Tyler Clemente Poem by John F. McCullagh

At the railing of the bridge,
the water far below.
One step and there is no return-
I fall if I let go.

Standing at the railing now
The cold rain drenches me
And hides these tears upon my face
The world will never see.

One step into eternity-
What stops me letting go?
Such an easy thing to die-
until it's time to go.

Yet why remain to face the shame?
My tormentors are free.
They used a web cam to record
my lover kissing me.

They outed me to all the world
My friends and family know.
How then could I remain at school?
I'm left no place to go.

My phone and wallet on the grate
for the officers to find..
I hope the two who did this thing
are punished for their crime.



Tyler Clemente, a closeted gay man and student at Rutgers University, committed suicide on 09/29/2010 by leaping to his death from the George Washington Bridge. Two fellow students are charged with crimes related to invasion of privacy