Reader Submitted: 'I Believe in Superman'

The following is a poem by Teaneck High School senior Sam Forman:

As the world sleeps,

He rises, as if each 3 AM brought a batman signal to the sky pleading for him.

The grey in his hair is accented by the moonlight shining through the window as he tiptoes half-consciously towards the door.

This silent superman flies in a 2010 navy blue Honda CRV, which is faster than a speeding bullet in the fragile dawn.

He arrives on the scene, orange juice in hand, ready to save the world. His apron is his cape, the worn out black and white checkered pants his super-suit.

Into the laboratory he goes, his hands darting swiftly to the 60’s songs in his head; true artistry which the world at slumber will never see.

The flavors he creates are more powerful than a locomotive.

He is Superman.   

He can do anything.

Cutlery dances about, his fingers all the while in strict command.

Mastery. Pure, unheralded, yet utterly delicious mastery.

As the sun makes haste with arrival, waking the world and beginning the day for the people of earth, our hero yawns. He has been holding the world on his shoulders for nearly 6 hours now.

His muscles have grown weary. Age has snuck beneath his aura of invincibility. However, when most would give up, he goes to 11.

The symphony of his labor is pristine.

Unconventional, yes, and equally scrappy, but, superheros get the job done. Always.

No obstacle fazes him.

Not even comic book superman recovers from 2 broken shoulder blades, 5 fractured ribs, and a punctured lung in 5 weeks and goes right back to the daily struggle.

This man may not even be able to leap refrigerators in a single bound, but, he makes your idea of superman look like a cookie cutter 9 to 5.

3 to 6
3 to 8
3 to 11
3 to 48 hours later, Iron Man doesn’t even have that kind of endurance.

As the world returns home to rest, he absorbs the frustrations of the day and is able to appreciate the good of his work. His aches and pains consume him, but foot to pedal he finds his way home.

Grumpy and unsatisfied, he still finds time to make dinner for his family.

As he finally stumbles off to bed for his traditional 5 hours of sleep, he resumes his normal attire. The world is once again unaware of this middle aged Clark Kent, rather Peter Parker; so accurate that he even has that beautiful red headed wife.

Now, this man may not seem all too super to you.

But, when he does all of this for you,

Made you,

Sacrifices his existence for you,

Almost died for you,

Lays his body on the line for you every single day,
He wouldn’t seem much like just a bird or plane to you either.

I love you Dad.