Remnant Thoughts

duct tape and a gun

I wrote the following for my literature class but I wanted to post it on here as well.

 we cradle another twelve-year old's body in our arms

watch the blood trickle from his chest

with all the stars ripped out of his veins

and a sky's imagination torn from his eyes

if we could stomach it at all,

to talk about death on a swing set

or outside a sheltered home

that we allowed to chain them

straight to the ground

with duct tape plastered on their mouths

the news cycle continues pointing fingers

but blame only veils what lingers

was it the violent video games-

or the guns gave so gracefully

everyone points and they forget

their voices prevent them from

meeting their eyes with tears wet

we listen to politicians

blabbering over something baffling

when the boys in blue

are afraid of the dark

and melanin is target practice

they say it is not the time

not the time to open their mouths

our pledge of allegiance

is to the red blood of those lost

and the white stars

sitting and watching

quarterbacks are the ones standing up

while congressmen wait for

the parents to stop screaming

the lovers to stop breaking

and the friends to stop crying

we need to rip the duct tape off

we need to hand over the microphone

that we've gripped on to for so long

we do not speak for them

we put aside our pride

and let them speak for themselves

it is our job as the privileged

to give the less privileged

A voice.

-a.p.