Stay Not Butchered

Part One of "The Spoils Of War" Poetic Triad

by Paul Tristram / April 21st, 2024

What matters most is how well you walk through the fire.
— Charles Bukowski, from his poem “How Is Your Heart?“

MASTER your ‘Anguish’
by [absolutely] Refusing
to… run… from… it.
Do not back down
from ‘Adversity’
[chase it neither]
… it’s time
now for Backbone…
‘Strong People’
are not Born
… they are ‘Crafted’.
I would Erase
no ‘Challenge’
I ever faced…
especially the ones
that put me
down upon my face.
Yet, I would take
-away any cruel,
mean, violent,
unthoughtful Act…
I ever committed
against those Innocent
… whilst, retaining
every single
‘Character-Building’
knock, punch, betrayal
and loss of Liberty…
that I was Lucky enough
to Rise up and Grow from.

Paul Tristram is a widely published Welsh writer who deals in the Lowlife, Outsider, and Outlaw genres.  He wrote his first poem as a teenager following his release from the (Infamous) Borstal ‘HMP Portland’, and he has been creating Literary Terrorism ever since.  His novel ‘Crazy Like Emotion’ is available to purchase right here . Also his collection of shorter fiction Kicking Back Drunk ‘Round The Candletree Graves' is available to purchase at https://bookgoodies.com/a/B0DFMTSR4F Both books are published by Close To The Bone Publishing. Read other articles by Paul, or visit Paul's website.

This article was posted on Sunday, April 21st, 2024 at 8:03am and is filed under Poetry.