Katharine Tynan

Here you will find the Poem A Hero of poet Katharine Tynan

A Hero

He was so foolish, the poor lad, 
He made superior people smile 
Who knew not of the wings he had
Budding and growing all the while; 
Nor that the laurel wreath was made 
Already for his curly head. 


Silly and childish in his ways; 
They said: 'His future comes to naught.' 
His future! In the dreadful days
When in a toil his feet were caught
He hacked his way to glory bright 
Before his day went down in night. 


He fretted wiser folk--small blame! 
Such futile, feeble brains were his. 
Now we doff hats to hear his name, 
Ask pardon where his spirit is, 
Because we never guessed him for 
A hero in the disguise he wore. 


It matters little how we live
So long as we may greatly die. 
Fashioned for great things, O forgive
Our dullness in the days gone by! 
Now glory wraps you like a cloak 
From us, and all such common folk.