Hard Day’s Work for the Poleeseman, by K. Michael Williams

(with thanks to Douglas Williams)

Got to the precinct early

Ready to get to work

Changed into the blues

Sat thru roll call

Sippin’ coffee 

Anxious

Finally

I hit the streets

Before I

Could finish muh joe

I get my first call

Barely out the gate

Call for an assist

Suspicious person

Rape suspect

I hustle

Join my buds

We move in

Find him in

A vestibule

Yup

Suspicious as hell

We tell him to freeze

He doesn’t

He reaches

We got no choice

Later they say

41 shots 

Springsteen’ll write a song 

But the shoot’s righteous

Suspect was reachin’

Had no choice

I get back 

On the streets 

Barely

Before

I hear bout 

Fight on the subway

Not far

I get down there

Commotion’s deep

Folks detained

Looks okay

Maybe I’m not needed

Wait  —

There’s drama…

I hurry over

Some kid

We get him down

He’s scared

And he’s off

To my mind

I pin ‘im face down

Like the job says

I got him

But like I say

Kid’s off

I get my piece out

Just in case

Y’know

It’s the job

Kid gets himseIf 

Shot in the back

Like I said

Kid’s off

What am I s‘pose ta do?

I gotta look out

Gotta get back to my family

Right?

I’m back in my ride

Go for that cup of joe

Sittin’ in the holder

Finally…

Never got a sip

‘Nother call

Suspect givin’ cops

Hard time

I radio I’m goin’ in

I arrive

Guy givin’ it as hard as he gets

I join the scrap

He’s refusin’ to go easy

Big guy

I get my arm around his big throat

Need to send a message

People watchin’ 

Need to know

You listen we cool

You don’t it goes hard

So we take ‘im down

Over some damned smokes

He’s moanin

Can’t say

I’m listenin’

By time medics get there

I’m already on my next call

Badass wit’ a gun

Threatenin’ a community center

I skid to a stop

In the recreational area

I see ‘im

Gun tucked in his waistband

He’s that close

I get my gun out before I get the car door open

One shot

He’s done

Damned shame

A kid…

Walkin’ round wavin’ a gun

That wasn’t a gun

When these kids gonna learn?

New call

I’m out

Undercover sting

Gone wonky

Backup requested

I get there

It’s already crazy

Black guy

Runnin’

[Big surprise]

We catch up

Take him down

He wrestles

He wiggles

He resists

He gets shot

Later

They’ll say

I thought

It was

My taser

They’ll say it was

A slip and capture

Hell

They’ll say

Tunnel vision

Diminished hearin’

Autopilotin’

But I just

Did the job

And that’s

When I spy

With my little eye

Some fool

Sellin’ CDs

Coupla cops are

Dealin’ with it

But I go over 

It’s what you do

We get him on

The ground

When one of my

Brother officers yell

“He has a gun.”

I do

What’s necessary

Nothin’ left to do

‘Sides

I got more work to do

Radio’s screamin’

Abandoned vehicle

Middle of street

I get there

And here’s a guy

Who ain’t listenin’

Wanderin’ round

Walkin’ when

Told to stop

SUV in road

Like they say

Doors open

Everything 

Wrong

We tell ‘im to stop

Ova and ova

He doesn’t

He reaches in the car

Someone tasers him

I don’t

I do what 

I’m s’pose to do

I do 

My job

Then

I’m back

Behind the wheel

Sippin on cold joe

Thinkin it’s time

To get a fresh one

But I don’t get the chance

Before I know it

I’m goin’ thru

A door

No knock

We’re in

We’re movin’

Somebody 

Takes a shot

Hittin’ one of ours

We shoot

Someone

Somewhere

Gets hurt

What you expect?

You don’t

Shoot

At us

End of story

No matter

How much they

Say her name

End. 

Of. 

Story.

I finally stop

To get that fresh cup

But it don’t happen

Somethin’ crazy

Goin’ down

Wit’ some of

My boys

We get the suspect

Down

I get my knee

In his neck

Baby’s cryin’

For his momma

My brotha blues

Keep back

The whiners

With their 

Video tapin’

Their outrage

Suspects ain’t whinin’

No more …

I leave my peeps

To finish the job

Won’t be a problem

He ain’t movin’

Easy-peasy

I get my fresh cup

Long day

I go home

Sleep

Like a baby

Next day

I’m ready

Get back out there

They say no

They’re actin’ like

I did 

Somethin’ wrong

I did the job

They sayin’ 

I’m not

Sayin’ I’m

Responsible

For the death of

Two blacks a week

Assholes

They don’t get it

Just

Doin’ my best…

What’d you think would happen?

K. Michael Williams is a freelance writer. He loves to read, draw, go to the movies and watch bad zombie movies (well, with that last one "love" may be too strong a word). He lives in New York City with his family. K. Michael believes COVID has given him way too much reason to not leave the house.