Bullets without a Gun
Jimmy was visiting
his father when Mr. Crenshaw
called to say Mrs. Bittles
had died the night before
of a sudden heart attack.
Jimmy’s father said
he wasn’t surprised.
He had heard that
people are dying now
who had never before died.
Mr. Crenshaw hung up.
He didn’t think the joke
was funny and knew
Jimmy’s father had
a million of them,
all just as bad.
When Jimmy got home
his wife told him her
favorite aunt had died.
Jimmy told her
his father had said
people are dying now
who had never before died.
HIs wife sat down and cried.
Like his father, Jimmy
never understood
people can be hurt by
bullets without a gun.
Some lessons in life
are harder to learn when
a mentor is misinformed.
Donal Mahoney
