POEMS ABOUT SELF-MASTERY, SELF-DISCIPLINE

“One can have no smaller or greater mastery 
than mastery of oneself.” 
― Leonardo da Vinci

HOW DID I LEARN

I learned to draw
by erasing.
I learned to walk
by falling.
I learned to win
by losing.
I learned to be happy
by allowing myself 
to feel my pain.
I’ve become rich
by losing it all,
and confident
by being belittled.
I learned to live
by wanting to die.
I learn to persevere, 
no matter what,
by surrender.
And how did I learned to love?
That one I’m still learning. 
I would lie if I said I did.
As long as there is 
the smallest sign 
of judgment in me,
the smallest crumb 
of jealousy,
a trace of unforgiveness,
the smallest waiver 
of acceptance.
all I have learned is 
         just the begining. 

LILIANA KOHANN
©Artpeace Publishing 2002

"The height of a man's success is gauged by his self-mastery; the depth of his failure by his self-abandonment. ...
And this law is the expression of eternal justice. He who cannot establish dominion over himself will have no dominion over other."
                                   ― Leonardo da Vinci

---