Syndic Literary Journal
July 10, 2022
Syndic Poetry
The Art of the Spoken Word
PART 2
“Theme: Uvalde is Family to Me
7 Poems Written by J.H. Johns
Narrated by Paul Churchill Mann
No.1
It’s really elementary;
the “a’s,” “b’s,” “c’s;”
the one plus one equals two;
the three times six equals eighteen-
plus one-
equals nineteen dead children-
which exponentially further equals-
possibly countless future-
brothers,
sisters,
cousins,
fathers,
mothers-
just like that-
just like a blackboard-
wiped away-
it really is-
elementary…
END
No.2
The kids
knew their math-
9-1-1
too bad some others
weren’t
quite as
math literate.
END
No.3
Robb- ed-
of
their
wonder,
hope,
friends,
dreams,
happiness,
family,
smiles,
laughter-
love-
futures
and
life-
Robb- ed…
END
No.4
When the crosses fade
and
the names
begin to disappear,
will we tend to forget
will we forget our fears?
But,
what about our memories,
will they fade too,
sooner or later,
gone
in a flurry
of
red, white and blue?
Black and white reminders,
flowers and teddy bears-
twelve months from now
will still
anyone care?
END
No.5
Let’s just stand around and wait,
just like television,
just like the movies;
kinda like them video games
that
we can pause
and
take a break;
this ain’t real,
no one’s going to die,
it’s so much
like everything else in life,
it’ll just pass us by;
it doesn’t matter
where else-
it doesn’t matter
who else-
oh, no-
it doesn’t matter at all-
not here in our little town;
so,
let’s just stand around and wait.
END
No.6
Some had a lot of training,
one had a lack of training,
so-
why was it
that
only the one
knew how to shoot and kill?
The only one
who could point the gun
and
pull the trigger
to get their job done?
Yes,
why was it
that only one of them
was able-
so easily-
to shoot and kill?
END
No.7
Protect and serve-
a fantasy?
Well,
that depends
where you’re standing;
inside the classroom-
close to the shooter-
serving the public
but
un-protected
or
outside the door-
with 19 fellow officers
protected
and
self-serving;
making you want to ask-
who is being served,
who is being protected?
END