Against the World

I discovered this poem in my briefcase.  It was written sometime around 1996. It describes a  - wrestler's struggle for victory.   Now to all my kids - yes, this was written for Drew.  Now please don't mutter like I would - "How come Dad never wrote a poem for me?"  I have you all written on my heart.  It just takes time to get it in verse.  I hope that this poem has application for all young men.


Against the world, a man is born
To fight and win with armor worn
The victory cry is his desire
A destiny fulfilled with fire

And so while young a boy is taught

That one's success cannot be bought
Without the struggle and the strife
For blood, and sweat, and tears are life

His muscles stretch, they're firm and sore

Prepared to fight the righteous war
If he can train with strain and stress
He surely will achieve his quest

He must do more than others can

If he'll succeed and be a man
Commitment, dedication, soul
All effort to a single goal

Eliminate unfocused work

And all unchanneled effort shirk
Forsake the rest, abandon all
Unless he does, he risks a fall

And then the battle is arrayed

And now his skill will be displayed
With firmness now he grasps the foe
With ready balance for the throw

The match proceeds and training's pay

Confounds the foe and thwarts his way
The power's smooth, the movement strong
To prove the adversary wrong

So grip and throw and grasp and shove

This battle isn't won with love
Intense and rigid, tight and sure
With taut emotion he'll endure

It even helps to hate a mite

To foil the adversary's fight
For certain victory can't be won
Until an all-out effort's done

And then a small and slight mistake

Gives the foe his needed break
And now his clutch of awful woe
Is focused on a headlong throw

The hero reels, his vision blurs

The focused training's all astir
It was so quick and skillf'ly done
It's over fast, the foe has won

Another battle soon will come

A new opponent known not from
A given place, or clime, or state
Yet aiming for a similar fate

And how will now the good man plan?
Is this foe more than just a man?
Will sweat and effort win the day
Or can there be another way?

What is the price for victory here?

Can work alone dispel the fear?
Of failure and defeat and rout
How will the villain be ripped out?

A young man's face is rendered wet

The tears do come amidst his fret
How can this awful victory win
When all his work was free from sin?

The air is still, a quiet voice

Proffers now a different choice
“There is a way to vanquish strife
And win rewards enriching life

Each battle fought severely sore

Does not become the total war
Victory's guarantee is love
Sought from the Father up above”

How can it be, where is the way?

This can't be how to win the day
The hero has not yet been taught
To win without his effort fraught

The voice again begins to teach

“The triumph's well within your reach
But only as you make your plan
Conform to His, the Son of Man”

And now what is this wondrous plan

That makes a boy become a man?
Just how can heaven mold a lad
To win the prize he's never had?

“Rewards are many, but there's one

That's worth them all, when all is done
The Lord, your master, came to show
Eternal life should be your goal

All worldly strife He has endured

Life beyond death, He has ensured
The pain, and sweat, and blood of work
He made no effort e'er to shirk

And yet He showed a better path

To conquer opposition's wrath
Lift up your sight, look higher still
And focus on the Father's will

Just give yourself to Him above

And let Him show you how to love
It conquers fear, and strife, and woe
It conquers all that's here below

It takes a heart that's keen to hear

His whispers felt, not heard with ear
A soft approach, not harsh, provides
A better way to make life's strides

A gift to young men built for love

That fits him like a molded glove
The Lord gave man, because he could
A service gift, that's called Priesthood

It's given to protect and care

And make life good and shun despair
Within it man can find his role
And move directly to God's goal

When magnifying Priesthood right

Our yoke is easy, burdens light
And how the adversary runs
The Priesthood power's force he shuns

So now about the worldly war

It's time to let His victory soar
And when His will is done, there'll be
A win that's for eternity.