Student Publishing Program ::

Takiyah-Jean Joseph

That Day

All kinsmen grieve over the recent death.
It happened because she couldn’t grasp her breath.
By she, I mean my loving great-grandmother.
They put us kids in a room together.
“Murmur, Murmur,” that’s all we heard out there.
There was dreary weather. Of course, it’s England.
Michael and Jackie argued, they didn’t care,
They should’ve realized death’s a time of silence.
It surely wasn’t right to act violent.

“Uncle Tony, Michael’s bothering me!”
I thought, “Why can’t they just leave each other be?
Oh, it’s the basic brother, sister fight.”
As soon as Uncle Tony got into it,
Things really started to escalate that night.
He pulled Michael like a little rag doll.
Next thing we knew, Michael was against the wall.
He had a strong grip around Michael’s neck.
Uncle Tony did this to keep him in check.
“No Uncle Tony! No! No!” We all screamed.
Jackie and I united as a team
We hadn’t been talking to each other,
But this time, we had to save her brother.
Car rides were as silent as a weary night.
Now I realize, we rarely got into fights.

He let Michael go and he gasped for breath.
Nine years later, this is the shocking event
I remember after the tragic death.

[TABLE OF CONTENTS, LHS CLASS OF 2009 EDITION]