Sunday, December 28, 2014

Fallen – v3

Standing in the cold that morning
at attention across from the police station,
with those who knew you more
those I know who wear the badge
who fight the fight you fought
Being there for all of us, in danger,
in the streets, out in the darker places,
the trying places in our land
our city, our neighborhoods.

Knowing where you fell, the street,
how close to our home
how near we all are to chaos
how separate we let ourselves be
when we are still so connected
Seeing you, your flag,
the fallen one, struck down,
echoes of your life
in who marched with you.

Watching your comrades, your brethren
the thin blue line, stretching down the street
past the station in front of me,
those standing beside me, at attention
Row on row of men and women
on and on they came, from across the region,
to pay respect, tribute, honor
to your memory

A tribute, a privilege,
to stand with each one of them
Those who risk all for us
each day, each shift,
each step on the beat,
into the breach
dark places where
we would
not go


====
edited December 28, 2014
Fallen – v3



(editing original again and version 2,
and based on recent slayings of
active duty NYPD police officers,
Rafael Ramos and Wenjian Liu
edited June 14, 2014
Fallen – v2
Flag Day
October 21, 2006 16:11
Fallen
funeral for Officer Michael Briggs
Manchester, NH
&
Edited October 22, 2013
A memory of another day – v2
April 19, 2013
A memory of another day
search for second suspect in the Boston Marathon bombing
in Watertown, MA April 19, 2013
and search for the killer of Officer Michael Briggs,
in Manchester, NH 2006


All of my poems are copyrighted by Raymond A. Foss, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015. All rights reserved. Contact me at Ray Foss for usage. See all 35,100+ of my poems at www.raymondafoss.blogspot.com Poetry Where You Live.

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