In Memoriam

THE POLICEMAN STOOD AND FACED HIS GOD,
WHICH MUST ALWAYS COME TO PASS.
HE HOPED HIS SHOES WERE SHINING
JUST AS BRIGHTLY AS HIS BRASS.

"STEP FORWARD NOW, POLICEMAN.
HOW SHALL I DEAL WITH YOU?
HAVE YOU ALWAYS TURNED THE OTHER CHEEK?
TO MY CHURCH HAVE YOU BEEN TRUE?"

THE POLICEMAN SQUARED HIS SHOULDERS
AND SAID, "NO LORD, I GUESS I AIN'T,
BECAUSE THOSE OF US THAT CARRY BADGES
CAN'T ALWAYS BE A SAINT.

I'VE HAD TO WORK MOST SUNDAYS,
AND AT TIMES MY TALK WAS ROUGH,
AND SOMETIMES I'VE BEEN VIOLENT
BECAUSE THE STREETS ARE AWFULLY TOUGH.

BUT I NEVER TOOK A PENNY,
THAT WASN'T MINE TO KEEP.
THOUGH I WORKED A LOT OF OVERTIME
WHEN THE BILLS JUST GOT TOO STEEP.

AND I NEVER PASSED A CRY FOR HELP,
THOUGH AT TIMES I SHOOK WITH FEAR.
AND SOMETIMES GOD, FORGIVE ME,
I'VE WEPT UNMANLY TEARS.

I KNOW I DON'T DESERVE A PLACE
AMONG THE PEOPLE HERE
THEY NEVER WANTED ME AROUND
EXCEPT TO CALM THEIR FEAR.

IF YOU'VE A PLACE FOR ME HERE, LORD
IT NEEDN'T BE SO GRAND
I NEVER EXPECTED OR HAD TOO MUCH
BUT IF YOU DON'T I'LL UNDERSTAND."

THERE WAS SILENCE ALL AROUND THE THRONE
WHERE THE SAINTS HAD OFTEN TROD,
AS THE POLICEMAN WAITED QUIETLY
FOR THE JUDGMENT OF HIS GOD.

"STEP FORWARD NOW, POLICEMAN.
YOU'VE BORNE YOUR BURDENS WELL.
COME WALK A BEAT ON HEAVENS STREETS
YOU'VE DONE YOUR TIME IN HELL."