“No Words” by Nolcha Fox and Barbara Leonhard

I’m just an old lady 
seventy and counting 
if I want to complain
all I have is words for poems
and today again - 
after yet another mass shooting -
angry words that weep blood
onto your closed eyes 
as you are shooting blind 
at families in a mall 
party-goers at a bar 
people in their church
children playing possum 
under their desks
because you have
no sense no humanity 
no words
 to describe your malaise 
only bullets
- and I too am left speechless
searching for words to describe 
my state of utter despair 
when calls for prayers
fall on deaf ears 
and children’s lives count less 
than a round - there are 
no words 
to grieve this void

Not too tall or short,
not too thin or fat,
he only spoke when
spoken to, his voice
not loud or soft,
his face the kind
you look right through
when walking in a crowd.
At gatherings, he blended
into wallpaper, chairs,
and rugs. His friends
forgot his name, forgot
to call, they barely
knew him anyway.
Nobody was prepared
when he went into a mall,
and opened fire on the crowd,
then killed himself for
one last chance to 
be noticed by the world.
 

The invisible one 
whose pain dynamited 
our loved ones 
with terminal velocity,  
the visceral effects, ready 
for the macabre 
on YouTube or TikTok, 
scarring our lives.
No winners. 
No stars in this show.
Only victims.

Copyright © 2023 Nolcha Fox Barbara Leonhard
All Rights Reserved

Nolcha Fox’s poems have been published in Lothlorien Poetry Journal, Alien Buddha Zine, Medusa’s Kitchen, and others. Her poetry books are available on Amazon and Dancing Girl Press. Nominee for 2023 Best of The Net. Editor for Open Arts Forum. Accidental interviewer/reviewer. Faker of fake news.
Website: https://bit.ly/3bT9tYu
Facebook: nolcha.fox; Twitter: @FoxNolcha

A review of Nolcha’s book, “Memory is that raccoon” can be found here. A review of “Why Chicken Explodes in the Microwave” can be found here.

Barbara Leonhard is an internationally-known prize-winning poet and Pushcart nominee. She is especially indebted to Well Versed 2021: A Collection of Poetry and Prose and Spillwords Press for past honors. Her debut poetry collection, Three-Penny Memories: A Poetic Memoir (Experiments in Fiction, 2022), which is about her relationship with her mother, who suffered from Alzheimer’s, is a best seller on Amazon. Barbara is also Editor for MasticadoresUSA. You can follow her at https://extraordinarysunshineweaver.blog/.

Featured Image: Courtesy of Unsplash

Editor: Barbara Harris Leonhard

@BarbaraLeonhar4

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Amazon Best-Selling Author, Three-Penny Memories: A Poetic Memoir (EIF-Experiments in Fiction, 2022); Pushcart Nominee

Twitter: @BarbaraLeonhar4; Facebook: Barbara Harris Leonhard /barbara.leonhard; Instagram: @meelosmom123

Divider Image: by GDJ on Pixabay

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