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.