I neither expect the way to be easy,

nor the path to be cleared,

nor the road to be paved,

for great fruits stem from great labor.

I can neither focus ahead,

nor can I see very far,

and hope shrinks at wondering

if every effort will be in vain.

I can neither rely on companions,

but nor can I successfully walk alone,

and each step teaches me about

that thin line between independence and solitude.

Though often branches block the view,

sometimes I can see for a thousand miles,

but sometimes I see things so clearly

that they seem blurry.

With my vision obstructed,

I cannot see every snare-

but I can walk ahead anyway,

willing to work, and unafraid to fail.

IDOMAD, 2009