A week ago you were here
Among us but we didn't know
with Ideas in your mind
You used to do sketching
You were the brightest student of your class
You loved to do photography
You wanted to be a SSG Commando
You had dreams too
You had aims too
You wanted to be a hero
So here you are now
The whole world knows you
As you can see from the heaven now

I'm long overdue thanking
The heroes of my youth.

Thank you Superboy
For teaching me how
To read plot and character
And dialogue.
Your comics
Brought phonics
Alive.

Thank you Bouncing Boy
For being somewhat chubby,
And teaching me
Patience and understanding
Of those not quite the
Shape of me.

Thank you Mon El and Ultra Boy
For helping me focus
On one strength at a time;
I've held my  
Weaknesses back from
Overpowering me.

Thank you Lightning Lad
For teaching me that
Accidents happen;
I can move on,
Learn and be stronger.

Thank you Karate Kid
For teaching me that
An average boy,
Through practice and determination
Can achieve what
I dreamt.

Thank you Cosmic Boy
For teaching me to channel
My energy, work with forces
Greater than myself,
And maintain control.

Thank you Chameleon Boy
For the lesson on
Adaptability and attitude
Adjustment.

Thank you Colossal Boy
For making it resoundingly clear
That stature and success are fleeting.
One always returns to
The one before.

Thank you Invisible Kid
For teaching me that I
Will not always go unnoticed
In an opaque world.

Thank you Brainiac 5
For teaching me the importance
Of education and life-long learning.

Thank you Sun Boy
For teaching me to
Shine and look my best,
But never forget
What's inside is brighter still.

Thank you Elastic Lad, Jimmy Olsen,
Who taught me that a loner, a cub,
A red-headed, freckled-faced boy
Could stretch himself,
Can walk with Heroes.

Thank you Shrinking Violet,
Saturn Girl, Phantom Girl,
Lightning Lass, and Supergirl
For all the shapliness
And upskirts
A young lad needs;
You saved ***** Lad
From a life of celibacy
In a Jesuit Seminary.
A Big Thanks!

I remember telling you to get lost
I thought you'd finally done it
I can't forget the uncertainty
Oh man I hated that summer

Tell me that I helped, tell me that I
Made a difference
In your life
It's my life

I'm nothin' without someone else
I'm nothin' by myself
The words are swirling round my brain
Without you I can feel my pain
Without you I'm a stain
Man I really need some help

Do you think I could say a few words
Do you think that it would be okay
I don't want to say them If you'll hate me
But i guess if I'm not in the way

I'd like to express my opinion
I'd like to say I'm sorry
To mark and Kurt, and to Freddie
I really hope you would have liked me

Tell me that I made a difference, tell me that
I helped
In your life
It's my life

I'm nothin' without someone else
I'm nothin' by myself
The words are swirling round my brain
Without you I can feel my pain
Without you I'm a stain
Man I really need some help


As I face the crowd I think aloud
A mirror would be useful here
My vision's blurred inside the noise
Reflecting light has been destroyed
They see me differently on stage
My breaking voice betrays my age
I could use some help right now
I think I'm going deaf right now
I face the crowd and scream aloud
Am I allowed to breathe right now


I'm nothin' without someone else
I'm nothin' by myself
The words are swirling round my brain
Without you I can feel my pain
Without you I'm a stain
Man I could really use some help

Let the world always remember,
That fateful day in September,
And the ones who answered duty's call,
Should be remembered by us all.

Who left the comfort of their home,
To face perils as yet unknown,
An embodiment of goodness on a day,
When men's hearts had gone astray.

Sons and daughters like me and you,
Who never questioned what they had to do,
Who by example, were a source of hope,
And strength to others who could not cope.

Heroes that would not turn their back,
With determination that would not crack,
Who bound together in their ranks,
And asking not a word of thanks.

Men who bravely gave their lives,
Whose orphaned kids and widowed wives,
Can proudly look back on their dad,
Who gave this country all they had.

Actions taken without regret,
Heroisms we shall never forget,
The ones who paid the ultimate price,
Let's never forget their sacrifice.

And never forget the ones no longer here,
Who fought for the freedoms we all hold dear,
And may their memory never wane,
Lest their sacrifices be in vain.

09-30-10b.

I study her withering hands every time I'm around her
they are becoming so thin... all her veins stick out like snakes
her fingers are all crooked--
broken tree branches fighting against the wind
eighty years of working her flower beds and scrubbing floors and
baking the best meals and desserts that only a grandmother can prepare
and my grandpa, I have never loved a person as deep and as securely as I love him  
saying you have a hero borders on icon-worshipping but in this case he's solid
he is the absolute best and absolute most loyal man I have ever had the pleasure
of knowing
he married my grandma at eighteen, and
eighty eight years of wars and he never took one sick day off of work
he sleds down his long, winding driveway to pick up his mail in the snow
he used to pour water in my hands and tell me that if I could catch it,
I could catch the entire universe right there in my palms
I tried for years

I study their hands because I want to remember their greatest parts
arguably, that could be every inch, but their hands have shown
such strength, boldness, fight, hard work, dedication, love, and tenderness
maybe this is wrong but every day I practice saying goodbye in my mind
so that when they pass, I am not so crushed that I cannot move on
they have been my saving grace too many times for me to thank them for
so I just say I love you, you're my reason for existing, and then I
carefully etch their hands in my mind so that never for a second
will I forget the great work they have done here

My father served in peace
My grand dads served in war
I come from a long line
Of service.

I wanted to serve
I wanted to fight
But then I found out
A woman couldn't march
On the front lines.

I'm older now
The laws have changed
I believe
I have changed
I want a degree
A family
Bravery  just isn't in my name.