there are only two ways to be powerful:
you can be given your power
or you can earn your power.

power given through divine right,
power given through inheritance,
power given through happenstance.

power earned through foresight,
power earned through violence,
power earned through excellence.

how do the men of the world gain power?
how do the women of the world gain power?
how do the marginalized gain power?
how do the powerful gain power?

power is not strength.
power is not energy either
power is individual
it’s synergy – a fever.

power may be one
or power may be all.
all the powerful rise
but only some will fall.

power is within and without the last bastion.
all power is to be questioned.
no woman is an island nation
that which gave me power while trying to strangle me:
my country’s discrimination
depending on how you angle me.

if my ambition demands more
how do I make up the difference?
there is no more to inherit
luck is a fickle friend
and god helps those who help themselves
it's up to me in the end.

don’t quit.
do it.

[Featured Image by Jr Korpa on Unsplash]