who were you
                                                                                         before you were hurt?

what puts you to sleep at night?
what gets you out of bed in the morning?

what do you listen to when you're sad?
what do you listen to when you think of me?

what do you think of the color of the sky?
what do you think of the meanings of clouds?

do you look at the stars and think of me?
do you care if i look at the stars and think of you?

whats your favorite scent?
what smells remind you of time with me?

do you think about the meaning of our lives?
do you think about how out of seven billion and counting people
you're the one i fell in love with?

who was it - walking down the school corridor?

a Spanish teacher?

an honors student?

a football player?

you'll never know; you didn't care.

did it feel good,
mister shooter?
to pull the trigger on

a mother?

a best friend?

a boyfriend?

to take the lives of family and friends and lovers of innocent people?

was seeing those who have hurt you
suffer by your hand
worth a life behind bars?


16 years old

yet you think you have the right to take away life?

i sit unbothered
as my insides have become
artfully intertwined into knots
so much so my sweet dearest grand-mother could
crochet a winter quilt with these guts of mine

how i wish our public educational system
would have enlightened our youth

enlightened us

enlightened us, that there would be days such as this
brooke constantino

Pay your obeisance to the Lord,
you'll be paid back with prosperity.

The priest towers above the throngs of devotees.

Within the Lord's precinct is a rush for repentance
the arrogant bows down here
the wealthy falls on the ground
the poor renews plea.

The priest preys on their prayer
the Lord's coffer is full.

In that heavenly scene,
all sins are forgotten.