Copernicus

Copernicus - a graphic manipulation by T Newfields
Seeing in ways others were unable to see,
you challenged millennia of tradition
with mathematical simplicity.

Ignoring platitudes that earth axled all things,
you boldly suggested we're sandwiched
among other planets,
that whirl around the Sun steadily.

Today your insights are widely admired
& books, buildings, satellites,
& even bank-notes bear your name.

Whenever people think creatively
or challenge accepted beliefs
your voice still speaks.
Noel: This author idealizes Copernicus, turning him into some larger-than-life hero.
Gwen: (sipping her wine) Is it any surprise? All heroes are, in a sense, mythical.
Tara: Indeed. The best way to discover a person's values is to find out who their heroes are.
Orapan: Hegel got it right: each hero represents a particular volksgeist. They both embody and influence the spirit of their times
Gwen: Hegel? (chuckling while swirling the wine in her glass, then gazing at it as if nothing outside that glass existed) Perhaps, but we need to realize heroes are seldom portrayed accurately. By idolizing or demonizing others, we distort their images into our own hopes or fears.