Two Poems

[superrobotfan]

For The Cheat:

To a Friend

You entered my life in a casual way,
And saw at a glance what I needed;
There were others who passed me or met me each days,
But never a one of them heeded.
Perhaps you were thinking of other folks more,
Or chance simply seemed to decree it;
I know there were many such chances before,
But the others--well, they didn't see it.

You said just the thing that I wished you would say,
And you made me believe that you meant it;
I held up my head in the old gallant way,
And resolved you should never repent it.
There are times when encouragement means such a lot,
And a word is enough to convey it;
There were others who could have, as easy as not--
But, just the same, they didn't say it.

There may have been someone who could have done more
To help me along, though I doubt it.
What I needed was cheering, and always before
They had let me plod onward without it.
You helped to refashion the dream of my heart,
And made me turn eagerly to it;
There were others who might have (I question that part)--
But, after all, they didn't do it!

-Grace Stricker Dawson

For Adam:

Our Heroes

Here's a hand to the boy who has courage
To do what he knows to be right;
When he falls in the way of temptation,
He has a hard battle to fight.
Who strives against self and his comrades
Will find a most powerful foe.
All honor to him if he conquers.
A cheer for the boy who says "No!"

There's many a battle fought daily
The world knows nothing about;
There's many a brave little soldier
Whose strength puts a legion to rout.
And he who fights sin singlehanded
Is more of a hero, I say,
Than he who leads soldiers to battle
And conquers by arms in the fray.

Be steadfast, my boy, when you're temped,
To do what you know to be right.
Stand firm by the colors of manhood,
And you will o'ercome the fight.
"The right," be your battle cry ever,
In waging the warfare of life,
And God, who knows who are the heroes,
Will give you the strength for the strife.

-Phoebe Cary