Pride And Living Poem by Joseph Bentley

At times there will be hard living
Knocked down when life is rough
Know that wearing on your mind will be
Whether you got up fast enough

Trials always cause anguish
Of course they too will pass
Each trouble can teach a man
Strength greater when recovery is fast

Chaos many times from human actions
If you understand the what and why
You can get back some of what was taken
In some cases that loss was pride

You can restore pride through your action
However remain vigilant of the cost
So easily the application of violence
Can end up in greater loss

Some tragedies leave no answers
No solution to find wrong or right
Truth forever hidden by the actors
Without answers nothing to fight

Unintentional consequences observed
Where lives and minds paid a price
Planners thinking only of glory
No consideration of sacrifice

Perhaps the planners read Kipling
From "If" developed delusions of grandeur
Not realizing this war was different
Nor seeing they are the wrong-doer

Problems at times require an action
Others a calm steady review
In some you must address others
Sometimes you just start with you

Learn from the brutal lessons
But don't drown in sorrows too long
Accepting to remain the victim
Will keep you forever wrong

Facing hardship defines a man's character
Human struggle just a fact of life
Without resistance to battle against
No conflict itself would bring strife

From life the hardest lesson
Keep just enough of both sides of pride
One to smile when life happens
One to get back up and ride


JBentley-26June2023