Deeply saddened by the events that took place April 20th 1999 at Columbine High School, I was inspired to write this poem after seeing a picture of the memorial that was erected on the hill near the High School, to which followed a spiritual dream. Fifteen Crosses stand on the hill one for each of the lives lost.

This poem originally was published in Poems on Life - Poems on Society

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Fifteen Crosses
by Lisa Teller
I had a dream I was kneeling, at fifteen crosses on the hill
Not a whisper from the trees, everything was still,
I felt a sadness in my heart, an empty kind of pain,
Fifteen souls had gone away, only memories remained.
I tried to cry out to ease my grief,
Lifted my hands to heaven, prayed God's relief.
Not a sound or a word, emptiness abounds,
My sorrow overcoming, I began to drown.
Such bitter suffocation, I wish someone could hear,
Why we let this happen , in my dream nothing was clear.
I shook my fist to heaven and begged for reasons why,
But only silence spoke, offering no reply.
No sound came from my lips even as I screamed,
I prayed it's just a nightmare, an awful kind of dream.
Then I heard a choir of angels beckoning from above.
"The world is reaping hatred,"
"Because the world's not sowing love."
"You should embrace each other's differences no matter what they may be,"
"And enlighten each other with the hope of peace and unity."
When the angel finished speaking, she ended with a sigh,
Gazing down at fifteen crosses of fifteen souls who said goodbye.
Then the heavens opened up, the angels giving way,
up to the gates of heaven, Amazing grace began to play.
And as they left this Earthly realm the angels were downhearted looking
back at fifteen crosses of the recently departed.
A soft rain began falling, but no cloud was in the sky,
Then Jesus whispered to me, "This is how the angels cry."
© 1999 Lisa Teller Please respect the rights of the author and Passions in Poetry. If you would like to use this poem on your own web page, please contact the Author. Thank you.
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14 Visitor Comments (from the Voting form)
  • Caroline
    Well written and deeply touching. Keep up the good work.
  • amber
    This poem touched me in a way that no poem ever has. a lot have made me cry and a lot have made me laugh but this one just made me think that this world has turned in to nothin but evil and hatred. and it showed me that life really is short. but it also made me realize that live life like you we're really diein bc tomorrow might be your last day. and you don't want to do die bein lonely and sad so always smile bc you never know whos fallin in love with it.
  • Lauren
    this poem is so0o0o0o sweet, i could never write anything like this!
  • Jessica
    great ending. powerful message. I was always told the rain was why the angels cry and I still didn't expect it. Great job
  • paulina
    it was just beautiful
  • Linda
    Wow.. that poem was in one word: amazing.. especially the last two sentences.. they really moved me. I'm from Holland and things are different in schools here, but I've heard of incidents that happen in the USA and they really make me angry too. I hope that there will come a day when everyone will see what they're really doing and this world will be a better place. until then we'll just have to keep writing poems for the people to read and maybe they'll get hit with this terrible truth.
  • Ashley
    I really liked your poem. I wish that people could just realize how much it hurts to be put down everyday. Or to not have many friends because of who you are or how you look. Everyone is equal, no matter what. And everyone needs to realize that. Again I would like to say thank you.
  • Oliel
    Lia Fail's poem was very moving. The last line or two about it raining without clouds in the sky reminded me of a saying I've heard that says it's always a good thing when it rains at a funeral because it means that the person who passed was a good person and even God is grieving their death.
  • Malinda
    This is a truly beautiful poem. I enjoyed it very much. You capture the feel of your subject perfectly. You have a wonderful talent. Keep it up.
  • Lindsay
    It was very touching
  • Lauz
    This was SO great! It was really moving and very well written. It moved me very much and I'm an Australian and could feel her pain. Lia, you did awesomely...
  • cruz
    You did a very good job and I think it's awesome how the angels cry such gargantuous tears
  • Kelly
    I loved your poem... My cousin goes to columbine right now..and I know if she had been there last year... i don't know how i could have handled the stresses when she was in the school with the shooters I feel so much for the peoples famlies who had lost loved ones... My heart goes out to them all... My prayers are always with them
  • Christ
    I love this poems. It keeps you wondering whats gonna happen next and its story is so dramatic!
All Visitor Comments on this poem have been posted by people who wanted to let the author know the poem touched their hearts. If you would like to leave a comment of your own, please Vote for this poem.