NewVerseNews Friday: DRILL
by Jane Edna Mohler
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In the confident glow of an iPhone, we pass a silent hour in the school’s utility room with dead beetles, frantic spiders, and the librarian browsing Pinterest. My back against a door that won’t lock, foot braced on the railing of stairs leading to oblivious motors and sweating pipes accustomed to the peace of working alone. The librarian scrolls fervently. Which chicken recipe will she choose? Maybe Easter themed cupcakes or a floral wreath crafted for the family gathering if those gunshots we hear are real.
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From National Association of School Psychologists: “After an armed assailant drill: Emotional or physical reactions can be delayed following a highly intense simulation drill.”
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Jane Edna Mohler is Bucks County Poet Laureate Emeritus (Pennsylvania). Recent publications include Gargoyle, River Heron Review, and One Art. Her collection Broken Umbrellas was published by Kelsay Books. She is the Poetry Editor of the Schuylkill Valley Journal in Philadelphia.