Sadly about current events. As you are the praying sort, maybe the sentiment resonates with you, as you navigate the decrepitude of our unsubtle society’s endless and fruitless babbling around major tragedies.

Requiescant in pace.

==============================

prayers

the joyless report
of a self-absorbed prig’s
unfeeling steel
preempts the final bell

hot lead turns small
warm bodies cold
two days
— just two
before

have a great summer
stay safe and have fun
see you next year

useless admonitions
trite untrue
never uttered
never heard by little ears
which heard instead

their classmates’ laughter
turned to screams
and silence

class dismissed

have a great summer
stay underground and have funerals
we won’t be seeing you next year

go on and mock my prayers you asses
making haste to pile pork
on the fresh graves
of darkened bright young faces
fragile bodies shredded by bullets

your policy of choice may save lives
down the line
i do not scoff at that

but my prayers are all i have
for these sweet souls
that no law
no policy
can ever resurrect

and i have nothing but prayer
nor — i think — do you
for those who ache to hear again
even just one
— one —
last time

and never will

i love you mommy

and then to brush their hand
over their cheek
and muss their hair

and feel the hug
around their knees

and send them off
to school

27 may 2022