Student Publishing Program ::

Lana Kim

Mystic Creature

The diminutive ragged creature
Lay on the ground,
Helpless,
Desperate,
and holding onto every last breath.

Its weathered gray feathers were gently enclosed
Over its delicate shivering body,
Despondent in its last moments.

Two confused and horrified sets of eyes
Peered upon it,
Not knowing what to do or how to help.
Unable to reach out to the deserted newborn,
they ambiguously walked away.

A desolate desire to cry for help
But no strength to emote the plea.
Only to hear the deep clamourous footsteps
Approach and then disappear.

Left alone in the blazing sunshine,
The last whispers escaped from the beak.
Remaining warmth began to rush out of the chilling body,
And everything suddenly started to fade away.
In the distance was the cheerful laughter of a child
And the loud grumbling of a car passing by.
The immense pain from the fall, the yearning for a chance to live,
To soar, and to escape slowly deteriorated.

The foolish people finally returned to the creature’s deathbed,
Only to find an empty remnant.
Nothing lingered,
Not a feather,
Not a death,
Not a trace of life.

Whatever happened to that defenseless bird?
Did it disappear into thin air or miraculously fly away?
To this day the answer is unknown,
but we’ll leave the mysteries of life
Up to the one who is watching over us.

[TABLE OF CONTENTS, LHS CLASS OF 2011 EDITION]