Dr. Comprone's Web Page Spring 2009 Syllabi Saint Paul's College Poetry Newsletter Spring 2009 Schedule Dr. Comprone's Book Club Spring 2009 Course Updates Marathon Performance Saint Paul's Chess Club

I know it hurt when your mother died,

The tears in your eyes.

Going home to your father with all his

BS and lies.

Bill collectors are calling, an eviction notice

arrives,

Forced you out on the block selling your

Body just to get by.

Your wrist hursts from the burns around the

Post you were tied.

It seemed to turn on your lovers everytime

You cried.

And even though they took advantage of you

because of your size,

You were happy because you made more money

Than you would flipping fries.

So every night you sucked it up, and you swallowed

Your pride.

You learned to take all of your emotions and put them

to the side.

And when you got some time to yourself, you found

a place you could hide.

So secretly you prayed to God to send a spiritual guide.

Eventually you found a woman with whom you came

to confide,

About how your pimp had tricked you out and guys

had opened you wide.

And being around them one of the drugs that you

eventually tried

Was the reason you overdosed and then eventually died.

--Brandon Lewis