Hero

June 19, 2008

“I want to be a hero."
He announced that night to his dad.
“I want to be noble and great.
“I want to be strong like Superman.”

His father thought for a while.
About a dream too impossible to be true.
And when he was done he knew what he’d say.
To a boy who had said more than he knew.

“Are you noble in character?
“Is your courage deeper than you can understand
“If the strength you seek is inner.
“Then you are stronger than Superman.”

“I want to be extraordinary.”
He said when he spoke again.
“I want to be bold and daring.
“I want to be brave like Spiderman.”

“Are you bold in your boundaries?
“Do you dare to move against the grain
“If you stand firm in your beliefs.
“Then you are significantly more brave.”

“I want a magnificent cape.
“I want a gleaming sword.
“I want to fly through time.
“I want to turn over the world.”

“If you see what I see, son.
“When you look into the mirror.
“Then you too will come to see.
“That you are already, in fact, a hero.”