The least because he trembles to grey fear
That man should call courage to conquer fright,
Fine if a man at times should frightened be,
Not if he should flight from fear’s bleary blight,
Howso brave, a man needs courage no mean
To face, fight, and conquer what he does fear,
And he needs to fear first— courage to win,
That dwells yon fear, yet close enough and near.
King Odysseus, who this truth knew just fine,
Reasoned Achilles to fight the Trojan War:
If ye should fear no one, problem ‘tis thine,
Do keep fear close to thy courageous shore.
Ah, soothing most words these I’ve ever heard:
No man courageous is that hath ne’er feared.
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1. The poem uses the dialogue of the movie, Troy. The words
used therein are: ‘You don’t fear anyone, that’s your problem.
Sometimes fear is useful’.
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- Sonnets | 02.09.10 |