“Descriptive title! It tells where the poem takes place.” Jessica Santa Clara, age 13
In this poem we take a short look at each character, each one almost desensitized by their work it seems. Colin Butgereit, age 20
the man on crutches,
leg muscles ripped pushing a heavy load—
the woman, teeth clenched,
hand curling & twitching, too many hours
polishing pins—
the grandfather, wrist bound into a stump
where his hand once was—
I really enjoy the line “wrist bound into a stump” as a description for the grandfather's hand . Leah Niemchick, grade 20
the woman, barely more than a girl,
her foot a gauze ball, flesh pierced
a week before by a punching ram—
all look up
as a dust-covered boy in hard hat comes in
wringing his hands,
swinging
Below, “spraying” is a better verb than “flowing” would be. Macabre, but good. Ruth Ott, 12
his arm & groaning, blood spraying out
across the floor—
I like the way the image of the nurses ushering the injured boy into the room is mirrored by the janitor mopping the floor, as if both jobs are meant only to clean and cover things up. Kara Madden, age 20
the nurses meet him there & usher him quickly
to a room where the doctor’s waiting.
here comes the janitor with his mop.
someone sighs. their eyes follow the mop.
"someone sighs. their eyes follow the mop," as if expecting so much more from the boy's entrance. Colin Butgereit, age 20