridges that set us free. They stand not just in stone and wire, But in every heart that dares aspire.

Through trials that toss, through swells that sweep, The bridges we build are the ones we keep. Over waters that threaten to drown the fire, We build our bridges, ever higher.

So let the waters rise, let the tempests roar, Our bridges span to an open door. On foundations strong of those before, We cross to shores worth fighting for.

Resilience

In the hush of a twilight dim, Beneath the heavy clouds' brim, Stood a figure, cloaked in doubts, Amidst the life's brutal bouts.

For long, the road wound, tight and steep, Through canyons cut so wide and deep, Echoing with the cries of strife, A solitary, endless fight.

This figure, cast in sorrow’s mold, Bore burdens of stories untold. Each step a testament to pain, Each breath a whisper of strain.

But there, where shadows grew and merged, Upon despair's very verge, A flicker—a light within that fought, Igniting thoughts long sought.

"Enough," a voice within her broke, A spark amidst the enveloping smoke, Her spirit, coiled like a spring, Unleashed the force of everything.

Walls she built from past defeats, Now crumbled at her very feet. The air, once thick with fear's embrace, Cleared as truth took its place.

With hands that trembled, yet were sure, She reached for what felt so pure; A freedom that comes from within, Breaking chains that long had been.

The ground beneath her firm, at last, As if anchoring her to the past, Yet pushing her to realms anew, Where skies take on a brighter hue.

There she stood, no longer frail, Not merely a survivor’s tale. But a force, fierce with might, Forged in depths, brought to light.

The night receded, dawn’s gold spread, New paths appeared where she tread. From the fight, the fear, the fall, Rose a might to conquer all.

For resilience is not merely to endure, But to face the storm and secure, A life rebuilt on stronger ground, Where once lost, now is found.

The Unseen Flame

In the quiet corners of the unlit room, Where shadows loom larger than the moon's soft bloom, Burns a flame unseen, with a gentle hiss, A testament to the silent battles, amiss.

No grand stages here, nor applauding crowds, Just the flicker of light, veiled by silent shrouds. Yet within these walls, the world is shaped, By quiet decisions, in the nightscapes draped.

The clock ticks on, relentless, in its pace, While thoughts race wild, in a tireless chase. Each moment a crossroad, each choice a path, Crafting destinies with a quiet wrath.

The scholar's lamp burns deep into the night, Casting golden circles, a lonely sight. Words on a page, theories taking flight, A mind wrestling shadows into light.

The artist, too, keeps the vigil’s peace, Before the canvas, where all turmoils cease. Brush strokes that dance in the silent air, Creating visions from sheer despair.

And in the weary hours, before the dawn, When the world's asleep, and the night is drawn, The unseen warriors make their stand, Not with weapons, but with trembling hands.

They fight not for glory, nor for fame, But for the whispering call of their own name, To rise from ashes, to find their way, To greet with courage the coming day.

For in this silent forge, away from sight, Is tempered the will, with gentle might. The unseen flame, though quiet it seems, Is the forge of more than just dreams.

It is here, in the silence of the long night’s hold, That the truest forms of courage unfold. Invisible, yes, but oh, so keen— The fiercest fire the world has never seen.

Forge Ahead

In the heart of the forge, under ember’s glow, Where the fire burns fierce and the bellows blow, Stands the blacksmith with his iron clasp, Gripped by tongs that hold it fast.

Hammer raised, eyes narrowed tight, Focused solely on the transformative fight, Each strike a lesson, each spark that flies, A symbol of the sweat that from his brow dries.

The iron, once brittle and cold as stone, Now bends and twists, its purpose newly shown. He molds it with might, with the strength of his arm, Forging through fire, shielded from harm.

The anvil rings—a choir’s call, Echoing around the stone-cold hall. "Forge ahead!" it sings, with each hammer’s pound, "Shape the future, where hope is found!"

Through the sweat of his brow, the ache in his back, The blacksmith labors to keep his life on track. Each pounding strike stretches iron thin, Turning what was weak into strength within.

He knows the secret, as all craftsmen do, That resilience is born in the struggle to pursue. Not just in the ease of a gentle flame, But through the fire that claims no shame.

So, forge ahead, through doubts that sear, Through the heat that exhausts, yet makes visions clear. Bend not to the strain, nor cool under pressure, But become the steel, a true heart’s treasure.

Forge ahead, though the fires roar, In the blistering heat, refine your core. For only through trials, as the blacksmith shows, Does the strength of steel—and of spirit—grow.

Conquered Realms

In the quietude that follows the storm's roar, A stillness settles, deep and core. Here, in the hush, let us wander and gaze At conquered realms, through the lingering haze.

Not kingdoms of land, nor treasures of gold, But territories of spirit, vast and bold. Realms where every hard-fought day Carved pathways through jungles of disarray.

Conquering here isn’t the vanquishing of foes, But the planting of gardens where wisdom grows. It's the nurturing of seeds once sown in despair, Now blooming in rows of the earnestly fair.

Each step, each stumble, bore fruit of its own, Lessons learned in the marrow of bone. Where once was naught but unyielding night, Now stars are born from the grit of the fight.

Wisdom—the spoils of the steadfast and true, A tapestry woven with threads of every hue. The richness found in the quiet satisfaction Of having persisted with heartfelt action.

This is what it means to truly conquer, Not the clamor of acclaim, nor to anchor In harbors where praises are sung loud, But in the silent pride of having plowed

Furrows in fields fraught with doubt, To harvest the grains of a life fleshed out. So here we stand, at the end of our climb, The summit of persistence, transcending time.

For conquered realms lie not underfoot, But in the heart, where once only soot Of burned dreams lay in disarray, Now gems of triumph in bright array.

This quiet joy—this treasure trove— Is the realm conquered by those who strove Not for the world, but a peace reclaimed, In the knowing that nothing ventured is nothing gained.

Cheers to the end of the semester!

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