The Architecture Of Ambition Poem by Rose Marie Juan-austin

Oh, how ambition
can seep through me,
invading body, mind, and soul
until it is embedded
in the very core of being.

It builds a steel wall
around my heart,
leaving me utterly alone.

Oh, how lonely these nights--
seeing the brightest stars
and that orange moon
turning the world into paradise.

We pursue our aspirations,
we chase distinction,
and in achieving,
we shield ourselves.
We construct a heavy shell,
keeping the world out.

How easy it is
to lose yourself
in the pursuit of a dream.
The world sees only strength
and the image of brilliance,
and quickly rewards these glories.

But is this how we want
to leave this Earth?
Measured merely
by the sum of achievements?

The fortress we built
will shed with time.
The mind that caged the wind
and reached the moon
will eventually fade.
The hands that once built towers
will tremble.

We can be strong
without being stiffened.
We can lead
without suppressing
the small voices.
We can be great
without conquests,
and without losing our empathy.

Copyright 2026, Rose Marie Juan-Austin, All Rights Reserved