Brute Force Poem by Tristian Ford

Strong on its own
Strong when it's gone
Strong if it stays
Strong when this is how it outplays
Strong when peace delays
Strong with no company
Strong with no money
Strong with no job
Strong with no mercy
Strong when it's pretty
Strong when it's ugly
Strong for a reason
Strong for a purpose
Strong in a season
Strength is increasing
Strong with no cigarette
Strongly Breathing
Strong when it begins
Strong when it ends
Strong with no friend
Strong with no approval
Strong all along
Strong with no phone
Strong with no dope
Weak to think of them as negative
Reflections of no hope
It's weak to hold that head down,
even if drastic
It was weak to shed tears,
even if frantic
It stands strong
Laughs at us
Wretched powerless
Hardships and ordeals
Became uphill thrills
Now be strong enough not to look down
And Laugh
At whom we see - How it feels
Life in actuality
Lessons came Godsent
Hardships became Softships
Those blessings
Should Lessen
Those fears
Those tears
Discreetly,
Become Powerfully Confidently
Physically, Mentally, Spiritually,
and
Emotionally;
Overtly
Strong
Muddy waters become clear,
When those waters are left alone
The brute force of
Adversity comes over
Tossing & Pushing
Thee
But Becomes
Thee
Overcoming Adversity
Pushing & Tossing
Force - Brutally
What remained a mystery
Is finally clear you see
Obsequies and enigmatic
Eliciting,
Energy in thee
Unmistakenly
Meant to be
It provided ye with a useful insight
That guided thee
Sets us free
Mentally
Understand that tension and frustration
Will equally,
be part of understanding
Something totally unpredictable or extremely confusing and overburdened
That aversive state of anxiety and affliction
So high,
Evaded rather than explored
So betwixt,
Cautious rather than curious
So low,
Ineffective rather than headstrong
Staggered along
Rather than
Striding oneself along
A tree with one arm
Holding an umbrella during a thunderstorm
Not understanding identity
Not comprehending resilience
Why resist instability and development because of discord?
It's an act of faith to prevail,
To grow and evolve
Go forcibly onwards!
Get the drift of who you are!
A force to be reckoned with
Thus far.

—Tristian Ford
4/23/23