Who? Who lit the flame in your beautiful notebook erasing everything you had to say? Who? Who overpowered your heart with so much heat you had to turn cold to erase the pen marks that will only ever stay? Who? Who jumped into your rainbow colored pool and turned it black? Who? Who turned you into the floor and cleaned their shoes with you? A single flower petal can fall off leaving the rest alone...but why does no one ever wonder why the petal felt the need to leave? A boy can break into a girl’s brick walled castle, but why is she called selfish for not wanting to break down her walls. Tall and standing a 5’5 queen, but so sad she’s told to hop in the pit of darkness not knowing she brings light to all. Spaceships were meant to make people fly, but why were we made to believe we don’t have the power to jump in the wind and take flight ourselves? Our minds are like magic, our souls are divine. Who? Who was the one who told us we’re running out of time? My time runs on energy, energy made of goose. I am the ugly black duckling. But what is most important is that you know your worth is much more than that. Your gold is pure...never forget it.
Sarai Murdock
This poem is about society, trauma, the world, and the way people impact our lives/confidence/and mental health. Society often tells us who we are, without giving us the chance to learn that for ourselves. When told something we just believe it, which has to do with the part about flying. We are so much more powerful than we’re told to believe, our minds are stronger than we think. I believe it is extremely important that everyone remembers their worth and remembers how powerful they are.
About Twelve Literary Arts: Twelve Literary Arts is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) literary arts and education organization founded by Executive Artistic Director Daniel Gray-Kontar in 2016. The organization provides literary arts instruction and leadership development to elementary and high school-aged youth while offering an expanded slate of programming to adult poets, writers, and storytellers.
Working in collaboration with other community and arts organizations, Twelve Literary Arts has played a key role in making poetry more accessible to new audiences, developing a cadre of young talent committed to writing in and about Cleveland, and contributing to the local dialogue about the arts and social transformation.
