A plea.

A silent prayer reaching for the rafters,

A command thrown from behind a badge,

a whisper from

trauma-ripped childhood lips

slipping in symphony from the "safety" of classrooms

across our great nation.

Hands rise,

bodies fall.

Cold sweat drips onto linoleum lined

lies like "...and nobody gets hurt..."

Failure to freeze brings bullets raining like

the sky

is

falling

bringing sirens and stretchers and "you'll be alright"s

flying across asphalt towards ticking

time bomb hearts

beating blood "bah-bum, bah-bum" from bulletholes.