Children’s faces stare

Blank and calm

Children’s small hands

Raise Kalashnikovs

Children's thin fingers 

Squeeze their triggers

Flying hot metal

Rips flesh

Breaks bones

Gunfire drowns out the screaming

Hatred drowns out the screaming

Closed minds drown out the screaming

Death drowns out the screaming

Smoke curls and drifts

Dust and ash settle

Dead eyes stare

The dead eyes ask

Why?

Children’s small hands

Lower Kalashnikovs

Rub sweat from their eyes

Eyes that can’t cry

Eyes that have seen 

Too much

Eyes that have

No answers

Eyes that see

No questions

And the dead eyes ask

Why?