Content warning : gun violence, school shootings.
This week’s poem is a very powerful, very difficult read. It isn’t graphic, but it is, in the words of our guest editor Amy Kinsman, “harrowing because it allows the victims to speak for themselves. The dead haunt the living, which is tragedy but also a kind of protest beyond the grave. Why is it that we should have died? Will more die in the future? Sadly, without such events, meaningful change would often not occur. The survivors of the Parkland shooting are models we should aspire to look up to as political campaigners, leading the way with strength, bravery and wisdom.”
Learning about the Holocaust—a found poem
(Texts from Parkland, FL)
I.
Kaitlin
Please call 911
There’s a shooter at school
I’ve got no service I can’t call
Hannah what
Are you serious right now
I’m not joking
Ok I’m calling
They’re on their way
Are you ok
Hannah
Hannah
Answer me
II.
Matt
Are you ok
So far
Just know
I love you forever and you’re
the best brother ever
I love you too
We’re gonna get outta here don’t worry
III.
Sam
My teacher died
and he’s sitting in the doorway
Sam I’m on the third floor
Do you think I’m ok?
IV.
Kaitlin
I’m so scared
Please call mom and dad
Tell them I love them
Tell them I love them so so much
I know you do
I called daddy but we can’t reach mom
Daddy’s coming
Where are you what class
What building
Building 1000
Freshman building first floor I’m in
holocaust history
V.
Mommy
My teacher got shot
The door is open
Just know, no matter what
Mommy
You’re the best thing that ever happened to me
And just know.
Keep living life.
No ssssshhhh honey I love you!
VI.
Matthew
Don’t do anything
DON’T DO ANYTHING
You understand?
Matthew
I’m out of the building
Have you seen the cops yet
Please answer me
VII.
Kaitlin
I’m so scared
I’m under my teacher’s desk a girl got shot
He shot her through the wall
My phone won’t work I don’t know how
these texts are going through
Hannah are the police there yet
Have you seen them
I don’t know
It’s silent
Now there’s yelling
I’m so scared Kaitlin
I know Hannah
You’re gonna be fine
I love you so much
It’s building 1000
The freshman building
I’m in holocaust history
The first floor
The third floor
Call the police
My teacher died
I’m so scared
Tell them I love them
I love you too
I love you so much
I love you
I love you
I love
Jennifer Maloney is a poet, playwright and author living in Rochester, NY, and is the current president of Just Poets, Inc., a literary organization based in that city. Her work can be found in Aaduna.org, The Pangolin Review, and Memoryhouse Magazine, and has been anthologized in numerous places
Celebrating Change 
Thank you so much for publishing this poem, I’m so pleased it’s found a home. I’d like to suggest that this piece is best read on the laptop or PC screen—on the phone the line breaks are messed up and it will take you “out” of the poem and lessen its impact. And I want it to have an impact. That’s why I wrote it.
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Brilliantly written, startling, suspesful and pensive…Such an important topic…We wonder why…
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Brilliantly written, powerful, pensive, and sad…AAs
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Also guys, I’m probably the one that misspelled it, but my photog’s last name is “Schulz”. I hope it can be corrected, thank you and I’m sorry, mea culpa!
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Done! Will ask my social media mentor if I can fix the phone-screen formatting as well, but for now I’m advising people it’s best read wide-screen.
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