INNOCENCE

‍ ‍-for Uvalde, Texas 2022

In the corner of the room, we huddle in the dark

doors locked and windows covered

listening to the rattling of doorknobs.

An occasional deep voice pleads,

“Open the door…let me in!”

Like the big bad wolf to the three little pigs.

We know we cannot open the door until

the all-clear signal is announced over the intercom.

I watch their young trusting faces as we practice.

Trying not to show alarm, I smile and say,

“It’s ok, it’s just pretend. It’s just practice…”

Practice?

We are practicing that someone is trying to kill them.

I watch them process what we are practicing and why.

I worry that this will traumatize them

if they understood the reality of

what is happening across our nation,

how vulnerable our schools are

and our most precious possessions,

the innocent children in our care.

What are we doing to our children

when lockdowns are routine

and school shootings have become

just another news story ‍

Brave as Thistles copoyright 2023 by Lauri Cruver Cherian