D.O.A Poem by Karl McAreavey

The youth lay on the pavement blood pouring from his wounds
Gunshots still echoing around in the darkness the only sounds
Neighbours peering nervously from behind closed doors
Wont get involved tonight though as seen it all before

Eventually he will just be scraped up by the paramedics
Life will carry on as normal thus questioning our ethics
Ambulance silently steals through sparsely populated streets
Blue lights and the occasional siren when obstacles it meets

Vain battle inside the vehicle another life to save
No luck despite expertise and equipment they have
Slowing down on approaching the hospitals gate
No need to rush now for already it's too late

Medical staff all on standby as they stop at the door
Trolley rushed in hastily his blood drips to the floor
The police arrive to get any information they can
See if they can find out whose is this young man

The few interested media kept in the dark of this crime
A statement will be made later but all in due time
For the moment is here that the officers all so dread
Breaking the grim news to the relatives of the dead

How do you console loved ones when you tell of the deceased's name
And explain to them that for his own death he was really to blame
While society shirks it's duties and wont face up to the truth
We will continue to count headstones and present them as our proof