by Carol Edwards

We might have hope.
Endurance
also called perseverance
must be built
Athletes and soldiers practice
train their bodies
leverage repetition to program
muscle memory
Musicians, too
endurance of the lungs,
the diaphragm,
the fingers
the eyes reading cascades
of notes
The mathematician, the debater
the philosopher, the meditator
endurance of the mind,
of logic and proofs

Endurance training hurts
A deliberate application of pain
pushing boundaries,
inching ever closer
to the strength and speed
the acuity
the focus
for the race, the game
the match
the test
Endurance is forged
in burning limbs
burning lungs
deep gasps, arms overhead,
feeling the world grow fuzzy and tilt
but not enough to collapse
the heavy ache almost
enough to keep you in bed
next day

Endurance is the sweat
soaked shirt, the hammering
heartbeat, the drills you hate
that one day save the play
save the race,
the show
the war,
because when your mind
forgot for a split second
your body did not
endurance the only thing
between you
and hard-fought victory.

“…through endurance and encouragement of the Scriptures, we have hope.”
Romans 15:4

Carol Edwards is a northern California native transplanted to southern Arizona. She lives and works in relative seclusion with her books, plants, and pets (+ husband). She grew up reading fantasy and classic literature, climbing trees, and acquiring frequent grass stains. She enjoys a coffee addiction and aspires to be a succulent mad scientist. Her work has appeared in Space & Time, OpenDoor Poetry Magazine, Origami Poems Project, Uproar Literary Blog, Heart of Flesh Literary Journal, Cajun Mutt Press, Gyroscope Review, and The Ocean Waves published by Red Penguin Books. She uploads her poetry to www.practicallypoetical.wordpress.com