If You Are the Armor, I Am the Shield

for no one

I will receive every blow this place and its inhabitants hurl at you with a soft smile

this is not a matter of honor

this is not a matter of pride

you may be the armor

but I am the shield 

and if I do as I am supposed to do

the blows should never reach you

and when you are cracked and worn

you may take pieces from me 

put them to use mending your wounds

for I am the shield and you are the armor

I will endure the impact 

and when you are done battling

when you decide to retire for the evening

I will wait patiently in your corner

for the next time you are threatened

I will be there to take another hit

another impact

another weakening 

as I am weakening

I turn to you in your heavy black plating 

and I remember

I remember why I take this damage

because even though you are the armor and you are strong

I do this so that you never again have to 

Reviews

[kitty blur]

There is so much power in this. I connect with the feeling of being someone's protector in that way, how no matter what issue comes up, your devotion to keeping them "safe" is undying. The first line really sets the tone of the poem. I think that the isolation of that sentence from the rest of the poem was a great idea. The last couple of words in that line, about the soft smile, really stuck with me.

This is beautiful, and so are the rest of the poems you've posted on here so far. I can't wait for more people to see your work and review it.