Innocent Blood
by Luan Kryeziu, junior at Roosevelt High School
A bomb goes off
Three are dead
A mother
A child
A newlywed
A woman prays across the street
As shards of earth fall at her feet
“Bismillah irahman irahim”
Around her other prayers begin
She remembers the days of great joy
Marriage and her new son
Today there is not husband, no child
Today she wonders, “Is there no God?”
Her burka no longer covers her face
Her fears are for her family, not disgrace
A bomb goes off
Three are dead
A mother
A child
A newlywed
“Baruch atah Adonai”
The prayer of a young boy
Bar Mitzvah tallit stained
With blood, fear and pain
He thinks of his family
And where they have gone
As he stumbles over debris
Gone, gone, like God perhaps?
Who would want to see him cry?
Who would want to watch him die?
A bomb goes off
Three are dead
A mother
A child
A newlywed
“Danki Vader vir die antwoodre op al hierdie gebede”
Witness to a human stampeded
White with ash, his ebony skin
Victim of a heinous sin
A young man so newly wed
His fears are for his new wife
He prays harder than he runs
And he doesn’t know where he is going
The world around him makes no sense
He is lost, along with innocence
Scream about the world’s evil
Ring your glory bell
Teach and preach about
The fires of hell
But the fighting must end
And peace be embraced
Until that happens
You’re a frightening face
· · ·
N.Y. Presbyterian – Mental Ward
by Rosa Cardoso, Roosevelt High School
I was just fine when I got there…
I watched Marylou cry about how 74 lbs. was the perfect weight
While having Ryan’s hearty laughter pierce my ears
Stomping through the ghostly colorless hallways,
While wearing a snow white robe that breathed like cotton
Pacing back and forth into my room…009
Staring out the steel bar guarded window,
Out into the lively garden
Gazing at the bees swarming over the neatly planted daisies
Like a giant wave rising at the beach
Plopping down on the worn out blue sofa
And staring blankly at the bare ceiling
As if there was something there
All while the nurse calls out for meds
Wondering if the cow really did jump over the moon
Or if there really is such a thing as green eggs and ham
Understanding Cassandra’s rage as she alone
Is given a tranquilizer and put in restraints
All because she was kicking the walls…again
Growing weary after walking up and down
And through the blank corridors
Waiting….
Waiting….for what is supposed to come
The big strong men in blue rush in to take me
To the doctor’s office
Where all stare at me like hungry dogs
They question my thoughts, my actions
“Why am I so dangerously angry? Why?”
I tell them the crap they want to hear
I blame my anger on sticking out like a sore thumb
Cursing them in my cloudy thoughts
That wonder about in my mind
All while I tell them how I’m getting better
When I know that there was nothing wrong with me to begin with
At last the imbeciles tell me about the progress I’ve made
Patting themselves on the back for helping me get through it all
Fucking idiots…..
Looking around the campus
Taking a last look at the blue sky before I am put back into the small cottage
Walking onto my floor
Where 12 sets of eyes question me
Question if I’m going to be let go into the freedom of the world
No….they won’t let me go
No…
No..
Disappointed…enraged
What’s wrong?
What’s wrong with me?
I take the sedating medications
Eat the dog shit they call food
Participate in all the depressing group meetings that they have
I’ve kissed their asses and all for what?!
To be told that they won’t let me go!!!!
What am I to do?
Taking in the images of the rain small as ladybugs collect
On the windowsill
Forming little puddles
That if you look hard enough,
Look like happy faces
That is if you look hard enough though
The hot summer days passed
Welcoming the warm bright orange colored leaves…
Once again the strong men in blue come for me
They tell me that they’ve got great news
· · ·
Hot Legs in High Heels
by Marcia Artiles, junior at Roosevelt High School
Hot legs in high heels
Black stockings struttin’ my stuff
Hey boy, walk with me
I’m hardened, mad worn out and
My feet is feeling the pain
In honor of the Sarah Lawrence College Poetry Festival’s landmark fifth year, the festival partnered with Roosevelt High School in Yonkers, NY to showcase local high school talent. A school-wide poetry contest was held, and out of the many submissions, three were chosen to read at the Festival.
These three: “Innocent Blood” by junior Luan Kryeziu, “N.Y. Presbyterian – Mental Ward” by junior Rosa Cardoso and “Hot Legs in High Heels” by junior Marcia Artiles, were read at the Festival’s opening.