Indigo Musings

Off and on I have written poetry since my early days as a marine in the South Pacific. Now I’ve been recapping some of the policing events in my life. Up until now, I somehow avoided reflecting on these events in my life. I am posting four of these poems from my new book, “In My 80th Year: Reflections and Remembrances.” If you are interested it can be purchased HERE for under ten bucks at Amazon.com.

In the meantime, here’s to good and healthy police and policing.

And have a blessed holiday and holy day.

++++++++++++++++++++++++=

WORKING

policing

is the best

job ever

(it’s true

well almost true

being a clergy

person is pretty

cool too)

despite challenges

(isn’t that why

we join?)

despite waning

trust

being a cop

is superhero stuff

(your community

should have

given us a

cape at our swearing-in)

body armor

instant

communications

weapons

making

things right

being honorable

honest

squeaky clean

keeping the peace

helping the weak &

downtrodden

it’s membership in the justice league

try it

don’t

forget it.

_________________________

CAREER

police

career day at

the university

i talked

with a recruiter

from

the midwest

anxious to sell

his department

i asked him

about

trust

how was it

going?

you know

relations with

his community

when they respect me

i’ll respect them

he said

there it was

that attitude

the snide &

uncaring attitude

which

erodes

community

trust &

support

in this

little corner of

the midwest &

all over

our nation

there it

was

still

alive &

festering.

_________________________-

ALMOST

shots fired

hostage situation

standoff

we wait

(that’s what we

did then)

while tactically positioning

across

the

hall

a shot rings

out

then i

see it

a pinpoint

of light shining

thru

the wall

a dusty beam

of

light

a comet’s

tail

flickering

between me &

the wall

later

he gives

up

success but

before

going home

i drive around

thinking

thinking about my

life

changes are needed

if this was

my last

day

too many

regrets

a dissolving marriage

contention at

work

my children &

too many

close

calls.

________________________-

WATCHING

for what purpose do those guard

the city?

what are their

tasks?

control others?

help them?

protect the

most vulnerable?

where are such people

to be found?

how shall we

find them?

should such people

have pure souls &

noble intentions?

should they be willing to

help those less

fortunate?

add to this

honesty

kindness &

compassion

for

when things go

wrong

(and they will)

they are most

needed

to contain (not

punish)

to

bind wounds

slow to use

force

therefore

those who

do this

on our behalf

should be just

like us

you & me

our collective

better

selves

how we

wish to

behave when we

are at

our best.

__________________________

GIFT

forty years ago

remember that

night?

how have you

lived

the life

i gave

you then?

you stole

a car

i pursued

you ran away

i chased

you tried to

hurt me

jumped

over a

fence as

i squeezed my

trigger

an explosion

into the

ground

do you remember?

how have you

lived

the life

i gave you?

i give you

thanks

for

that split second

moment

(an invisible

hand?)

two lives could have

been lost that night

two not

just one

so how have we

lived

that life

we gave each other?