The time came for me to clean my garage and finally purge things that have been collecting dust since the 90s. There were papers and awards from elementary school that finally found their fate in the garbage. A magazine titled Illusions caught my attention because I recognized it from middle school. It was published in 1992; my freshman year. There was a piece penned by me on pg. 47.
The Beast
When it bears its ugly head
something snaps inside me
My ears burn fire;
an overwhelming spirit takes command
of my body and inhabits my soul.
Then everything stops.
My eyes turn to tiny slits
and I think,
“You poor, ignorant man.
You have been blinded
by a common disease
known the world over-
Prejudice.”
As I read the words that I wrote so long ago, I was impressed. Much of the vocabulary that was used still resonates with me. While the inspiration for such a piece is a mystery to even me, I found its message appropriate for our current day.