Police - Just Words

The words running through my head need to be right The watch on my wrist tells me it’s after midnight My stomach churns knowing what it will be Waking people in the middle of the night not done easily I knock on the door and a light flicks on I’ll have to tell them their son is gone Someone says who would that be I know that I am not the one they’ll want to see I say “It’s the police and I need to talk” The latch is off and in I walk It’s just the words that I want to be the right way But the lump in my throat makes it hard to say Just get it out and the crying starts asking how So I tell them a car accident occurred just now I leave knowing their world is lost The next hours will be done counting the cost And I resume with it all in my head Death message delivered and understood written in the log of dread. © Paul Warren Poetry