Xenophobia is a one-eyed monster,
the fear is so debilitating
that home is all the world one needs.
But when fear of strangers turns to prejudice
against people from other countries,
it's time to analyze the problem at its root.
When do we stop feeding the hate
that's rampant in this world of ours?
AP: 3rd place 2025
AFTER TRAUMATIC BRAIN INJURY MANY CHANGES OCCUR FOR ME IT WAS COPING WITH ANXIETY VERTIGO ATTACK WHERE YOU FEEL LIKE YOU ARE ALWAYS ON A LEDGE FINALLY THE GROUND COMES UP TO MEET YOU THERE I WAS STANDING ON TOP OF A FLIGHT OF STAIRS RECOVERING FROM MY INJURIES FROM THE CAR CRASH PREPARING MYSELF FOR MASS SINGING IN THE CHIOR WHEN THIS OVERWHELMING FEELING DIZZY FRIGHTENING I FELT MYSELF FALLING I TRIED TO GRAB THE RAIL THERE WAS NO RAIL I FELL FROM THE TOP OF THE STAIR CASE TO THE CONCRETE GROUND FRACTURING HIP PELVIS LAYING THERE WITH INTERNAL BLEEDING PHYSICAL THERAPY CHIROPRACTIC CARE ORTHOPEDIC CARE NOW THE BONES ARE DEFORMED SEVERE PAIN AND SUFFERING I'M BLESSED MY HUSBAND TAKES GOOD CARE OF ME SURVIVING A CAR BOMB CRUSHED EYE SOCKET FRACTURED NASAL ARCH TRAUMATIC BRAIN INJURY I EVEN INJURED MY HIP FRACTURED HAND I TWO STROKES LEARNING TO WALK AGAIN I NEVER DREAMED I'D BECOME CRIPPLED JUST WAKE UP AND CAN'T MOVE MY LEGS UNABLE TO WALK UNABLE TO MOVE MY LEGS MY LOWER BODY GAVE OUT SEVERE ONGOING PAIN AND SUFFERING RECEIVING CARE SICKNESS AND HEALTH ANTHONY AND YOLANDA CATHOLIC WAR VETERANS
The way it chokes me up, wrapping its hands around my neck
It’s crippling me.
My chest caves in, my hands tremble, my body sweats.
It’s crippling me.
I feel vulnerable, scared, anxious, and shameful.
It’s crippling me.
I can’t eat, I can’t think, I can’t even feel my emotions when they smack me in the face.
It’s crippling me.
The depression is crippling me day by day.
It’s crippling me.
I feel empathy for people that cry
and try to bring their suffering to light.
I can feel the joy within their world die,
and I know in my heart that it isn't right.
Loneliness can be a crippling feeling
that's more devastating than people know.
And that kind of hurting requires healing,
or it'll fester and soon begin to show.
Depression’s veil shadows a sad soul
as it sinks amongst the tears where dreams drown.
And hope oft levies a terrible toll
when there's no way up, and you feel held down.
Life has no purpose if it's lived alone,
without love, one may as well be a clone.
(Sonnet)
2/7/2018
A summer night in an autumn's room
My fingers shaking, my heart's constant boom
My eyes are closed but i'm not asleep
The fan on high is the only faint squeak
Repetition makes a fool out of me
(Change the game to live happily)
Prayer offered fervently upon shaking knees
The shadows descend from outside trees
Hypocrisy, shame: the names of my game
My misery, my reality needs no such fame
Repitition makes a fool out of me
(I'm changing the game, so I can see)
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