Endless — Anahi Ferrel ‘24
My piece is based on my mom who has stayed in cleaning jobs all her life. She cleans houses that belong to people who usually are wealthier than our family, leading to endlessly comparing herself to those who are in a better position. This is represented by the four mannequins displayed in bright red, traditional garments versus the hunched figure.
Life Should End In Joy
“Life should end in joy.”
This thought runs through your mind faster than you can think,
As you turn to your left,
revealing the man who truly cares,
the only one who didn’t give up.
But the reality sets in
the moment you slip away.
Your last friend won’t even remember the touch of your hand.
Your eyes swell up in a tsunami of rage,
and the thought runs through your mind once again.
And then,
in an instant, your insignificant story is read aloud,
as you sit there and listen.
Your life is preached by those who care,
but their voices are too silent.
Nothing can fix the pain left behind.
The feeling of abandonment fills those who depend on you,
and the thought of your spirit
brings nothing more than dissatisfaction.
Your throat creates more discomfort with each swallow,
as your unspoken truths self-consume,
and your body loses its senses,
discombobulating your mind into numbness,
and you're surrounded by the crippling silence of isolation.
“Life should end in joy.”
This thought runs through your mind faster than you can think,
as you turn to your left,
revealing the woman who truly cares,
the only one who didn’t give up.
Your mind quivers in fear at the thought of being forgotten,
wishing anesthesia could make it go away.
But deep within,
you know that those thoughts are temporary,
that soon your violent Pacific waves will calm,
leaving the one thing you valued more than others.
And the music you once relied on
would echo forevermore.
Matthew Checetto ‘27
This poem was a way for me to connect and sort of empathize with my dad when he was going through some health issues.