Heroic

We spoke a bit about work, which was safe.

Then we talked about the weather, even safer.

I wanted to tell him he’s a good guy,

a decent human being, and if most people

just tried to be halfway decent, then

we’d have a lot fewer problems

like poverty and hunger and violence.

But I didn’t say anything like that.

I guess because I didn’t want to sound corny

like, well, you never climbed a mountain,

or cured a disease.  You didn’t get rich

and you never were a strong swimmer,

but you’ve always been a decent person.

I was afraid it would come across

that way, and not the way that I intended

which is to say, You’re a decent person,

and so few people really are.  I believe

it’s the greatest thing that we can achieve.

It is heroic, and what I aspire to.

Instead, we spoke a bit about the weather.

There’s rain.  Which is not always unpleasant.