The poems posted here have been curated specifically for the website and don’t appear in the poetry anthology. If you’d like to submit a poem about gun violence in America for consideration on this site, please see our submission guidelines in the “Other Voices” drop menu.
By Tara Ballard March 18, 2018 And so we begin the difficult work of re-membering the body: sewing together ribs broken by multiple bullets, mapping the path love once walked across the brown, bare chest About the Author Tara Ballard is from Alaska. Her first collection, House of the Night Watch, is the winner of the … More After the Police Shooting of Another Unarmed African-American Man
By Mark Evan Chomsky The choice seemed consequential only a week ago – would I finally get it right? – remember that it was whole wheat instead of multi and what kind of fancy swirl? – but now I could pick the wrong one and it wouldn’t make any difference at all. Except I can’t … More Man in the Bread Aisle at the Newtown Safeway
By Jennifer Sutherland Equity will not suffer a wrong without a remedy. Two days later, when the lobby tile had traded crimson for cardboard and chalk, I respectfully submitted a request to return and retrieve my papers. As the scene had been processed my plea was granted. The policeman yawned and stepped over the yellow … More Lines Composed at the New Castle County Courthouse, February, 2013
By Clif Mason In the cemetery of night, +++++++++++++++++++++++++++the weeping spreads ++++++++++++++++briars ++and brambles. What does an assault weapon bullet +++++++++++++++++++++++++++do to a child’s body? ++++++++++++++++What must we give up to count ++++++++++the entry wounds? ++++Earth holds their bodies. She will treat them ++++++++++++++++with the kindness ++++++++++++++++++++++++she offers all of the dead, ++++the kindness that … More FUGUE FOR THE SANDY HOOK DEAD
By Nina Siso Female age 14 thin string of music hangs out of her left ear she shoulders her yellow book bag adding her squeaks and shuffles to a trudging herd Male age 16 chest concaved on a twitterpated heart work up the nerve work up words work will to ask her Marsha Lanson to … More Where were we? At 6th period
By Joe Hess Red lipstick, a white-faced study hall bull session in a modern maze of classrooms on the edge of town where the eyes of a gunman blink during repeated flashes, and the reflexed crouch under florescent light heralds no glory. We identify with fragile containers spilling on tile floors, saturating sweatshirt mottos. Concrete … More Before Terror Leaves Us
By Paul Cunningham a magazine and what it sells a magazine is what it sells a magazine holds 10 rounds or 15 if it is a standard magazine a magazine holds 30 rounds if AR-15 if AR-15 a magazine speeds 800 rounds a minute if AR-15 a magazine can hold 60 or 80 or … More A MAGAZINE WHERE EVERYONE IS FAMOUS
By David Baker golden shovel after Gwendolyn Brooks Burn this bitch down he ++++++++++++++++++said to us because hands up one said don’t ++++++++++++++++++shootmore said but the— all of us walking ++++++++++++++++++strong poor not-poor— she said black loud we’re ++++++++++++++++++not detainable were— our loud sanity ++++++++++++++++++freezing sweaty— riot is the language ++++++++++++++++++of the unheard and— … More Stolen Sonnet
By Sujata Iyengar I: The Litany Teens and Children Killed by Gun Violence in Georgia, Jan 1 to March 16, 2018 (from Gunviolencearchive.org) Jashun Ingram, 17 months old Nacari Newson, 15 years old Ga’Quavious Williams, 17 years old Montaego Maxwell Jr, 18 years old Jalen Camron, 17 years old John Cooksey Jr, 12 years old … More Response to Yusuf Komunyakaa’s “Shotguns”
By Sara Burnett A is for alligator and AR-15. B is for backpack, bumpstock, bolt— what you lock or run from. C is for closet, where the teacher tells you to hide. D is for duck. E is for everybody hold hands as we exit the building. F is for four or five friends … More Student Handbook
Bullets into Bells 