Minneapolis

May 5

by Emily Leaming

Emily Leaming is a UIW alum from Fall 2024. She graduated with a double major in Philosophy and English, a Creative Writing minor, and a Women’s & Gender Studies concentration. She is a previously published poet in Voices De La Luna for her poem “Time Is of the Essence (And There Is None Left to Spare).” Her passion for writing has followed her throughout her life, and she has had many mentors throughout her educational career who have nurtured and encouraged this passion. She plans to write more in the future, with aspirations leaning towards larger writing projects.

Working on my brain like a trauma—an entry,

forced entry, not leaving me. Only leaving devastation —

devastated at the terror—

the terror in these streets—

streaks of trauma, horror, and chaos live around every corner of the mind—

every mind that bears witness to the souls—

the souls leaving this Earth or bits of one’s soul every time they

point

aim

shoot

POW

Push

Punch

Kick

Point

Aim

Shoot

POW

Take another life

What happened to empathy? Why do people act like it’s a bad word?

How can it not ail you? How can you see a soul taken and your reaction is to counter argue?

Was that your reaction when it was this idol or that idol? But not now when it’s “regular” people, civilians—we’re all civilians who line the streets—

all corners of the earth walk people, just people,

because in the end we’re all just civilians–Of where?

Not just of this neighborhood or that one.

No?—No!—of Earth, our home, a collective that shares a home.

David Armstrong

Minneapolis

Red Lantern Sky