It rolls in, 

uninvited,

this news scrolling across 

my phone.

In my face

impossible to ignore.

Hits hard right in the solar plexus.

Grinding in deep,

excavation of the pain not possible.

10 dead in Texas high school shooting.

Again

&

Again

 

Yet the idiotic response

remains the same ~

“Arm the teachers!”

they say.

Really?

 

I’ve been one,

a high school teacher.

In front of class,

between the aisles,

on the sports field,

throughout the campus.

 

“In the desk”

a useless answer.

 

So tell me ~

Would I keep it strapped to my hip,

holster style?

Or

slung across my back, 

AR-15 style?

 

Cop first,

teacher second.