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I hear their names.
My heart aches,
Tears form.
Tears of fear
or cleansing, prayerful,
hope-filled streams?
I cannot bear to look
at the smiling faces
at the ball park,
on a swing-set,
with the family on the beach.
They are the kids next door,
the little boy at the grocery store,
my very own students.
They are us, and we are them.
Our lives are forever changed.
Now I will lock my classroom door.
I will teach my students to stand
against the wall,
be still and quiet,
in lock down.
No words.
No reasons.
The names–remain.
Beautiful!
Crying with you. The last three lines are so powerful.
“Our lives are forever changed” is true…along with the drill, remember the love. Give them what will fill their hearts and minds to drown out the fears…and ours.
The names- remain. I am so thankful for the names. Though so painful to hear, they are so much more meaningful than “the 26 victims.” I hope we never forget the names.
The front page of the Sunday NY Times broke my heart. It’s crushing to hear that anyone died like this.
I believe we’re at a tipping point. I believe we’re on the cusp of change. But what a shame it is to have to have lost so much.
Ugh…. it’s the little faces that kills me. I see those pictures and I go into a murderous rage.
It is a turning point. I am hopeful. We were having our first lockdown drill at the same time this was happening. Conversations have been tough, but we are all hopeful for positive change. Thank you Margaret for expressing what we all are feeling.
[...] ago my students did name research, and Vannisa discovered her name means “flighty.” See this post. I told her that was perfect because she flits like a butterfly all over the classroom. Not [...]