THIN LINE BLUE (Poem)

by Ellis Pringle Craig, May, 2022

 

Sworn to serve and to protect, the dedicated few,

We are the ones who stand between, we are the thin line blue.

 

When towers fall and dust clouds pall and others flee and pray,

Among the first responders, we come the other way.

Standing tall we heed the call, do what we're sworn to do,

Placing others before self, we are the thin line blue.

 

A shooter rampant in a school, most dreaded of all calls.

We dare not wait for backup, we have to walk the halls.

Death lurking 'round each corner, there instead of you.

To save our threatened children, we are the thin line blue .

 

We stand upon the front steps, clergy by our side,

To gently tell a mother that a child of hers has died.

Killed in a senseless auto wreck, like so many died before,

And we dread to bring the heartache to the mother at the door.

 

Domestic strife, husband, wife, loathe to interfere,

We do our best to reason, ease the anger and the fear.

Danger ever present, never sure what each might do,

With no-one else to turn to, we are the thin line blue.

 

When would be tyrants dare defy the peoples' chosen will,

Mobs may become our enemy, prepared to maim and kill.

Some may be called to give their all, so many facing few,

We may bend but dare not break, we are the thin line blue.

 

When we leave our homes each day, unknown tasks to face,

Our spouses know there is a chance that we may need God's grace

To come back to our loved ones, our spirits to renew,

And for a while to leave behind the fragile thin line blue.

 

Sometimes at night we cannot sleep, we cannot put away

The memories of what we saw or had to do that day.

You do not know, you cannot know just what it takes to do

All that is expected, to hold the thin line blue.

 

And when a comrade gives their all we come from far away,

Marching in our hundreds, sitting in our seats to pray.

Knowing there may come a time it may be our turn too

To be honoured by our colleagues, who walk the thin line blue.