June 12th, 2020

Shades of Indifference by Jacqueline Wu

A night, midnight blue, one with no stars
An eye peering through the opening, clouds reflected in gaze
And blank stares, pearly white- drenched in tears

The pendulum’s swinging, completing its endless cycle
Hushed whispers ripple the surface, then back again
An unfathomable abyss and death’s glare upon us with wings of black silk shadowing

A mirror with many faces, broken shards blemishing beauty
A girl, no two. Nameless, shamelessly looking. Dreaming-
As the sweet, soul sucking vortex redeems her again

Walls encroach upon the silent dreamer as she remembers
Transparent glass walls that cuts us with its sharp frame and protects-
Unshackled but made captive, the dragon’s strength wanes from toil- where did dragon from
As two wrongs aren’t made right with Chaos king and darkness spilling

It isn’t tempest from which I hide, or fire that chars my flesh
Nor is it chilled autumn morns, or even emotion in flashing thunder and wet torrents
Or love or hate, illusions conceived by the human mind
No, it’s indifference, rather ignorance in all its selfish forms

Colorless with grey hued skies and shapeless mist delusions to cold eyes; tasteless
Silent as despair, undiscerning as the raven veers towards temporary paradise
Poison dripping from the black tongue that blots and burns
For the fair rose with its delicate shades of pink-
Is nothing but deceit.

Jacqueline Wu is a sixteen-year-old artist from Long Island, New York. She has won several art competitions, such as the Scholastic Art and Writing Awards. She is forthcoming in Celebrating Art, Remington Review, and other publications, and she hopes to continue to inspire through the arts.