AR-15

names rolling around like 

marbles on my tongue

there's no Q for queer in

my phone directory, no V for

this violence or that violence

is a threat to her to his to their

safety. are they alive are they

alive are they alive are they alive

are they alive.

mapping out constellations

of who to text who to call who

to write who to scour social

media to determine last known

point of communication. I 

never predicted a square 

image with white block letters

would be a love language. are

they alive are they alive are

they alive are they alive

are they alive.

since 1982, the majority of 

mass shooters are white. the

majority of mass shooters are men. 

we talk about generational trauma

but what of generational spiritual

desperation? what of those who

are taught violence and hate as

"culture" or "religion" or "politics?"

what of all the times when we

see the signs and choose to 

say nothing. if death is the

outcome, and death is the risk

are we alive.