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among the countless thugs
   that teased and taunted myself as a boy
who exhibited blatant characteristics
   of being painfully shy and coy
attempting to remain like a statue as a decoy
which tactic nada successful employ

but only incensed and beckoned
   like tasty morsel chronic unpleasant bait
to be pitted with words
   always feeling like an outcast
   (of poker flats) without a date
populating school memories
   of loathsomeness and hate

serving as token punching bag
   nearly the duration every year
of public school, which vicious name calling
   assaults upon me psyche did wear
away negligible self confidence,

   or internal rage that found instinct to veer
away from approaching fist,
   which knuckle sandwich from tier
of hooligans gave no surcease

   to knock this then introvert
   on his head or scrawny rear
a lonely lad bereft of any buddy
   to stand close as bona a fide genuine peer,

nothing but dark shadow
   casting silhouette
   per edge of night always near
one brazen dude named Lloyd Lavinsky

   hovered ever near
especially during recess
   at Audubon Elementary School
   he did chase and lear
encouraging mob fiends

   to join in an additionally mock and jeer
which unprintable epithets,
   I can still faintly hear
in tandem with that native animal fear

that found this then
   socially withdrawn second grader a targeted deer
caught in cross hairs of boys
   who seemed like giants
   and fierce some as a bear
clawing at a scared little boy
   plus hurtful words thru the air

which cruel barbs hurled lent convenience
   for me who stood stock still or crouched down
on ground intimating passivity
   and inferiority brought grimace and frown

to those who mimicked flaws,
   aside from being shriveled flower on lawn
included nasal twang
   from submucous cleft palate
   defect that did spawn

speech impediment and obvious magnet
   for brutal beast
to relish, savor and feast
hoping to bring me to tears at the least

knowing this human docile scared dog
   would not fight back
fearing he might get beat
   to a ****** pulp for justifiably flack

even my late mother also told me
   to give brats a “what for”
   with two ****** pack
that triceratops nasty gang

   bulging biceps they did pack
who to this very day I bristle to smack
with an ole mighty whack
as if strength within transferred
   to computer Goliath body guard
   manufactured by Univac.
---------------------------------------
postscript:

alth­ough just a infinitesimal dot
moxie this mortal doth got
in the cosmic skein since big bang hot
test event since white bread -

   gives m t calories a lot
soak up syrup from chicken soup
   from sterling gold chamber ***
strongly suggested by a tweeting scott.
April Feb 2018
When the lights go out
We should not fear;
Death is our nightmare.

School should be safe,
Not a whirlwind of panic
About bullets and pain.

When the lights go out
We should not think
"We're gonna die."
This is not OK
matthew Feb 2018
the code red alarm rings
echoing in the halls
we drop to the floor
almost in unison
is this the end?

the teacher
the one who we trust
to protect us
is just another sheep
in this herd
of fear

nobody is safe
nor are we above
anyone else
we are equal

we are shaking
as we hug the ground
waiting

waiting
to be slain
waiting to be saved
but still
waiting

i am lucky to say
it was only a drill

but for those
across the country
they weren't that lucky

they were shot at
they were killed
they watched
their loved ones
die

we live in a country
where guns
matter more than
our kids

where an AR-15
can be purchased
by anyone

but when tragedy strikes
people act shocked
they send their prayers
their thoughts

**** that.

prayers and thoughts
don't do anything

they don't bring back
those we have lost
they don't take
the grief away from us

things won't change
until we start a riot
until we can really make a change

we are the home
of mass shootings

we need to change that
Theresa Marie Feb 2018
How can you run when you know?
⁃Neil Young

America,
Our words won’t shake the world enough to grow flowers out of gunpowder, or bright red, blood-curdling screams.

But we can try

These kids were 14 when they closed their eyes for the last time
They were 14 when the stepped out their front doors for the last time,
Their fresh eyes were swallowed out the back of their necks

I look at them the way I look at a blank canvas
Opportunity cascading like waterfalls
I look at them as a museum that was waiting for art
Waiting for love
And America
I am waiting for love

I was 14 and I was stuck in my own head
Trying to find something to belong to but searching in all the wrong places.
I was 14 and I too thought more about ending my own life than I would like to admit
I was 14 and I never watched the news because it never pertained to me

You see,
I was selfish for thinking the news never pertained to me
I was selfish for staying so disengaged, desensitized
America, my home, my nightmare
Wake up
Blame the video games, blame mental illness
But America, look
You’re killing your children

Wake up,
Because I am sick of praying
I am so tired of feeling helpless
Maybe there’s something we can do
Let's make our voices heard
Let's turn our lost blood to ink
And scream to ******* artist himself,

I’m sorry, Mr. President
But, did you get more than you bargained for?
We’ve been patient Mr. President
And we’re ready for your response.
Wake up, Mr. President
How many lives must be lost?
You’re a ******* artist, Mr. President,
But you can’t worm your way out this time
Don’t choke now Mr. President
This problem is kinda huge.
This country is a divided wrist, Mr. President
And your stubborn orange skin makes it seem as if we’re going to lose.
B Feb 2018
Face masks our insecurities as we fill them on our news feeds
Children dying from mass shootings as we snapchat our fragmented selfies
Laying under blankets at night with that big shiny bright light
Swallowing a pill for the night
Hoping to forget the fright
Em MacKenzie Feb 2018
I'm going to excersize my voice,
and spill to you some hard truth,
to tell whoever reads you have a choice,
in shaping tomorrow's youth.
With a tragedy flashing on a TV screen,
telling you how to think and feel,
you should ask yourself what does it all mean,
and question if what you hear is real.

False flag operations have been suggested
and got a green light many years ago.
There's been a few that have been successfully tested,
then broadcasted and produced like a giant show.
I'm not saying school shootings don't happen,
but please look between the lines,
they've now released the cracken,
and we've missed the warning signs.

It's not video games, television or Hollywood,
that take the blame in a violent crime
I've played call of duty and love entertainment when it's good,
and I'd never take a life, I'd rather give mine.
It is true the access to guns are too easy,
for those who believe it is the only way,
but they need help, believe me,
and treatment is a big price to pay.

If you wish to throw away every gun,
then throw away cars, gasoline and knives,
because when someone has come undone,
you can use all three to take seventeen lives.

No child, criminal or soul with malicious intent,
should be able to stroll into a store and say "that one will do fine"
But they're ringing up the price and the money spent,
is just enough to blur each single line.
But what about if and when the time comes,
those in power decide rations are too low,
and they'll grab you and chain you, no matter where you're from,
and decide it's time for you to go?

An armed ninety-nine percent,
is more a threat to them than terror,
so they use tragedy to receive consent,
to fix the constitution's error.
Where it states you have a right to protect yourself,
no matter who it is that knocks on your door,
'cause that knock will come and you'll look for help,
but there won't be help there anymore.

They only want weapons in their own hand,
and we'll be left completely defenseless,
it's common logic so please understand,
you don't want to get caught completely senseless.

Take their paycheques and put it into mental health,
for those kids who think this is the only way,
so they can be taught ways to cope instead of a politician's wealth,
because it will keep happening until they get their day.

I mourn for those who lost those they love,
but don't let emotion override logic.
We all want to fly a flag of a peace dove,
but there'll still be a bullet and you can't dodge it.

The media doesn't run stories for over a week,
unless it's something they really want you to hear.
And they plan the next one to advertise as we speak,
and the tag line will alway be fear.

Do not waste one of the best gifts we received,
a human's ability to question every action.
Look beyond the way it is perceived,
and research history and every faction.
If it's someone's job to prioritize our rights,
don't you think they might have a control issue?
That maybe they don't want a herd that fights,
and instead of a weapon holds a tissue?
I mean no disrespect to anyone who has lost a loved one due to gun violence. I just wish to express that everything a government does should be questioned. History has shown governments to round up civilians, strip them of their rights and perform genocide. Stripping weapons completely is ideal if there isn't a treat, but there always will be one in this world.
matthew Feb 2018
why should I have to worry about my school

becoming the next shooting range?
matthew Feb 2018
How many bullets will it take?
How much blood will be shed?
How many more lives will be taken,
before any action is taken?

When will we learn?
As a country,
When will we fight?
When is enough,
enough?

Protect kids,
Not guns.
Rochelle R Feb 2018
The anguish in this alienating aloneness is alarmingly enlightening
I am aware as the colors of my aura
fade from vibrant to mute
A spiraling sense of self grasps at false promises of hope or help
Each face that shows itself as an ally is simply mirage or ghost
Or wisps of nothingness I probably hallucinated to cope
I am an anchor in a rushing tide
Life floods by with no more than a glance over the shoulder
Some collide from behind urging me to move on, frustrated when I don’t align with their idea of time
I need to be unapologetically ‘not ok’
Imagine my electric shock when I find that’s not an option
The anguish in this alienating aloneness is alarmingly enlightening
#metoo
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