Words

Words slip down the alley
Past the kids who rally
Teenagers chanting their discontent
Sleep is gone and weapons lent
One gunshot, one less life
Through the crowds the police drive
Ambulance speeding to reach her
Cries heard through the murmur
Of the crowd, shock and fear
More than one have shed a tear
The ambulance comes
Her heart beats like distant drums
With no rhythm, with no beat
Gone is the light on that street
Her life is gone, her spirit flown
Another act of violence shown
A mystery is her murder
Where is the gun that hurt her?
Gone with her life-run the killer
On this night, it couldn’t be stiller
Violence, vengeance, accident
Only seventeen, her life not spent
Her last few words
Barely heard
“I loved him”
the light dimmed