“Tenacity looks good on you.”
Intended as an insult,
Uttered as a compliment,
The words of damnation
From my father’s lips fell:
Blood from a hunter’s teeth.
Characteristic I cannot shed,
Tenacity engulfs me.
Can I drown in fortitude?
Does courage saturate my lungs?
Tread along a little farther, child.
Suddenly upright, I feel the shore
Steady my faltering feet.
This new vantage I gain
Propels my body forward,
Suddenly separate
From the unseen current
Of patriarchal rip tides.
Balanced resilience dries on my skin,
Entrusting me with perpetual moxie
From an endlessly ebbing tide pool.
Laura Jeu lives in Pennsylvania with her dog, Scout. When not writing, she can be found trekking up and down mountains. Her gracious mom and considerate brothers provide helpful critiques, receiving the author’s chidings in return.