To Our Military

You wear no cape,
you have no alter ego.
You might seem
like just a man,
but I know
you're a superhero.

You can't leap tall buildings
in a single bound,
and you're not faster
than a speeding bullet.
You aren't part arachnid
or wearing an invisible shroud,
or some breed of wolverine,
or a jedi-knight-in-training.

You don't have Kryptonite
and you aren't bullet-proof,
invincible, or someone
who will win every fight.

But none of that stops you.
You keep going.
You keep fighting.
You keep hoping
this will be the last time.

And hopefully,
one day you'll be right.

You may not look the part
or wear a costume
with a mask,
but you're a superhero
nonetheless
and I thank you
for every second
of this life
you have protected.