Poetry Directory

The Broken Badge

He put on the blue

Late one cold winter night,

His badge upon his chest

Polished so bright,

Though his badge was old

It shined like new,

For it was much loved

By this man in blue.

His badge was his promise

To all who came his way,

“I’m here to serve you,”

It seemed to say,

A silver star

With edges straight and true,

Just like the heart

Of this man in blue.

He didn’t see the gun

That took his life,

He slipped away

Crying out for his wife,

His broken badge

Clung bravely to his chest,

A shattered witness

To his last breath.

His badge

Once shiny, bright, and new,

Now lies broken,

Bent, and blue,

A silver star,

Now broken in two,

Just like the hearts,

Of his brothers in blue.

Poem copyrighted © 2004 by Lydia Warner Miller

Web site copyrighted © 2005 by Lydia Warner Miller