Our Plague
By:  Doug Doughtie
© 1997 by Doug Doughtie

The children came to school.
They began to pour in the doors.
They faces somber and ashen,
Presumably because of the end of summer.
Or some kind of personal problem,
Or the loss of a friend.
They died.

They said it was romantic.
They said it was the only option left.
They said they were scared.
They said they wanted to die.
They said many things.
They did the unthinkable.
They died.

Gary and Angela,
the modern day Romeo and Juliet,
realized their end wasn’t near,
and they didn’t want to wait.
Gary didn’t want to live with the 21st century.
Angela didn’t want to live without Gary.
They both got their wish.
They died.

Cheri Sides, a friend.
She saw through her friends’ deaths.
She saw the pain.
She saw the agony.
She saw many things.
She saw her only option.
She died.

They tried to talk to the rest.
They tried to calm them down.
They tried to analyze everyone.
They tried to understand.
They tried to save,
and though they try, still,
They died.

The parents want an end.
They want a way to stop.
They want to lock us up,
for the folly of so few.
But just because they can’t,
Just because they didn’t,
They died.

We don’t like to think about it.
We don’t like to mourn.
We don’t like to remember.
But even if we don’t,
Even if they’re forgot,
They died.

We must forever be wary.
We must not ever forget.
We mustn’t let ourselves be callous.
We must not let the evil win.
There must be something done.
They died.

But what can we do?
How do we prevent another Cheri from hanging herself?
How do we discourage Angelas and Garys?
We can’t, I’m afraid.
I’m afraid there will be more.
If there’s nothing we can do,
We Die.