(ups And Downs Collection) .... Giving Up Poem by Janice Windle

Easy to give up, when you’ve been given up on.
Easy to step into the shade,
avoid harsh light that points up
the errors that you’ve made.
Easy to give up comforts:
chocolate and wine;
company of friends;
dreamless sleep; routines
that eased the passing of the tedious days
and instead,
give yourself up to endless questioning,
revolving in your head
the riddle – “What if? Why? Should I have...? When? ”
And finding there’s no answer, giving up,
hide your face to wallow in self – blame.

Not I. I am not to blame.
No shame, unless I do give up,
but I shall give up giving up.
And the sun will shine on my unrepentant foolish head,
and the wine shall flow into my garrulous mouth,
and I shall sleep sweetly in another’s arms,
and my friends will shake their heads and say,
“Poor fool, she lives to fight another day! ”