Faces of Change

As I look upon the television screen,
I see
ambulances flooding streets,
wails synonymous with pleas,
families crying in disbelief.

I see the faces of students,
futures robbed away.
I see the faces of young people,
their stories stopped at the first chapter.
I see the faces of families.
I see their pain,
loss,
and sorrow.

I see the faces of students,
America’s future.
I see the faces of students,
Americans cheated by their their own government.
I see the faces of students.
The faces of artists, writers, creators-
the writers of this nation’s story.

They think that teenagets are old enough to have assault weapons but not opinions.
They think we don’t have the knowledge,
the power,
the strength.
They think we don’t have a voice.

Hear our cries over gunshots.
See our faces before the fine print in gun laws.
Feel our pain before cashing a check.

We are here.
We are students.
We are victims.

We will fight, because silence is as deadly as pulling the trigger.

By Salma Reyes

A poem from Disarm: A Themed issue Responding to Mass Shootings in America

Biography:

Salma Reyes is a young, Mexican writer passionate about granting a voice to marginalized groups who have too often been drowned out by the media. She is a member of organizations such as, Latinas Think Big, UnidosUS, and the Ivy League Project, to name a few. She enjoys sharing her work at open mics, poetry slams, and any platform where artists are free to share their words and collaborate. She is currently working on building her portfolio to pursue a degree in journalism in Boston, Massachusetts. Her work can be viewed at her website: https://salmareyes.journoportfolio.com/