A HERO

A HERO

I always wanted to be a hero,
Like those in comic books
Maybe a super one, and
Chase down all the crooks.

I turned out a common man,
Raised a family
Got married to my wife, and
Children we had three.

Oh I did many things in my years,
Here on this earth.
Some might say successful,
For my soul, and what it’s worth,

I joined up with the Army in
Nineteen fifty eight.
Even did a few things,
Some people thought were great.

Re-inlisted and extended because,
I thought my country needed me.
Still in my mind a hero was,
What I wanted most to be.

Some of my own heroes are,
Names upon a wall.
Many of the others are not
There at all.

They came home just like me but
Without an arm or more.
These are true heroes of,
A god forsaken war.

Glad I was no hero now,
Thinking of the cost,
I was shot one time but
Nothing I had lost.

“You know you are my hero.”
What I wanted so to be,
I’d made it after all,
When my son said that to me.

©6/21/02

(Monty)