Tuesday’s school shooting has left many people speechless, overwhelmed with emotions. In her latest poem, Amanda Gorman captures those feelings and converts the speechlessness into stanzas.
The poet and activist, 24, took to social media on Tuesday to share the gun violence-focused verse.
“Schools are terrified. The truth is, an education under desks, bent deep with bullets; that plunge when we ask where our children will live and how and if,” she writes.
Gorman continued in a series of tweets.
“It takes a monster to kill children. But to watch monsters kill children over and over and do nothing is not just madness – it’s inhumanity… The truth is that one nation is under attack,” they said. the tweets. ‘What would we be if we only tried. What could we become if we only listened.’
On Tuesday, a gunman killed at least 19 children and two teachers at an elementary school in Uvalde, Texas, making it the deadliest shooting at a U.S. elementary school since the 2012 attack on Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut.
Federal law enforcement officials told the Associated Press that the death toll was expected to rise.
Gorman’s words have been inundated with reactions. In less than 24 hours since her post, one of her tweets has racked up over 488,000 likes. On Instagram, she has crossed half a million.
People also commented and thanked for recording their thoughts and emotions.
“Grateful for your words when words seem impossible,” actress Rachel Brosnahan said on Instagram.
“How gracefully you speak the truth. Thank you,” wrote another.
“Thanks for your vote,” commented another. “I feel for you that maybe change could come.”
Experts say art can help you cope with trauma and come to terms with loss.
Studies have shown that participating in music and art can relieve pain, help people manage stress, promote well-being, improve memory, improve communication, promote physical rehabilitation, and give people a way to express their feelings.
Art can also be its own form of activism.
While the term that many people use for this type of work, artivism, may feel new, the idea that artists also serve as activists and leaders of cultural change has a deeply rooted history.
“Artists have always spearheaded protest, resistance and hope in black communities and other marginalized communities across the country,” said Aaron Bryant, the curator of photography and visual culture at the National Museum of African American History and Culture. , rather to USA TODAY.
Actions rather than words
Gorman didn’t stop at sharing her words. The poet used her platform to take action as well, sharing a fundraiser on Instagram for the organization Everytown for Gun Safety.
“Americans – you know enough is enough. If you do something today, let it be not just to mourn, but to act,” she captioned her post, adding information about where people could donate.
Followers were also grateful for the focus on action.
“Thank you Amanda for using your platform to do this,” one user commented.
“Action > thoughts & prayers,” wrote another using the hashtags #donate and #vote.
A Harvard graduate and national youth poet laureate, Gorman made history in January 2021 as the youngest inaugural poet in American history. Since then, she has appeared on the cover of Vogue and Time magazines and has been interviewed by Oprah Winfrey and Michelle Obama.
Contributors: Carly Mallenbaum, Reginal E. Payne II, Jayne O’Donnell and Marquart Doty, USA TODAY
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