A poem by Silvia Pasternak

I look out the window
And see the flag at half-mast.

It brings to my mind tragedies of the past;
Columbine, Newtown, Aurora, Charleston, Las Vegas;
Sutherland Springs… schools, a church, a casino,

And now again, a high school in Parkland, Florida.

Is this what we live for, to go to learn, to play, to pray,
To have lives so dear, taken away.

In moments of despair, what shall we do?
Maybe everyone should carry a gun, too!

That’s not the answer, it’s not God’s plan,
We’re here to live peacefully, in this great land.

Do you have a response to this dilemma?
If so, tell it to our leaders.

We need a safety plan for our children, our families
For each of us!

Not tomorrow, not next week, but now!

Speak up, let your voice be heard,

No more… 9/11 or 2/14!

Born in Atlantic City, New Jersey, Silvia Pasternak raised her family in West Hartford, where she has lived for close to 70 years. Now retired as manager of her late husband Dr. Herbert Pasternak’s optometry practice, Pasternak, a great-grandmother, began writing poetry in recent years and is the author of hundreds of poems. 

Readers are invited to submit original work on a topic of their choosing to Kolot. Submissions should be sent to judiej@jewishledger.com.

CAP: Poet Silvia Pasternak surrounded by her great-grandchildren (l to r) Charlie Sarrasin, Hayden Pasternak, Chloe Sarrasin and Logan Pasternak.