And from my house of brick

And from my house of brick - Xunyi Zhao (North Broward Preparatory School, 11th Grade)

And from my house of brick

I watch wolves blow out lives like birthday candles

through blue-lit windows we watch

them divide the cake

as they wish.

we protest just enough to be heard

and ignored.

the man says instead of begging, I’m singing

his song is pitchy and desperate and begs to be noticed

we avert ourselves

shepherd our consciences

out of the subway car

I wanted to say I see you

wanted to offer at least a smile

unsure how to open the door

after a lifetime in the safe house

and remember, this is where people are

pushed off platforms and choked to death and set on fire

and I am a woman which simplifies nothing

and the wolves are always shifting

between those who will always choose

to blow out candles to wolf down cakes

to blow down houses to wolf down pigs

and those who work from birth

but still end up drawing the short straws and sticks

who remain unhoused against the huffing and puffing

because the runt bears the brunt

and maybe moonlighting and fighting

tooth and nail to survive

makes for jaws and claws and

howling at the injustices of this world.

as the man leaves I wonder if I too could sing for a stoic audience

or if being treated as less than human

would first mystify and then monstrify me—

we are a pack

of witnesses

watching wherever these

werewolves

prowl

wondering once in a while

about once upon a time

when they

weren’t

wolves.