Sandy Hook

Sandy Hook Elementary School

December 14, 2012

Connecticut, USA

December 14

In Lake Arrowhead, CA

In the West

A snow day for kids

And Christmas on the way

Across our land

Twenty little children and six adults

Lie dead

Shot this morning

At school

Internet comments

Bullets

Swift

Call for more guns

Less guns

Prayers

How does this happen

In America

In our neighborhood

In our school

In the world

It happens

Shocked, fearful, amazed

We wrap our arms

Around our own

Still living, breathing

Fragile babies

For tonight

And the families of the slain

Hold nothing

Instead of a false, consumable recommitment

More training, vigilance, attention, and protection

What about a long term

Local

Nationwide

Worldwide

Movement

The source is the screaming voice

Deep and demanding

The killer hears

No longer a child

Free to listen and react

To understand that mind

That possession

Defeats us

We turn our backs on mental illness

Blame the parents

Mother’s face blasted away

Video games

Internet

Edgar Allan Poe

Never

It’s not fair

It’s against the Constitution

There’s no clear evidence that the mind

The mind controlling

The arms

Hands

Those strong and angry fingers

Is a danger to himself or society

It would be heinous to institutionalize him

Or her

Without proof

And there’s no money for brain research, which might provide us with insight

Families are alone

With all the problems in the Middle East

And the cost of locking up the criminals we do have evidence against…

We need our highways!

Taxes!

And then what? There could be a return to

Snake pits

Of yore

Anyone could send an enemy away then

Locked away

Abused

Done

The mentally ill are so afraid

Their parents, spouses, and friends ashamed

Ask for help?

Better to live somewhere within society

Hidden from Not Everyone

Those nearby may work for years

Or just feel a doubting crawling dread

Gaining lightning visions

But little support

It’s verboten

The world loves a pink ribbon

Turns its back on gray matter

And hides the stigma

As the children die.

R. Lori Pohlman

California, USA