Am I enough?
Is my torch
(small, flickering, dim)
enough
to fight
congregating clouds?
Will it light
my unplanned path,
fading hopeless,
from deferred dreams
and freedom?
Am I enough?
Am I enough?
Do I have strength
to stand against the tide,
to replenish this
arrid land,
and allow all people be.
Freedom calls
for our aid.
Will I answer?
Am I enough?
Am I enough?
Can I keep my spirit
bright against
encroaching night?
Will I guard
my fragile flame,
democracy in my hands?
Through courage and resolve,
can I keep hope
alive?
Am I enough?
Motif in Progress
I’m still learning how to use motifs effectively in my writing. A motif is more than repetition—it’s a recurring image, phrase, or question that deepens meaning as it reappears. When done well, it gives the poem shape and emotional resonance.
In Am I Enough?, I used a question as the motif. It opens, closes, and echoes throughout the poem—not just for rhythm, but to reflect evolving doubt, courage, and hope. I’m not sure I’ve mastered it yet, but I can see how much stronger a poem becomes when a motif anchors it.
Poet Lucille Clifton often used repetition as motif. Her poems return to a phrase or structure with new weight each time, turning personal truth into something universal.
Your Turn:
Try writing a poem that uses a recurring image, phrase, or question. Let it show up more than once—but don’t let it stay static. Give it a new tone, a new layer, a new shadow each time.
Ask yourself:
- Can this image shift meaning as it returns?
- Does the repetition build tension or resolve it?
- What emotional or symbolic weight does this motif carry?
