You’re going to be double-digits. A two-handed

milestone. All fingers or toes

match your years.

The laptop is open to Twitter; I see the news

(you know where this is going, right?)

of yet another shooting. The “yet” fits here

because it is this school’s second this year.

In a job interview, I said I think about school shootings every day.

The woman looked concerned for me. Every day?

she asked;

I nodded.

I cannot keep my students

or you

safe.

I cannot keep myself safe.

I wish you a world without guns.

That’s it. Not even success or happiness or a good bowl of pasta.

Just no guns.

Just the empty space where something shouldn’t be.