We Will Never Forget This

They can’t paint the blood

Off of Sandy Hook’s walls

Tidal wave, and red river

Flowing down the school halls

We asked for some justice

We got none at all

How do we get up

After this fall?

Went to the home

Of our democracy

Said, “Please Mr. Senator,

Won’t you help me?”

He smiled and he fawned

Said, “Please move along;

You can’t get nothin’ helpful

From me”

No considered act of kindness

From the simple, sick

And mindless

For all of those souls

Our Senate’s

Too white and too male

And too old

You all got blood

On your hands and your souls

What the hell are you doing

In all of our names?

We sent you to do

Whatever it takes

For us, not for you,

Or the NRA

We’re here to tell you

“Just go and we’ll stay.”

Why are you there?

You never did care

You’re prostitutes to power

Never had a “finest hour”

Why you there?

When everyone knows

You don’t care

Way back when, in 1776

Brave, tired people were

Itchin’ for a fix

Put it all on the line

Dragged a king through

the slime

Don’t think we can’t do it

A second time

We made a Declaration

Said we can abolish you

Make a new nation

For the greater good, too

Can’t pimp out Lady Liberty

We just won’t let you

Why don’t you just leave

And go fuck yourself, too

What the hell are you doing

In all of our names?

We sent you to do

Whatever it takes

For us, not for you,

Or the NRA

We’re here to tell you

We’re here to stay

You said, “Keep walkin’”

Well, we’re here

To do the talkin’

For all of those who got

Blown away…

Their names are on

my tongue

The beautiful and the young

Lives like songs

Waiting to be sung:

This is for Rachel, Ana, Charlotte,

Danny, Jesse, Jack

All little angels

who are not coming back,

And Olivia, Josephine, Dylan,

Lauren and Dawn

The agony and the list goes on

There’s Madeleine, Catherine, Chase,

Caroline, Jessica, Grace,

Benjamin, Avielle, Vicki,

Mary, Anne Marie, Emilie,

Allison, Noah, and James

We will never forget

Their lives

And their names

“We Will Never Forget This” – Joan Reale

This is for all victims of gun violence everywhere,
and, with special appreciation for Gabby Giffords...

I don’t know what to say about yesterday’s fall.  I can’t write much that has not already been written, say what hasn't already been said.  I offer this poem, in the hope that it will say something meaningful, something from me.