One Life

• Eloise Orr, Grade 9
• Poetry
• 2008

The line we walk between life and death
Becomes thinner and weaker with every breath.
One falls as easy as a leaf from a tree
With every life taken, is a hope of being free.

Today I killed an innocent man
I shot my gun, turned, and ran
Not thinking past my shallow mind,
How could I ever be so blind?

I didn’t see him as a life,
Maybe he had kids, girlfriend or wife.
But all I saw was another man
Who slipped and fell into God’s open hands.

I took someone’s mate; I took someone’s friend,
I brought his life to the very end.
What if it’s my mate due to die?
How many nights will I cry?

Maybe this guy is just like me
Maybe he’s the husband to be.
Maybe he owned a brand new car,
Maybe his business was going far.
But I took this away with one single shot.
I took this away, I took the whole lot.

I ran and ran and fell to the ground,
My pride and dignity were no where to be found.
So many lives would be taken today,
What if I was next to float away?
And at that second,
With a single shot,
I was there, and now I’m not.