Tell me not

        that you are fallen,

And just cannot

         rise again,

When your brain

           is sound and working,

And you are not

            at all insane.

Tell me not

              your life is ending

When your spirit

               is but damped;

When you can

                 restart its engine,

Sputtering but

                  can be revamped.

If you feel

                    at once unable

To advance

                      just look around,

You shall see that

                       there are people

Sick and

                         mentally unsound.

There may not

                          be any roses

In your garden

                           of endeavor;

Flowers wild are

                            just as pretty

None of which

                             can bloom forever.

If you still

                              can breathe and ready

Once again

                                to treasure life

And not soon

                                  succumb to failure

While you ride

                                    the storms of strife,

You shall stand

                                     and stay alerted

To your

                                       liberty, instead,

Being alive,

                                        prepared and eager,

Not immobilized

                                          or dead.