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