Heroes
My cousin
Who grew up
Learning disabled
With two alcoholic parents
His father
A retired Navy man
Treated him
Like an indentured servant
And would punish him
By burning
His little hands on the stove
In spite of it all
My cousin
Grew to be a man
And had a family
Of his own
Then there was
Gary Plauché.
Leon Gary Plauché
Was the man who shot
His 11-year-old son’s
Karate instructor in the head
When he found out
That the piece of shit
Had been molesting him
Then there was Robert Rule
Robert Rule
Was the man
Who forgave
Gary Ridgway
In open court
For killing his beautiful
16-year-old daughter
Gary Ridgway
Would ultimately
Be convicted
Of slaying 49 women
Robert Rule was truly
A vessel for God
Then there are those
Who get up everyday
And do what they have to do
Without hurting others
And still make time
To extend their loving
Kindness to strangers
These are my heroes
David Burdett
12/11/2021