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.