What Makes a Warrior

I cannot presume To tell anyone What a warrior is. Nor do I claim To embody any Of his qualities. All I offer here Is a collection Of impressions Or meditations. A warrior is A state of being; Armaments Are mere props. The only weapon He might possess Is implacable resolve In the face of Extreme adversity. A warrior's language Or internal dialogue Has no allowance For the phrase, "I can't." All the same, He discriminates Between causes That are just and Those that are not. He determines the Character, as well as The time and place Of his battles, Investing himself utterly. And he remains Ever prepared For those who would Bring their battles To him. Yet a warrior meets life On its own terms With no delusions Of bending it To his own will. Self-pity is a Useless indulgence, Yet he has compassion For the weak; he never Places himself above Others, for how can he? All this being said, And human nature Being what it is, His greatest enemy May yet be none other Than himself.