And before him I kneel
that I might stand before any , all and every other man
My shoulders are wide
My spine is straight
That I stand up tall
And bear weight

My feet are wide and flat
To take stable steps
And not turn back

Speaking of backs
My armor hasn’t one
For I do not turn my back on the enemy so I have no need for one

I am a warrior made to protect
To stand beside my brothers
if there’s ever a threat

My arms are strong
to hold in love and lift in need
They hold up the dawn while planting goodly seeds

My legs are like oak stumps
For long standing guard
To walk along the dusk
and through the dust of the fall
no matter how hard

My chest is packed
to push away oppressors and guard my heart when it’s attacked

My back is a table of iron
To carry my cross
and as many others as I can
to the great I AM

My mind is full
but not completely so
when I meet to eat with messiah daily it has room for bread and gravy

Look into my eyes
the windows to my soul
and you’ll see I’m not yet whole
I’m a working progress
a man being built
I’m being molded into something
not made of dirt and silt

I’m being sharpened
by other men of my state and stature
That’s how God sharpens the iron he manufactures
And when the sharpening happens sparks do fly

but without it
we die a death we dare not die
and with it we have faith
in deaths face and go to our graves
having not taken flight

Now look at these hands
These are a mans hands
Scared, arthritic vice grip clamp hands
made to keep grip and not slip
even when feet trip
and story book pages rip
they can become fists of fury
but not in bloodshed hurry
but in oppressive scurry

I am man
Do you hear my voice?
When I speak chosen words of my chosen choice
created in the likeness of God
but not in God likeness.

© Billy Charles Root

Excerpt from the book “Pressing On”

Visit Author Page At:
http://www.ctupublishinggroup.com/billy-charles-root.html