Courage

From "Phoenix Song"

I like to do things right
and so I tend to 
put them off,
which makes me feel 
terrible.

To cover my guilt
after failing
my own expectations, 
I always resolve 
to do better than right,
then better than better,
and so on, ad anxietem,
until the distance 
between what I want 
and what I haven’t done
is enough to crush me. 

Just in case I’m not 
the only one who’s learned 
to pair perfectionism 
and procrastination
for an exponential return in shame,
let me tell you a secret: 

Courage 
is what I call the strength
to finally face 
my so-so self
and just
get the job 
done.

---

Originally published in Phoenix Song