17

 

17 Seconds of dead air

17 Families in despair

17 Pools of dried blood

17 From neighborhood

17 Caskets sold to soon

17 Rather be in classroom

17 Minutes to purchase

17 Under the surface

17 Lives so varied

17 Bodies six foot buried

17 One last breaths

17 Premature deaths

17 Warnings to ignore

17 It could have been more

17 Souls lost

17 Funerals cost

17 Mostly that age

17 Killed in a cage

17 Hopes diminished

17 Life’s plans unfinished

17 Artists extinguished

 

 

But wait, it wasn’t 17 seconds of dead air.

It was 17 x 21 seconds of

 

Assault rifle rattling

Bullets blasting

Bodies slamming

Voices screaming

Lungs heaving

Eyes scanning

Flesh tearing

Bones breaking

Hearts beating

Books falling

Parents calling

Sirens wailing

Tires screeching

Ricochet’s echoing

Feet stomping

Ears hearing

Thumbs typing

Phones ringing

Helicopters whirring

News broadcasting

System Failing

 

“When we’ve had our say with the government — and maybe the adults have gotten used to saying ‘it is what it is,’ but if us students have learned anything, it’s that if you don’t study, you will fail. And in this case if you actively do nothing, people continually end up dead, so it’s time to start doing something.”

 

– Emma Gonzalez

 

Anyone to blame

In the kill and mame

Of the NRA’S game

Having no shame

Which is insane

It will happen again

Even with poor aim

The numbers gain

No refrain

Blood red stain

Excuses lame

Culprit the brain

Madness tame

Lies are the same

Try to complain

Violence abstain

Life down drain

Memory’s in pain

Hard to contain

Guns remain

Easy to obtain

 

“Revolution”

“You say you want a revolution
Well, you know
We all want to change the world
You tell me that it’s evolution
Well, you know
We all want to change the world

But when you talk about destruction
Don’t you know that you can count me out

Don’t you know it’s gonna be alright
Alright, alright

You say you got a real solution
Well, you know
We’d all love to see the plan
You ask me for a contribution
Well, you know
We’re all doing what we can

But if you want money for people
with minds that hate
All I can tell you is brother
you have to wait

Don’t you know it’s gonna be alright
Alright, alright, al…

You say you’ll change the constitution
Well, you know
We all want to change your head

You tell me it’s the institution
Well, you know
You’d better free your mind instead”

 

– The Beatles