shout out to the largest organ on the body;

a jewel of melanin and sunlight,

where rifts have been driven through,

marked up like tiger stripes.

housing our souls in armor

battered from time’s pain,

it has embraced the clumped earth

and slept on the ocean floor,

reaching outwards from the bloody west

to the hollow east.

though familiar with metal’s tongue, 

it still dances in glitter

for its light illuminates my mind, 

has shown me futures where I

can step through that same gate, 

and revel in sharing the worlds I create.

it has walked, shouted, praised, and hollered

what an elastic thing

as our permanent fixture, a shield,

from the water’s grip and the tight rope clips

as our reminder, 

for it’s no mere shadow in the mirror

it’s a lens, 

and we are afraid of it.

Angel Benjamin is in eleventh grade and lives in the old state of Maryland. Her work was recognized for the first time by the Scholastic Art and Writing Awards for regional awards. She likes to create worlds, both imaginary and real.

Visual Arts by Audrey Carver