POETRY CORNER

with Lawrence Spiro

On Valentines Day 2/14/2018, Nikolas Cruz opened fire on the innocent. This obdurate theme of horror keeps repeating again and again and it needs to end. I have published this poem too many times.

If you have any comments please send to larryspiro@aol.com.

Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, As gunshots echoed through the high school, a geography teacher, Scott Beigel, 35, paused to usher stragglers into his classroom before locking the door, only to be shot and killed himself as the shooter strode by.

A parent, Jennifer Zeif, credited Mr. Beigel for saving her son’s life. Her son, Matthew, 14, had been the last one to slip inside the class, just ahead of Mr. Beigel. Seconds later, the room filled with a smoky haze, Matthew said, and he turned to see his teacher lying near the door, pale and bleeding.
Aaron Feis, 37 an assistant football coach, was killed when he threw himself in front of students to protect them from oncoming bullets. Chris Hixon 49, stepped in the way of the shooter to save students behind him.

17 Florida school shooting victims whose lives were taken:
Students: Jaimie Guttenberg, Martin Duque, Gina Montalto, Alyssa Alhadeff, Joaquin Oliver, Meadow Pollack, Peter Wang, Nicholas Dworet, Alaina Petty, Carmen Schentrup, Cara Loughran, Luke Hoyer, Alex Schachter, and Helena Ramsay.
Adults: Assistant football coach Aaron Feis, athletic director Chris Hixon, and geography teacher Scott Beigel.

This poem is dedicated to the slain:

In the psalm of the night death is revealed.
Shrouded in darkness the why is concealed.
There are no words written that can explain
or comfort those who mourn in grief and pain.
Life is the result of cause and effect
and the actions by us free to select.
No manner of belief can touch this truth/
Far beyond a guess a reason or proof
The purpose of darkness within twilight,
is known by G-d alone as day dims night.