I Didn’t Know Their Faces

Today words lay quietly upon my lips;
For they rest in the sorrow and tears of yesterday-
It will never be justified-
It will never be forgotten-
Once bright futures lay darkened forevermore

Fears of the unknown; No longer matter now-
Calculus exams will remain blank-
There will be more tears than excitement-
at the graduation ceremonies this year,
as the gun shots echo through their ears

The halls of higher learning are sacred no more-
They’ve been invaded by societal anger-
It’s a social disease; of stupidity and shame-
Was it jealousy? Was it? We need answers-
but they too have become silenced today

I didn’t know their faces, nor did I know their names;
but I knew their spirits so well-
Just as I know the kin and kindred of humanity,
I know they all today rest in the presence of God,
They each have found assurance in the folded
arms of Heaven-

Today we shed tears not for them, but for those
left behind to suffer through the pain of healing-
For those that need answers that will never come-
and for those that have lost loved ones and friends-
Today we will bow our heads and pray for mending-
but tomorrow; tomorrow we will begin a new journey

© Lisa Hilbers
April 17, 2007