Taking The Risk Poem by Jackie Allen

Dare he shed his mask, lay inhibitions
on the shore? Dare he face pointed questions
of those who beg more from his stoic face
than pass-fail of intuition’s past days?

Diving into the deep end of fear, where
artisans, poets, musicians congregate,
he’s learning from their gifts of navigation...
attempting to avoid detractions’ reefs.

Back on the shore, he flips and flops, gasping
breaths, his feet newly wet, his wings untried.
Once composed, he rights wrongs, polishes
the gem, then throws it back into the sea.

Sharks gather around this newfound jewel.
While some turn down their noses, some sample
and like the taste of something different.
He waits, anxious for acknowledgment, acclaim.

He took the risk, invested in himself. He
dared confront himself. Giving all, he now
stands tall, a heroic figure for those
who dare submit their gifts to the critics’ eye.