The substance of courage
more than the sum
of guts
and forward motion

There is sacred
wine
that persists
and never quits

Utter abandonment
mingled with hope
tangled into might

There is a sacred
river
it rises
and never dries

Generous grace
enough to carry
Even the weariest heart to joy

There is a sacred
rhythm
That treads
And turns in everlast

Untamed fortitude
Woven into golden threads
loving-kindness incorruptible

The substance of courage

The sound, the shatter, the hammer
The song, the stand, the move
The letting go, the grabbing hold
The stillness in storms
The rumble in the face of fear

© Elisabeth Cooper 2020

This is the finished print for week one: Courage-Fall and the first print I have pulled in several years. It’s not perfect. But in the face of perfectionism and self criticism, courage stands its ground in holding an open hand and an open heart in sometimes painful processes and, perhaps, especially in the painful processes. 
Next Monday-Friday: Week Two: Winter-Strength