17

They were 17 people I didn't know,
and I believe everyone is worth knowing,
even if it's just for 5 minutes.

There were 17 families caught
unexpected on a school day, on a day
that celebrates love and caring,
irony in a horrible display of loss.

17 lives lost without a single word,
only screams and the sound of gun shots
through public school halls,
in its insanity, sadly, becoming the norm.

17 school shooting and,
number 18 on Valentine's day.