As the dark fingers of night,
Chase the light from the sky.
While children are tucked in their beds,
Society's crazies come alive.
Meanwhile, the graveyard shift has started,
And the phones continue to ring.
Law enforcement officers wonder,
What this night is going to bring.
During the graveyard shift officers witness,
Every imaginable type of life.
Petty thieves, prostitutes, drug dealers,
And the homeless, just trying to survive.
From the cesspools of the ghettos,
Where the gang bangers try to rule the streets.
To the peaceful suburbs, where a child quivers
in terror,
As his bedroom door opens slowly with the
dreaded creak.
These are just some of the crimes,
The graveyard officers see every night.
As they try their hardest to keep the public
safe,
Until the dawn of morning light.
Fatigue sets in, tugging at their eyes ,
The hours continue to pass.
And subconsciously they must ask themselves,
Which call will be their last?
Law enforcement officers across this country,
Risk their lives both night and day.
They possess honesty, integrity, and a sense of
pride,
And they deserve society's heartfelt thanks and
praise.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Lloyd Winstead is a
retired member of the San Bernardino County
Sheriff's Department (California). His
poetry has been published in the Christian
Magazine Online, Poetry Craz.com and Poetry
American.com. He can be reached
through the webmaster.
