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There Was a Man

There was a man
Who left a bar
He didn't have too much to drink
Or so he thought
It was just a short way home
And he knew the way
Even with his eyes closed
And they were not far down the road

There was another man
With his wife and kids
Coming home from a vacation
Or trying to
But there was a man
Who left a bar
Driving with his eyes closed
In the wrong lane
Without his lights

Maybe the roads were a little too slick
Maybe it was just too late
Maybe it was just "supposed" to happen
There was an accident

There came another car
Filled with a man
And several young men
Too old to be children
Way too young
To deal with what they saw
Or what they had to do
But they got there first

There was a boy
Who knelt in the rain
Only 12
Holding another 16 in his arms
As he breathed his last breath
Then he left to stop the cars
That were coming up way too fast

Soon he was joined by the others
That had the same thing happen to them as well
Help came too late
Even for the baby that lived the longest
No matter how hard anyone tried
No one was left alive

You see
I am writing this
Because there really was a man 
Who thought he hadn't had too much to drink
And he really left the bar that night
And I was there too
Part of me died as well
And part of me grew up
To write this
Maybe to find a way to understand
And maybe just to find a way
To reach another man
Who might leave a bar
Who thinks he hasn't had too much to drink.

Ed Roberts 10/24/00
 
 
Currently my godson Rayce is working with several students from the University of Oklahoma to film an educational video/documentary based on this poem. For more information please visit https://www.facebook.com/inourtimeproductions

At the age of twelve there was little I could have done to change the outcome of that night. This is not the case now.

Copyright © Ed Roberts | Year Posted 2014

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