No Help Poem by Ray Hansell

There he stood
In the street
Gun to his head
No shoes on his feet

Talking incoherent
The gun held tight
It was dusk
Soon to be night

Police everywhere
One trying to talk him down
His eyes roaming wild
He didn't make a sound

He just stood there
Making no demands
Police trying
Everything they can

Suddenly
A single shot rings out
He falls to the ground
There is no doubt

As a red river runs
Down a sloping street
Soon he is covered
By a clean white sheet

Everyone will have opinions
As to why he did this deed
But will it occur to anyone
He never got the help he needed

Just like millions of others
Hoping to find a way
That somewhere down the road
Their life won't end this way



11-22-18/RjH