Can'T Poem by Danny Draper

A little word, a bit defeatist,
A gate keeper to progress
Or fun, crusher of dreams,
Negativity personified.
A sentinel to direct caution,
to introduce
Halt to flow,
Stop!
Hand break to happiness.
Can't do that!
You can't be serious?
That's against the law, I think?

What they didn't say
Is that it is all a lie,
Because you can do
Whatever you want,
(within the reasonable boundaries
of the law and social and ethical decency
and mores i.e. don't hurt anyone
and don't hurt children) .
You may not achieve success
But you are free,
With impunity to have a go.

The lie is disclosed,
The little word, a code
Written as an acronym
The power of can't to
Fail and dissuade all
From self-respect, potential
and personal achievement,
Control of the faint hearted
In one little word,
You can't do that!
You can't say that!
You can't fail,
because you won't ever try!
You won't amount to anything!
'Won't', now there's an acronym...,
Don't get me started...!
Can't say more,
can't for one more minute
support those sedating lies.
You are able to try anything
It is, and has always been
up to you, you can do it.
You have extraordinary energy
And a determination yet
Undiscovered as it has always been.
You are strength,
An individual with power and pride.
You now own Can't,
It is yours to disassemble
to deconstruct and deride,
To know within it lies the answer
To depart from fear or suppression,
Or to look deep within
To overcome and with
Renewed energy and
Fearless, stride,
and in those treads a
Quickening pace, to
Know it is more than a
Surmountable curse in toto.
A contradiction, an
Affirmation of perseverance
And self-worth,
A message delivered from
It's bullying shell,
Overcome with confidence
and pride,
The four letters a phrase
In growing confidence provide,
Can't, a word of despair
A blessing of hope an acronym
Laid in disguise,
Revealed at last
and by self, verified, that
Can't, is but a cautionary warning
To accept without doubt
the power of self to extend,
grow and overcome or
In defeat sullenly have decried,
It's not fair..., It's not my fault..., I...,
It's all a lie..., I could have...,
I could have, couldn't I...? ...I, ...I,
Could although never tried.

Danny Draper 31/5/2012