Oh to believe

OH TO BELIEVE......

I dream of unicorns, faeries and heroes,
of wizards - and warlocks - and magic.
I avidly read of their fictitious existence -
that they do not exist is tragic.
The adventures are strewn with mayhem,
battles as ferocious as any world war,
but when ‘good’ eventually beats ‘evil’,
one forgets the blood and the gore.

The heroes are often doubting
of their ability to carry on the fight.
But, we their loyal subjects,
know that ‘greed’ won’t overcome ‘right’.
Friendship for these gallant warriors
is based on honesty and trust,
and to overcome the darkness of evil,
loyalty is certainly a must.

The authors of this type of genre
acknowledge a certain ideal,
by always creating a hero
whom we, the readers, can believe to be real.
No matter if there’s magic unlimited
we know the truly magical part,
is not in potions or elfstones,
but in the goodness of the heart.

Technology and science, it’s true,
have created a magic all of their own,
but also out of the science,
the most wicked evil has grown.
The evil of an atom bomb,
nuclear waste and plain old smog,
makes child play of dragons
and slimy monsters of the bog.

Today true heroes are still hard to find,
like you - there are none I can name,
because those in a  position to save the day
are too busy playing a power game.
We the little people,
just like those in a fictitious story,
need to have direction,
and a hero to lead us to glory.

Do the leaders of our nations
fight for right with hearts pure?
Or in the struggle for power
add more slime to a filling sewer?
My faith in mankind winning out
is fading day by day.
Oh yes! Today there is magic -
but to see it you have to pay.

So back to the wizards and warlocks,
back to dungeons and dragons as well,
back to cheering a hero
who for truth will go through hell.
The stories - they may be fictitious
but every time ‘good’ finally wins out,
I heave a sigh of relief
(although the outcome was never in doubt.)

For although they are nothing but fiction,
such is the telling an art,
that for a brief time after each reading
I believe in a hero with heart.
A belief that the darkening future
will be lighter and worth seeing through -
that out there - somewhere - there’s a hero
who will be honest, loyal and true.