Clawing

When life's wicked hardships came in the tide

You always seemed to be close by my side

Like a kind guardian and swiftest guide

As I gripped, clawing my way as I tried

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Clawing my way over every trial

Clawing across all of life's putrid bile

Clawing past every maiden's denial

Clawing through all that was so deeply vile

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The world has hated my very own face

Told me that I did not have any place

Rejected me from any real space

Tossed me into deep shadows, forgotten

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But I was not dead, my heart still beating

Caught such to a thing that was not fleeting

Your drive and purpose, for my completing

To finish the tasks thus given to me

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Wounded I bleed all my beautiful words

Food for all the carrion, feast for the birds

Lost within all of life's creative herds

Trying to provide the meaning that drives

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Clawing through the mud and the thickest mire

When all of life’s thoughts seemed so dark and dire

And surrender seemed so soon to transpire

You told me continue, to not expire

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To not let the world my destiny make

To not let my will so easily break

To not let mishaps so easily take

The great joy that you have conferred to me

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Whether in beauty by my own drawing

Or when quite so busy at life's gnawing

Over defeat and rain of tears falling

To keep on going, bleeding and clawing