The following poem was written and submitted by Kevin Savino-Riker as part of the Write A Poem project.
To view more projects submitted by Kevin, click here.
BUTTERFLY
One thousand faces
but only one matters
yours.
The only one that affects me
is the one I see on those days
we never talk about
when you’re armored and
not-crying as hard as you can
facing off against one thousand enemies
a crutch in your sword hand
your steed is a chair
one you had to be set into
that may as well be strapped to you
and you charge anyway.
Waiting is just an invitation
to quit
you taught me this
though I disagree with the
difficulty of the lesson
you didn’t have to hurt
yourself so badly for me to
get the message
and I don’t want either of us
to learn any more
if this is how it happens.
The way you hurt
made you my hero
but I’d take you as
as just another ordinary
if it meant an end to this fight.
You bled on those thousand enemies
until it drowned them
you traded in your wheelchair
for rollerblades
You survived.
But I know you look out and still
see those thousand faces.
but I promise
if you look beyond them
you’ll see the thousand faces
of those who love you.