Ode to a Massacre

Gate of Heavenly Peace
immaculate concrete tiles
red stains ever expanding as
blood flowed and bodies fell
 
                     While
 
           No blood no freedom for China

 
                     Bullets
 
For one hundred and twelve minutes the soldiers
held their fire
then they pulled their triggers
and squeezed them tight for
just a single minute
 
                     And
 
           A twelve year old girl
           they kicked and kicked until she died
 
                     Tanks
 
           A girl - Morning Sun
           I am not afraid to die
 
                     Can
 
Twice the soldiers opened fire
twice cargo cycles hauled away their bodies
 
                     Kill
 
 
           A four year old girl
           killed by a bullet as she held her mother's hand
 
                     Individuals
 
The third time the soldiers held their fire
 
                     They
 
           In the crowd a girl heard that
           her younger brother had been killed
           she lost her composure
           ran towards the soldiers
           attempts to stop her
 
                     Cannot
 
Troops opened fire
 
                     Kill
 
           Seven times she was shot
           even while she was crawling
 
                     The
 
Were they sickened by shooting their countrymen
 
                     Spirit
 
           An eighteen year old girl crushed by a tank
 
                     Of
 
Were they simply too tired after a night of horror
 
 
                     Protest
 
           He was choked to death by metal chains that
           soldiers had hidden in hats for crowd control
 
                     Or
 
A white helicopter
 
                  The
 
           Soldier hanged from a bus
           burned and castrated after killing four
 
                     Struggle
 
Orders passed
 
                     For
 
           They don't care how many people die
           butchers
           executioners
           murderers
 
                     Freedom
 
Shots cracked
 
                     That
 
           How can they kill their own people
 
                     Is
 
Again line formed
 
                     Something
 
 
           They set fire to corpses
           we hurried to try to collect bodies
           but students and medics alike
           we were beaten back
 
                     They
 
Again soldiers shot
 
                     Cannot
 
           There is no more time
           we can't let any more blood flow
           we must leave
 
                     Do
 
For three weeks and one day it was
their patch of democracy
and they wanted it back
 
                     Forever
 
Proper response to counter-revolutionary violence
 
           Proper response to counter-revolutionary violence?
 
                     Proper response to counter-revolutionary violence?!?
 
While bullets and tanks can kill individuals
they cannot kill the spirit of protest
or the struggle for freedom
that is something they cannot do forever