We Need Heroes

We Need Heroes

© 2018 by P Michael Biggs

When I was in third grade,

I got to dress up and become

my hero – Ben Franklin.

Mom made me a nifty

orange outfit, gathered at the knees,

and large cardboard-shaped buckles

for my shoes, covered with foil.

Ben was my hero.

And then there was Johnny Unitas

of the Baltimore Colts.

I mimicked him while running

for a touchdown

in my back yard.

Then came the drum greats –

Gene Krupa, Joe Morello,

Buddy Rich, Mel Wilson

and others.

Oh, to play drums

as they played drums.

My dream.

I had a college professor

who was my hero.

I still conduct after his style

to this day.

And then came books and authors

and characters in those books,

and they became my heroes.

There are no finer heroes

than those created in my mind

from my reading.

Who are my heroes today?

Authors still.  For what they write

and how they write,

and the power of their words

that resonate still within my heart and mind.

Occasionally I’ll meet someone

who impresses me with rare qualities.

Qualities like kindliness,

pleasing manners,

‘Please’ and ‘Thank you’

often tossed in for good measure,

and a life that speaks of ethics,

morals, truth, intelligence.

We need heroes.

We need someone to show us

the good and honest ways,

the higher road in all dealings.

We don’t need glitz and glamour.

We don’t need platitudes.

We don’t need rhetoric.

We don’t need slick hairdos.

We need heroes we can trust.

We need heroes down here

where we live.

A Time for Rhyme Blog Site

Originals by P Michael Biggs