by Alan Catlin
No one thought it
could happen here
not at Columbine
Not the Hokies
Not the Binghamton folks
Especially not the receptionists
the ladies taken down by lone
shooter intent on taking out
the unarmed, defenseless,
unsuspecting, victims of premeditated
mass murder: one dead already in her area,
the other critically wounded
calling 911 to say I've been shot.
feigning death thereafter
as the shooting continued in no exit
classrooms seventeen more would fall
rear exit blocked, hostages taken
in this place of aide:
"Were here to help you"
serving the defenseless, the poor,
the confused, the lost
Immigration issues handled
Community outreach arranged
Basic services provided
We're here to prevent
the killers from taking over
Community Center Closed until
further notice
Funeral arrangements and death notices
will be announced once all the details are known
Alan Catlin's latest chapbook is a long poem, Thou Shalt Not Kill, an updating of Rexroth's seminal poem of the same name. Whereas Rexroth riffs on the abuses of the Eisenhower adminstration, the update observes abuses of power in the previous administration with particular attention to the cynical, criminal behavior towards the Katrina hurricane victims.
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