Angel Wings: poem by Doug Lanzo

police cap, image by OpenClipart-Vectors, on Pixabay

A Boy Who Has Earned His Angel Wings

In honor of Devarjaye “D.J.” Daniel

Since we first saw him

at the State of the Union,

he has captured

all of our hearts:

a fighter, a dreamer—

a boy battling—

brave and stalwart.

Diagnosed with

Stage 3 brain cancer,

told he had five months

left to live—

he found meaning

from his father

teaching him how

to serve and give.

Inspired by faith

and godly wisdom,

with resolve far

beyond his years,

he sought to serve

in law enforcement,

finding his passion

and his career.

Sworn in as

an honorary agent

by over one thousand

law enforcement agencies,

God told him

during one surgery

he was His angel

doing His work faithfully.

D.J. said that in

his twelfth surgery,

he encountered God

in heavenly clouds,

presenting him

with angel wings,

making him

incredibly proud.

But then God

took them away—

telling him

in gentlest words…

once graduated

from this life’s school—

he'd get them back

and find his Lord.

______________________

Doug Lanzo is an award-winning Christian author and

poet whose debut novel The Year of the Bear won the 2023 Ames Awards for Young Adult Books and whose second book I Have Lived was named American Book Fest 2024 Novella of the Year. Over 500 of Doug’s poems have been published in literary journals and anthologies

in the U.S., Canada, Caribbean, England, Wales, Austria, Mauritius, India, Japan, and Australia. He,

his wife, and twin poet sons reside in Chevy Chase, Maryland and enjoy nature, fishing, inspirational reading and writing, and basketball. His author website is: www.douglaslanzo.com.

(April 2026 issue)