A Chicago Christmas

the ground covered in white,  glistening
the sky above falling white, mistening
no horizons, just hushed, stifling morning white, penetrating

white peace below, above, all around, everywhere
finally a refuge, Christmas Day

7 fatal shots
one dead then another and another
two standing on the porch, a Christmas party
another with bullets to the head, the back, the legs
pool of blood upon stairs of Labor of Love Apostolic Church,
orange gloves, casings leading to the altar of Love.
and another sitting in a car, in a park, drive by shot
and another found dead in Morgan Park, 24, not 25
laying in the snow, decorating white in his red, dead

the white ground covered in red, glistening
the sky above, grey, dark, deafening
no horizons, just hushed stifling mourning grey, deathening

cold, wet, damp below, above, all around, everywhere
no refuge, not even Christmas Day.