God must have seen me as a worthy opponent When he sent me into battle with tragedy A spiritual sword held in my shaking hands To fight for my sanity and survival Death circled me for decades Collecting the souls of everyone I loved I was at war with my desire to follow To offer myself to the scythe of finality The scars on my heart bear witness To the wounds inflicted by the ruthless Reaper The battlefields are soaked with my blood and tears Where I countlessly wanted to raise the white flag The strength of ancient warriors filled my weary heart As I screamed my battle cry into the face of Death When the final sickle arrives for the conclusion I hope He nods at my valiant efforts to survive
You have done more than merely survive Rea! You have battled and won over and over again. Keeping death and despair at bay, and creating art that touches spirits and hearts. You're a badass, I admire and respect your strength. Now I wish you peace and rest and a life you choose. Love, Virg
Grief can feel like a lifelong battlefield, yet you also show the fierce, stubborn courage it takes to keep standing. The imagery of facing Death not with surrender but with a warrior’s resolve is striking. Beautiful!
Your spirit is strong
I’m pleased you think so, Adrian.
You have done more than merely survive Rea! You have battled and won over and over again. Keeping death and despair at bay, and creating art that touches spirits and hearts. You're a badass, I admire and respect your strength. Now I wish you peace and rest and a life you choose. Love, Virg
That's a beautiful wish! Thank you, Virg!
So Rea, coffee and connection are best shared events. Would love to buy you a cup and chat. Any where near Austin?
I live in South Africa, Kevin.
Grief can feel like a lifelong battlefield, yet you also show the fierce, stubborn courage it takes to keep standing. The imagery of facing Death not with surrender but with a warrior’s resolve is striking. Beautiful!
Thank you, Jaap. Death is the most ruthless combatant!
Well i read that with a war cry beat. Thanks for sharing!!
That’s great. Thank you!
You wrote this as a fearless warrior not afraid of death. You embrassed it unapologetically.
Thank you, Rosetta.
Spelled embrace wrong! LOL
No worries! 😊
The poem feels like someone looking back at a lifetime of loss and realizing they’ve been fighting for their life far longer than anyone knew.
There’s something powerful in the idea of being seen as a “worthy opponent,” as if resilience was forged through pain rather than choice.
The image of holding a spiritual sword with trembling hands captures that mix of fear and determination so honestly.
You can feel how relentless grief has been, with death circling again and again, taking the people they loved most.
The pull toward giving up feels painfully human, and admitting it gives the poem a raw kind of truth.
The scars on the heart read like a record of every moment they chose to stay when leaving felt easier.
The battlefields soaked with blood and tears show just how much survival can cost.
There’s a fierce beauty in the moment they scream their battle cry straight into the face of death.
The final hope that death might acknowledge their effort is heartbreaking in its simplicity.
In the end, the poem feels like a testament to someone who kept standing long after the world expected them to fall.
This is beautiful, Adrião!
Powerful ... that was Powerful Rea. 🫂💙✨️
Thank you, Debra. ❤️
A warrior.
As are you, Stephen.
Death does seem to smile from every corner
Doesn’t it? That evil grin.
Dam powerful poem!
Well done 🙏🗡️✍️
Thank you, Marjorie. I appreciate your beautiful reaction! 😊
A Worthy Warrior Woman you are ❤️🌹
Dankie lieve Vlinder. 💞