in schools books are banned as bullets fly

By Remy Dambron

in this place we call  
land of the free 
freedom all too often  
holds us hostage 
free to purchase 
free to brandish  
free to fire 
in this place we call 
home of the brave 
gutsy men fear books more than 
millions of guns right there  
on our uneasy streets 
fear their pages of history 
fear their teachings 
fear their truths 
in this place we call 
land of dreams 
we wake up to sounds of tragedy day after  
day after  
day 
bang- a parent shot  
bam bam- two officers dead 
boom- a child robbed of life 
in this place we call 
god’s country 
the lord seems nowhere to be  
seen heard or  
felt 
despite our thoughts and prayers
our thoughts and prayers  
thoughts and prayers  
in this place 
we call america 
the air stays heavy 
thick with grief 
carrying our tears of anguish 
tears of heartache  
tears of loss 

Formerly an English Language teacher in Southern California, Remy now lives in the Pacific Northwest with his loving wife (and chief editor), where he focuses on writing about current events and advocating for social/environmental justice. His poetry has been featured in What Rough Beast, New Verse News, Poets Reading the News, and Writers Resist, among other online publications. He hopes to publish his first Chapbook later this year.