I remember the first time

I came

Face to face with evil.                          

I looked it in the eye

And stood my ground,

While a gun was held

To the side of my head.

It was loaded,

And it was cocked.

I was unable to move

And I could not fight.

 

I did not kneel,

Even though

He told me too,

Nor did I have

The where-with-all

To pray.

I stood and looked

Evil in the eye,

And he stared

Back at me.

 

A child of seven,

I stood

Without fear,

Staring hard,

Into eyes

Black

As a sea of darkness,

And a mouth so cruel,

Laughter never crossed

His unyielding lips.

 

He was big and

He leaned over me,

Snarling his hatred

And telling me lies.

I stood alone, 

And defiant;

And finally,

He walked away.

 

I had learned

A valuable lesson

That day:

How to sense evil

And know that

Sometimes, 

It is best

Not to fight

Or run away.

 

Sometimes,

You have to wait

And stare evil

In the face.

As if to say,

I will not

Back away,

Nor deny

That you exist;

But I will not

Let you,

Defeat me.

Yu/stan/kema.