Could I be cast in any role,
I'd play the hero's part,
the character who takes control
to finish what I start.
I'd be the one who saves the day,
but not the one to boast,
who God and conscience must obey,
no matter what the cost.
I'd stand alone against the odds
if that must be my choice,
and follow each command of God,
made in that small, still voice.
I've not auditioned up to now,
but hope that soon will change,
that I will find the strength somehow,
my life to rearrange.
If I could Gary Cooper find
within my craven heart,
I'd leave my cowardice behind
and play the hero's part.
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Author Notes
Today is Gary Cooper's birthday. Born May 7, 1901, he went on to play some of the greatest heroes in American film. He was Sergeant York, the religious pacifist and sharpshooter, persuaded to serve in WWI so that he could save lives with his special skills. He was Lou Gehrig in Pride of the Yankees, the baseball icon who faces a debilitating disease with grace. He was Marshall Will Kane, who stood alone against a gang of armed gunslingers in High Noon. This poem pays honor to the roles he played, the men of conscience and heroism he portrayed.
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