My Name Was Sarah

I was reading the latest vocabulary list in French class when everything went dark

I didn't die right away

I heard more gunfire and the announcement that came too late for me

Active shooter on campus, this is not a drill

That's me

Fourth from the left

I'm wearing my softball uniform in that picture

I was the junior varsity captain of my team

I was sixteen

I was a girlfriend

I was a best friend

A daughter and a big sister

Now I am a statistic

A story on the evening news

I'll be forgotten about by most people

After a week or so

Thoughts and prayers

Future campaign promises

Nothing changes

Except the lives of my parents and little brother

I had a life

I had a future

I had dreams

Now I have a casket with pink roses on top