Stolen Tears

Light fingered Larry…the leader of the pack,

stealing to support an addiction…to heroin..cocaine and crack.

This pied piper plays his tune…bewitching the growing throng,

brainwashed into believing..that theft’s no longer wrong.

Violence..mugging and bullying…are the order of the day,

an increasing pastime of teenagers…once happy at play.

Verbal abuse…their only answer to the older generation,

who gave them the chance to live in a free society…as part of a once caring nation.

Schools have become a breeding ground…for cultivating lost respect,

as teachers lose control daily…but what does the government expect.

Detention may be more humane…than a few strokes of the cane, but

it acts as no deterrent…compared to the stinging pain.

Childhood years…once the best years of human life,

now a distant memory…that has been replaced with anger..greed and strife.

Decent parents hands tied by the law…afraid of claims of child abuse,

prevented from disciplining their offspring…now running wild and loose.

Gone are the Christian values…of loyalty..honour and respect,

As children are allowed to run riot…a legacy we can no longer correct.

Future generations…will eventually lose the biblical plot,

and the family life once enjoyed…will be eternally forgot.

Just another failed parent…waiting for the day I die,

dreaming of relief from the resulting strain…and all the tears I cry.

For in death I hope to leave this epitaph…on my earthly grave,

in order that sanity may return to this once proud Nation…which all decent parents now crave.

(c) (Sue Marcuslee 1998)

The Star Spangled Banner

As a cool winters breeze...blew across a Colorado plain,
The devils outstretched hand...left a trail of awesome pain.
A once quiet community...with a typical American High School,
Was torn apart with anguish...by an atrocity...so cruel.

Two student loners arrived at the school...armed with rifles..bombs..and gun,
And selected their victims to murder...ignoring the mercy pleas of everyone.
Insane with jealousy...they singled out those with athletic prowess,
Before executing these unfortunate souls...for whom they could not care less.

In a final act of cowardice...they shot themselves and died,
Leaving their parents distraught...whilst their feelings of shame they were unable to hide. Thirteen victims lost their lives...as a result of their heinous crime, robbed of the love of their families...before reaching their prime.

Many others wounded...with both physical and mental scars,
Missing the friends that died that day...now living among the stars.
For whom a life of torment lies ahead...as each nightmare recalls the day,
When friendships were torn apart in death...with no goodbyes to say.

Surely your children’s spirits...are now standing inside Gods Heavenly gate,
Holding hands in peace and happiness...as a result of this twist of fate.
Dreaming that the gun laws will change...so that they did not die in vain,
With a hope that...that their parents will be the last to feel such awesome pain.

As the Star Spangled Banner...sounds a parting riposte,
We will pray for you all...and the children you have lost.
In the hope that we can relieve some of the anguish you are going through,
Until God takes you by the hand and re-unites you all...with the ones you loved so true.

Composed in Memory of:

The Twelve Children & One Teacher

Who Died on April 20th 1999 at

Columbine High School, Littleton, Denver, Colorado,
USA.

(c) Sue Marcuslee. 04/99

(Please Note: Sue Marcuslee is my Pen-name)