The sun leaves goodnight kisses like a mother does to her child. The breeze dances across the water’s surface and the waves perform an endless routine that they’ve been practicing for quite a while now. As the sun disappears into oblivion, I sit in my little boat and wonder if she will come back tomorrow. She might be wondering the same about me. As my little boat and I are rocked in the arms of a force that is incomprehensible, I notice stars appearing above my head, one by one until I can’t count anymore. They all seem to swirl or maybe it is I who is swirling and dancing for them. The breeze playfully dashes across my skin to remind me that I am at its mercy and I should treat it as a friend, not a foe. I breathe evenly and sit still in the midst of uncertainty. My boat and I sway back and forth with no resistance. The fiery trail the sun left behind her has begun to dissipate and I see myself in each ray of light in the sky. My boat and I pray she comes again. Free of toxins, free of ridicule, my little boat and I.
Thalia, 17 , is a senior at DeKalb School of the Arts and is a small boat in a vast sea. She can’t swim very well, but she’ll be okay.
Calling all Atlanta Teen Poets – Deadline: March 24
VOX is accepting submissions from poets, rappers, leaders and activists ages 13-19 to represent Atlanta as the 2017 Youth Poet Laureate. To apply, email AtlantaWordWorks@voxatl.org your resume/CV and 5 poems or YouTube links. Find out more from the Atlanta Youth Poet Laureate Promotional Booklet.
A joint program of Urban Word NYC and VOX, this program seeks to identify young writers and leaders who are committed to civic & community engagement, poetry & performance, human relations, diversity, social justice and education across Atlanta.
Along with the prestigious title of Atlanta Youth Poet Laureate
