#12 - April 16th, 2007 - Allie Frazier

For a few hours on this day 8 years ago, my family could not get a hold of my older sister, who studied at Virginia Tech and lived in the dorm that the first shooting took place and also took foreign language classes (where the second shooting happened.) This was the moment when I thought I had lost my sister forever. My family was lucky, but 32 others were not. Thinking about them all tonight.

 --------------

April 16th, 2007
Allie Frazier

In the few seconds it took me to read the text,
the lunchroom 

transformed.
The sharp sounds of hundreds of 
easy-breathing teens 
eating
morphed into a dull, quiet constant and 
as my friends continued silently 

speaking
laughing
living,

I 
was far removed in my frozen fear.

I could only think of the picture hanging on my grandparents' fridge--
Two sisters laughing from the coolness of an old tin bucket,
heavenly in the heat of a summer's day.
My older sister,
arm around me,
grinning up at the camera,

happy
living
breathing
but most importantly,

safe
within the old tin walls of time.
                                                                                                                                                -2009

#11 For Women Who Are Difficult to Love - Warsan Shire

Thank you to my dear friend, Bre, for introducing this incredible poem to me. So poignent in my life right now. I love this so much. The ending is just....... so so good. "you can't make homes out of human beings..."

For Women Who Are Difficult To Love

Warsan Shire

you are a horse running alone
and he tries to tame you
compares you to an impossible highway
to a burning house
says you are blinding him
that he could never leave you
forget you
want anything but you
you dizzy him, you are unbearable
every woman before or after you
is doused in your name
you fill his mouth
his teeth ache with memory of taste
his body just a long shadow seeking yours
but you are always too intense
frightening in the way you want him
unashamed and sacrificial
he tells you that no man can live up to the one who
lives in your head
and you tried to change didn’t you?
closed your mouth more
tried to be softer
prettier
less volatile, less awake
but even when sleeping you could feel
him traveling away from you in his dreams
so what did you want to do love
split his head open?
you can’t make homes out of human beings
someone should have already told you that
and if he wants to leave
then let him leave
you are terrifying
and strange and beautiful
something not everyone knows how to love

#10 i have found what you are like - e. e. cummings

i have found what you are like
the rain,

            (Who feathers frightened fields
with the superior dust-of-sleep. wields

easily the pale club of the wind
and swirled justly souls of flower strike

the air in utterable coolness

deeds of green thrilling light
                                  with thinned

newfragile yellows

                      lurch and.press

—in the woods
                      which
                              stutter
                                        and

                                              sing
And the coolness of your smile is
stirringofbirds between my arms;but
i should rather than anything
have(almost when hugeness will shut
quietly)almost,
                  your kiss