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Our poet this week is Charlene Jean-Lestin. She is a member of Teen Voices Emerging, a program that gives a voice to Boston teen girls. Prema Bangera, a proud director at this organization hooked me up with these talented poets. For more information go to: www.facebook.com/teenvoicesemerging

The Oak Tree Within Her

Through time, she has disregarded the rare fungus that arose within an oak tree.

Until the dreaded infection began to grow on her.

As a bush, her branches rose, her blood shed, and her insecurity protrudes

with the looks of sympathy, caution, and angst

embedded within her memory, tucked away in a cold hard locks of remorse.

Thanks to the strength she has accumulated and the pain that has dominated,

trips to dermatologists became a tragedy as scales of her dead skin began to drown her.

School is a damned danced that’s banned

and all she had was the pleasure of her own company,

She reeked in blood, pus, and sadness

for the isolation and recluse had captive all her positivity and happiness.

She sobbed and rocked, watching grandma’s clock go tic tock

as she waited timely for her life to stop,

She was castrated, restricted with embarrassment and resentment

for those who never encouraged her to get to the top,

Now, the oak tree still lives, still scarred and torn from the abuse of her infection,

But now she knows that this setback was a key —

an ignition for a new and enlightened resurrection.

— Charlene Jean-Lestin

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dougholder@post.harvard.edu