I want to tell you lies!

I was sent this poem by my mother. It was found in my brother Matthew's personal effects after his death. In my opinion its a pretty good depiction on what goes on in the lives of Emergency Personnel.

I Want to Tell you Lies.
Author: Unknown

I want to tell that little boy his Mom will be just fine,
I want to tell that Dad we got his daughter out in time,
I want to tell that wife her husband will be home tonight.
I dont want to tell it like it is.....
I want to tell them lies.

You didn't put their seatbelts on,
you feel you killed your kids.
I want to say you didn't .... but in a way you did.
You pound your fists into my chest,
you're hurting so inside.
I want to say you'll be OK...
I want to tell you lies.

You left the chemicals within his reach and now it's in his eyes,
I want to say your son will see,
not tell you he'll be blind.
You ask me if he'll be OK,
with pleading in your eyes.
I want to say that yes he will...
I want to tell you lies.

I can see you're crying as your life goes up in smoke.
If you'd maintained that smoke alarm, your children might have woke.
Don't grab my arm and ask me if your family is alive.
Don make me tell you they're all dead.
Don't make me tell you lies.

I want to say she'll be OK,
you didnt take her life.
I hear you say you love her and you'd never hurt your wife.
You thought you didn't drink to much,
you thought that you could drive.
I don't want to say how wrong you were...
I want to tell you lies.

You only left her for a moment,
happens all the time.
There's no way she slipped and fell,
you thought she couldn't climb.
I want to say her neck's not broken,
the she'll be just fine.
I don't want to say she's paralyzed.
I want to tell you lies.

I want to tell this teen his buddies didnt die in vain,
Because he thought that it'd be cool to try and beat the train.
I don't want to tell him this will haunt him each day of his life.
I want to say that he'll forget,
I want to tell him lies.

You left the cabinet open and your daughter found the gun.
Now you want me to undo the damage that's been done.
You tell me she's your only child,
you say she's only 5.
I dont want to say she won't see 6,
I want to tell you lies.

He fell into the pool when you just went to grab the phone.
It was only for a second that you left him there alone.
If you'd let the damn phone ring, perhaps your boy would be alive.
But I don't want to tell you that...
I want to tell you lies.

The fact that you were speeding
Caused that car to overturn.
We couldn't get them out of there,
before the whole thing burned.
Did they suffer? Yes they suffered,
as they slowly burned alive.
But I don't want to say those words....
I want to tell you lies.

But I have to tell it like it is until my shift is through.
And then the real lies begin, when I come home to you.
You ask me how my day was,
and I say it was just fine.
I hope you understand sometimes...
I have to tell you lies.