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The Other Side
by Megan LangleyI can't bear the sight
Of the cold, scratched glass before me.
My fingertips touch it painfully
As you gently place
Your thin, bony fingers
To the tips of mine,
On the other side.
Tears fall hitting the stainless steel;
My eyes flood,
Turning away from
Your penetrating stare of a distant generation,
Only to find as many
Emotion-wrenching sights here as
On the other side.
I notice the baby girl next to me,
Bare feet tapping the chilled, unwelcoming floor;
She places one tiny foot in front of the other
Again and again,
Until her mother cries
Seeing those first steps
On the other side.
This same innocent child,
Now upon the table top,
Fails to understand
As she clutches for her mother's hands
That press desperately against the glass;
And more hopeless tears fall
On the other side. 09/09/2004 Author's Note: You can see some quite disturbing things when visiting a prison.
Posted on 11/15/2004
Copyright © 2024 Megan Langley
| Member Comments on this Poem |
| Posted by Michelle Angelini on 11/15/04 at 11:16 PM Megan, I knew with the first words what you were talking about before I even reached your comment. Excellent work about something I don't think I've seen overed in poetry. |
| Posted by Sarah Graves on 11/17/04 at 02:05 AM This piece left such a powerful picture in my mind about such confinement and helplessness. Your observations, and the words you use to describe that scene leaves an impact. |
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