{"sf1_id":1225979,"sf2_id":"3eg3w0Le","title":"Defeat is not Surrender","author":"zetasyanthis","words":404,"posted_at":"2017-08-13T00:08:00.000Z","tags":["Poem","light"],"url":"https://fse.anthro.fr/stories/1225979-defeat-is-not-surrender","original_url":"https://sofurry.com/s/3eg3w0Le","image_url":"https://cdn.sofurryfiles.com/submissions/thumbnails/ca/55/ca550909-26e7-4dda-b16a-e1b03f2d401e","description":"#10 of Poems\n\nAn update to an older poem I wrote about a year ago.","content":"Defeat is not surrender,  \nnor is darkness light.  \nThough pain may overwhelm us  \nit cannot stop our bright.  \n  \nDefeat is not surrender,  \nnor is the battle lost.  \n  \nDefeat is not surrender,  \nthough we have paid great cost.  \n  \nFor in our hearts a forest grows,  \nits branches strong and green,  \nand our forests will grow again  \nthough all we hear is keen.  \n  \nIt seems to drown out all we know.  \nIt seems to black out light.  \nBut if you listen carefully,  \nyour heart will guide you right.  \n  \nMuch pain endured, many hearts lost  \nwe've hurt and we've despaired,  \nbut we are stronger than you know.  \nWe wear the heroes' pale.  \n  \nMusic, as strong as candlelight  \nthat lights until the dawn  \nwill honor and will shine with you  \ntill all your fears are gone.  \n  \nAnd if you listen closely,  \nand if you listen close,  \nMusic will teach you secrets,  \nthe language magic spoke.  \n  \nThat language that we long thought dead  \nthat death and pain had beat  \nis not something that can be killed  \nand it still sings as sweet.  \n  \nAs sweet as music ever was  \nand once again shall be  \nyou must now listen - careful, close -  \nto what it says, I plea.  \n  \n\n\u0026nbsp; For we did lose the hearts and minds  \nof those we thought our friends  \nand if we hope for peace to come  \nthem we must understand.  \n  \nI know I ask a thing absurd  \na thing that rhymes with pain  \nbut if you want a kinder world  \nyou must not now abstain.  \n  \nBut do not compromise too much  \nor let the pain drown out  \nthe secret words of dreaming light  \nyour forest must still sprout.  \n  \nFor we must hold the line -  \nstrong, true -  \nthat they would see us yield  \nthat they would trample in the dirt  \nand vicious power wield.  \n  \nWe must not fear to hold the line  \nagainst those who seek cold  \nunflinching power, reckonings,  \nvendettas grim and old.  \n  \nAnd we must not fear to hold firm  \nagainst those who don't think  \nwho put some power's word above  \nthose they push to the brink.  \n  \nFor those you love,  \nand those who you like,  \nand those who you hope love you,  \nwhose dreams are made of candle light,  \nwhose forests live in you,  \nthey need you now.  \nThey need you strong.  \nThey need to hold your hand  \nas they stand with you and with me  \nto save our broken land.  \n  \n\n","series":{"name":"Poems","previous":"https://fse.anthro.fr/stories/1198868-zeta.json","next":"https://fse.anthro.fr/stories/1225993-yours.json"}}