In Memorium

its been a year, and the year's been long
without those wond'rous, hallowed halls,
so here again I've writ the song
that gives a voice to those desperate calls

for justice, who's advent none can tell
and whence she'll come, no more.
But though we'd travel through all dammed hell,
we'll find what we're looking for.

On the anniversary of the Eastern fire (or the belated anniversary, i know i'm off by a couple of weeks, but I'm not superman) our hearts go out to the victims of that tragic, malicious arson. Below is a copy of a ballad I wrote in chemistry one day shortly after the event as a sort of poetic memorial. Originally it was going to be a song, but Gray (Grey? how do you spell your name?) has yet to show me the music he was supposed to write...

Without further introduction:

That Eastern Glow

Now listen well and listen good
To what I say I saw
A bright red flame across the sky
Then did the schoolhouse fall

And tears flowed free across the land
And did the poor souls weep
But I reckon one hard-hearted man
Some secrets did he keep

And what he’ll tell I right don’t know
But this at least I’ll say
He knows what caused That Eastern Glow
Upon that fateful day

‘Twas early as the students judged
The sky was dark and gray
A room was filled with chemicals
Had always been that way

Thus as the students walked about
Determined not to learn
They would’ve called a man a fool
If he had said she’ll burn

But as the students tried to sleep
As teachers droned before them
Into the air the lab did leap
And some say it soared o’er them.

Then mighty high the flames did fly
They spread like propaganda
The black-gray smoke near touched the sky
And the heat, it could’ve burned ya

And tears flowed free across the land
And did the poor souls weep
But I reckon one hard-hearted man
Some secrets did he keep

He was the man, who min’tes before
Had sat alone and weary
But as he walked out of that door
A smile shone so eerie

Two beakers sat and bubbled strange
But he paid them no mind
He walked along and out of range
And infamy did find

And what he'll tell I right don't know
But this at least I'll say:
He knows who caused That Eastern Glow
Upon that fateful day