Defeat | Khalil Gibran Poem

Here's a wonderful poem by the great Kahlil Gibran. Author of The Prophet. Hope you enjoy.

Gibran Khalil Gibran (January 6, 1883 – April 10, 1931) , usually referred to in English as Kahlil Gibran, was a Lebanese-American writer, poet and visual artist, also considered a philosopher although he himself rejected the title.

Transcript

Defeat,

My defeat,

My solitude and my aloofness.

You are dearer to me than a thousand triumphs,

And sweeter to my heart than all world glory.

Defeat,

My defeat,

My self-knowledge and my defiance.

Through you I know that I'm yet young and swift of foot,

And not to be trapped by withering laurels.

And in you I have found aloneness,

And the joy of being shunned and scorned.

Defeat,

My defeat,

My shining sword and shield.

In your eyes I have read that to be enthroned is to be enslaved,

And to be understood is to be leveled down.

And to be grasped is but to reach one's fullness,

And like a ripe fruit to fall and be consumed.

Defeat,

My defeat,

My bold companion.

You shall hear my songs and my cries and my silences.

And none but you shall speak to me of the beating of wings and urging of seas,

And of mountains that burn in the night.

And you alone shall climb my steep and rocky soul.

Defeat,

My defeat,

My deathless courage.

You and I shall laugh together with the storm,

And together we shall dig graves for all that die in us.

And we shall stand in the sun with a will,

And we shall be dangerous.

Reviews

Poignant and such a blessing! Thank U! www.gratefulness.org & www.compassioncourse.org, ahimsa

I stepped forwarded, a feeling rose, I paused.

What was I feeling? Fear? I see I am scared. How can I share this emotion? With whom?

I have an "image" to maintain. I'm invincible, I never tremble, I'm the foundation, the rock, I carry the heavy loads.

If I quiver, start to lean, this time when I fall...will I get back up...again?

Processing and churning these emotions, I know I have been on this path before. There's the stone of disappointment, the weeds of anger, a root of shame.

I take another step, then another. Moving to push aside the stones, pulling the weeds, tracing the root of guilt...until I reach the meadow of all I am, weeds with blossoms, stones polished to gems, a tree growing from all the rotten debris at the root.

I fall upon all I am. I lift me up, I close my eyes and hold me while I rest and heal, until the trembling, quivering stops.

I see all those who love me, support me, accept me with no expectations...I am without fear.I stepped forwarded, a feeling rose, I paused.

What was I feeling? Fear? I see I am scared. How can I share this emotion? With whom?

I have an "image" to maintain. I'm invincible, I never tremble, I'm the foundation, the rock, I carry the heavy loads.

If I quiver, start to lean, this time when I fall...will I get back up...again?

Processing and churning these emotions, I know I have been on this path before. There's the stone of disappointment, the weeds of anger, a root of shame.

I take another step, then another. Moving to push aside the stones, pulling the weeds, tracing the root of guilt...until I reach the meadow of all I am, weeds with blossoms, stones polished to gems, a tree growing from all the rotten debris at the root.

I fall upon all I am. I lift me up, I close my eyes and hold me while I rest and heal, until the trembling, quivering stops.

I see all those who love me, support me, accept me with no expectations...I am without fear.