Thoughts and prayers don’t fix it
Although they are kindly meant
Children killed in school
Dispatched and heaven sent
A sick and lonesome gunman
Letting off some steam
Buys himself a rifle
This world can be so mean
And Americans still resist the change
Freedom loving folk
This is the bold wild west you know
We don’t like a yolk
We have an embedded right in law
The right freely to bear arms
Too bad those children getting killed
But such are life’s alarms
The American love of freedom
And fear of getting killed
These two forces combine arms
To keep all changes chilled
That freedom is a licence
Look out for number one
Too bad what happens to other folk
Just life under the sun
Brian Fahy
25 May 2022
+ Our love of freedom can become a very selfish thing, just looking after our own in a big, frightening world. The gun is the expression of such self-concern. We need to change our understanding of personal freedom, and we need to remove the fear that feels the need for guns. Until these changes develop in society we will continue to be at the mercy of sick and lonesome gunmen.
+ I grew up in the UK on a diet of western comics and films, imports from America. It is sad to think that my world of childhood fantasy is a daily reality in the U.S.
+ The love of individual freedom is a powerful factor in life. I think the Tories hold power in the UK because they play on that love of individualism. It is a form of cooperative selfishness. It is okay for those who are inside the Coop but many get left outside, and this will lead to social unrest and strife.
Erris Poetry 