What Your Name Means
School had just ended.
the only thing that should end
in the summertime
is school.
Not this. not life.
not yours – age 13.5
in your sleep. by a knife.
Your name means praise, means
beauty, means lion
of God
means terror.
No, stop.
I will not let it mean terror…
it will mean dance to me
it will mean mother’s prayer
it will mean children educated
relentless to honor life.
it will mean endless
commitment to righteousness
not to the atrocious
not to the murderous.
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Your name will mean goodness
in the face of darkness
at the foot of Tomb of the Matriarchs
watching over us.
Your name will roar beauty and praise
and rally us
to love life and hate hate.