STOP GUN VIOLENCE
Protect Kids, Not Guns
A poem about gun violence
The murder of children haunts everyone’s dreams With nightmarish echoes of preschoolers’ screams Parents bent double on knees at school gates Hands over eyes enduring heartbreaking waits
The wailing of sirens and sisters and brothers And aunties and uncles, grandparents and others Red flashing lights and uniforms all around Mean only bad news on a foredoomed schoolground
There are so many questions to ask and to answer Why is there so much desperation and anger? Why not give people mental health care they need? Why are some drug companies so full of greed?
Medical care is a luxury for many They reach the weekend with nothing but pennies Put food on the table or take care of health Is the choice people face with no comfort of wealth
But why target children with hope in their eyes? And sweet loving hearts full of joy and blue skies? Why kill young school kids just starting their lives? There are no good outcomes when a little one dies
Our schools should be places of learning and caring Exploration, discovery and kindness and sharing Schools should be safe zones for everyone in them Not a battleground for violence or vengeance or gunmen
Traumatized teachers try to keep fear at bay With morning anxiety — could it happen today? Turning schools into prisons for our daughters and sons Is no more a solution than teachers with guns
Sending kind thoughts and prayers will never suffice For victims of violence and the consequence of vice For those feeling helpless, there is power in your vote Don’t let the guilt of inaction get stuck in your throat
Why do we tolerate a world full of guns? Fact: shootings don’t happen when people have none.
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