Electric Knight

Awakened long before the sun has begun to rise;

A loyal servant of the people wipes the sleep from his eyes.

Peeking out the window to see the hazard of the day;

            He pulls on his long-johns to keep the cold at bay.

Staggering into the kitchen, he finds his meals packed by his wife;

             Knowing today could be perilous, not many know his strife.

A storm rolled through in the dead of the night;

            Poles snapped in two and lines dancing in the moonlight.

With a quick kiss on the cheek and a hug to say stay strong;

            The groggy lineman scurries to his truck knowing the day will be long.

With heavy legs, he trods to his trusty metal steed;

            Checking equipment to make sure he has all he needs.

Snow as deep as the river has blanketed the ground;

            His kids still tucked in bed, they don’t hear a sound.

The roar of the engine fills his still silent ears;

            Hoping he makes his destination is one of his fears.

Watching the power line, his vision steady and keen;

            Looking for the spark of electricity that can be so mean.

In the distance, down a snow packed road, he sees fire in the sky;

            He found the broken pole, to fix the wire, he must try.

He clasps his gaffs onto his weathered boots and up the pole he goes;

            Strapped around the splintered wood, the outcome no one knows.

Stringing new wire and setting a new pole, he completes his task;

            His job a danger to himself, but does what the people ask.

This haggard man, on-call all throughout the day;

            Is humbled by his diligence, and never has much to say.

For you and others, his job is to light up the world;

            But to me, he is my father and he’s a hero to his little girl.