Striving For Suffering Poem by David Knox

It is not achievements or goals or trophies
Or accolades or awards or the end itself
For which we strive, we as humans think that
Is what we desire, but
What we really seek is adversity and suffering
We all desperately long for it

Yo may at first think it strange or untrue
But in fact it is what we all yearn for, even you
Simply getting a trophy or award means nothing
IT is the work, the blood, sweat, and tears
That we all really desire, it's that something
There's a voice inside everyone hears
Pushing them to do more, to achievement,
but that achievement is wrought in suffering
Empowered by the pain and time, as if heaven-sent
It is only in the trial that we can have triumph
Only in adversity we can make the jump
From mundane normalcy to achievement, thus it is
Truly the pain itself that separates normalcy
From triumph it is not the trophy or the end
But the means that got you there.