Lies of a Story Teller

Don't You Dare (Slam Poem)

This is my first try at slam poetry. For those of you may not know, slam poetry is reallly emotional, powerful sounding poetry. It's actually supposed to be performed, so the sad truth is you won't get the full effect of this poem without hearing it. Still, I thought you guys might like to see.

Dedicated to Smilies because I don't tell her enough how much I appreciate her and because I felt like dedicating this to someone. -flyon

Don’t you dare look me in the eye and tell me you’re not strong enough. No, you are like a superhero, fighting with strength untold and holding up what no other person could. You have fought harder than anyone I know. You fight hard for yourself, but more importantly you fight for those around, even those who are hardest to fight for. I have watched you overcome. I have watched your break the chains. I have watched you defeat defeat. You have inspired me to be the best that I can be. You aren’t just strong. You are strong enough for the both of us.

 Don’t you dare look me in the eye and tell that you feel unloved. No, you are like everybody’s favorite character in a movie. Without you, it just wouldn’t be the same. You have penetrated the hearts of everyone around you with the words that you say. You are unique and as multi-faceted as a diamond ring. Every face that you have refracts a new light and adds to the brilliance that adds to your whole. For some of us, you are an example. Somebody to lead and to respect. You are beautiful on the inside and cherished for it. Best of all, you care for people first and sometimes it is your own love that blinds you to everyone else. You are not just loved, but you love others first.

 Don’t you dare look me in the eye and tell me that you’re scared because that is just something that you are telling yourself so that you can get out of doing what you know in your heart is good and true. And you’re telling me that the dark is closing in and that the demons are plaguing your mind and that you feel lost in a sea of confusion and despair and that no matter what you do you will never be able to crawl out of the pit that you have dug for yourself, but I am telling you that is a lie! No, you are like the flashlight in the hand of a little boy who is scared of the monster in his closet. You are not just brave, you are fearless.

 And so don’t you dare look me in the eye and tell me that you don’t trust God. I have watched you follow God. God is why you are strong. You trusted God to hold you up when you were not able to hold everything up on your own. You trusted God to help you love people even when you did not feel loved yourself. You trusted God even when you were as scared as you have ever been in your whole life to pull you through and once again show you truth. On Christ the solid rock you stand. All other ground is sinking sand. You don’t just trust God. You have faith in God. You believe in God. You love God. And I dare you to look me in the eye and tell me that I’m wrong.