by Tyler Rogness

Drink deep my soul: remember this
             For nourishing your shoots —
That winter, not the springtime, is
             For deepening the roots;

That scars remind of healing,
             And keening carries love;
And knighthood is for kneeling,
             The weak for lifting up.

The gold is proved by fire,
             And hope through darkest night.
From waiting comes desire;
             From out the shadows, light.

The phoenix rises from the ash
             To break her banking crust,
And ours is an infinite path:
             Eternity from dust.

So raise your staff, take up your mat
             And bend your will to walk;
And may flowers bloom in footsteps that
             You tread within the dark.

Tyler Rogness is learning to live on purpose. He loves deep words, old books, good stories, and his wonderful family who put up with his nonsense. More of his work can be found at awakingdragons.com.

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