“Powerless” was inspired by the recent Los Angeles fires that directly affected myself and my community. Through this piece, I share the pain, chaos, and hope that illuminated from the event.

Powerless

Red, gray, orange

They surround us, blocking us in, suffocating us

We plead and sprint for help

There’s nothing we can do

Nothing they can do

Powerless

My brother runs into my room at 4:30am

The alarm went off just 2 minutes before

We rush to pack, stuffing our backpacks and luggages full

Driving away through the winds and smoke

Powerless

We watch the news

Praying, hoping, wishing ours won’t be taken next

It’s everywhere; all at once– as the world unravels, we hold our breath

Powerless

At night, my room is illuminated from the cold lantern

And as I sleep, smoke fills my lungs

Yet,

Although many lives have changed, our bond remains, through joy and through pain.

Process

This piece was inspired by a meeting with my mentor, Hannah Grandine. When given a prompt to reflect on recent events, the Los Angeles fires immediately came to mind since it had directly affected myself, my community, and many others. Utilizing repetition and writing in free-verse allowed me to emphasize the chaos, pain, and hopefulness that I felt during that time period.

From this piece, I was able to express myself and reflect on the events that had occurred. I felt almost free after writing the piece as the event had weighed heavily on me. I felt guilt, worry, and anxious during and after the fires, yet this piece lessened those emotions.