Poem: The Patriot

The Patriot

The patriot found a
basketball in his yard.
The ball wasn’t his kid’s.
It must belong next door.
He could’ve left it there,
tossed it over the fence,
or thrown it in the trash.
Knowing the neighbor boy,
I wouldn’t have blamed him
if he had chose to say,
”Damn kids! Stay off my lawn!”

Instead, the patriot
picked up the ball and walked—
with a smile on his face—
to the neighbor’s front porch,
gently sat the ball down,
went back to his house, and
continued his yard work
in the hot July sun.
Thus, saving his country.

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