Columbine's Fifteen

From ground zero, the shocking ripples reverberate! From the heart of a nation, the cry lingers on the wind And still circles further and further out, sending tears into space. It continues on with unabated tears; gruesome fears. The healing begins with mournful sobs and angry shouts. Who is to blame for this heinous sin? Who can stop the gnawing pain? Look in the mirror, then cover it black, We are..all of us..to blame! We, who spend only a fraction of our day Nurturing those precious and closest to our hearts, We are to blame for their wayward paths; We didn't see it coming...didn't see it start. We didn't care enough to ask the hardest questions Or force the toughest issues; to pull tightly on the reins. We didn't once think about their future or their pain. Now, it's too late for Fifteen to ever smile again. But it's not too late for those of us left in the quake behind, Not too late for us to change, uplift our mind; To ask the hardest questions, Or demand of ourselves a new commitment, To give our children a new day; hope-filled suggestions. Look into the sacred eyes of your children. Look into their hearts with a new understanding. It does take a village to raise your child, But it starts with you, and basic planning. Plan to be there for them, no matter what! Never give them up to a harsh and hopeless world. Every day, every minute...stop thinking only of yourself, Your inconvenience, your tired and weary life! Emmerse your heart into the life of your boy or girl. Out from ground zero, Columbine's Fifteen Will not have died in vain if they have made us see The need for total commitment in the shaping of young lives. These young lives are our future..it lies in our children eyes. Look deeply, look closely, don't turn away. Listen more carefully, Search more kindly For the truth, and at the end of the day They will love you more for your protection Than for your lack of supervision and slackness On the reins. Show them that you love them By showing up every day.