Nobody's Hero

Nobody's Hero
(free verse)

Morning coffee perked him up, the rush that he needed.
It gently tugged his eyelids; he opened eyes wide.
His dog brought him a leash, ready for a morning walk.
His mother called early for just a little chat.
He was an ordinary man in a small little town
not really important, except to himself.
He was the salt of the earth, John McDrew.

He worked a full day as honest as they come.
He never cheated and didn't let things slide.
His taxes were paid, his life open wide.
No need for secrets, no hidden plans for gain
and he never, ever caused anyone else stress.
He thought of new ways to plant a few seeds
of love and attention to those who needed him.

That's why it was such a surprise on the day I learned
they had found his body on the side of the road.
His pockets were empty, his wallet was gone.
Someone had taken him by surprise it appeared,
a stranger perhaps, someone from somewhere
preyed upon people who had done no wrong.

There were no clues, no reasons were found
to show why John was left in such a state,
forgotten and beaten, treated like dirt.
He had nothing, just the clothes on his back.
It's a mystery; I can't understand why it's so.
Why would anyone at all hurt John McDrew?
He was the salt of the earth but nobody's hero.