Wearing The Blue

I'm wearing the blue, yes, proudly, and don't prejudge me and I won't prejudge you. Some nights I sleep swirling in nightmares, seeing the blood of victims, and I still very much care. I grope for the lamp on my nightstand, my headache becomes a tight band, my wife awakened, softly talks me down, I would love to leave this "toddlin' town." Brother, sister police officers agree, that our job puts a strain on our families, I come home from tragedies such as gun violence, child abuse, accidents, robberies, yet, I'm accused of being cold and unfeeling, when the hurt closes in and is joy stealing. Yes, I wear the blue, my life, my heart is of rescue, take a ride with me to see, some of the human acrimony, Yet, at the precinct it's comforting to receive, flowers and cookies from some caring people reaching out, that's what gratitude is about, it helps after long hours, and when some distressed strangers say, "Thank you for responding to my call," it can, at times- relieve me from the pall. We need to be more understood, we need more cooperation from the neighborhoods, after all, it's for all our good. ~