Laura Zucca-Scott’s most recent poem to appear here was “Like Old Sailors” (September 2016) 

Hidden Heroes
By Laura Zucca-Scott

Cold Sunday afternoons
Autumn leaves under their feet
Three boys walking to a soccer game
Roughhousing the hurt away
Friendship after the long war

They ran from fear and losses
They ran toward a future
Made of courage and hope
Struggles and secrets
So raw, so strong

The trip back always felt too short
So many things to talk about
Hidden heroes
Determined to make the world new again