Poetry by Anisha Saripalli, Photography by Steph Strickland
For my dear friend, Carmen Schentrup
–
Voices,
A pitter-patter of sound,
A symphony of words
heard before you’re seen.
Enemies turn the other way
When they hear the music.
I run into your arms,
my friend.
I can hear your voice
In a crowd.
–
February 14th:
A day of love,
A day filled with fear.
Fear of losing a friend, sibling, child,
People we hold near.
I hear their cries,
Anguish fills our town.
17 lives were taken,
17 eagles fell down.
–
Voices,
They surround me.
Try to console me.
Try to ask what happened that day.
I lost your voice,
that sweet song,
While you were in a
classroom that day.
–
March 24th:
A day of fighting.
Across the nation,
using our voices for
The greater good.
Speaking for those who can’t,
whose light was snuffed
before adulthood.
–
Voices,
Singing at the top of their lungs,
enjoying ourselves without you at prom.
Signing letters to your family,
trying not to get distressed.
You would’ve looked
Amazing
in your prom dress.
–
June 3rd:
We close this chapter.
High school ends,
Time for happily ever after.
But not for us,
the Eagles true.
No happily ever after,
if we don’t have you.
–
Voices,
I hear them,
strangers at first.
Hugging me,
welcoming me,
till I burst.
Feeling normal again,
Until I think of you
and remember the pain.
–
I didn’t get to grieve,
had to hide the sadness
To make them believe
that I was strong.
Your goals and dreams are mine too.
I work towards them
To celebrate you.
–
I’m scared
that I’ll forget
Your voice,
that beautiful sound.
I’m scared that I can’t
hear your voice
amongst a crowd.
