I now weigh all the voices

on the scales within my heart

to measure out their weight

and to tell them right apart.

I set thereon the voices

of the scripted top officials

the righteous barked dogmatics

the objective high judicials.

I place upon it all these there

and watch them float into the air.

I then set here the voices

of young fathers and of mothers

weeping for their children

and crying out for others

killed within the halls

of schools or halls of churches

and the heartsick anguished voices

of the mindtorn stricken teachers

weighing over the price to pay

for staying sick and burdened

for doing what they hoped

or for finally walking away.

The weight all those voices

is dropped heavy down and down

as if to linger there awhile

with those buried in the ground.