Preparing for the Spring

Are you trying
To gather your strength?
When they said you're down,
Where you only crouching
For the Spring;
Were you resting
Before the big sprint;
Did the voice say
'Just a little longer,
And Then…';
Did you listen to those wind songs
One last time,
Prepared to burst into the fierce joy
One last time,
One more time,
Then to exhale it all away,
And arise to go forth to deeds great and strong,
Gathering your strength
To blast the past,
To lock down your mind upon your will,
To become at last
The end you knew you'd fulfill?
Did you lie
Preparing to gather all your strength
Reaching that still, quiet point inside
Before the storm,
Only to find, somehow
The sun had gone down
Excusing with determined frown
Cobwebs on body and face
meat ground lost
All hope and will, still,
In that quiet moment
Before the Spring.

You could summon your will
Rise and give strength
Anytime you chose,
You were just reaching that quiet, still point,
That little rest before the spring,
And now somehow
Rest has stolen your bones.
Waiting has stolen your will.
You waited for the time to come,
But no signal came
And when you tried
A ghost escaped,
A breath, your will.
You thought you sprang forth, but
You're still lying there, still crouching there,
You're still waiting in that quite, still moment,
Still gathering your strength,
Still,
Still.

Do you cry out into the emptiness
For help?
Do you cry out
Fighting off despair?
Do you beat upon the air?
Are your words upon the night
God help me,
Become a warrior,
Rise and fight,
And shine like the sun?'
Do you wonder
How now will it be done?