Shell Cases

The cost of living in a society of gun owners means a substantially higher rate of homicides, suicides, and accidents. To many social scientists, the costs of gun ownership far outweigh the benefits.

Shell Cases

A single legal lethal automatic rifle bullet

Costs on average less than fifty cents

How cheap the price of life laid suddenly bare

When over five hundred innocents are injured

And fifty nine precious souls lost made no sense

Thus around three hundred blood-stained dollars

Of empty spent shell cases on an apartment floor

Represent each individual victim of this carnage

An indescribable sacrifice not to be ignored

In the land of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness

Our prayers we lift in sympathy and condolence

For those lives cut short before their natural time

We must support the wounded for recovery of body

And lend moral comfort for healing of the mind

This is a moment to pause and share our hearts

When this period of national numbness subsides

Recrimination on gun laws will rise once again

Spouting cruelly hollow political platitudes paired

With White House continued legislative indifference

Making mockery to American motto; ‘In God We Trust’!

Copyright @ Phillozofee 2017

Reviews

[AYVID N]

Our prayers we lift in sympathy and condolence
For those lives cut short before their natural time

I'm so truly sorry for the innocent lives lost. I pray they wake up to a better place. Something must be done by way of stricter regulations. Yet, not sure that a psychopath will not find other ways to kill in the absence of a gun.

Beautifully crafted verses touch hearts, creating vivid images and posing vital questions. Appreciated so much!

[alanwgraham]

Well done Phill - a very timely contribution to this debate. I find it hard to comprehend the mentality of those that defend the right to own vast arsenals of weapons. Come to think of it, is that not what the US government does.
God help us all!
Cheers,
Alan

[emipoemi]

This I have to say is your best work yet, my friend! For one - it really embodies your the identity you have painted upon yourself with your name (this is quite philosophical and gets the reader to think about it too). For two - it's dynamic, and calls attention to the horrors of violence and asks that the world acknowledges its existence and what's happening in the world at this very moment. For three - your musicality is stupendous! So well crafted that you don't quite realize that it's relatively free verse that you're writing. I mean I was going to make a comment about "cents/sense" being a weird rhyme, not in the sense of their being homophones, but rather that the "sense" is kind of oddly structured so that the rhymes in the end are noticeable. However, as I read on, I noticed that the poem isn't trying to rhyme, despite having some rhymes interspersed throughout the stanzas, and that's what's great about the musicality! It's so well crafted, that the scant rhyme factor goes unnoticed.....this is also made stronger by the intermittent rhymes and assonances in every stanza. (though the "sense" line being I still find a little oddly worded....can't quite figure out which words go with what thought). Absolutely well done!!

[Phill Oz O'fee]

As I watched the images from here in the UK, my inner self was wretched with compassion for the innocent victims of yet another atrocity. Thank you for your insightful, humbling and supportive review. My blessing … :-)

[TerryDarcy-Ryan akaSh..]

Phil Oz Ofee, what power the truth can have. You have connected information in visual scene and this is a very brave write. Gun laws if we didn't have them then only the criminals would carry. You can make more gun laws that will always be political. The thing you cannot change is what is in a man's heart. If a man is determined to kill he will find a way to kill. Gun laws only punish the innocent. I liked this well done.

Sheer Terror

[Annette Pisano-Higley]

Relevant, indelible and shocking facts and images here. Deconstructing yet another senseless slaughter. Yes-your deeply moving poem asks “How cheap the price of life”...more empty “shell cases” to count. More bodies to count. I agree with your inspired words-we must pray, support..”pause and share our hearts”...and fight for change in the laws. Kudos my friend. Your compassionate voice is heard.