Seven Metres Poem by Paul Warren

If you approach anyone
Remember always
There is seven metres
To be safe
From a blade

He was a violent offender
Who beat his girlfriend often
And he broke the law
Acts his community would always defend

He caused the Medical Centre
To be closed down
And the staff were evacuated
Away from the town

He confronted police
And brandished an axe
So he ran into the bush
Not taking a look back

So reinforcements were sent to the town
To bring him into custody was the plan
The police found him in a house
He gave a false name knowing he was a wanted man

But Sergeant Eberl and Constable Rolfe weren't fooled
And arrested Walker as a wanted man
But Walker struggled and stabbed both with scissors
Wanting to escape them as his demand

Rolfe in defence shot Walker
Then Eberl and Walker fell down
Eberl was fighting for his life
And Rolfe fired twice defending Eberl on the ground

The scissors were taken from Walker
And he was rendered first aid
Then taken to the Police Station
Where Walker's life away did fade

The story took a twist for the worst
And Zach Rolfe was charged with murder and more
The first shot was within the law
But the second and third were an unlawful score

Chief Minister Gunner said
there'd be consequences
And Zach Rolfe was put through
Two years of hell waiting for his day
When the truth would be told too

The trial started and time and again
It was shown that Rolfe took action by his training
But the Prosecution tried hard
And finally Zach Rolfe was found not guilty with the jury acquitting

But the story did not end
The Yuendumu Community still wanted
An eye for an eye and cried out
For revenge for Walker was shouted

Commissioner Chalker still wanted his pound of flesh
And put Zach Rolfe on annual leave
Serving him with breaches of regulation
So the story continues on to the Coroners Court if you please

So the court jury process acquitted Rolfe
But questions remain
In whether Gunner and Chalker interfered with process
In charging Rolfe with murder

Most think that justice has been done
When Zach Rolfe was acquitted in the Supreme Court
But now it seems the process carries on
So where does the truth lie?

© Paul Warren Poetry