Virginia Polytech Poem by Lee Crowell

The mountains of Virginia
is where I took my bride.
I slipped a ring on her finger
in the rolling countryside.
Virginia is for lovers.
We knew it would be a great ride.
In the spirit of the hokies
that theory was applied.

Twenty-four years later
came a rumbling from the hill.
A young man bought two handguns
and took out a license to kill.
Thirty-two were taken,
ripped from the campus heart.
Then he cut down his own life
leaving Blacksburg torn apart.

The authorities explained it,
how nothing could have been done.
The experts all explained it,
saying something should have been done.
God knows the student body
was afflicted with disease.
and you can be sure it ain't a cure
to give out posthumous degrees.

The mountains of Virginia
is where I took my bride.
We lost good brothers and sisters
in the blue ridge countryside.