The July assignment in the Deadlines for Writers online group was to write a sonnet. Mine is based upon a speech given in Paris in 1910 by President Theodore Roosevelt.

The Man in the Arena

The man in the arena sweats and strains,

Lays bare before the world his life’s intent;

His every move, his losses and his gains,

Evaluated as his strength is spent.

And those who do not dare watch in disdain,

 “See how he stumbles,” comes the sneering voice;

Themselves untried, the critics loudly claim,

“I could do better, if I’d made the choice!”

The man who fights the battle stays the course;

His gaze, unbroken, focused on the prize.

Devotion to his cause his driving force –

He’ll stand or fall though thunder fills the skies.

 A life worth living calls for light and heat;

So armor up and dare to risk defeat.