A Hero in the Making …

A Hero in the Making …

I live in West Virginia,
The youngest child of six.
Four sisters and two brothers,
We live out in the sticks.

My brother takes me fishing.
He taught me how to hunt.
When he rides his four-wheeler,
He lets me sit in front.

He’s oldest of us children.
I am the little one.
Us boys, we stick together
When all our chores are done.

I love my older brother.
He taught me how to swim.
My brother is my hero!
I want to be like him.

But then he joined the service,
The day he turned eighteen.
Just like the men before him,
He’ll be a proud Marine.

Granddad fought in World War II.
My uncle fought in ‘Nam.
Dad had been in Desert Storm,
So now, my brother, Tom.

He told me not to worry,
When he went to Iraq.
I couldn’t help but wonder
If he’d ever come back.

My mama sends him letters
And home-made cookies, too!
She tells him all the gossip
And anything that’s new.

I drew him lots of pictures
And wrote the words I could
If he couldn’t write me back,
I said I understood.

I love to get his letters.
He sends them when he can.
He says he can’t write often
‘Cause he’s the look-out man.

He’s with his band of brothers
There on that foreign ground.
He says he’s always watching
To keep them safe and sound.

I want to be just like him
So I’m a “look-out”, too.
I look to God in Heaven
To help them see it through.

I ask Him to watch over
My brother and his friends.
And bless all those who fight for
This country he defends.

My mama hears me praying;
She waits until I’m through.
She says “You ARE just like him!
You are his hero, too.”


rhyme pattern: abcb
rhythm pattern: 7-6-7-6