Anna Crandall
After the Threat of a School Shooting
I stand at the window, head angled towards the sun's full beating.
I stand at the front of the class holding my hands wide, a pleading.
The distance between words and death is too small.
You, who beg of me each day
an explanation
of the power of language.
Who now sit silent,
shaking
the pierce of "what if?" through your chests.
How to tell you to hold on to the light
without an already-written poem?
Whoever said it before:
we understand completely, across pages.
The poem is the prayer I give to you today.
Bio
Anna Crandall (she/her) is a writer living in Portland, Oregon. She has previously taught in Oregon's Department of Corrections and is currently a high school Language Arts teacher. Outside of her day job, she enjoys being outdoors, moving her body, and reading voraciously. You can find her on Instagram @fingercommittee.