IT TAKES
A LOT OF ENERGY…
GRIT
THEY CALL IT,
ATTITUDE
GRATITUDE
AND A GOOD
SHOVE
FROM A FRIEND
TO FIRE UP
TRUE GRIT:
LIKE THE
JOHN WAYNE
STORY
ONE OF GLORY
WHERE HE
DEMONSTRATES
STRENGTH
GUTS
AND WILD CUTS,
DOES ANYONE
REMEMBER THAT…
THE BIGGEST
COWBOY OF ALL
A REAL TRUE
HERO
WHO FLEW
THROUGH
MY MIND
EARLY ONE
MORNING,
AS I POKED
THROUGH SOME
AMAZING PIECES
OF ANTIQUE:
VERY FANCY
VERY CHIC,
IT WAS TIME
TO SORT OUT
THE KEEPERS
FROM THE ONES
WE WILL OFFER
AT A BIG SALE,
KIND OF LIKE
A FAIRY TALE,
STUFF UP AND
DOWN THE
DRIVEWAY –
THAT’S THE PLAN,
AS MY MIND
FLEW BACK
IN TIME
RECOGNIZING
MY MOTHER’S
GLOVES,
SOME ODD LITTLE
PIECES
MEANT TO DECORATE
COLLARS
WORN YEARS AGO
AND EVEN SO
MAYBE COMING
BACK
WITH THE
WILD ASS OUTFITS
DANCING NOW
THROUGH
PAGES OF FASHION,
THESE THINGS
I PERUSE
OFTEN AT NIGHT
BUT SOME WERE
FORGOTTEN
TODAY,
AND CAME INTO
PLAY,
I WAS STIRRED
WITH THE
QUAINT SCARVES
AND FUNNY SMALL
BELTS,

SHE WAS SUCH
A SHORT
LITTLE THING,
MAKING MY
SOUL RING
WITH MEMORIES
OF GRIT,
FOR I WAS
A RASCAL
IN MIDDLE
YEARS
STOMPING
THROUGH
HIGH SCHOOL
WITHOUT ANY FEARS,
DEVELOPING COURAGE
TO LEAP OUT
ON MY OWN,
JUST COULDN’T WAIT
TO BE FULLY
GROWN,
AND ALL OF
THIS TENDED
TO USHER ME IN
TO THE MOOD
OF A REBEL
TO MY MOTHER’S
CHAGRIN,
SHE CALLED
IT GRIT
AND BLAMED MY
POOR FATHER
FOR THE FIGHT
IN HIS DAUGHTER,
THESE VERY
STRONG FEELINGS
JUMPED OUT
TODAY
AS I SORTED THEM
ALL AND PUT
THEM AWAY,
THE FIRE THAT
BURNS
IN YOUR PASSIONATE
HEART
BECOMES A STRONG
HABIT
WHILE BARELY
A PART
OF THE LADYLIKE
GLOVES
WORN BY MY MOM,
I LOOKED AT THEM
GRATEFULLY
AND TOUCHED
THEM QUITE
TENDERLY
FEELING THE GRIT
IN MY SOUL
REMINDED OF
DAYS WHEN I
WASN’T APPRISED
OF HOW IT ALL
WORKS IN THE
WORLD,
BUT NOW I
RECALL
THE BEST OF IT ALL,
FINDING MYSELF
AS A POWERFUL
WOMAN
ALLOWED TO
FIGHT BACK
WHEN HIT WITH
ATTACKS,
I DREAMT OF IT
ONCE
WHEN I WAS
SIXTEEN,
AND NOW I AM
HERE
AT THE END
OF THE DREAM!

©JW WINSLOW 5/1/2021