I would like to give advance warning of the graphic nature of this poem,
but I feel the content is necerssary .
though I admit this is not a poem for the quimish.

Angels and heroes


Did you ever see a fellow with his intestines in his hands?
Because shrapnel tore his abdomen to shreds,
And amidst the blazing heat of battle the padre at his side,
Comfort him until the man was dead.

Did you ever see a soldier across another’s back
And carried safely from the battle zone?
By someone that hardly knew him, yet to save another’s life,
Was willing to sacrifice his own.

Have you ever seen a family that were all burnt to a crisp?
Because their faulty boiler chose night-time to explode,
Would you have the strength to carry on after seeing things like this?
I think unless you are a fireman, you’d say, “No”.

Have you ever told a killer to lay his weapon down?
While gazing down the barrel of his gun,
Or grappled with a knifeman that had run amok in town?
Determined he would slaughter everyone.

Well there’s many a brave young policeman that has been where I describe,
With nothing but a truncheon for defence,
And many a brave young soldier that has sacrificed his life,
Willingly, to protect the innocents,

Have you ever seen an accident upon the motorway?
With body parts strewn all across the road,
A multi-vehicle pileup involving fifteen cars,
And a juggernaut that somehow lost its load.

Could you be the paramedic? The first one on the scene,
Or the fireman that cuts the victims free,
Could you be the policeman that investigates it all?
And do the job as professionally?

Could you be the person to tell the relatives?
That the ones they love will not come home again,
And do it with compassion though they’ll sometimes show abuse,
Brought on by the grief and by the pain,

There are not many that could do it, though we’d like to think we could,
In truth it takes a very special breed,
That for a total stranger, could offer up their life,
For no better reason than they were in need.

I’m sorry that this poem is as graphic as it is,
But I want the scene I set to be complete,
Life is what you make it, and Hell is here on earth,
But Angels walk on every city street.

Some of them wear uniforms; some of them do not,
And some are not aware of what they are.
But it soon becomes apparent when they see some little child,
In the path of someone’s speeding car.

It’s true the world’s a hard place and evil stalks the earth,
With drugs and gangs in every neighbourhood,
And there are many, many people wishing to do harm,
But I believe they are outnumbered by the good.

Call them Angels, call them Heroes, call them anything you wish,
The chances are that they would disagree.
All I know for certain is while they still walk the earth,
There’s still a chance to save humanity.


By S.E.Ralph

10-6-2017