The Heroes - Max Reif

[Larry Robinson]

The Heroes

Yes, the heroes
inspire us, they thrill our hearts,

they help us grope for
some image in ourselves
that we can at least
aspire to--

but what if the courage
of the heroes
only makes the fist of brutality
pound harder—
pummel, pummel, pummel?

We need our gods,
which is to say we need
our heroes, people  who
on this plane of life
act in ways that inspire us
and help us find
our own best selves.

Oh, God,
in this little theater
our world has become,
things are closer
to suffocating my heart
than I have ever seen them.

All I can do
is prostrate myself before
the image of Your Feet
and say, 
“I am helpless, as usual.”

I need You
to inspire me—
to Help me
to keep going—
to keep my heart,
our hearts,

alive.

	- Max Reif

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