Violence Becomes Normal

When the bomb dust has settled
injured and dead identified
mourners shed their tears
then life goes back to normal.

Normal is; another bomb may fall,
another horrific incident to fill the news,
and in the quiet evenings
more tears and sighs.

I don’t want violence to be normal
I want it to be a rare occasion
an affront to the citizens of my community
and every defense provided to keep

it from my front door.