National Poetry Writing Month - April 2, 2014

Yesterday at work, I fell for an April Fool's prank by my coworker. Later that evening, it was no prank when we responded to a call for service.

Battered, Bruised, and Bitten

Sitting in a quiet restaurant with my wife

Recapping the events of the afternoon; all seemed well

Then, a crackle of static in my ear

Those infamous words "I'll be right back"

Rarely is that promise kept; to be "right back"

Lights on, siren blaring to clear a path to trouble

Running towards the unknown

Screaming and then silence from 911

She was underneath him, father restraining daughter

Daughter by court order; her troubled past made blood parents a memory

When she was released from his confines, she bolted

Ran past my partner and out the back door

As he followed, I found her on the side of the house

Out the front door and in some bushes

Screaming. Crying. Angry. Vicious

I tried to reason with her; to calm her. She wanted none of it

Safety is our priority; handcuffs came out. 

Seeing the glint of steel, she tried to run again

This time, caught in my grip; my fist entangled in her clothing

She wheeled towards me with anger in her eyes

The fight was on and I didn't intend to lose

It started as a pushing/pulling match and ended in the mud

My hands clawing for hers, to put on bracelets for the bad

I felt her shoes in my back; my side; my head

Cuffed at hand and foot, she became calmer

Funny how not being able to move will do that

I spoke with the guardians; they were hurt but not injured

Scratches and bites on faces and hands; and hearts

They were calm despite the storm in their yard

We spoke briefly and then off to jail we drove

I took a different route to gather my thoughts

And catch my breath for a possible round two

She was docile, more or less, as she hobbled to the door

Giving me dirty looks and evil eyes

She was jolted back to reality when she was reminded

That I was the older; the bigger; the stronger; the meaner

My second fight wasn't with her, but the state

No record; only 19; no problem

And no charges for battering an officer

I had forgotten what you can get away with when you're young

Printed, photoed and processed

And off to big girl jail, where they don't care what your problems are

Or were. Now you're a number in their system

Their problem for the night

Reports and papers finished and filed

We shook hands and reassured ourselves that we were okay

He went to his home and family, and I to mine

To rest, recover and return to the next fight the next day