The Zenith

The Zenith
by Caroline A. Wong
age 15, Lick-Wilmerding High School

it is the sky that first attracted me
that growing, breathing beast above
that pulsing mass, that moving grey
that great expanse of nothing
maybe dust
it is the sky that i feel is eating me
drawing me up
and closer
sucking me into its lungs
my veil - it is a clean bridal white tulle
- pulls on the strings of my black hair
my veil - it says
no
you must stay here - it says
it drags me back
moving my legs up and down and up
and down onto the spongy grass
here you'll stay - it says
but the sky grabs my skirts
the heavy winter whites of obligation
and puts them in my hands
so that i may fun faster into its mouth
there are no fangs in that mouth
but the teeth of the comb of the veil in my hair
bite down
no - it says
i run harder
not away
but towards
the sky maybe
towards
more maybe
life maybe
and the thread of my veil's evil puppetry
that tangle of black spiderwebs
flow up a bit in a breeze
agreeing with me
that i am going someplac
and no place