For Whom the Bell Tolls

By Joseph McGowan

For whom the bell tolls
You don’t know their names
All you know is that it didn’t toll for you today
As you turn the pages of the newspaper
Headline reads death toll in Baghdad tops 200 men
And the words appear just with different names
 in different newspapers and with different faces
From different homes and different places
Time and time again

Innocent child killed at his birthday party by stray gun fire
I read these words and my heart sinks I feel my mind tire
Another innocent child killed suspected gang-related
another life cut short , A child that never harmed and never hated
By his fellow man, in essence by his brother
Different nationality, same race, look around,  the human,
I still can’t understand why we have hurt each other

For whom the bell tolls someday it shall toll for me as it will for you
Yet fear not for you’ve lived a good life
Instead rest assured for you did all you could do
For you’ve made a difference in others lives the time you were here
  and to thy own self was true

Remember for every end, there is a new beginning,
filled with promise and hope,looking out through virgin eyes
And remember you’ll battle till the end, but it’s a fight worth winning
For you’ll stand among the strong ,the kind, the gentle and the wise
So today I ask of you
what will you do with your life
 before the bell tolls for you

Copyright© 2006