Committed (Poem)

Committed

I stood alone

With the opportunity laid before me.

I understood it

I comprehended my own situation

And I saw the risk -

The gap

Between the reward

And the moment.

And I, as a cliff diver

Stepped to the edge of the rock;

And I, as a soldier

Kicked in the door;

And I, as a surgeon

Took the scalpel in hand;

And I, as a man in love

Looked into her eyes;

And I, as a surfer

Paddled for the wave;

And I, as an addict

Put the needle back down;

And I, as the keynote speaker

Walked to the stand;

And I, as a peer

Said “no”;

And I, as a patriot

Stood in the assembly;

And I, as a writer

Hit “send”;

And I, as a seeker of a better way

Committed.

--Eric Marley

May 2011