What Greatness Is Not

A Poem

Photo by Kira auf der Heide on Unsplash

the anatomy of greatness

is not intrepid fingers

welding away
unperturbed by the fire
with no fear of being singed

(or worse)

it isn’t steady feet either
certain of their path

a doubtless red carpet
stretched before them like
an auto walk between
airport terminals

it isn’t a face with a
smile super-glued on

or sequin-lined eyeballs
upturned toward the sun
like budding sunflowers

there aren’t

sanguine ligaments
and unbreakable bones

or a mind unwavering
with blind faith in
its future success

hair does not wave perfectly
in the winds of inspiration

none of this gloss
conveys the necessary grit

no, this whole picture
has much more to do with
show

than anything at all to do with
greatness.