Never forget...

Author's note: Concrete, or "shape" poems are very carefully formatted to enhance or illustrate the theme or topic of the poem.

Poem background: The book referenced in this item description is an historical fiction for adolescents about a shameful day in 1963. On that day, in Birmingham, Alabama, at the height of the Civil Rights movement, four young girls aged 10-14, were murdered in the firebombing of the church where they were attending Sunday school.

W
GOD
R
S
H
I
P
I
N
G
Little
Girls in frills
Shiny black shoes, snow white gloves
Someone’s sisters…Someone’s daughters
Sparkling  promise,  unfolding  flowers
Life   an   exciting,   unread   book

M                                                     U
o                                                      n
n                                                      w
s                                                       i
t                                                        t
r                                                       t
o                                                       i
u                                                      n
s                                                      g


                                                       m
                                                       a
                                                       r
h                                                       t
a                                                       y
t                                                        r
e’                                                      s,
s                                                        
                                                       S
                                                        a
v                                                       c
i                                                        r
c                                                        i
t                      DOORS                      f
i                        SLAM                       i
m                       SHUT                      c
s                         FOR                        e
!                        EVER                       s
GONE IN A DEAFENING FLASH!