Saturday, April 04, 2009

AMERICAN CIVIC ASSOCIATION

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.
____________________________________________