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.