Dead Children Aren't Political to Me | Teen Ink
  1. Home
  2. Poetry
  3. Free Verse
  4. Dead Children Aren't Political to Me

Dead Children Aren't Political to Me

February 28, 2018
By chiaroscuro17 SILVER, Congers, New York
More by this author
chiaroscuro17 SILVER, Congers, New York
5 articles 0 photos 2 comments

Favorite Quote:
“Here’s to the crazy ones. The misfits. The rebels. The troublemakers. The round pegs in the square holes. The ones who see things differently. They’re not fond of rules. And they have no respect for the status quo. You can praise them, disagree with them, quote them, disbelieve them, glorify or vilify them. About the only thing you can’t do is ignore them. Because they change things. They invent. They imagine. They heal. They explore. They create. They inspire. They push the human race forward. Maybe they have to be crazy. How else can you stare at an empty canvas and see a work of art? Or sit in silence and hear a song that’s never been written? Or gaze at a red planet and see a laboratory on wheels? While some see them as the crazy ones, we see genius. Because the people who are crazy enough to think they can change the world, are the ones who do.”

View profile

There’s blood on the streets
And the wail of children
Protests follow the beat
Round-table talks: politician or civilian

A nation roars in grief
Her children are dead
The cause we all know, but what do we believe
The truth lies on the ground fully bled

Adolescent and beautiful, but forgotten for greed
A conduit for revolution
But let the damn people grieve?
Never prevention, only retaliation

The violence of antiquity, we must surely conceive
Symbolism regarded higher than humanism
But the morals of a higher power you surely relieve
For it’s not enlightenment you seek, its sensationalism

Concrete human life trampled by grandeur illusions of freedom
The fear of shackles, keep the hand at the whip
Slaves to terror, human or demon?
Our people scream for mercy, but self interest over kinship

Cast away this deceit
Better to be a wicked man and despised than a false man and admired
Keep your justifications, a fools logic is hard to beat
Wipe those crocodile tears, the emotion is uninspired

So when our children lie in the street
Don't give me your doe eyed sympathy or your duplicitous prayers
Their death was an inconvenience to your agenda, I see your deceit
You sought discretion, but I'll concoct the most macabre affair

Because dead children aren’t political to me

© Matt F., Pierz, MN

The author's comments:

This peice is inspired by the school shooting in Florida. We will not forget this time. We will not let this go without a fight. 

Post a comment
Submit your own

Similar Articles

Previous Next
Poetry
Alone
By bitty09 SILVER
Claymont, Delaware
bitty09 SILVER, Claymont, Delaware
5 articles 0 photos 0 comments
View profile
Poetry
I hate splash water on the lack of there-forth
By Anonymous
Poetry
'' FLY ''
By MONKEE426 GOLD
Minnesota, Minnesota
MONKEE426 GOLD, Minnesota, Minnesota
12 articles 0 photos 0 comments

Favorite Quote:
Live--So Live It To The Fuller

View profile
Poetry
Nothing good comes from Pyromania
By Nelle PLATINUM
Crewkerne, Other
Nelle PLATINUM, Crewkerne, Other
21 articles 10 photos 49 comments
View profile
Poetry
Praying for October
By Poe_poe SILVER
DeMotte, Indiana
Poe_poe SILVER, DeMotte, Indiana
7 articles 0 photos 0 comments
View profile
Poetry
Time
By graceless101 BRONZE
Hilliard, Ohio
graceless101 BRONZE, Hilliard, Ohio
1 article 0 photos 0 comments
View profile

JOIN THE DISCUSSION

This article has 4 comments.

chiaroscuro17 SILVER said...
on Mar. 1 2018 at 2:20 am
chiaroscuro17 SILVER, Congers, New York
5 articles 0 photos 2 comments

Favorite Quote:
“Here’s to the crazy ones. The misfits. The rebels. The troublemakers. The round pegs in the square holes. The ones who see things differently. They’re not fond of rules. And they have no respect for the status quo. You can praise them, disagree with them, quote them, disbelieve them, glorify or vilify them. About the only thing you can’t do is ignore them. Because they change things. They invent. They imagine. They heal. They explore. They create. They inspire. They push the human race forward. Maybe they have to be crazy. How else can you stare at an empty canvas and see a work of art? Or sit in silence and hear a song that’s never been written? Or gaze at a red planet and see a laboratory on wheels? While some see them as the crazy ones, we see genius. Because the people who are crazy enough to think they can change the world, are the ones who do.”

View profile
Thanks so much @RachelReid. Your feedback means a lot.
chiaroscuro17 SILVER said...
on Mar. 1 2018 at 2:19 am
chiaroscuro17 SILVER, Congers, New York
5 articles 0 photos 2 comments

Favorite Quote:
“Here’s to the crazy ones. The misfits. The rebels. The troublemakers. The round pegs in the square holes. The ones who see things differently. They’re not fond of rules. And they have no respect for the status quo. You can praise them, disagree with them, quote them, disbelieve them, glorify or vilify them. About the only thing you can’t do is ignore them. Because they change things. They invent. They imagine. They heal. They explore. They create. They inspire. They push the human race forward. Maybe they have to be crazy. How else can you stare at an empty canvas and see a work of art? Or sit in silence and hear a song that’s never been written? Or gaze at a red planet and see a laboratory on wheels? While some see them as the crazy ones, we see genius. Because the people who are crazy enough to think they can change the world, are the ones who do.”

View profile
Heyy Liz Jade, that means a lot! Thanks so much
RachelReid BRONZE said...
on Feb. 28 2018 at 9:25 pm
RachelReid BRONZE, Murphy, North Carolina
4 articles 0 photos 2 comments

Favorite Quote:
"Be still and know that I am God."

View profile
Thank you for speaking out on this issue. It is important and should be given FAR more attention.
6547ujh BRONZE said...
on Feb. 28 2018 at 8:59 pm
6547ujh BRONZE, Aubrey, Texas
1 article 0 photos 17 comments
View profile
This is beautiful, I was very inspired by this poem