"2" by Miriam Seeke

Miriam Seeke (she/her) is an English Education student at Oklahoma State University and first wrote poetry in the 8th grade. Her hometown is Plymouth, Michigan, and she spends her free time reading, painting, and cuddling with her cat, Oliver.

13

How We were the beginning

We ask

Why

Did this happen? Has nothing changed?

17

We marched The Valentine’s Day from hell

And you still

won’t

Change anything You stop this now?

26

The number keeps We never grew up

Growing. You don’t care.

you

Took our children let it pass you by

32

You make excuses We just wanted to learn. You

To keep your power.

listen

To what we ask of you to our screams, and you sit on your throne

49

“He needs help. You persecute us. You try

We won’t try

to

fix it.” pretend we don’t exist. We always have.

60

Now your solution Don’t you know there will be more of

Is to arm

us?

Give us peace. Thoughts and prayers won’t bring us back

We hope We fight

We hurt We bleed

We pray We run

We grieve

2

A number more important

Than our lives

May 5, 2023.