What Makes A Hero?

• Lena Benbatta, Grade 8
• Poetry
• 2019

50 years after the great war, the old retired soldier was drained to the core
as he sat on the sidewalk his mind began to wonder,he bagan to remember those memories of which he was fonder
as he sat there thinking he failed to hear, the young boy, whose smile and words were ever so sincere
'if i may ask you sir' the boy began, 'what are those medals for and when did you get them'
'are you a war hero, who fought for our nation'
'was it because of you that we are now in reconciliation'
The old man sat there not saying a word
Until the boy began to find this quite absurd
As he got up to leave the old man said
'young boy your imagination and mind is certainaly well-fed'
'but you see these medals, from so long ago'
'these aren't the signs of a great hero'
'you see heroes aren't defined by their trophies or achievements, but instead by the quantity of their hearts.Many heroes died in war but we won't forget them because of the light they showed inside them'
As the old man got up to leave the boys eyes filled with tears. He never saw the old man again yet through all these years
He still remembers the day, he learnt what a hero was