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One Under The Sun

by Tatsuya Hodges
After Kazuo Ishiguro’s Klara and the Sun, spoken as Klara to Josie

I could be tempted to make an opinion, but I digress.
Watching that former prince and princess, their flame aglow, replaced with burning.
A warmth replaced with wrath. Oh, I wish for the Sun’s benevolent kindness.
Youthful joys, youthful love. Springing with an ecstasy that dances in fields.
If only, if only. 
I could see such a bright spring palette and the sway of your dancing legs, lively as petals.
The aging of trees growing taller, you growing smarter and stronger. 
I hope, I hope.
But for now, I’ll stay by your side. I’ll stay your friend, being your guide.
It’s sad to see how love can hurt, love can poison.
Love can turn two into writhing thorns, harden their hearts into closed roses.
But I don’t wish that for you. I wish to see you blossom, to see you glow and shine.
Shine! Shine!
I’ve seen him—the Sun—help others—help me!
I’m sure he can do the same for you.
Have hope, have faith.
You won’t be stuck in that bed forever; you won’t have to leave your life together behind.
Just believe, as I will too, that a special help will come. That your love won’t become “a raisin in the sun”.
I believe it won’t wrinkle and shrivel into what poor adults’ hearts have become.
Yours will grow under his, grow and flower into bright, beautiful blossoms.
Just believe! Just Believe!
For you have something that I don’t, something the world doesn’t see.
The part of you that makes you special, the part of you that makes humanity.
The human heart, that’s what I believe, lets you achieve far beyond the stars that I could see.
So show others your imperishable love. Abounding and healing as water can be.
When you go, I will still be happy—I will always be happy, you loved me.

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1 - Vance
2 - Rick's Mother, Miss Helen

Poet Statement: I am a senior at Decatur High School, currently attending both Creative Writing and AP Literature. I think I'd like to try to step into art and see how far humanity's best attempt at self-expression can take me; we live, we die, we are forgotten, but hope that the endless sprawl of imagination we hold helps others tell their own.

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