Monthly Archives: April 2012

by

Code of Bushidō: Courage (Yu)

Code of Bushidō: Courage (Yu)

The second virtue followed by
The samurai of old
Is courage, the control of fear
The art of being bold

The willingness to face a test
With fortitude and nerve
Ability through thick in thin
To have your grace preserve

To step forward when most would run
And say, “Give me your best”
And when the storm rages, courage
Means beating on your chest

Snarling with intensity
And fire in the eyes
Where others shrink and cower, the
Warrior does arise

Ability to not let fear
Control your destiny
To not let nervousness or worry
Make you hide or flee

Courage is the knowledge that
What cannot end your life
Only serves to make you stronger
And sharpen the knife

It gives you more experience
And makes you more aware
That is why a warrior
Is not so quick to scare

They see the opportunity
That lies in every trial
Another conquered obstacle
To throw upon the pile

                                ~Miro

by

The 1-in-100 Warrior Award: Gabriel Warrior Poet

“Out of every one hundred men, ten shouldn’t even be there, eighty are just targets, nine are the real fighters, and we are lucky to have them, for they make the battle. Ah, but the one, one is a warrior, and he will bring the others back.” ~Heraclitus

Strength. A Warrior is all about showing those who believe they have little of it just how much each one of us potentially has. I believed that I had great strength, but when I met my new beautiful brother Warrior Poet, Gabriel, I realized I hadn’t even scratched the surface. Strength. I think about what Gabriel has endured and that is the only word that comes to mind. Not great strength. Not immense strength. Not any other word that puts a limit on the size of his strength. Gabriel possess limitless strength. And he reminds me that my strength as well is limitless. I learn of what he’s endured, having lost five beloved children, and see the strength, grace and love that he chooses to possess, and I’m reminded of just how limitless my own is.

I believe among most I am a Warrior, but Gabriel makes me feel like merely a fighter as mentioned in the Heraclitus quote. He is a true Warrior, a beacon of light, a reminder of the power of choice, and we are lucky to have him. We are so lucky to have such a beautiful, strong, graceful Warrior to bring us back. Thank you for fighting the battle that you fight every day, my brother, you are a window for all of us to what we could be. Please take a moment to send this incredible Warrior your thoughts, encouragement and love today, the anniversary of the passing of two of his angels: http://gabrielwarriorpoet.wordpress.com/

by

Code of Bushidō: Rectitude (Gi)

Code of Bushidō: Rectitude (Gi)

The first virtue of Bushidō
Is Rectitude which means
Justice taken into all
Of your daily routines

“Just what is right?” some folks will ask
“What makes you think you know?”
“Who are you to think you can
Enlighten us and show?”

The answer is I’m just like you
And we all know deep down
The difference between right and wrong
Though some do try to drown

The voice that tells us what is right
The conscience deep within
The truth that keeps us from shortcuts
And leads to our chagrin

Therein lies the key factor
Behind true rectitude:
It’s when choices that are not
Popular are pursued

It’s when everyone else cheats
And scams and lies and steals
And you refuse to go along
And sacrifice ideals

It’s when you decide to stand
Apart from everyone
Be labeled as “pious” as
They all insult and shun

It’s when you don’t think just of
Your own comfort and gain
It’s when you don’t focus on
All that you can attain

It’s when balance, fairness and
Equality are more
Important than all of the nice
Trinkets that you can score

Without it, all your talent and
Learning will do no good
Unless the virtue of justice
Is fully understood

Making the decision that
Is not the easy one
The one that is not popular
The one that is not fun

It may elicit much unrest
And grievance from the crowd
But warriors can’t hear them ‘cause
Combined they’re not as loud

As the voice that’s deep within
Demanding rectitude
A warrior cannot ignore
That voice and can’t elude

A warrior is confident
And never loses face
As long as rectitude is something
They fully embrace

                                 ~Miro

by

The Code of Bushidō


The Code of Bushidō

Many different warriors
Have walked the face of Earth
From many different areas
But all shared the same worth

One of these was Bushidō:
“Way of the Warrior-Knight”
Although these ancient Japanese
Nobles are gone from sight

The seven virtues that they all
Adhered to still live on
The Warrior-Knight’s way continues
To inspire and spawn

People from all walks of life
To strive for Rectitude
Courage and Benevolence
Respect that they imbued

Honesty and Honor and the
Final virtue of
Loyalty all formed the code
Which set them all above

Other people who did not
Adhere to self-imposed
Laws and regulations that
Would keep their calm composed

Seven virtues that make up
The moral principles
That keep a warrior grounded
Whenever trouble pulls

Virtues that can anchor us
Firmly in peace and grace
Whenever anger, frustration
And setbacks show their face

                                   ~Miro

by

So Hard

“Do not pray for an easy life. Pray for the strength to endure a difficult one.” ~Bruce Lee

So Hard

Motivation, inspiration
Words which do excite
But then the doubt creeps in as they
Lament with this old plight:

“But it’s so hard” they whine and cry
“So hard to do these things”
“So hard to get up off my ass”
“So hard to grab those rings”

“So hard to put into effect”
“So hard to not just talk”
“So hard to endure discomfort”
“So hard to walk the walk”

Sometimes it is a great pain
To be a Warrior
And see how many people let
“So hard” daunt and deter

Sometimes I put face in palm
And just give a big sigh
Close my eyes and shake my head
While I ask myself, “Why?”

Why can’t they seem to get it?
The same thing that I learned?
That anything you accomplish
Must be fought for and earned?

Why do so few see that pain
Discomfort, work and sweat
Is not the enemy, instead
It’s how you pay your debt?

Why do so many look for
The easy, pleasant way?
Why are they so blind to all
Who have endured the fray?

Why do they talk of athletes
And famous people who
BUST THEIR ASS in order to
Make their success accrue?

And yet put in a fraction of
The work their heroes did
And wonder why they’re miserable
“It’s hard? Oh God forbid!”

“God forbid I have to sweat!
Or have a little strain
God forbid I push myself
And have to endure pain!”

I only now have one response
Whenever someone sits
And furrows brow and says “Yeah but
It’s so hard” and then quits

And that response is that I turn
And simply walk away
This Warrior no longer has
Inspiring words to say

To anyone who thinks “So hard!”
And just becomes annoyed
Consider me one more hard thing
That you can now avoid

                        ~Miro

by

The Four Stanza Life of Joe Careful

“Nothing ventured, nothing gained.” ~Proverb

The Four Stanza Life of Joe Careful

There was a guy named Joe Careful
Who never took a risk
Who never pulled a muscle and
Who never slipped a disc

Who never asked a pretty girl
To meet him for a drink
Who never said much ‘cause he feared
What other people think

Who never tried anything new
For fear that he would fail
Who never dared to venture off
The easy, beaten trail

And that is why Joe Careful’s life
Is just four stanzas long
If only he’d taken more risks
This rhyme might be more strong

                               ~Miro

by

Watering Flowers

“There is no effect more disproportionate to its cause than the happiness bestowed by a small compliment.”  ~Robert Brault

Watering Flowers

There was a flower named Woman
Who, much like other flowers
Needed watering to bloom
But the name of these showers

Were “compliment” and “gratitude”
“Acknowledgement” and “praise”
These simple words of kindness made
This flower’s petals raise

Unfortunate to say the least
That there were very few
Who made the effort to water
These flowers so they grew

The thought was silly to most men
Who felt abashed to say
Anything that would help these
Flowers bloom all the way

Or if they didn’t think it silly
Then they were afraid
That despite good intentions, the
Flower would be dismayed

Harassment, innuendo, or
Some other type of tease
Said only to get something
So they themselves could please

One truth about the world is that
There are so few who speak
Words that are not intended
To be a harsh critique

There are so few who compliment
That any flattery
Will almost always be taken
With elation and glee

“You look nice today,” “I love
What you’ve done with your hair”
“You have a lovely smile,” few men
Ever seem to dare

“You’re beautiful,” “You’re gorgeous,”
“You are stunning,” “You’re so cute”
Every man can say these things
But most of them are mute

But pay attention if you have
The guts to say these things
You men, look closely, see what kind of
Radiance it brings

To Woman’s face when she’s watered
With this kind of affection
The pure smile, the joyful eyes
And rosy, warm complexion

So speak up, men, be Warriors
Not just with swords and spears
But with your words which can be liquid
Life to Woman’s ears

                                                 ~for Luana

by

Cutting Loose

“By letting it go it all gets done. The world is won by those who let it go. But when you try and try. The world is beyond the winning.” ~Lao Tzu

Cutting Loose

Many of us have one person
Who we can’t forgive
Because we choose to think about
What they did and relive

The hurt they caused, the frustration
The shattering of trust
We choose to not forgive because
To do so feels unjust

But what we need to understand
Is where the difference lies
Between forgiveness and the fear
That they’ll keep up their lies

Forgiveness is to let it go
To say “I just don’t care”
“I won’t take things so seriously
And I will be aware

Of dangers that the ego holds
How it is much too fickle
And slightest provocation often
Does make its blood trickle”

But what of when you do forgive
And other party won’t
Meet you in the middle and just
Replies with “I don’t”?

“I don’t forgive, I won’t let go
I still think you are wrong
Instead I choose to hate you still
And my distrust prolong”

As adamant as you may be
That you’d like to move on
You must accept some folks can’t be
Moved even with great brawn

Some will simply drop anchor
Of loathing, fear and hate
And nothing that you say or do
Will lighten that big weight

It may feel like you are quitting
And giving up the ghost
Because of those that say, “The hateful
Need your help the most!”

With due respect to those people
This Warrior will state:
“CUT THEM LOOSE, THE ONES WHO DOUBT
WHO FEAR, WHO SCORN, WHO HATE!”

Cut them loose because they’ll simply
Topple you and sink
Because they are incapable
Of making ego shrink

Cut them loose and maybe down
The road someday they’ll see
That it’s not the not end of the world
If others disagree

Cut them loose and keep your pace
Because you have a mission
And that’s to help the ones who don’t
Have negative ambition

Don’t you dare allow others
To tell you that you’re cold
Don’t you dare allow them to
Admonish, chide or scold

Because as harsh and ugly as
This truth may be to hear
Some folks are so self-absorbed
Of them we should stay clear

We should avoid, we should cut loose
We should all turn away
We should allow them to wallow
In their hate and dismay

And when enough times passes, if
They choose a different view
And if they still can find us, then
That line we can renew

But if they choose to not let go
Of their own hard feelings
You’ll be grateful that you chose not
To have further dealings

You’ll be grateful that you chose to
Cut loose and show some spine
And saved your strength for others ‘cause
You cut loose that dead line

                                    ~Miro

by

Lost At Sea

“We can do no great things, only small things with great love.”  ~Mother Teresa

Lost At Sea

For over twenty years
The waves of hate and fears
Have lashed at bow and stern
And made his stomach churn

The hull withstood it all
Impenetrable wall
But storm would not relent
And after years, a dent

Then followed by a crack
Waves kept up the attack
Hull now withstands no more
And in water does pour

The vessel flies apart
And no more course to chart
The mission has now changed
As sailor floats, estranged

The sea of waves do pound
And no where is there ground
There’s nothing else in sight
Except for his wet plight

Somehow he still does tread
Somehow he’s still not dead
How can one take so much?
Survive in this death clutch?

He closes eyes and breathes
While sea howls and seethes
It tightens its death grip
Just like it did his ship

His body cracks and dents
And his resolve relents
His hope starts to run out
And in rush waves of doubt

He finally gives in
And knows that he can’t win
He lowers down his guard
And his life does discard

…
…
…
…

But something splashes down
As he begins to drown
A life preserver thrown
The origin: unknown

And he could not care less
Who finally did bless
All that this sailor knows
Is that he’s in the throes

Of a watery grave
And someone chose to save
He’ll use this precious gift
To make this death tide shift

And fight another day
While waves wash him away
The small gesture does make
The sailor’s anguish break

And reinvigorates
All his resolute traits
The sea may be so vast
But somehow he does last

With so little to show
With so much pain and woe
The slightest show of aid
Revives sailor’s crusade

Somewhere he’s out there floating
While the sea is still coating
With all that it can muster
But it still fails to fluster

Because although he’s lost
His will it can’t exhaust
Because he needs so little
To change to strong from brittle

Something to dwell on
When you do feel foregone
Or see somebody who
Is right now going through

A problematic stage
If only we engage
And throw that small preserver
It could ignite their fervor

And give them the strength to
Fight on and follow through
To keep their heads above
From one small act of love

                                     ~Miro

by

The King of Letting Go

“Easter says you can put truth in a grave, but it won’t stay there.”  ~Clarence W. Hall

The King of Letting Go

I am a humble servant of
The King of Letting Go
Every day I try to let
My Monarch’s teachings flow

This King did not possess riches
His life was about loss
My King did not sit on a throne
Instead He had a cross

He wore no fancy crown of gold
Adorned with studded jewels
Instead there was a crown of thorns
Placed on His head by fools

He walked away from His home town
From those who had raised Him
To cast His light in places that
Had grown shady and dim

He let go of the things He had
The things He did possess
He knew the key to happiness
Was knowing you need less

And when the only thing left was
His life, they took that too
He let it go as He explained
“They know not what they do”

I wonder why it’s so hard for
People to let it go
Everyday annoyances
That make our anger grow

But one thing we can’t seem to grasp
And hold on tightly to
Is the lesson this King taught
We just cannot construe

The thought that peace is in our grasp
If we let go, move on
Accept the things we cannot change
Accept what’s gone is gone

I am a humble servant of
The King of Letting Go
I will not be dragged down because
I will no longer tow

I will sever the lines that hold me
To anchoring weight
I will let go of my ego
My selfishness, my hate

Because my King has done the same
And asks no less of me
He’s taught us only when we let
It go can we be free

                                 ~Miro