A New Start (Ode to Brian)

A small, desperate band
- no-hopers, the arrogant
would dismiss them by,
slackers – liars who
did not deliver
their hopeful promises.

A small, desperate band
- from within their number,
the crushing pace, the over
whelming load, the
small, desperate struggles,
were all clear,
- the brave attempts
to meet others’ deadlines,
to do the impossible
with impossibly small numbers,
impossibly few skills.

A small, desperate band
- their leader oft gone
answering the call
of other leaders,
- and,
the demand
to do as a worker
and then, only then,
to lead.

A small, desperate band
- led in absentia,
surrounded by snarling
wolves, eyes glowering,
growling,
in the gathering gloom.

A small ,desperate band
- graced now with
a glimmer, a tiny glow,
of hope:
a new leader, a new start.

A small, desperate band,
warmed by human touch,
- heartened
by leader who faced
the slavering wolves
and guided a path through
dangers seen and not,
speaking soft promises
of help, not hindrance.

A small, less desperate band,
looking to new, gallant
leader,
flexing aching psyches,
stretching stressed personas,
daring to hope.

A small band
with great and talented
leader,
a leader so great
other leaders see him,
and grasp at his gifts.

A small, disappointed band,
once leader now grafted away,
leaving them to the wolves,
slavering and snarling,
circling closer,
planning new demands, new deadlines,
casting aspersions
of not being competitive,
not serving the
Great God
economic competition.

A small, desperate band
- no-hopers, the arrogant
would dismiss them by,
slackers – liars who
did not deliver
their hopeful promises.

© Kayleen White, 2008