D o n ' t W a n t to B e
First Shot
Students Making Sense Out Of Nonsense
Poems
A Single Dot
By Melanie Curtis, iPrep Upper Academy:
A name on a page,
a number on a graph,
a single dot on a chart.
How can a human being be reduced to just that?
How can a life that was taken years too soon be just that?
What if one day my legacy is just that?
They had lives, families, emotions.
And yet people still have the notion,
that there is no change to be made.
I will not be a statistic,
a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it,
a victim to the animalistic
whims of an armed man.
Some people are blind
and we must remind
them of the tragedies that have occurred.
We can’t stand idly by
letting families cry
while a difference could be incurred.
We can prevent this pain
we can incite change,
we can make ourselves be heard.
We will protest
and we will contest
change can’t keep getting deferred.
We will not be names on a page,
numbers on a graph,
or single dots on a chart.
Our stories will be heard,
and we will survive.
One second
By Christel Aldana, iPrep Upper Academy
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Nothing more, nothing less, and our lives are taken.
One second of rage,
Of violence
One second and they pull the trigger
One second and I’m gone
But one second is not enough to say goodbye
It’s not enough to save the life
That was taken by a bullet
At such a young age, they take my right
Of sleeping at home one more night
Of seeing my family smile bright
As they see my face once more
But one second is not enough to make a change
Not enough to rearrange
All the laws that allow them to walk around with the weapon
It’s not enough time to undo what they did on the rifle range
To prepare for ending the lives of many
Will you choose to fear that impending second
Or will you act out of courage to change the world,
To give us more than a second?
How Many More Need to Go?
By Maria Luiza Cunha, iPrep Upper Academy
To ban or not to ban
Is it really a question?
Every bullet casing left on those crime scenes are a testament
A testament to what shouldn't have been
A testament to what should have been done
They symbolize a senseless world, an unjust world
One where a lone gunman can fire into a crowd and end innocent lives
One where a lousy excuse such as “he was having a bad day” is accepted
Accepted not by the families of the victims but by communities who had not been harmed by his actions
Every minute that passes in which bills are not passed is a life lost
A life lost to senseless actions performed by someone who had no real motive
A life lost to chaos and hate
Why do we still ask if a ban is needed when such evidence is presented to us on a silver platter?
Why do we still ask if a ban is needed when so many have lost their lives to hate?
How many more need to go
For the people in power to know
That guns are the true foe?
Oh to be the person on the receiving end
Oh to be the one who must suffer for nothing
For no change to occur in our systems
For no change to occur to the law
The pain brought on by those bullets will remain in the hearts and minds of so many
Too many
Too many in fact that a ban should have been warranted a long time ago
Too many in fact that change is just wishful thinking, not something that will come with time
With time, more lives will be lost but no sign of change
More graves will be built but change is running late
More fairy tales will turn bitter but change is taking a day off
More irreversible actions will be taken but change is stuck in traffic
How many more need to go?
You don’t want to be the first to take your last breath
“Our Voices” Summer Poetry Series
By Marina Cookson and Emily Chea
A night on the town
That would bring many frowns
Drinks, Friends, Dancing, no one ever knew
The events that were about to ensue
As the night went on
The club became less and less fun, as those we loved were gone.
A senseless man seeking senseless tears
Killed 49 people, leaving a lasting mark for those to fear.
As devastated families lined outside,
Love and compassion was hard to find.
“I can hear the shots”,
I think I’m the next one gone
Those around me become silent
How did this night become so violent?
Luis Velma, Shane Tomlinson, Akrya Monet, and many more
Were shot dead with no remorse
Brutally trapped with no end in sight,
This daunting day on June 12th made us want to fight.
A spark that ignited revolution
Together as students, we sought a solution
to avoid “another senseless death.”
You don’t want to be the first to take your last breath.
Thoughts
By Esteban Sanint
What were they thinking?
What are their thoughts?
Are they sane or insane?
What are their thoughts as they
load the clip and lock the bolt?
As they turn off the safety
and put it on auto?
Do they consider tomorrow?
Or is it just
a senseless bravado?
And what about those
On the wrong side of the barrel?
There’s not even time
To see their life flash before their eyes.
It's not fair,
It never has been
No further incentive needed,
It's time to take action.
The final component
Of this sickening trifecta
Is the lawmakers
With their stubborn agenda.
What are their thoughts
On all this nonsense?
The government is here to serve its people
Not stand by as shots are fired.
The cry for action is quite audible,
So take out your earplugs
And start putting barriers
between insanity and rifles.
There is only one way through this,
And it’s together.
Let's coordinate our thoughts
To make sense out of nonsense.
Bystanders, Reapers, and Heroes
By Ethan Simon, iPrep Upper Academy
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Any time
Any place
Any where
Any when
The reaper gently takes the lives of those who are about to reach their end.
And yet
There are those who take lives for themselves.
Whether out of prettiness, fear, distaste, or distrust
They think themselves willing to take on the reaper's task.
They don’t see that the reaper’s role, is the reaper’s alone
And thus, end up causing carnage that’s total is unknown.
To prevent want-a-be reapers, Heroes are required.
Heroes who understand the fragility of a life,
Heroes who understand the pains of a potential reaper,
Heroes who are willing to put everything aside, for the greater good.
The heroes that will save uncountable lives, are standing today
For everyone has the potential to be a hero.
Everyone understands the fragility of life, for everyone has experienced life,
Everyone understands the pains of a potential reaper, for everyone experiences pain,
But the difference between a hero and a bystander, is that a hero makes the choice to take a step forward and help,
while a bystander will only wait and watch
A bystander will say “Something needs to be done” and continue on with their day.
A hero will say “I need to do something” and take the necessary step forward.
So, don’t be a bystander who waits and watches
Take the step forward, and do the impossible
Make sure the phrase “never again” ends up meaning something.