Shriveled Wishes
Another cup of coffee,
Another sleepless night,
Another bout of broken dreams,
Another burned out light.
A daughter asleep in the other room,
A mother like a ghost.
A barren fridge, a barren cupboard,
A closet with raggedy coats
The little girl who reaches for
The warmth that isn’t there.
The little girl who makes
The breakfast alone without much care.
What is a house without a home,
Or home without a heart?
What’s a heart without a purpose?
What’s a purpose without a start?
City Life
Crooks leaping though
The streets of a lonely city.
A soul huddled,
Without a companion,
On the corner of Canal and Mott.
Another sleepless night,
Another shattered dream,
Under the umbrella of
Shouting lights and silent taxis,
A muttered sigh is lost
In the chatter of raindrops.
Fionna Du, Age 13, Grade 8, Mark Twain I.S. 239 for the Gifted and Talented, Silver Key