Teen Talk

Vineland Public Library

Teen Talk

The Young Adult Literary Newsletter

Teen Talk 2004

Teen Talk

January/February 2004

The Yellow Truth
by Liza Monroy

A magic fist thrust in
a wall
gripping the punch it made
three knuckles torn and
swollen like the heart of a
berry the bottom of a
bloody curl
ripped and swirled into
a purple beating mass
a fist thrust in a
magic wall
a violent act sprung from
a curious love
a candy heart flung unto
a black sandy shore
love as confusing and aloof as
a cat - when curiosity is
concerned - why are they considered
so intelligent and sleek
and dogs - the mindless cuddlers
why does love have to be clouded
by the dung of bulls -
the dung of life -
and long drawn, illustrious affairs,
of hemming
and hawing, of
retardedly
being practical instead
of thoughtfully quixotic
and how does the cat rebel?
In small domestic outbursts?
from that inconstant smile
and flim flammy mood
when love is needed: as
big and dumb and solid
as a god not as
toothpasty and
indifferent as a
sphinx - is what
the punch was made
for is why that hand
was split
for a small note
“Do you like me?
yes or no”
A simple circle -
a positive ring that
ensnares a budding
care a simple yellow
truth like an Easter flower
whose petals flock around
the brown crusty knuckle