In Silent Strength Rising

By nature, not one born to give protest
But rather one to hide the fire and flame
contemplating as if in quiet rest
as heat and passion rise within the frame.

Marvel not at the man who soars,
but measure the steps of the slow.
Silence comes to the one that roars
as quiet man is seen to grow.

With sound and fury, the impatient wait
to see their name engraved on banner high;
but in a flicker, they learn that their fate
is to flounder within their mournful cry.

As those with wisdom on the rise
bring others with them on the way,
their silent strength is such a prize
that their fame will not pass away.



Author's note: Virelay-A very rarely used form of French poetry written in quatrains of varying lengths which makes it unpopular. The standard Virelay is 4 quatrains, the first in five foot lines, 10 syllables, the second in 4 foot lines, eight syllables, the third is back to five and the forth in eight. There can be as many quatrains as needed but it must end with a four foot, eight syllable quatrain. The rhyme pattern is progressive with each consecutive quatrain-AbAb BcBc CdCd DaDb and so forth.