2012 Creative Writing Contest 2nd Place Winner: Emma Snavely

 

Emma Snavely

Seattle, WA

 

Crossing the Line

It’s time to cross

If it doesn’t work

All will be lost

 

America! Land of the free!

My mother says

That’s where we’ll be

 

If we can cross

If it doesn’t work

All will be lost

 

I don’t want to go back

Life was hard

We lived in a shack

 

We need to cross

If it doesn’t work

All will be lost

 

My father died

He was getting a place

For us to hide

 

We are determined to cross

If it doesn’t work

all will be lost

 

We must hide in this wagon of pine

If not, there is no hope in

Crossing the line

 

 

This One Boat

 

Cramped

Barely space to breathe

Sour smell in the air

This is the price of being free

 

We are garbage

Outcasts

Rejects

Alone

But we will be free

 

We are huddled

Blankets

Are not warm enough

What keeps us warm is the fire

Burning inside us

We are almost free

 

The giant woman greets us

You are going to be free!

She promises

 

We are survivors

Of our war laden country

We can survive this

 

Family members lost

In war

 

We will do this

Not for us,

For them

 

Memories

Fear

Love

Sadness

Compassion

All on this one cramped boat