When A Hero Is Flesh And Blood

Something that came to me while hearing the song "Love Is Only Human" by Pam Tillis and Marty Roe

   

My natural instinct was to

Rush to your side

Riding in on my white horse

To save your life.

 

A knight in shining armor

Was all you saw

Caught in a dramatic experience

Caused us to fall.

 

Unfortunately the hands of time

Are not a hero’s friend

Exposing the obvious truth

We are human too.

 

The disappointment began as I

Dismounted from my horse

No longer did you look up at me

Like I was larger than life.

 

Then you lost all faith

The day you saw my armor pierced

Forcing you to realize

That I am flesh and blood.

 

Now that I stand against the world

From many misunderstandings

Suddenly I find myself all alone

As you slip back into the shadows.

 

When your illusion fell from grace

So did your feelings for me

For when I was your hero

I was everything

But as a man

I became nothing.

Reviews

[Kelly D. Burris]

Beautifully written. You feel the heartache in it. When we find out that the way some people look at us is not as we are, but in their fantasy's they fit us into, it's hurtful. The whole time it's just them trying to fit us into the puzzle they have. Don't take it as rejection tho. It's just sad they can't really look to see people for who they truly are but more absorbed in pleasing themselves. A lot of times it's out of pain that they do it to begin with.
Very exposing and vulnerable piece.
Kelly

[Marie]

Good poem. If we present ourselves as larger than life, people continue to expect that from us.Disappointment has destroyed many marriages.

[The Rock And Roll Cowboy(REBEL WITH A CAUSE)]

You are so correct.

[Kenneth The Poet]

Found this via my news feed. Even back then, Dale, you had it.

[The Rock And Roll Cowboy(REBEL WITH A CAUSE)]

Thank you sir.

[KAOlmsted]

I --literally-- just dispelled a breath of "oh god" air at that last verse. It kicked me in the solar plexus, Dale. I see the date this was released, so I'm not about to waste your time with platitudes; it should go without saying. Exceptional write born from a plethora of pain. Thanks so much for sharing this with us...it can't have been easy.

(I'm not even going to mention the typo in the 4th stanza) ;-)

[The Rock And Roll Cowboy(REBEL WITH A CAUSE)]

This isn't based on a true story, it is just about how we put a loved one on a pedestal then we are setting ourselves up for disappointment. 4th stanza, let me go look.

[KAOlmsted]

Oh good...my poor heart was breaking. Now I can tell you the word is "than" not "then" :-D Oh, but I see you already fixed it.

[The Rock And Roll Cowboy(REBEL WITH A CAUSE)]

That is right I beat you too it... I know the difference but somehow often make that mistake.

[Nautili]

Unrealistic expectations caricaturize us-we are strong, we are weak, we are beautifully flawed. If we don't accept that, we don't accept a basic element in humanity- that our complex natures are what make us interesting, we are all vulnerable in some area. Superman had his kryptonite.Achilles had his heel.....we all have our weaknesses, and that is ok. If your lady (ex) needs a knight to rescue her, she should look within herself and find her hidden Mulan to fight her own battles. She is in there, but if she is looking for a guy to rescue her, she won't rise to the occasion.

[The Rock And Roll Cowboy(REBEL WITH A CAUSE)]

Exactly... so many times we put a person on a pedestal and when they fall from it and we all eventually do it shatters their expectations.

[Ice QueenJen]

A very powerful poem about how we see another person, expecting one thing but finding another. And why can't we just accept people for who they are, not what we expect them to be.

[ABitBrokenPoetry]

yes, sometimes we expect to much from those we love the most, & when they don't deliver, we are disappointed. but in reality, we are the ones who have let ourselves down, by expecting some1 to save us, when we are all only humans, flawed & imperfect. a gorgeous, heart-breaking write. how i can relate to both sides of this equation. amazing again!

[Stacey Watts]

wow very emotional piece. Very well written. I loved this piece and you have a wonderful way of seeing things so uniquely. You did a fantastic job on this.

[Bud]

Astonishingly Magnificent, Dale! Outstanding, to say the least. This is a deep, meaningful piece with a Great impact to the senses of mortality. Excellent work of Beautiful art, my friend!

[Carrie Montgomery]

OUCH! Falling from grace does leave quite a nasty little bruise, doesn't it? It is often that the same person who puts you on a pedestal is the very one who knocks you on your a-- and hates you for your humaness!! Yep, love is SO simple! LOL! This is another true-to-life masterpiece...gosh, you have been BUSY!