Sestina of Electric Arches by Michelle Williams

This piece was authored by Michelle Williams, a Marian alum in the Women's College Partnership program.

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Appreciation for your life in a story,

Catapulting my mind through your sense of time

Lines vivid and dripping with truth

Images of pain coupled with ode to a friend

A desperate search through darkness for peace

Constantly tormented by hate’s verbal knife.

The serrated edges of your oyster knife

Illuminate the ugly facets of this world’s story

Focused on self, unable to restore peace

Ignorance so bliss, await another time

When the one you thought was a friend

Makes racist comments revealing their truth.

Like fake news, lies our new truth

Smiling faces, digging deep, blades of knife

Feigning concern much like a friend

Collecting data to use in their next big story

Violating sanctity of your vulnerable time

While you beg for just a little bit of peace.

Destructed world copping pleas for peace

Lay down your gauntlet, start with truth

Division caused by hatred over time

Racism, Sexism, Classism, violent as a butcher knife

Only selfless, unconditional love can change this story

Open embrace like you do a friend.

Invite your neighbor, call him friend

Forgive all wrongs, agree to peace

Remove hatred from beginning story

Restore desire for real truth

Put in sheath the vicious knife

Start over with love this time.

Beauty found in fragments of time

Laughing, tears streaming, cheeks with closest friend

Love penetrating deeper than knife

Moments linger with blissful peace

Certain of one infallible truth

Always chance to re-write story.

To you and your friend who seek peace,

It’s time, dull knife, speak truth

Be the new story!