Careful, This Could Hurt Someone

The last words of someone about to kill himself in public.

Yeah, it’s loaded

What kind of stupid question is that?

So stay back

That’s right, stay right where you are

You’re about to see the show of a lifetime

My lifetime

You can tell all your friends

You can write about it on your blog

You can tape it on your camera-phone

You can post the video online

You’ll try to talk me out of it

But secretly, you’ll think, “Do it. I wanna see”

You’ll think, “Oh, that’s horrible”

But secretly, you’ll know that you’ve seen something life-affirming

Something that most people never get to witness

Your friends will say “Oh, what a tragedy”

But secretly, they’ll be jealous that they weren’t there to see it

So go ahead

Make me famous

Make my day

Because that’s what I’m about to do

Here goes

Author's Note

I wrote this today after getting out of detox for the third time (that's why I haven't been on the site in awhile). Needless to say, as I'm writing this, I am not in the best of moods.
The title is a reference to Budd Dwyer's last words, right before he shot himself at a press conference on live TV.
Here's an article about him:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Budd_dwyer
Here's a link to the video:
http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=860c9b9f3b

Reviews

[miker00lz]

Oh look, here's a man, husband, brother, father, and son that was loved by those close to him and was thrown into an impossible, frightening situation and felt the only answer was to blow his brains out. Let's write a trashy poem about it and post the photo of his bleeding corpse to point and laugh at.

You f*****g loser. It would be just as hilarious if it was one of your family members, right? You are really a miserable excuse for a human being.

[Keith]

Oh, now that would be a hell of a scene to be in the middle of. It is disturbing, but I have you're correct in what people are often secretly thinking. I wonder how I would be. Hopefully not that cold.

all in all it was a good read. You wrote it well and it but me right into the action. Well done.

[Rasputin]

Thank you kindly for the review. Now, watch the video to get the full effect.

[Alicia Beavis]

You took me, as the reader into an interesting state of mind of another. I'd never thought of things like this but I suppose that has now changed. The opening two lines did actually make me laugh because you're right, that is a stupid question to ask but one that everyone does. Anywho, nicely done, fellow poet!

[Erica Daubert]

It's true. We've all been guilty of wishing to be a part of a tragedy at times. Well, maybe not wishing that a tragedy will happen... but if it's going to happen anyway - s**t, why miss the show? Now everyone can say that they were there, and they saw it. Everyone will want to know from those who witnessed first hand. It's a damn shame that human nature exploits gossip. Kudos to the Bob Dwyer reference. I'm a PA local, and know the story well. I prefer poetry with a back story. Overall, this is a really well written piece.

[?]

That is certainly something that I would want to see in public or private...oh my...
I like the kind of .. sort of humor in the first few lines...Everyone always ask "Is that thing loaded?"
It is a stupid question...who cares if its loaded or not...just don't point the thing at me...lol

[Marie]

Wow! I never saw anyone kill himself before, but I did see someone play Russian roulette once. I went screaming hysterical.