gangs glamorised on the street

youths hooded with designer feet

blades set to cut human meat

loaded weapons no thought to heat

a child murdered in his bed

bastard bullet through the head

why

just because someone said

one kid’s glory leaves another dead 

long ago they were innocent

life so sweet a luring scent

inbred badness or badness lent

by need greed or lack of rent

© Liola Lee 2007

I wrote this poem some 12 years ago when a 15 year old boy was shot dead in his bedroom in an apparently gangland-style killing in Peckham, South East London. There have been numerous stabbings and gang related incidences in recent times, and they are on the increase. We as a society need to sort this out. These senseless killings need to be stopped.