Am totally with you there.
This latest abhoration is close to home, literally, its 45 miles away and it's a venue I've been to. That doesn't make it worse for me than for anyone who's 1000s of miles away, it's probably just a bit more scary in the fact you think that was close. We are starting to live with that threat over us all the time. Both my sons live and work in London. I wish they didn't, but I can't wrap them up in cotton wool. If we start to do that, and stop living our normal lives, carrying on as usual, then the bastards have won.
Mick and I were sat up in bed having a cuppa ( tea of course) this morning,talking about it and we said pretty much the same as your poem, only not as poetically.
I think it's also important to remember that whatever your views on religion are, these jihadists have nothing to do with any religion at all. Just the usual politics masquerading as religion. Lord knows, it's not new. I have a great many Muslim friends here in the north of England and they are just as appalled by this as anyone else. I do worry that they will be tarred with the same brush, by other 'political ' groups, spreading mistrust and hate further.
For the people that don't accept there is a god, then I suppose they won't agree that there is a hell either.
But.......... I do take some comfort that these evil doers are answerable to a higher authority, whatever that authority might be.
Some days.
I just hope I'm right.
Jx
PS A Mancunian poet, Tony Walsh read one of his poems at a vigil in Manchester yesterday. It's called This Is The Place.
I think it's an amazing poem, here's a youtube video link
https://youtu.be/josaDi9ZBvE

As a poetry therapist, we use poetry to allow people to express their deepest felt angers and fears and isolation. It is a function of the art. What human being is not horrified by these events? They are indefensible, and sickening.
But this is a poetry workshop. Use your skills as a poet to create the best poetry you can. My personal feeling is when traumatic events happen, such as this, or personal ones, give them a little time so you can create a poem that is bigger than itself.
I/we can certainly understand the need you had to write this. It is hard to put on the "poetry hat" when you are so emotionally moved. But that time will come, and you will make a better poem of it.

We here in the UK will not bow to this type of stupidity.
My thoughts go out to the injured as they will have to carry the largest burden.
My feelings go out to those that were lost, I cry because I can stand with them and the emotion is universal.
Thanks again Stan we have both been in strange places and seen many things, but we still cry as the children pass us by.
Yours, Ian and the Children xx

for the raw unadulterated emotional rant against the terror and horror of political agenda that does nothing to advance the cause of togetherness and makes those of us who count ourselves as being a part of the human race, sick and disgusted. Those who participate in such acts, are not human. They are animals who kill innocent children. There is no glory in this. Just the perversion of a religion. ~ Gee.
.

right on the money. I doubt that jihad extremists and such ilk actually have the ability to manufacture arms and ammo. Manufacturers who supply those fanatics with weapons are as despicable as ISIS. May Allah reward each of them with the meanest, butt-ugliest 72 virgins available in their perverted paradise.
Ali

as all this escalates
drone strikes on the innocent next
for retaliation
once the intensity of war increases
there becomes no rules
no honor only death

a good poem about the sentiments
of many....
why modern equipment was needed
close to the front

thank U

W