Not Superman

My Uncle - impetuous, audacious and never reluctant to tell you -

Never shy to tell you off or to tell you what has been on his mind

The type who has never been cautious of having opinions or afraid of yours -

He sighed!

A slight grin slipped across a face waxed by wisdom, hardened by experience

The grin lost its grip on the corners of his lips and suddenly they parted

A strange sight to see, this face of furrowed brow suddenly soften like a pillow

He smiled!

With lips adorned with the first smile of days gone by he hastened his declaration

He, with all of his opinions and wisdom, declared he had finally figured it all out

Boldly, as always, shy - as in never - he prepares to reveal the problem

He speaks!

Slowly like billows of smoke rolling up from the chimney of a winter's fire

One after the other his words stack and build up - until at last they spill out

The declaration is made the problem is stated the last puff of a syllable strikes the air

He finishes!

My ears ring with disbelief as this, this Uncle - sighs, smiles, wryly says,

"You thought your granddaddy was superman, that's the problem.  You all thought so!"

My mind reels like the scenes of a movie projector as his last words run their course -

"He’s not!"

My face whitens like a cross between an exhausted fighter and a frightened child

Like sore knees and bruised ribs my heart aches and then suddenly, I feel numb

Words like premature waves on the sand dunes refuse to fully form and then –

I cried!


This poem was written after a visit to Alabama to visit my granddaddy.  He was in a nursing home, and in the worst shape I had ever seen him in my life.  When we stopped by my Uncle's house, he spoke about the man we saw, but the man he knew.  He talked about what we imagined, and what he believed.  The difference in his view and ours was staggering.  After the visit, I wrote this poem.  However, the story doesn't end with a visit and a poem.  It is still going.  The story is still going because God has blessed our granddaddy with new health and strength.  After 9 months, he is no longer in a nursing home, no longer in despair and depression.  He is now lively, passionate, walking, thoughtful, more reflective, engaging and faithful.  He is testimony that God is able, and He is strong.  He reminds us all that he may not be Superman - but he is still pretty amazing.  And while Granddaddy is not Superman or invincible, God is super, Amazing, Almighty, strong, Healer, and a miracle worker.  Praise God!