by Jennifer Klein
I knew it before my own mind
Was deemed wise enough
Their claws bound
My hand against humanity’s
Cold glass wall
Perhaps their hardened shells
Remind others of
What they strive for
And some work to shed
Skeletons on the outside
Like the ones of man’s own
Making, in closets
And under the soils of life
Whose only desires were
To watch seedlings sprout
For as long as they knew
They would, back when they had
The same child mind as mine
We are not the same, but
Boiled Alive is never what we
Found in cumulus clouds
Lying down, back when we
Didn’t care if our hair
Tangled with the Earth’s
Nor what we wanted
When we first were touched
By the soul of a dog’s stare
“I’m so sorry, my friend”
I tell all lobsters
While shoppers smile
At some kid being cute
Jennifer Klein is a writer, musician, and artist who has been writing since childhood. Poetry is one of her favorite ways to make social commentary and merge her inner and outer worlds. Her poems have been featured or are forthcoming in Fahmidan Journal, Bombfire, and others. She received a bachelor’s degree in English with minors in Dutch Studies and Norwegian from Indiana University Bloomington. You can follow her on Instagram @JenniferKleinReal
Hawaii Pacific Review 