Today
is the third of three major actions led by students address gun violence in the United
States. It follows the March 14 #Enough walk-out on the one-month anniversary of the mass shooting at Margery Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida which was organized by students associated with
the Women’s March and the March for Our Lives events sponsored by
the survivors of the Florida shooting.
They have also endorsed today’s actions, #NationalSchoolWalkout
.
Lane Murdock,
a 16-year-old sophomore from Ridgefield, Connecticut, launched the National School Walkout. She was disturbed
by her own reaction—or lack of one—to
the February massacre.
When I found out about the shooting at MSD, I remember I
didn’t have a huge reaction. And because of that, I knew I needed to change
myself, and we needed to change this country…Lane said. We should be
horrified, and we’re not anymore. It’s American culture.
Like
the other actions, this one quickly went
viral and hundreds of schools on
all levels have signed up to participate,
mostly with actions scheduled for 10 am
local time.
At
10 students will walk out of their schools to observe a silence for the victims
in Columbine, Parkland, and other atrocities. After that programing will depend on local
organizers but might include a rally with
student speakers, marches to government offices and the offices of local lawmakers, and voter registration drives. Unlike the March 14 action, students are
encouraged to stay out of school if possible for the whole day and dedicate
any additional time to “make calls to
their Senators’ offices and flood
social media with calls for reform.”
Here
in McHenry County, Illinois the
following schools have registered
planned walk-outs on the event web
page.
McHenry High
School—West Campus
4724 W Crystal Lake Road, McHenry
4724 W Crystal Lake Road, McHenry
Crystal Lake
Central High School
45 W Franklin Street, Crystal Lake
45 W Franklin Street, Crystal Lake
Crystal Lake
South High School
1200 McHenry Ave, Crystal Lake
1200 McHenry Ave, Crystal Lake
Woodstock
High School
501 South Street, Woodstock
501 South Street, Woodstock
In
honor of the Walkout today we are recommending
the Anthology Bullets into
Bells: Poets and Citizens Respond to Gun
Violence edited by Brian
Clements, Alexandra Teague, and Dean
Radner with a forward by former Representative Gabrielle Giffords and
her husband Mark Kelly for Beacon Books, Boston.
The
following poems were not included in the book, but we submitted to the supporting website, https://bulletsintobells.com/
. They are an extraordinary
selection.
Emari DiGiogio. |
Emari DiGiorgio is the author of Girl Torpedo, winner of the 2017
Numinous Orison, Luminous Origin
Literary Award, and The Things a
Body Might Become. She’s the
recipient of the several poetry prizes
and a poetry fellowship from the New Jersey State Council on the Arts. She
teaches at Stockton University, and
hosts World Above, a monthly reading series in Atlantic City, New Jersey.
What to Wear on the Day I Might Die
It might rile up the bull,
but any gypsy grandmother who worships the cornicello
knows red resists evil. Hidden beneath clothes
like a narc’s slim-fit Kevlar vest, or on the outside like a badge.
but any gypsy grandmother who worships the cornicello
knows red resists evil. Hidden beneath clothes
like a narc’s slim-fit Kevlar vest, or on the outside like a badge.
On the day I might die, I spurn sensible shoes.
I once sprinted eight long Manhattan blocks in boots
to catch the last Jersey-bound bus from Port Authority.
Chest heaving past Hoboken.
I once sprinted eight long Manhattan blocks in boots
to catch the last Jersey-bound bus from Port Authority.
Chest heaving past Hoboken.
If the threat scrawled in the middle stall of the
men’s room
is real, a pack of kids might pull semi-automatic assault rifles
from lacrosse bags at noon. A pipe bomb planted
in the decorative cabbages could detonate when I park.
is real, a pack of kids might pull semi-automatic assault rifles
from lacrosse bags at noon. A pipe bomb planted
in the decorative cabbages could detonate when I park.
But the reaper could be a god-loving high school
flutist
who forgets the right of way, or my good heart might implode,
like the fit young quarterback’s from Kansas State.
How quickly the crowd moves to blame the coach, the game,
who forgets the right of way, or my good heart might implode,
like the fit young quarterback’s from Kansas State.
How quickly the crowd moves to blame the coach, the game,
the parents. Consider the terror of the young boy
from Tafalla,
who must’ve watched the bull struggle in the electric fence,
before it jumped from the arena to the stands, trampling him.
I’ve never wanted to be a bullfighter, but I imagine
who must’ve watched the bull struggle in the electric fence,
before it jumped from the arena to the stands, trampling him.
I’ve never wanted to be a bullfighter, but I imagine
I could stick the banderillas in the bull’s
shoulder and neck.
Not out of ritual or performance, not for art, unless staying alive
is art. Which is what I’ll tell myself, crouched in a dumpster
as a trenched youth helicopters across campus.
Not out of ritual or performance, not for art, unless staying alive
is art. Which is what I’ll tell myself, crouched in a dumpster
as a trenched youth helicopters across campus.
—Emari
DiGiorgio
Sophie Segura. |
Originally
from Ireland, Sophie Segura
has lived in Argentina for the past decade. her poetry has been published or is forthcoming in Irish print journals Banshee
and The Well Review, and
the online journal The Honest
Ulsterman. She has also written (as Sophie Parker) for The Irish Times, Time Out Buenos Aires, and the Buenos Aires Herald.
Elevenses
We reckon, in heartbeats, the time it takes
paper to parachute-float through the drag.
The lull between bullets.
paper to parachute-float through the drag.
The lull between bullets.
Nimble through pencil-case shrapnel, obstacle run
of flesh and metal. Dumb, sudden experts
at holding our breath.
of flesh and metal. Dumb, sudden experts
at holding our breath.
Later, they’ll discover an underachieving bomb,
erect
a metal detector, monument. We’ll try to ignore
invisible outlines on library carpet. And how
our sandwiches taste different.
a metal detector, monument. We’ll try to ignore
invisible outlines on library carpet. And how
our sandwiches taste different.
—Sophie Segura
Cinta Santana |
Cintia Santana teaches fiction and poetry workshops in Spanish, as well as literary translation courses, at Stanford University.
Scales
“How Does This Compare with Other Mass Shootings?
—New York Times, June 12, 2016
—New York Times, June 12, 2016
On one hand, I hold the iPhone,
all news made small, and
on the other, your hand,
by which I also mean
the memory of your breath,
tracing my face
as morning opened around us.
all news made small, and
on the other, your hand,
by which I also mean
the memory of your breath,
tracing my face
as morning opened around us.
How do I hold this world’s bullets
and the strands of sutured light
the blinds cast on your chest?
There are wounds that never close.
Bridges rebuilt in the wake of fire.
Everything is for sale.
Every day another app.
and the strands of sutured light
the blinds cast on your chest?
There are wounds that never close.
Bridges rebuilt in the wake of fire.
Everything is for sale.
Every day another app.
—Cintia Santana
Jen Karetnick |
Jen
Karetnick is the author of seven poetry collections, including The
Treasures That Prevail Her poems have appeared recently in numerous literary
magazines and she is the co-founder/co-curator
of the not-for-profit organization, SWWIM (Supporting Women Writers in Miami), and co-editor of the daily online
literary journal, SWWIM Every Day.
How
to Dis/Arm a Female Teacher
Don’t offer me the Chic Lady Handgun
with a barrel the color of bubblegum,
faux alligator case included
to carry with tests and term papers done,
with a barrel the color of bubblegum,
faux alligator case included
to carry with tests and term papers done,
nor the Ruger with recoil reduced,
semi-automatic, raspberry hued,
to be hung from a bra holster like fruit
until an active shooter has been cued.
semi-automatic, raspberry hued,
to be hung from a bra holster like fruit
until an active shooter has been cued.
Take away the Sig Sauer with Pearlite
grips, single-action slide and sleek night sights,
micro-compact to stash in my purse
(the Rhinestone Carry Gun Handbag by Ritz);
grips, single-action slide and sleek night sights,
micro-compact to stash in my purse
(the Rhinestone Carry Gun Handbag by Ritz);
throw out that custom Remington Express
Shotgun, the stock of which I’m told to nurse
against my vested chest in the LimbSaver
Firearm Sling, both patterned in “Mossy
Shotgun, the stock of which I’m told to nurse
against my vested chest in the LimbSaver
Firearm Sling, both patterned in “Mossy
Oak Pink Camo,” the Rust Inhibitor
Rifle Gun Sock with which I can cover
the barrel—there’s no use that I accept
for any of these weapons, no matter
Rifle Gun Sock with which I can cover
the barrel—there’s no use that I accept
for any of these weapons, no matter
how couture. But the Gun Mug, I admit,
I will trigger if there’s no other choice.
Scalding coffee is the only bullet
I could ever bring myself to shoot.
I will trigger if there’s no other choice.
Scalding coffee is the only bullet
I could ever bring myself to shoot.
—Jen Karetnick
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