Silent on the Balcony

Silent on the Balcony
(Protagonist: Paramedic)

The siren screams a frantic plea,
A counterpoint to Memphis heat,
But rushing in, the sight I see
Freezes my breath, locks off my feet.

He's crumpled on the checkered floor,
A giant felled by unseen hand.
The leader's voice, once strong and sure,
Reduced to silence in this foreign land.

His hand, once clasped in hope's tight hold,
Now slack and pale, a lifeless thing.
The dreams he spun, the stories told,
Did hate's cold bullet make them sing

A dirge instead? A broken vow?
The city shudders, holds its breath.
A nation mourns, asks silent "how?"
While lifeblood stains the balcony's death.

I kneel beside him, duty's call,
Though hope feels thin, a fading spark.
His eyes, once bright, now watch the sprawl
Of crimson bloom, a crimson dark.

No pulse, no breath, a chilling hush.
The weight of loss, a crushing blow.
A hero stilled, a dream turned dust,
And all I have are tears that flow.

LINE COUNT: 24 Lines
WRITTEN FOR: "WINNER and NEW PROMPT - Due Thursday, Apr 4"  
PROMPT:
On April 4th, 1968, Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated while standing on the balcony of his hotel room.

For tomorrow, write a poem or story which is set during the immediate aftermath (as in within an hour or so) of the assassination of a prominent public figure.

Your protagonist could be one of the figure's companions, could be the assassin, could be a paramedic, could be an innocent bystander, could be someone hearing the news over the radio, etc. But, in any case, be sure to make it someone who's affected by the death and show his or her response.