Why Don’t Superheroes Save Us? By Donna M. Monnig (NaPoWriMo)

Why Don’t Superheroes Save Us?

There is such power at their disposal,
superhuman strength and speed,
Lasers and webs shooting out, 
a lasso of truth when there is need.

Jewelry that deflects bullets,
skin like steel, near impenetrable,
Super speed, super stealth,
beings, near perfect, invulnerable. 

Intelligence, crafty cleverness,
abilities scientifically explained – 
Science and magic, not so different,
to the eye more properly trained. 

Choices made, good and bad, 
some used for benefit of humanity,
Others choose a less noble path,
use their gifts to create chaos for vanity.

Heroes too can be vain, even unkind,
it is said we should never meet them,
Real life is hard pressed to live up to fiction,
ideals are hard to follow in the end. 

We curse them, in our daily lives,
why do they not rescue us?
Have not time for our problems,
too busy out making a fuss. 

But if there are heroes, why do 
they not solve more issues of the day,
Why are super villains the only bad,
that they try to capture and put away?

Where are the superheroes when 
we need them most? They don’t come,
Not for us, not for our mundane problems, 
for us, superheroes, we have none. 

Except, maybe that’s the point, 
saving us is not the job of a superhero,
Instead they inspire us on what can be,
if we but believe and try to grow.
 
They show us an ideal to aspire to,
they show us their flaws and pain, 
They show us the sad fall out, when 
a super villain is out for gain.

Super abilities make not the person,
they only amplify what’s already there,
It can make you super mean and greedy,
or make you super kind and fair. 

Superheroes provide the lessons,
sort of like Santa’s little elves,
They teach not to rely on rescue, 
but rather how to save ourselves. 

©2024 Donna M. Monnig
4-23-2024

NaPoWriMo Day 23 Challenge: “write a poem about, or involving, a superhero”