Hero For a Moment
Us kids on the scrap heap estate, we were never going anywhere
poverty deprivation criminal activity was here to stay
Social Services, poor bastards, had no idea what to do
no, no one had a blasted clue
then, some clever **** sat behind a desk, said
I know what we’ll do
we will set up a nice new boxing club
that will keep them useless good for nothing thugs off our streets
boxing was fun, now we knew how to throw a good punch
uppercut, left jab, right jab, cross, hook, bob and weave
right jab, left jab, cross, hook, uppercut, bob and weave
no champion like Mohammed Ali would be discovered here
At home, I had loads of new uncles - so many I cannot remember
Mum was always off her face, but she was my only family member
I wished I had a real dad - I saw him in my head
when the ganja kicked in
there, he taught me things about life no ‘uncle,’ or mother ever could
my very own hero, super or not, showed me everything
he wanted me to become a man who was good
The Blades were like family, you see, them bros truly believed in me
they had my back, I felt safe, I felt loved up, it felt real cool - man
you know what I mean!
On home turf, me Daniel, reigned over my kingdom
that beat turning up at some damn school
where I never got them stupid teachers and their pathetic rules
That night the crew had put out a challenge to the Streatham Slashers
Who the hell did they think they were
Setting foot on our sodding manor
them es had to be taught a lesson
Jakeman, Scarface, Big Tony, Lefthook and me were hyped up and ready
We saw tottering towards us – three gansta men, out for a fight
led by a skinny dude looking like his own shadow would give him a fright
my boys was charged up, my boys was fierce, we was baying for blood
I no longer heard what anyone else was saying cos my head was buzzing
I’ve got to do it, I’ve got to do it, I’ve got to do it – I HAVE GOT TO DO IT
I’ve heard of great heroes; this was the chance for me to be one
yes me
I was flying, flying high – on adrenaline fuelled with the cheap stuff I’d smoked
blade was sharp, blade was shining bright, blade was ready for the fight
…. so was I
My feet took off as though on their own, that er never stood a chance
grabbing his stomach as he hit the ground, I heard him whisper
‘Oh God please don’t let me die’
my body froze, my feet were rooted
blade fell out of my trembling hand
he let out one last sigh and was still
two dead eyes looked up to the sky
I heard my bloods from the hood as they ran away down the street
their heavy feet pounding out a sort of a beat, in cowardly retreat
I stood alone my heart beating fast, his warm fresh blood on my hands
His mother was on the morning news, she was bawling and saying
how she begged him not to go out that night
now her only son, Kai, was robbed of his life
staring up to the sky she cursed the blood red moon
said she too had died on that cold, dark street, that very same night
That dad inside my ed-up head, looked away from me
his words angry disgusted and sad ‘Daniel my son we have all let you down
what you have done does not make you a superhero, a hero
or even a man
because the chance in life you had was always going to be zero.
Copyright © Judy Reeves | Year Posted 2022
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