Silent on the Balcony
(Protagonist: Paramedic)

The siren screams a frantic plea,
A counterpoint to Memphis heat,
But rushing in, the sight I see
Freezes my breath, locks off my feet.

He's crumpled on the checkered floor,
A giant felled by unseen hand.
The leader's voice, once strong and sure,
Reduced to silence in this foreign land.

His hand, once clasped in hope's tight hold,
Now slack and pale, a lifeless thing.
The dreams he spun, the stories told,
Did hate's cold bullet make them sing

A dirge instead? A broken vow?
The city shudders, holds its breath.
A nation mourns, asks silent "how?"
While lifeblood stains the balcony's death.

I kneel beside him, duty's call,
Though hope feels thin, a fading spark.
His eyes, once bright, now watch the sprawl
Of crimson bloom, a crimson dark.

No pulse, no breath, a chilling hush.
The weight of loss, a crushing blow.
A hero stilled, a dream turned dust,
And all I have are tears that flow.