Breaking News


Another bullet rattles in bone
dividing life by death.
Tuesday’s economics’ lesson
spiraled into terror speaking prayers.

Bright lights hum as buzzing microphones
give another killer their fifteen minutes of fame.
Mayhem explodes the ratings where kindness
puts a network in last place.

How many tears does it take
to change the status quo?
Talk of gun control causes
law abiding to stockpile ammunition.

For every opinion there is a differing one.
It appears the argument is better received
than the peace of working together in common ground.

And while the arguments ferment
another finger reaches to pull the trigger.

Breaking News: There has been a school shooting.

The lesson for today: What to do when faced with a gun.




©Susie Clevenger 2013

Comments

Claudia said…
And while the arguments ferment
another finger reaches to pull the trigger....ugh...true...sometimes it just takes too long to change things and this is not an easy to solve topic either...i wish they would really try and cumulate their strength to go steps into the right direction
Sreeja said…
Oh this is straight from heart and I feel every line... wish if everything goes in right direction as Claudia said.
anthonynorth said…
Powerful words on an important subject. Excellent.
lucychili said…
yes your poem feels raw and real.
it does seem that all the media are telling the same story over and again. might is right. politics is overt bullying. there does not seem to be bandwidth for collaboration and working together. perhaps we need to 'occupy' libraries and civic places. there is a library in pima that shares seeds. i thought that was a hopeful thing. perhaps you can conquer guns state by state?
Brian Miller said…
while we are busy arguing over who is right, people are dying....pretty sick ....and in the mean time more assault rifles are flying off the shelves than ever before....
marousia said…
Powerful - love the message - I wish America would take a leaf out of Australia's book on gun laws - ours work well and there has been a dramatic decrease in domestic murders as an unintended consequence
Mary said…
"And while the arguments ferment another finger reaches to pull the trigger" - so very true. A very timely write, Susie.
Kerry O'Connor said…
This is such a topical point of discussion. The people want responses to their questions, but is anything substantial being done, except to teach children how to be better victims in the case of crazy gunmen.
poetjanstie said…

"Bright lights hum as buzzing microphones
give another killer their fifteen minutes of fame.
Mayhem explodes the ratings where kindness
puts a network in last place."

Susie, you are on the same plane as Kellie's "And We Call it Rebellion", and so much with my thinking on this subject. I believe that mass murderers should NEVER be given the oxygen of publicity in their perversely manic attention seeking. With this offering, I love the sentiment and fact that it is a direct hit on the gun debate. Well penned.
Tigerbrite said…
a heartfelt poem on a problem that seems unsurmountable. where to begin, stop selling guns and ammo ?... then there would be a black market. So difficult a challenge.
Ginny Brannan said…
That fine line between ratings and rational, between practical law vs big gun lobbyists. Seems the line has been drawn, and sides are being chosen. With so many sportsmen in our family, I never saw the need to support gun control, but the misuse by the few has far surpassed the current laws of the many. We can no longer afford to live with "blinders" on!
Well penned, Susie, lots of food for thought in this!
Susie Swanson said…
Excellent poem Susie.. I know this was bound to be close to your heart and your home..Something has got to be done to stop this..Hugs
Margaret said…
Honestly, I don't think it is the news that is fermenting this issue... it is the mind set of the individuals. I'm not even sure gun control will stop this now... as I don't think any law will be strict enough to keep guns out of their reach... I wish it weren't true.

Your last two lines pack quite a punch!
dragyonfly said…
very full of anger, angst. you managed to drag my (tendency to avoidance)attention into the fray. very good piece!!