by Jane Edna Mohler
In the confident glow
of an iPhone, we pass
a silent hour in the school’s
utility room with dead
beetles, frantic
spiders, and the librarian
browsing Pinterest.
My back against
a door that won’t lock,
foot braced on the railing
of stairs leading to oblivious
motors and sweating pipes
accustomed to the peace
of working alone.
The librarian scrolls fervently.
Which chicken recipe
will she choose? Maybe
Easter themed cupcakes
or a floral wreath crafted
for the family gathering
if those gunshots we hear are real.
From National Association of School Psychologists: “After an armed assailant drill: Emotional or physical reactions can be delayed following a highly intense simulation drill.”
Jane Edna Mohler is Bucks County Poet Laureate Emeritus (Pennsylvania). Recent publications include Gargoyle, River Heron Review, and One Art. Her collection Broken Umbrellas was published by Kelsay Books. She is the Poetry Editor of the Schuylkill Valley Journal in Philadelphia.
