Final Inspection - a Tribute to Uniformed Personnel
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Posted by Thomas Alan Gray Oct 29, 2009 |
You may have received the poem "The Final Inspection” from someone. It ends,
Walk peacefully on Heaven's streets,
You've done your time in Hell.'
It came to me marked “author unknown". Since it's so easy to search the Internet, I wondered who had written the poem. To my surprise, I wasn't able to find conclusive results.
One source, HMCS Huron Association, credits a Joshua Helterbran and quotes Josh’s wife and mother: “Joshua’s wife states that the poem was originally written for a soldier, as her husband is…with the US Army… Joshua’s mother writes…The Final Inspection was written by my son.” However, HMCSHA is the only source giving Helterbran as the author.
The poem is widely attributed to Peter Alexander Hornbach, with the earliest posting of the poem on a blog being in June 2005. One blog comment said that "Final Inspection" was published at poetry.com and was registered with the Library of Congress. However, searches of poetry.com and of the Library of Congress web site produced no results for either Hornbach or Helterbran nor for the poem under that title.
In many versions, the poem reads “Marine” in place of “soldier”, and there are versions for fire fighters, corrections officers, and police. It seems to be meaningful to any of the uniformed services.
The stanza about overtime argues against a military source (to the best of my knowledge, soldiers don’t draw overtime pay, and several blog comments have expressed surprise at those lines).
This led to further search for that specific stanza, which turned up several versions with a policeman as the subject of the poem. This makes a bit more sense for the overtime. One British version dated 2004, the earliest I found, made some of the other lines (such as not being on the take and the “unmanly tears” – remember the British ‘stiff upper lip’ philosophy) also fall into place. And the internal rhyme of the last line also shows a polish that might or might not argue for this being the original.
Compare the two versions and see what you think.
A POLICEMAN MEETS HIS GOD (also titled "The Forgotten Cop" or "Last Inspection")
The policeman stood and faced his God, which must always come to pass.
He hoped his shoes were shining just as brightly as his brass.
Step forward now, policeman. How shall I deal with you?
Have you always turned the other cheek? To my church have you been true?
The policeman squared his shoulders and said, No Lord, I guess I ain't,
Because a man who wears a badge can't always be a saint.
I've had to work most Sundays, and at times my talk was rough...
And sometimes I've been violent because the streets are awful tough.
I worked a lot of overtime when the bills got just too steep,
But I never took a penny that wasn't mine to keep.
And I never passed a cry for help, though at times I shook with fear.
And sometimes, God forgive me, I've wept unmanly tears.
I know I don't deserve a place among the people here.
They never wanted me around except to calm their fear.
If you've a place for me here, Lord, it needn't be so grand.
I never expected or had too much. But if you don't...I'll understand.
There was silence all around the throne where the saints had often trod,
As the policeman waited quietly for the judgement [sic] of his God.
"Step forward now, policeman. You've borne your burdens well.
Come walk a beat on heaven's streets. You've done your time in Hell."
(That last line prompted one member of Canada's RCMP to comment, "What? I get to look forward to more of this...after I die? I was hoping for some time off.")
THE FINAL INSPECTION
The Soldier stood and faced/his God,
Which must always come to pass.
He hoped his shoes were shining,
Just as brightly as his brass.
'Step forward now, Soldier,
How shall I deal with you?
Have you always turned the other cheek?
To My Church have you been true?'
The soldier squared his shoulders and said,
'No, Lord, I guess I ain't.
Because those of us who carry guns,
Can't always be a saint.
I've had to work most Sundays,
And at times my talk was tough.
And sometimes I've been violent,
Because the world is awfully rough.
But, I never took a penny,
That wasn't mine to keep....
Though I worked a lot of overtime,
When the bills got just too steep.
And I never passed a cry for help,
Though at times I shook with fear.
And sometimes, God, forgive me,
I've wept unmanly tears.
I know I don't deserve a place,
Among the people here.
They never wanted me around,
Except to calm their fears.
If you've a place for me here,
Lord, It needn't be so grand.
I never expected or had too much,
But if you don't, I'll understand.
There was a silence all around the throne,
Where the saints had often trod.
As the Soldier waited quietly,
For the judgment of his God.
'Step forward now, you Soldier,
You've borne your burdens well.
Walk peacefully on Heaven's streets,
You've done your time in Hell.'
~ Author Unknown ~
The poem usually has a codicil added by one or another person who has forwarded the email.