The Things He Imagines

When he rode to school and
Let his mind roam free,
He didn’t imagine
Winged dragons that breathed fire
Or ancient knights with swords
That fought them valiantly;
And when he looked out the window
While the teacher droned on and on
He didn’t imagine
Fast cars with a lightning design
Or a million dollar prize
At the end of the close race
Where he was the victorious one
And the fans cheered him on;
And when he was on the playground,
While the other kids played on the swings
The blue sky at their backs,
Their worries far and few between,
Nor did he imagine
He was the most popular kid in the world,
Where everyone begged to be his friend
Jumping through hoops to shake his hand;
And when he walked from school
He didn’t imagine
Intergalactic battles
Between men and aliens
And he didn’t see heroes and villains
Using their powers for good or evil
And he didn’t pretend
That soldiers fought an unseen enemy—

When he walked back
To the little tiny car
Where his mother waited
And his sister cried
He imagined
Food
         Shelter
                     And home