Reading Time: 3 minutes
Hide & Seek read by Amy

A poem that I shouldn’t have been inspired to write

Hide and Seek

A poem for Miah and Amerie
I remember when we would play hide and seek.
My  little sister, small and delicate
    she fit inside the cabinet under the sink.
When I found her there, there was no where to run,
   no escape.
"You're it!" I cried aloud, laughing.
She laughed too, she didn't care.

I didn't want to play hide and seek at school today.
I hid in plain sight, with my friend,
My sister was in another room.
There was no where to run,
     no escape.
I don't want to be it. I can't be it.

I am so very scared right now.
But I must keep my mouth shut,
Pretend not to breath,
Oh so quietly.

Oh so quietly,
I will place my hands in your blood (dear Amerie)
     my dear and true friend.
I will wipe your blood on me, 
     oh so quietly.

I could feel her body rising and falling,
   as I had hoisted my body on top of hers.
Her breath was getting shorter.
I could feel her warm breath rising in the air.
We laid there together, hiding in plain sight.
Her breathes becoming the few
     until they were
     no more.

I will wipe her blood on me, oh so quietly.
I am so scared right now,
But I must keep my mouth shut,
Pretend not to breath,
Oh so quietly.
I will wipe her blood on me.
Oh so quietly.
I will pretend to be dead,
     as I hide in plain sight.
God please don't let him find me!
I don't want to be it.
I can't be it.

Why I wrote this

On hearing that Miah Cerrillo saved herself by smearing blood on herself all whilst experiencing the death of her friend Amerie Jo Garza, her teacher and other classmates, I was inspired to create this poem for awareness. Although this is based on real events, some poetic license is taken here.

That Miah was able to feel the fear and do what was necessary anyway is both courageous and wounding to her psyche and soul. I can only hope that with time she will retrieve those parts of her that were wounded and heal.

Unfortunately, she suffers at the hands of a society that is wounded and corrupted by a government that is more interested in special interests, greed and power. It isn’t a democracy when nearly 90% of the population wants regulations on weapons there.

This is intended as a tool towards awareness and I share this with love in my heart for the families that lost their children and parents in the recent shooting in Texas. I am sorry for your loss. May you all Rest In Peace.

Dedicated to:

This poem is dedicated to all the children living now in a state where their best interests are not considered, and especially to the teachers and students and other workers who have died in shootings anywhere in the United States.

The dedicated teachers:

Irma Garcia, 48

Eva Mireles, 44

The innocent students:

Nevaeh Alyssa Bravo, 10

Jacklyn Cazares, 9

Makenna Lee Elrod, 10

Jose Manuel Flores Jr., 10

Eliahna Garcia, 10

Uziyah Garcia, 10

Amerie Jo Garza, 10

Xavier Lopez, 10

Jayce Carmelo Luevanos, 10

Tess Mata, 10

Maranda Mathis, 11

Alithia Ramirez, 10

Annabell Rodriguez, 10

Maite Rodriguez, 10

Alexandria “Lexi” Rubio, 10

Layla Salazar, 11

Jailah Nicole Silguero, 10

Eliahana Cruz Torres, 10

Rojelio Torres, 10