Enough!

School used to be a place for learning,
A place for education,
Not a place to die from a shooter’s gun.
Not a place to cringe in fear,
Wondering if you would be alive at the end of the day.

One school shooting a week,
Since January 1, 2018:
Birmingham, Alabama
Jackson, Mississippi
Mount Pleasant, Michigan
Norfolk, Virginia
Ita Bena, Mississippi
Savannah, Georgia
Nashville, Tennessee
Oxon Hill, Maryland
Los Angeles, California
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Italy, Texas
Winston Salem, North Carolina
Parkland, Florida
Oh, that one made news
17 human lives gunned down
The others not so bad--just one or two killed.
How many killings are tolerable?

Cry for the children
if you care
But celebrate the Parkland students who say “enough,”
Enough of thoughts and prayers
Enough of politicians and the NRA
with their BS and their campaign contributions
protecting guns over human life.
Enough!

Bullet-proof vests should not be the new school uniform
for students and teachers
No military occupation of schools either.
PTSD is not a college degree.

As for arming teachers,
Really?
Add lethal weapons to
language and literature and science and math and art?
And where should the teacher put her gun or his gun--
shoulder holster? Boot? Purse? Locked drawer?
And what if the gun goes off accidentally,
as it already has in at least one case?
Where does fear for one’s life fit in the curriculum?

Are we trying to develop minds
or set land mines to development?

Cry for the children
and the adults gunned down,
And after shedding your tears
Do something.

The school’s business is education,
not target practice.
ENOUGH!

Dedicated to the students at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, Parkland, Florida, and students across the country who are challenging our legislators to pass gun controls.