Joy turned into mourning
A celebration became a funeral procession.
Gone are you beautiful people
Life interrupted in the spring of your time.

The Pulse was a place for America-
All are created equal with unalienable rights
To life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness:
To hold hands in broad daylight,
To love and to cherish at weddings.

In the Pulse last week
A murderer was among you
And you didn’t know.

Life-Shattering Shots
And the breath of life left forty-nine
People created in the Image of God.

Fathers mothers brothers sisters lovers partners friends,
The city of Orlando and the state of Florida

And the United States of American,
And the world—
Bereft.

Remembering in the sorrow
The infinite promise that you were,
The things you could have done
The love you would have given
The courage you had
To paint peace rainbows on the Pulse of America.