sorrow song, encore

for the eyes of the children,

the first to see,

the first to be shot,

for the lingering

eyes of the children, staring,

the eyes of the children of

Columbine,

of Sandy Hook and Parkland,

of Uvalde,

for the eyes of the children

of conversion therapy,

of those ripped from families,

for bruised eyes, red eyes,

for scared eyes, downcast eyes,

for all that remains of the children,

not even their eyes.

just their loved ones left to identify

their green converse

and wonder how extraordinary evil

could happen to such extraordinary children.