For David Rathband

A poem

Can’t stop thinking about your twin
He wept on national radio this morning
And the officer assigned to get you back to work
Yeah, she cried too

Oh, so briefly a hero, what did you do?
Your children are missing you
What a big hole you left there
Oh, so briefly a hero, what did you do?

I don’t live the life I was given either
But I chose to accept life on life’s terms
Which can be the hardest one has to do
My Dad cried too

But I’m no hero, no, not like you
I haven’t raised national awareness
I haven’t looked a killer in the eye
But I have kept plodding on, plodding
To make a home for my child and I

And seen sickness in the third world
No hero, even briefly, not I
No one can judge you that for sure
I’d rather have my own path than yours, I know

So, briefly, a hero, what did you do?

Published in The Lark