Perception Spring 2023

Sophie Clinton | Mixed Media (Newspaper, Pencil)
Family Portrait
New World
Carly Cernek
Officials believe they should act now
Until today, they sat and watched us fall apart
What once was contained spreads like wildfire
Stores closed, schools long gone–what’s next?
Anger in the streets; people are finally breaking
We haven’t heard any news in a long time
Our world balances on the edge of catastrophe
On the street, I see a mother abandon her child
The margin of error now is very thin
The child is crying now, tears blurring his infant face
I watch from my window and try
To remember what life used to be,
But I am drowning under the child’s tears.
An announcement wails from loudspeakers
It tells us not to panic; order will be restored soon
People don’t seem to hear, they keep on running
And burning and killing and screaming
And on the street the child has now disappeared
122 | Perception
Spring 2023 | 123