To open one’s heart is to expose the soft center where the delicate things are kept far away from the abrasive brain that would scour them smooth Impervious to harm Impervious to touch Like gemstones pretty to look at without any intrinsic value value comes from fragility from the temporary nature of things of the heart that even when nurtured can be felled to and left decaying in the spiritual forest In decay new life takes root stirring in chests beating with renewed life blood aspiring again to set roots that would ground us branches to help reach high into the heavens fed by the ever present waters of risk that runs through each endeavor that is worth giving life
A response to Grace’s prompt on dVerse to write a poem involving risk.
Copyright © 2021 TJS Sherman All rights reserved.
Musing & Creating with T.J.S. Sherman 
Beautifully written.
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Thank you!
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This is lovely. The heart beats on through cyclic rhythms. 🙂
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Nothing ventured nothing gained. Hurt is a teacher, it shouldn’t be a jail.
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I love the motion of your poem … the message overwhelms … a beautiful write.
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Thank you, risk and vulnerability are the keys to emotional connectedness.
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A marvel to see that new life taking root and striving once again. Always a risk but its so worthwhile.
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Sometimes, just as in gardening, you have to cut off the parts that are dying to let them go and help other parts grow.
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I like how your poem values risk and the metaphor of the ever present waters of risk that are so necessary to life. It really is an essential, intrinsic part of our lives if we want to go. As your title states we need to nurture it! 💯
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As I’ve told my kid, there’s a difference between fear and prudence. We can’t let fear keep us from adventure, we just have to be smart about it.
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Yes, that’s some wise advice! 💯
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typo -if we want to *grow* Love your image, btw!
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You draw the parallel between risk and emotional exposure so well!
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Thank you!
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Great poem. I really love the opening lines and stanza. 🙂
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Thank you!
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Lovely images and comparisons. 🙂
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I figured the rocks for brains was a good comparison 😉 have to remind myself there’s a heart in there.
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Haha, well written TJS. 🙂
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The ever-present waters of risk indeed. I like that. Risk as water, scary yet nourishing. It is always present depending on the decisions you make. A great write 🙂
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Sink or float, but we’ll have to chose one or the other.
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T.,
These lines are a stand-out for me:
“value comes from fragility
from the temporary nature
of things of the heart”
I love what you’re saying here, because so true and beautiful.
pax,
dora
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Exposing your own vulnerability is probably the largest risk… much larger than the risk of using your fists.
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Being willing not to fight can be showing a big vulnerability, but also a choice of prudence.
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“fed by the ever present waters
of risk that runs through each
endeavor that is worth giving life”
So true. Risk (hopefully prudent) has its rewards.
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“In decay new life takes root” and with every life comes risk. Well put.
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This is exquisitely drawn! I especially love; “Like gemstones pretty to look at without any intrinsic value/value comes from fragility/from the temporary nature of things/ of the heart that even when nurtured can be felled to.” 🙂
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