This is a poem I had written back in 2012, but I feel the message is still valid. I’m a card-carrying procrastinator and self saboteur, and I can’t help but feel stupid about it. The world gives us enough obstacles, why do we create even more? If we could just focus all that energy/time/thought into doing what we want to do instead of on all the bullshit reasons we can’t/shouldn’t/couldn’t, then, my friend, we’d be so much closer to becoming our true selves.

Enough preaching. Onto the poem that’s mostly preaching.
By the way, I hope it helps you if you need it, or entertains you if you don’t.

Cheers, friends.
-PH

Rise!

Rise!
don’t wait a single
second longer
it’s now or never
and never isn’t
good enough.

Rise!
cast off the oppressive
husk of self loathing
self pity and
self doubt,
because nobody’s
gonna give two
damns if
you won’t even
give one.

Rise!
that voice in your
head is called
intuition, and
it’s the greatest
friend you’ve got.
it knows the way
to a better you,
it knows all the truths
you try so hard
to ignore.
when it says
get off the goddamned
couch and do something
about all those things
you like to whine about,
take it as gospel,
because it’s trying to save
your ever-widening ass
from a life of mediocrity
and regret.

Rise!
no longer allow
yesterday’s indignities to
cast shadows on your
today
don’t give up
before you’ve begun,
then don’t give up
at all.

Rise!
before you look back
and say “where did it
all go?”
then that voice growls
“you never let it come.”
they say it’s never too
late, but we all know
that’s bullshit.
tomorrow’s
too late
an easy out,
a sucker’s bet
tomorrow is a day that
never truly comes.

Rise!
you know what you
must do
Rise!
no one is going
to do it for you
Rise!
if you must believe
in something,
why not choose
to believe
in you?
Rise!
Now!
Rise!
Now!
Rise!

©2012 Peter Hammarberg