A Sestina
From miles away it could be heard: a laugh.
It bubbled from her throat, surrounded the room and bounced out the window.
Only one person in the world could provoke it: her husband.
To him her laugh was the most melodious music.
There was only one creature whose tune could compare, the song of a bird.
But, if you looked beneath the laughter, another sound could be heard: crying.
He thought that she showed weakness by crying,
So instead she covered the pain with a laugh.
She often longed to be as free as a bird.
Day by day, she watched him fly, through the window.
When the pain was too much and the bruises began to show she turned to music.
It was all because of one man: her husband.
She couldn’t leave him, he was, as he put it, “her husband”.
He became more violent when he heard her crying.
He took away the only thing that gave her comfort: her music.
So all she could do was laugh.
She was trapped; she watched her life pass her by through the window.
Oh, how she envied him so, absolute freedom, the life of a bird.
She wished with all her heart that she could fly away. If only she was a bird.
The man that was supposed to love her caused her pain: her husband.
He hated to see her looking out of the window.
He hated to see her crying.
He hated to hear her laugh.
He hated to hear her music.
So she told the world of her pain, she did it in music.
She wrote songs, many about the bird.
She pretended to be happy, covered the bruises and replaced the tears with a laugh.
It was all a façade, a show for his friends; her husband.
But when she was alone, she spent half of her time crying.
And the other half looking out of the window.
It was what trapped her from the outside; a single glass window.
This too she wrote in her music.
Then the treatment got worse and she couldn’t seem to stop crying.
She no longer watched the bird.
Because he boarded up the window: her husband.
The pain was now too much to bear; she couldn’t cover it with a laugh.
Now she’s free to watch the bird all day long. But she watches him from a different window.
One that looks down from up above. She’s in a place where music plays all day long; sweet harmonies. Her husband? He’s the reason she’s not here crying on earth anymore. Her trace still remains, it can be heard from the heavens: a laugh.
Poem 2: Loneliness
Loud crowd
Shadow of a nobody
deserted,
surrounded within.
Ghosts of memory SCREAMING for love
nobody acknowledges
whispered misery of a quiet, secret shadow.
Divided and lost
hates their detachment
worlds away, never closer
fragile, scared, needing company
despises the closed world that
deserts the eccentric
never loved, ever
lonely.
From: “To Kill a Mockingbird” by Harper Lee
Poem 3: The Cry of a Child
That sound,The sound of a whimper,
A cry,
Why?
Can you hear it?
Can you see it?
The cry,
Of a child.
Alone?
Why?
Can you hear it?
Can you see it?
The fear,
The fear of a child,
Lingering alone in the darkness.
Why?
Can you hear it?
Can you see it?
Death,
The putrid smell,
Ridding the child of its childhood,
The child that is alone,
The child that knows fear,
The child that lingers in the darkness,
Why?
Can you hear it?
Can you see it?
That sound,
The sound of nothing at all,
The wind still,
The moonlight hidden,
A putrid smell where flies gather,
A horrid place no person should live.
The child,
The child that is alone,
The child that knows fear,
The child that lingers in the darkness of this place,
The child that see’s death,
The child that has its childhood,
Its home,
Family,
and Life,
Taken away.
Why?
Can you hear it?
Can you see it?
Can you?
Hear its final whimper?
Its final heart beat,
Lost forever in the darkness of the night
Can you hear it?
Did you hear it?
Can you see it?
Did you see it?
You know why,
You know how,
You know so much,
You sit back,
and watch the child,
The child that is alone,
The child that knows fear,
The child that lingers in the darkness,
Die.
What are you going to do about it?
Poem 4: Rain (Love)
I used to believe that the fresh smell
(I used to believe that the certain look
That came into the air at the start of a summer thunderstorm
That came over your face when our eyes met
Was magic.
Was love).
I was so naive then.
Someone had to tell me
(You had to tell me
That it was only the smell
That it was only the look
Of dust getting wet.
Of you feeling sorry for me).
Ignorance is bliss.
Poem 5: “Real Eyes. Realize. Real Lies”
In life
We learn to close our eyes and hold our tongue
To disregard
Bloodshed that has begun
They’re too predictable for surprises
Mass murders, they don’t know where to hide it
Hearts as heavy as lead
Tears too dry to shed
If your mouths had tongues
And your ears could hear
Screams on the other side
Would be quite near
Money and power and control
Then you wanted freedom
But you already sold them your soul
Living under the command of suppressors
Never happy unless they suppress us
Our people are like
A ship with no captain
A car with no driver
With no one to blame
We went against each other
A face without expression
A conversation with no words
No sense of direction
‘Cause that’s what they prefer
We’ll know a definition
Only if the television
Tells us it.
They dictated our lives
What we should eat
Dictated our schedules
Right down to our sleep
At the end, money can buy power
But it can’t buy respect.
And if God says Justice
Hopeful prayers He will accept
*Real eyes will realize real lies.
Poem 6: Silhouette of a Hope
teeth flashing white
from mahogany faces
scent of sun-warmed hair
dusty and sweet
hands clasped, tugged, guided.
remind me, I can't recall
who is the giver, and who is being taught?
wisely innocent caught in limbo
simultaneously rooted through rejected by the country of their blood
dust-worn feet by the burden denied by the country of their birth
of what life has dealt them they don't exist
and buoyed up by the and yet they do
strength of their smiles
I wonder
have they ever dreamed of
escape?
who has decided that they must pay the price
for a debt they've never owed?
Tiny hand on my arm
outlined, dark on light
like the silhouette
of a bird, a hope,
dark against the rising sun
Poem 7: Untitled
Look at me, love
Would I lie to you?
It’s gone too far, now
Give up the fight
When the lights go out
And the only sound is your own heartbeat
Is it then that you crumble?
Your foes are gone
You’re battling yourself, now
Your life is waiting
Why can’t you live it?
Poem 8: Cruise
In my car
In my car
For miles
I want to drive far
In my car
The windows down low
I don't drive slow
The music up loud
Feel the wind blow
I see a farmer in his field he mow
I have an open road
The weather is not cold
The sun is up high
I drive bold
I have no load
I feel free
No one to stop me
As I come to the corner
Another car I see
I wave to thee
I have a passion
No it's not fashion
It's to drive fast
I hit the stretch and start dashing
I have this passion
In my car
In my car
For miles
I want to drive far
In my car
Poem 9: Trapped Inside
This world can be a hurtful place
Makes you put a mask on your face
They make you hide who you are
And the truth feels so far
They tell you who to be
They have you on your knees
If they make you pretend
They are not your true friend
Don't be who they want you too
Be who you want, be you
Let your true self out
It will help your tears drought
You think people don't care
But saying that isn't fair
You wont be liked by everyone
But to certain people you shine like the sun
So I'll end my poem here
Hopefully my truth is near
Don't keep it all inside
There is nothing you should hide
Poem 10: The One We Once Knew
We stare across this bridge,
searching for the person we once knew.
We see this familiar face,
maybe it's you?
same eyes,
same hair,
same skin,
same feel,
but it isn't you.
We frantically search,
for each other.
Only to find,
an odd outsider.
The one we once recongnized,
is now this outsider in disgrace.
We now stand side by side.
No longer do we speak,
No longer do we laugh.
All we do is beg for our past.
All the fears soon return,
the tears continue to burn.
Now nothing but a memory,
You don't know how much this pains me.
I no longer know you.
You no longer know me.
What does that make us be?
Poem 11: The World
Some people think the world is dangerous and unsafe
but to others they think it has yet to be discovered
Its still holding every memory and secret that many people could want to know
and have been working to know.
The world is an amazing and exisiting place
and its also one of a kind just like the amazing people that explore it.
Poem 12: Parents
Parents are angels sent from above.
That keep us smiling and alos love,
When I'm sad I know God's watching,
But with parents, their hearts do the talking.
Without us knowing, they do so much,
They give us the feeling of care with touch,
When it's pouring rain and feeling sad,
It's parents that cheer you up, my mom and dad.
For all the times they tried so hard,
To love, to protect, to be our guard,
We, as the children, should try to give back,
The sweetness of life, that parents impact.
Everytime we don't trust a person,
All situations just seem to worsen.
For God created a mother and a father,
So our life would be perfect, with no bother.
It takes care to love a family,
Even when life, isn't so dandy,
We should try to notice little more,
That it's parents that make life worth counting for.
Poem 13: The COURAGEOUS Voice
Strong Heart
Self-belief
Speaks to mind
Fists down
Head held high
Sacrificing fights
Confronting fearful words
Defending truth
It's real courage
From "To Kill a Mockingbird" by Harper Lee
Poem 14: Traitor
Secretly ashamed
devil.
Sinking pathetically
deeper.
Masked betrayer.
Fear.
Fear.
Fear.
Countrys
ruining individual.
Sharp knife
cutting
against countries.
From: "Cue for Treason" by Geoffrey Trease
Poem 15: Treason
Dangerous
Sneering, Dark
Devil, enemy, revenge
Rattled, rough, broken, tough
Destroying, dumbfounded, mighty, serious
Sickening, torture, convicted, mischief, fool
Unearthy, tranquil, incriminating, conspiracy
Bad, trouble, unfortuate
Bottomless, unpleasant
Murdered
From: "Cue for Treason" by Geoffrey Trease
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