"Correction Officer, Come this way, Stand before my light.
I see you've done your time on earth, And died this very night,
Have you lived by my Commandments, have you always done what's best"?
"My Lord, before I answer that, Do I get a Union Rep''?
The Lord said, "Son you're on your own, To me you must explain.''
"I'll try and do my best Lord, I"ll make it very Plain".
"Lord, I've worked most Sundays, And I've been in my share of fights.
But I've never run away Lord, This job is full of frights.
Some days I worried if I'd get home, To see my kids grow up.
Or how the bills, Would get paid, If the inmates tore me up."
"I've walked down halls, Were men were screaming, Locked behind metal gates.
We couldn't leave'em in there Lord, We had to Crack those gates.
We took control the best we could, And sent them on there way.
The worst thing Lord was getting stuck, With a needle or a blade.
Your name was said in vain Lord, From fear, And from the danger.
most people on the street Lord, Don't deal well with this anger."
"Most people on the street, Don't see the things we see Lord.
But they read about the weak ones, In the Sunday news, Lord.
They never hear, About lives we save, And care we give the inmates.
And how we help each other out, In the time of danger.
At times we're one big family, "Specially when we lose one.
I know you get my meaning Lord, I see my friends are with ya.''
"I never had a grand home Lord, I may have cared too much.
I knew the job I was doing, Kept me out of touch.
I"ve looked out for the Children Lord, You placed around my beat.
I"ve never hurt your animals Lord, Except for those, That walked on their two feet."
"So Lord, If you can let me in, Just for a little while.
I"ll have my friends,Show me around, Then I"ll hit the tiles."
The Lord said, "Son unpack your bags, You've done you're Time in Hell.
Here's a key, For Gate #1, I think you"ll fit in well."
IN MEMORY OF GOWANDA CORRECTION OFFICERS
MIKE WILLIAMS, BILL HOCKENBERRY, LOU ZACCAGNINO,
ANTHONY TERRY, STEVE BROWN, MARK SCHLEE.
By Officer Mike Connors
Gowanda Correctional Facility 2004
New York State Dept. of Corrections
