Atrocity

Russell Anderson 1962 (San Bernardino)

September 22 


This week I witnessed atrocities, 3
Each one an horrific tragedy
From kidnapping and murder in Memphis
To butchery committed against the Cree

And, so, we ask ourselves
How can it be?
That a human can reach
Such depths of depravity?

Let me present for Thee
A list of the Usual Suspects
Abuse, neglect, teenage drug use, poverty
Indeed

But, alas
We need only look to history to see
All manner of inhumanity
It is………a commonality

It was taught to me, early
That anybody, everybody
Is capable of such deeds
It is a theme in Heart of Darkness
And Dostoevsky

This week I witnessed atrocities, 3
Each one an horrific tragedy
It elicits terror, and sympathy
But, mostly
Especially
For me
Relief
That it wasn’t………my family

About this poem

I am attempting to express the wonderment and horror that most of us feel when we read about or see these kinds of events unfolding. I think my underlying though is, at the risk of sounding cynical or cold, it is a wonder that things like these don't happen more often.

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Written on September 08, 2022

Submitted by rnadc on September 08, 2022

Modified on March 05, 2023

39 sec read
53

Quick analysis:

Scheme ABcb xbxb bxbx xbbb bbxcb ABbbbbxb
Closest metre Iambic tetrameter
Characters 732
Words 133
Stanzas 6
Stanza Lengths 4, 4, 4, 4, 5, 8

Russell Anderson

Russell Anderson-raised in a small, remote, California town. He is now living out his later years in small-town Oregon. Still gets "Verklempt" by a good, sad song, poem, or testimonial. more…

All Russell Anderson poems | Russell Anderson Books

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    "Atrocity" Poetry.com. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 28 Mar. 2024. <https://www.poetry.com/poem/139071/atrocity>.

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