Look Up Poem by Dean Koopman

There is pain
For each pound of pain
There is a drop of courage
There are those who will tell you
'that is not enough'
There are those that will make the effort to catch your drop of courage in their hands, just to toss it away

But

I know what they do not
I know that with each drop disposed of
They call forward a storm
A storm from one drop of each person pounded with pain
Because you. are. not. alone.
You must tell yourself there are others.
You must endure the taboo of looking up in the hallways to search for the dismissed.
You must be thorough in your search for sympathy because it will guide you.
As it has others before you
As it has me.
And it has me

Sympathy is a lesson taught to me by looking up.
By seeing the faces who are too afraid to look up to see me.
Who have been taught blindness by the fear instilled in them.
Who have no longer their drops of courage.
Who have no longer their desire
Their happiness is collateral
To those who seek their pain.

So take mine

I have plenty.
Because I remember fondly
The memory
Of what I saw inside me
When I chose to see
All that was inside you
All of you.

I see what you might not
I see the beauty that waits
Each day patiently
Along with your bravery.
And those two are symbiotic In nature.

Because where there is bravery
Beauty is revealed.