Something I wrote years ago

ON BEING A FIRE FIGHTERS KID

Being a firefighter's kid
Means a lot of things.

It means that all the other
Kids at school
Will look at you in awe
Because YOUR Dad is a
Firefighter.

It means when Dad goes to work
You make sure you say "good-bye"
And hope and pray that
He will come home safe again.

It means that sometimes Dad
Has to work on Christmas Day
Or weekends or nights
Or your birthday
Or even his own
But you savor the time
When he is home.

It means that sometimes Dad
Will wake you up
In the middle of the night
Because he just needs to hug you
Which you know means
That a child has died.

It means that sometimes Dad
Will not be himself
For a day or so
And you know that means
He has seen something
Too awful for him to describe.

It means that someday
Dad may not come home safe
And it will hurt
And you will cry
But you can be proud
Because you can be sure
He gave his life
To save someone else's.

©  12 January 1985