Remember many years ago when you were just a young boy
And your only concern was candy, games, and toys?
You did not have a single care in this world,
For at your mother’s breast you were cared for and nurtured.
But as you became older and grew into your teens,
You began to realize that life was not all that it seemed.
As you careened your way into manhood, your path was not quite paved,
You lived by your own terms and there were prices that you paid.
It was then that you began to see the outcome of your heavy loads,
Childhood was suddenly gone, and you found yourself on the Battle Road.
It is a road on which all boys must travel as a young man,
With time on your side and your future in your hands.
It is where you take your hard knocks and learn the value of your life,
To your credit you endured all the pitfalls and stayed in the fight.
Perseverance, love and faith are the marks of the manhood code,
For without them you would not have survived on the Battle Road.
Now older and wiser you have paid your dues,
And you can now live your life as you so choose.
Because your trials did not kill you… they only made you stronger,
There is an awareness of your existence you did not have when you were younger.
You have reached a milestone that continues to pave your way,
Your feet have become steadier… you no longer bend and sway.
Your convictions are more steadfast, your integrity more secured,
Life now tells the story of all the personal wars you have endured.
So cross over into this milestone with triumph and expectancy,
For within you are the visions that will soon become your legacy.
And be proud that you crossed over it… you will now reap the mother lode,
Because only a man can say that he overcame the Battle Road.
©July 2005 Kim Woods
All rights preserved
Who Will Speak 