Unconditional Pain

• Shonnie Ngatai-mitchell, Grade 9
• Poetry
• 2014

The play on words of I love you are overshadowed by reality.

My voice isn’t screaming, my wrists are.

If I died, no one would notice.

The ringing of the blade awakens me.

The end is near.

Maybe it isn’t my wrists screaming this time.

The brewing tears don’t even exist, no cringing this time.

The blade creeps like a snake to my throat.

Maybe I should just linger in this moment.

Because this act is far from Heaven but doesn’t even come close to hell.