Strength Of Character. Poem by Syed Anwar Yarkhan Jilani

Strength affirms
My transformed ego,
The seductive beast,
Animus whose superpower
Is to master self control,
To tame qualms or impulse
To prove of what stuff
I'm made.

I go gallantly but
A wayward heart is part of
My covert individuality,
My infinite fortitude,
Is seen by what I do to
Sacrifice or confront,
To stand up for
What I feel is right, including
Admitting when I'm wrong,
Keeping out of it or not
Dignifying responses provoked.

When resolve is tested
I draw on the courage
Of my true character from
The more savage to humble
Virtues of my natural instincts,
To maintain my objective by
Serenity that enables me to
Hold tongue against instigation,
Repress claws at empty threats
And annul the pride against zeal,
When it's hard and inconvenient,
But to persuade through self restraint
Until assimilation is complete
Or resistance becomes futile.