A poem based on my experience from the shooting on September 28th, 2016 |
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. |