Final Inspection

The officer 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, Officer, 
How shall I deal with you? 
Have you always turned the other cheek? 
To your church have you been true?"
The officer squared his shoulders and said,
" No, Lord, I guess I am not, 
Because all of us who 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 tough.
But I never took a penny That wasn’t mine to keep.
Though I worked a lot of overtime,

When the bills got way 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 an unmanly tear.
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 often trod.
 As the officer waited quietly
For the judgment of his GOD
"Step forward now, Officer. 
You’ve borne your burdens well 
Come walk a beat on heaven’s streets, 
You’ve done your time in hell"
author unknown



Father Tomas Del Valle-Reyes
Discovering 21 Century
P. O, Box 1170
New York, NY 10018
212-244-4778

Radiosigloxxi@aol.com