“Falling Angel,” by WITS Student Aaliyah Sayre
April 25, 2017
Falling Angel
My father stands by my side listing
rule after rule after rule. I roll my
eyes and shun his words of caution
as he straps on my wings.
The wings are big and white. I secretly
threaded a raven feather for luck.
I look toward the blazing sun
and spread my wings and part
of my stomach fills with butterflies
swarming. I feel the fear start
to smother the curiosity and I soon
forget to flap my wings, too scared
to move I plummet down to the
rock-hard earth. I hit the ground and
fall asleep never to wake up again.
Aaliyah Sayre wrote this poem while a 6th grader at Hamilton International Middle School, with WITS Writer Laura Gamache. She will be reading “Falling Angel” to open tonight’s evening with British-Nigerian author Helen Oyeyemi, who will be delivering the last lecture in our 2016-17 Literary Arts Series, entitled “Shine or Go Crazy”: an exploration of Korean TV drama and narrative disruptions.
Tickets will still be available at the SAL Box Office at Benaroya Hall beginning at 6:00 pm.