The Empty Classroom

 The classroom is empty now

Walls hold children’s excited voices

The floor absorbs their final breaths.

All is silent.

Outside, wind whispers in trees stripped bare.

Inside homes holiday joy is banished by grief.

Hearts are broken…yet…

Spirits are strong.

Throughout the country—the world,

People look into the faces of children and see:

Charlotte, Daniel, Olivia,

Josephine, Ana, Dylan, Chase

Jesse, Emilie, Jack, Noah,

Caroline, Jessica, Benjamin,

Allison, Madeleine, James,

Catherine, Grace, and Avielle,

Their earth voices stilled.

Their angel voices sing in our hearts.

Churches are filled.

God weeps with us.

Held together by an invisible thread,

We will learn to live, laugh, and love again.

The Persian poet, Hafiz, writes,

Come Dance with me…

And so we dance our sorrow; our rage,

We dance our way out of despair

Into Hope,

Into Courage to go on

Into Joy.