[Susan McLean]

I don't think I workshopped this poem here. I wrote it soon after the events described in it, but it took a while to see print.

https://assesofparnassus.tumblr.com/...read-than-dead

Susan

[Gail White]

That got her number!

[Martin Rocek]

Good one, Susan!

[Sarah-Jane Crowson]

Oooh, that's good.

Sarah-Jane

[Julie Steiner]

I find it very sad.

Pro-Trump protester who was crushed to death in Capitol riot carried "Don't tread on me" flag
Salon
JANUARY 9, 2021

Rosanne Boyland, 34, was among four of President Donald Trump's supporters who died Wednesday inside the Capitol after breaking inside to disrupt the congressional certification of Joe Biden's win, and her family blames the president she fervently backed, reported WGCL-TV.

"Rosanne was really passionate about her beliefs like a lot of people," said her brother-in-law Justin Cave. "I've never tried to be a political person, but it's my own personal belief that the president's words incited a riot that killed four of his biggest fans [Wednesday] night, and I believe that we should invoke the 25th Amendment at this time."

Boyland was knocked to the ground and crushed as crowds breached the Capitol, according to Axios, and suffered a fatal medical emergency.

"As we watched these awful events unfold we hoped that Rosanne was not among the crowd," Cave said. "Tragically she was there and it cost her life. We have little information at this time and we are waiting with the rest of the world to uncover the specifics."

The Kennesaw woman was photographed walking Washington, D.C., streets before the breach carrying a Revolutionary War-era flag that shows a timber rattlesnake coiled and ready to strike, threatening, "Don't tread on me."

"People were in there to start stuff, but it wasn't supposed to be a violent event," said friend Justin Winchell. "They basically created a panic, and the police, in turn, pushed back on them, so people started falling."

"I put my arm underneath her and was pulling her out and then another guy fell on top of her, and another guy was just walking [on top of her]," Winchell added. "There were people stacked 2-3 deep…people just crushed."

Friends and family say Boyland had become consumed with QAnon conspiracy theories and hatred for Biden, and they lamented they'd been unable to stop her from going to Washington or obsessing about online conspiracies.

"I hope this is a wake-up call to everybody, check in on your friends," said friend Sarah Lewis. "We've all watched her decline, and go on these rabbit-trails. I can tell you that she had some demons (in the past) and she had some problems, but she found her purpose in taking care of her little nieces, and she's been good to them. And she's been real good to my children.... I don't know why she did this, it don't make a lot of sense, if you know her you know how little sense this makes."

[Susan McLean]

I find it sad and ironic at the same time. Capturing strong but mixed feelings is one of the things poetry does best.

Susan