the team of caution and will

the courage to jump into the stream

there, on the rock, 

my eight year-old granddaughter stands,

ready in position so that she can jump out

and then make a big splash in the mountain river,

I can see her mind work,

her will gets her ready to jump,

her caution gets her to consider,

to reconsider,

to reconsider again,

 that struggle within her reveals to me

a courage that impresses me deeply,

she pulls herself together, commits, jumps,





and splashes into the welcoming, challenging river,

we cheer her, and her courage,

I imagine how often in life she will feel challenge,

may she remember how to add enough will to caution

so that she can achieve what she hopes to be and do.



by Henry H. Walker

August 2, ‘16