I Fall. Fearless. In Love. (A poem)

I Fall. Fearless. In Love

Photo courtesy of

Christine Valters Paintner, OblSB, PhD, REACE

Abbey of the Arts

Silence roars
against the painful stillness
breaking
my heart
into a thousand shards
crying for release
from the battlefield
of life
lost
in fear
of the pungent
hot
breath
of the lion
breathing

fiercely
down my neck

Courage knocks
I ignore
my heart
beating.

Silence roars
hot breath

bearing down
pushing
prodding
probing
my will tangled up
curving back
into myself
helplessly
flailing
against courage
lost
within
the lair
of the lion's mane

Courage whispers my name
I hear it
falling
asleep.

Silence roars
I awaken
and hear
the beat
of my heart
pounding

fiercely
against the fear
of falling
into gentle arms
of nothing
more than who I am
when I
let go of fear
and fall
into the One
who Loves me.

Silence roars
I roar back
The lion retreats.

I fall.
Fearless.
In Love.

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Abbey of the Arts is having a poetry party today. It is an Invitation to Poetry: Fierceness and Courage. Christine Valters Paintner, the Abbey host, offers a photo and an invitation to write about Fierceness and Courage in your life.

Click on over and check out some of the beautiful words shared by other "Abbeyists" and read a bit about the awakening Christine experienced in Vienna at Christmas when she had a pulmonary embolism. You'll be inspired -- I promise!