Harris and Klebold
Let's workshop this poem about how a potential escape from homicidal possession lies in realizing that no act of destruction will be as impactful as intended—a truth whose facing often spells suicide
scent of the day: Beach Hut Man, by Amouage. A mint-and-ivy fragrance of near radioactive verdancy and oomph, Beach Hut Man hits the ground running with grass-and-peas galbanum together with a few cooling mint leaves and even fewer sweet petals of orange blossom pestled in a mortar out of which within minutes blooms a barbershop ivy that at first teeters on getting too soapy (Irish Spring)—an ivy whose cells are so water-engorged that, with the help of rainforest floor foot-rot dampness (dewy moss, dank patchouli), it seems to creep up and around the scent-bubble walls, creating a machete-trail jungle impression that goes more into a peaty bog impression (no doubt reinforced by the Irish Spring connection) as smokey-sweet-resinous elements (vetiver, myrrh, patchouli) become more prominent and the humidity levels drop (never to the point of foliage browning) from the peppery contribution of dry woods like cedar and sandalwood.
Harris and Klebold One of the only moves left, if any, in the homicidal throes of demon-merger possession is to face a truism that, in facing (as you will anyway), almost inevitably spells suicide: that, since the world will go on, the result will never be as dark as you intend it to be.
That last stanza, though!
“Harris and Klebold” examines the nihilistic psyche of the perpetrators of the Columbine massacre, situating their violence within the framework of "demon-merger possession"—a metaphorical concept describing the dissolution of individual will into a collective malevolent force. The poem identifies a critical moment of reckoning for such individuals, when their homicidal frenzy confronts an immutable truth: the world persists despite their efforts to plunge it into darkness. This existential futility, described as a "truism," serves as a mirror to the perpetrators' own internal chaos, forcing them to grapple with the limitations of their destructive power.
The poem’s opening lines describe the perpetrators’ state of mind as being in the "homicidal throes," a phrase that suggests not merely an act of violence but a possession-like loss of agency, wherein their identities are subsumed by the urge to merge with a demonic entity or ideology. This framing highlights the paradoxical desire to annihilate the world while simultaneously asserting their own significance. The use of "demon-merger" invokes both a literal and figurative possession, suggesting their actions were driven by a confluence of personal rage and societal alienation, channeling these forces into a destructive yet ultimately futile climax.
The poem’s central insight emerges in the acknowledgment of the world's resilience: "the result will never be / as dark as you intend it to be." This realization undercuts the perpetrators' intent, revealing the inherent limits of their actions. By attempting to impose their darkness on the world, they are inevitably met with the failure of their ultimate goal—obliteration. The futility of this endeavor becomes an unbearable weight, one that "almost inevitably spells suicide." The poem refrains from moralizing, instead probing the psychological and existential tensions that lead to such acts, suggesting that the realization of this futility contributes to the suicidal impulses that often accompany mass violence.
By framing this reckoning as a "move," the poem subtly critiques the perpetrators' sense of agency and strategy, positioning their ultimate act of self-destruction as a response to their inability to achieve the radical negation they desire. The use of "move" also evokes a chess-like calculation, underscoring the cold logic that underpins their actions while simultaneously highlighting its inherent failure to account for the enduring complexity of the world they seek to destroy.
In essence, "Harris and Klebold" functions as a meditation on the intersection of nihilism, violence, and existential futility. It presents a chilling portrait of individuals consumed by their desire for annihilation yet thwarted by the world’s inherent persistence, exposing the tragic irony at the heart of such acts: the impossibility of achieving total darkness in a world that continues to turn.
Harris and Klebold, nihilism, mass violence, existential futility, demon-merger possession, homicidal throes, societal alienation, psychological reckoning, suicidal impulses, destruction limits, Columbine massacre.