“Who is in your corner?”

Today is the November 1, 2025, the beginning of my Poetry Month, meaning that each day I will posted a poem to read and enjoy.

November 1, 2025, Poem of the Day

“Who is in your corner?”

Boxers often win or lose
based on who is in their corners,
offering advice,
admonishing them forward,
encouraging them, pointing out
the flaws that they cannot see.

We must ask ourselves
“Who is in our corner?”

I suspect we have had
several along the way—
our elementary teachers
whom most of us remember fondly,
a few junior and high school teachers,
perhaps our church leaders
growing up, and others
within our spheres of influence.

Yet, we sometimes hesitate,
resist, even side step,
keeping someone in our corner.

Many would like to be.
Others seek to be.
More who should be.

We just need to choose wisely,
allow them to watch us up close
or a far, allow them to share
tidbits of wisdom, love,
encouragement, and sometimes
words that might anger us
or propel us forward.

What we must remember is
it is our corner,
and we can choose—
we must choose—those
who can stand as sentinels,
waiting patiently for us
to sit in their chairs,
within their influence,
listening to their whisperings
they have for us,
saved for us,
and let them sink deeply
into our hearts and minds.