The Heroes And The Wise Poem by Francis Duggan

Only fools do sunbathe in the hot mid-day sun
But a wise one will say sir to the one with the gun
With a gun pointed at you under such circumstance
To be brave with your life would be taking a chance.

Yet for the wise you never see a parade
Suppose 'tis by those who need heroes that heroes are made
The wise are almost anonymous even in their Hometown
They do not even seem interested in local renown.

One seems to go un-noticed the other the masses celebrate
Between the hero and the wise one the difference is great
For the hero there's many a loud hip hooray
And the wise one is one who has little to say.

The heroes of sport and the heroes under fire
Are the type that the masses do tend to admire
But I recall once I heard a wise one say
Why the wise go un-noticed is that they like it that way.