Monday, May 11, 2009

Virginia Tech Reflections

Posted Originally at the Common Threads Blog,
Centre Daily Times, April 19, 2007


In my earlier post today, I wrote about my moments of silence. My husband handled some of his grief by writing. I thought I would share his poem about the tragic events at Virginia Tech, with you.


Reflections on Monday, April 16, 2007
by Soundar Kumara



One, two, three... bang...bang
Shots flying around,
Not one, two, three, but countless...
Maybe, a hundred or more.

All from tiny, black, shining yet dull
Instruments of death
The toys for you to hunt down the innocent,
Only two, used only at two places
Yet the carnage, unfathomable.

He knew what death would mean
He fully understood what agony is
Shielded the door, tried to stop
Bang, bang, bang - the hero was gone
Seventy- six years of life taken away
Only the smell of gunfire in the air

A teacher who was above all teachers
Spent countless nights with all who mattered
A teacher who cared for all
Bang... two daughters - fatherless
A wife's life made a lonely one.

I cannot write these lines... my heart aches
There are no tears, they dried out

Thinking of all the smiles
All the humor
All the friendship
All the joy
Bang... taken away,
One, two, three...
No... of thirty two times many.

Maybe you were lonely
Maybe you were defeated
One, two, three times?
Maybe not ...
Maybe many many times.

Bang, Bang, Bang...
Maybe a hundred of them...

Did it help you?
Are you happy now?
Are you victorious?
Has your anger subsided?
Are you not lonely?

Maybe not... the echoes of bang, bang, bang...
Your constant companion
The lifelong grief of thirty-two families
Always walking with you.

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