We woke on a Monday to news of our nation’s
largest mass shooting in recent history
The numbers towering that of Pulse nightclub
and that one kindergarten class.
You know the one.
Blood on children’s books. Teachers diving to
save lives. Sick, twisted, white. He fell between the
cracks and rose up, armed and angry.
It took multiple people
and all of their fingers
and all of their toes
to measure the fatalities.
It took the fluid communication of
dozens of doctors and nurses,
shocked, exhausted,
and thundered
from their sleep
to confirm the heads
of the dead–all innocent people.
All reaching for enlightenment
in the way of music and rhythm
and bright lights in rocking and rolling
Las Vegas, Nevada.
Crimson blood on bouncing curls.
Women’s fancy hair-do’s, upright.
Women’s country-strong bodies, horizontal.
Else running, confused, mind-churning.
Women and children, elders and men,
dancing, swaying, shielding, ducking.
Mouths open in terror
Eyes going in all directions
The realization of the
heavy importance
of those you love.
I’m sorry’s.
I love you’s.
I don’t understand’s.
I do cherish you’s.
I’m thankful I was spared’s.
Trauma. Blood. Boots.
Question marks.
A glittering TRUMP emblazoned
in the background.
A name synonymous with
dollar signs. And one million
other things by this point,
depending precisely on who you ask.
In other news: a rock star died.
In my opinion: it matters little compared
with the loss of 59 lives, 500 wounded.
October 1, 17
The day 59 rock stars perished
before they really had the chance
to sing.
MAMA BIRD 
Thank you Terah! There are also the families that will suffer a great loss, children, and adults, striving to comprehend it all. My youngest son lives in Las Vegas and works on the strip. The hands on the clock moved so slowly one I heard of the shooting until “I’m okay” appeared on my Skype chat. America is hemmoraging, but those in power won’t help…
Absolutely. This was how I made sense of it. For others, I can’t even imagine the intensity of feelings. For those who are close to it, as you were, in any way shape or form.
As always, thank you for reading. ❤
Nice to hear from you Terah. Your posts are so evocative. Alas, I was without a computer for many months and am still trying to ‘catch-up’? ❤
Beautifully expressed reaction to this horrific and inexplicable event. The fact that no one really knows why he did it just makes the whole thing more disturbing to me. I always think with these things, that long after the headlines have vanished from the papers and news channels the grief and damage that man caused will remain with the affected families. He has scarred so many people for their lifetime. Thank you again for writing this.
“I always think with these things, that long after the headlines have vanished from the papers and news channels the grief and damage that man caused will remain with the affected families.”
True. And I fear that others, who are not affected directly or secondarily, will forget too soon. Only when something tragic touches their lives will they see that we are all grieving this together and need to heal and love one another now.
Thank you for reading, and caring.