![](https://res.cloudinary.com/jerrick/image/upload/d_642250b563292b35f27461a7.png,f_jpg,fl_progressive,q_auto,w_1024/66767e48a00e31001e09a94e.jpg)
Some grim foes seem colossal, gigantic
We dwindle into insignificance
Faced with them, few can remain romantic
Against such monsters, hope has little chance
![](https://res.cloudinary.com/jerrick/image/upload/d_642250b563292b35f27461a7.png,f_jpg,q_auto,w_720/66767e48a00e31001e09a94b.jpg)
And yet, in a titan’s inky shadow
Some eyes have dark enough to see a light
Sufficient to allow their hearts to slow
Enough to read the details of the fight
![](https://res.cloudinary.com/jerrick/image/upload/d_642250b563292b35f27461a7.png,f_jpg,q_auto,w_720/66767e48a00e31001e09a94c.jpg)
Afresh, and find within their nuances
Not paralysis, but a spur to act
With sharp precision, and faith in chances
That are quite real, and not merely abstract
![](https://res.cloudinary.com/jerrick/image/upload/d_642250b563292b35f27461a7.png,f_jpg,q_auto,w_720/66767e48a00e31001e09a94d.jpg)
Some means of triumph are not found, but made
When things seem darkest, come to your own aid
About the Creator
D. J. Reddall
I write because my time is limited and my imagination is not.
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Nice work
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Comments (10)
And rightly so, because only we can help ourselves if and when we are ready for it! "When things seem darkest, come to your own aid"
What could be better? The story of a shepherd boy's extreme faith in taking down a mocking bully combined with the artful Caravaggio's detailed emotions told in the faces of his painting. I would say it was your Ekphrastic Sonnet!
Another masterful sonnet! In the spirit of the poem Invictus. "Against such monsters, hope has little chance" -- true, but I would add the disclaimer, "when we act alone." US culture tends to elevate the ideal of the unlikely but valiant hero (a la Joseph Campell), standing alone against evil. But I believe that the real monsters throughout history have only been defeated through collaborative resistance -- the power of community united in purpose and determination. So ... my version might be "When things seem darkest, come together and rise up in mutual aid."
What a closing line.
evoking a sense of insignificance when faced with colossal foes. very nice poem!
Oooo, those last two lines, they were extremely powerful! Loved your poem so much
Love that painting - and your words are a great reminder about spirit and how we can overcome even those tough challenges, and besides...some of us won't have to fight a giant...even if they feel like that...Inspirational and a great companion to that painting, sir!
Great message in those last two lines, D.J.. What a painting to choose too! I am particularly captivated by the expression on David's face. He looks almost ashamed of what he has done. I feel the stirrings of a microfiction...
Nice work
Your poem beautifully captures the struggle against seemingly tough challenges. It reminds me that even in the darkest times, there's a light within us. Thank you for this inspiring perspective.