The Hero

What will be said of him 

is that he muddled through,

and it will be true:

He kept his goals to himself

(if he had any at all)

because he didn't want

his failures on display

and he never had much clarity

on what success meant

anyway.

Then one day

someone came along

purely by chance

and he looked up

(from the book he was reading)

and fell instantly deeply in love,

he knew it was love

because he saw details

in someone else

he had never seen before

in anyone,

and he said 'here I am'

and he said 'I am here'

and he stepped forward

out of line

as a young man would 

who volunteers 

for a dangerous mission,

fearful but unafraid

to live.