September 28th (Poem)

September 28th

On the crisp September day
At 1:42 in the afternoon
I was in gym class
The teacher taught us how to shoot arrows
When I heard the truck pull in

Yet I stayed quiet

On the crisp September day
At 1:44 in the afternoon
I was picking my fingernails
The teacher went to the next slide
When I heard the scream

Yet I stayed quiet

On the crisp September day
At 1:45 in the afternoon
I was whispering to my friend
The teacher went to the door and talked to the SWAT members
When I heard the door slam

Yet I stayed quiet

On the crisp September day
At 1:46 in the afternoon
I was crying in the supply closet
The teacher locked the door and said "no one move!"
When I heard the gunshots in the hall

Yet I stayed quiet

On the crisp September day
At 1:52 in the afternoon
I was shaking in the classroom
The homeroom teacher couldn't remember my last name when calling roll
When I saw the truck in the fence

Yet I stayed quiet

On the crisp September day
At 2:01 in the afternoon
I was standing in the schoolyard
The teacher was talking into the radio
When I saw the first-grade teacher being wheeled onto an ambulance

Yet I stayed quiet

On the crisp September day
At 3:34 in the afternoon
I was sitting in the car
My father had pulled over and gotten out, yelling at a careless driver
When I heard the him say "my kids' school just got shot up!"

Yet I stayed quiet

On the crisp September day
At 4:15 in the afternoon
I was watching the news
The lady had just pulled in front of the school talking about suspects
When I heard my best friend who wasn't there that day call for the 22nd time

Yet I stayed quiet

On the crisp September day
At 12:31 in the afternoon
I was sitting in the the small church
The pastor had been in the middle of his monologue
When I saw the boy's mom collapse in front of his casket decorated in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle stickers

Yet I stayed quiet

On the crisp September day
At 2:07 in the afternoon
I was sitting on the swing on the same playground
We had all driven straight here from the church
When I heard my little friend ask me if he was coming back

Yet I stayed quiet

On the crisp September day
At 10:49 in the morning
I was sitting in second period, now in middle school
My teacher was discussing the Scientific Revolution
When I saw the news article come out, "one year after tragedy"

Yet I stayed quiet

On the crisp February day
At 10:20 in the afternoon
I was reading articles in second period
The teacher mentioned the boy's trials that were happening that day
When I saw my former best friends picture on my screen in an orange jumpsuit and glasses

Yet I stayed quiet

This was a poem based on my experience in the Townville Elementary School shooting. I was best friends with Jesse when he was younger, and he was the nicest kid I've ever met. Yet he shook my small community in ways I never thought would happen to me. Thanks for reading.