Random, no title yet. In the rough, so to speak.

Not sure about "carriage" either.

The "set" of your shoulders? I think "carry out" is better than "undertake" - undertaking something is the easier bit, that can be done without too much pain, carrying it out is the bit where the spirit gets unwilling.

I like 'undertake' best. 'set' of shoulders is good.

It's very sad.

I agree, set sounds better than carriage.Undertake sounds better than carry out.Rub salve sounds better than put.

No. 'Put'. Or perhaps 'spread'

Aye, there's the rub!

I also think it would sound better to drop the now, in the last line, it would scan better.

Sorry, wrong word! I meant drop the right, not the now.

She'd have to drop the 'right' as well, or did you mean drop that and leave the 'now?

x posts!

Maybe just "reluctance for" the task? Even "distaste for"

Last line is fine.

Whassit about phoenix?

disinclination for?

No, it would have to be disinclination to...

Forgive me, I cannot help you right now. I have wounds to lick.

That's how I'd put it. Leave out the 'for'. Too dramatic. You're not aiming to rival Shakespeare.

Too clumsy. I'll leave you to it, I think!

That was referring to my suggestion of 'disinclination', not your post jingl which I think is good.

"Face" the task?

"Your fleeting injuries"? - "fleeting pain"?

There is a rhythm to those two phrases which needs to be retained.

Drop the "right now" completely?

I always find when I am writing poems that I start with a draft and then pare it down and down until I think I have found the essence and removed anything that might remotely be considered extraneous. I have become more and more ruthless as time has gone on. Most adjectives and adverbs get the heave-ho. Our poetry group is pretty ruthless - I have developed a thick skin!

It's about the aftermath of a cat fight. Two Tom cats fighting for the paw of a Queen cat. She got a bit mixed up in it , that is why she is licking her wounds as she speaks. Tis obvious.

When you see the workings of famous poets, and their notebooks, you realise how long they take even over one word, and the crossing out etc. the finished article always seems artless, but in reality is very worked.It has to be.

That shows very good imagination Juliette.

My guess is, someone has been told to give the go-ahead to something which the poet, and the person being ordered to do the job, really hates. But they have no choice but to carry out orders.

Or something like that.