Sworn to Protect

To protect and serve; that's what we're sworn to do,
No matter the situation, to make sure the victims pull through.
But sometimes in trying, like everyone else we fail,
And we wonder how life could possibly be so frail.

Car accidents, explosions, even fatal fires,
Sometimes there's nothing we can do except watch it all transpire.
Transformed from the heros that everyone knows,
To the people to be blamed for not being on our toes.

What you must understand is though we try,
We cannot really control who will live and will die.
Sure we can arrest those who rob and who kill,
But we can't make a little boy breathe, we have no magic pill.

We can't show up to an accident scene and make it all go away,
We try to get drunks off the road, but sometimes innocent people pay.
And we can't be psychic and know when parents abuse a child,
But if someone reports it, we can make sure that charges are filed.

Certainly when loved ones get old and pass away,
There's nothing we can do but to comfort and to pray.
When people need us most we try our hardest to be there,
But sometimes we can't help; sometimes life just isn't fair.

So please don't think of us as superhuman, although we always try,
And please don't blame us every time we fail and someone dies.
So please don't blame us when a child dies from abuse or from neglect,
'Cause we feel as bad as you, for we are sworn to protect.