[ "Hero" ]

"Hero"

Often we hear about Superman
Batman, Captain Planet...
I would like to tell you about my hero

Thirty years ago, my father was starting his own revolution
teaching himself Calculus in the 5th grade, how to write English
by rummaging through school-yard trash cans for used bike parts
and textbooks
Supporting himself, his family, and siblings, through primary school and college

Father came
over
from overseas
to pick watermelon in California
and do hard manual labor
and later, he even helped design many of the roads and pipelines in San Francisco

And who would have thought,
my father
picking watermelon in the scorching heat
would be the first in his family
to go to college

Yet,
his head boss can try to say
that humans can be dispensed

that people don't deserve more than a fifteen minute break
because there's no such thing as luck
there'snosuchthingasluck
there is
no such thing
as luck

Well neither
does blood
courage
strength

I have sweated along side of him
just so I could see life in his shoes
so I could say to you:

his life is filled
with frustration, sweat,
and courage