Poetry

They say it's for the civilians 

when they kidnap citizens. 

What they mean is 

"For civilians like us." 

They tell us to be civil 

Renee Good just wanted to go home

To her kids

6, 12, and 15

I've watched the video

I didn't want to

But I needed to see for myself if she really tried to run the agent over

She didn't

I was a room with the lights turned low,

Curtains drawn so no one could see

The cracks in the walls, the quiet ache,

The fear that I was too broken to be free.

I learned to build myself in layers,

Being a dreamer is hard, for all of us. All the authors, poets, musicians, and artists.

For those who aren’t any of these let me explain it for you.

i sit on the classroom floor.

the room is dark and cold.

i press my back against the wall.

the door is barricaded with a chair.

my teacher stands in front of it, as

Since I could eat, I have loved eating. Since I could open

my mouth and shriek for sustenance I have been in love with food.

And it has always loved me back -

tacos, grilled cheese, steak, sushi, matzo ball soup,

it takes me

my arms daring to surround you in the comfort of a hand sewn quilt

patched together with culture, stories, memories, love

it takes you

taking hold, not running; letting the tears fall down your face

I am speechless.

All the bullshitting and lies 

from our government.

OUR government.

They say that they are protecting us.

That's not what I see,

"Don't believe your eyes."

Eighty-three

out of

one hundred

and ten.

One hundred 

and four

out of one hundred

and ten.

We contrast starkly

I look like a beginner on paper

I am scared

Because my best friend is not ok anymore and is moving across the country

Because I don’t know if I will succeed in college and I ignored so many things on my to-do list

The snow was melting

when you talked to me

when they talked to you

when we stood with them

and their thinning perfume

their black backpacks

their straightened hair

their plans of the ride home.

In this whole world,

Snow and sun and metal and yet

You pick me?

Your favorite,

first in the morning and last at night

sometimes I think you’re foolish

the way you’ve placed me among the stars