Allen Shen, Poems, Revised

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To the few observers around her, 

The girl pops out of the scenery

An ever-changing silhouette in a still field of grain and sky

Some cannot help but smile and wave, their own business insignificant 

Compared to the pure joy of the dancing girl

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Eventually, the girl reaches her destination

Panting, sweating, aching, and crying.

She is able to breathe out a single phrase:

“I’m Home.”

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Poem 2

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The national anthem.

A prideful, patriotic song, 

Sung in the halls of every school, of every stadium.

Its lyrics are known to everyone, either through school, through sport, or through television. 

Yet does anyone understand its meaning? Has anyone expended the effort to actually know the song, interpret the song, or criticize the song?

For I wonder if the main reason anyone even knows the “star-spangled banner”, is not because it’s popular(though it is), not because it can evokes feelings of patriotism(though it does), nor because the song is melodic and pleasant to listen to(I find it annoying), but because of its ties to the country, and the way it is equated with being proud of the country. Since when those refuse to sing it, either a student or an athlete, discipline arrives, and controversy stirs, authority demanding it be sung, which is quite ironic of the last line of the anthem itself.

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Poem 3

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Leaving, crying, sucking, sleeping, eating, walking, talking, reading, playing, commuting, counting, writing, befriending, multiplying, sciencing, historying, testing, essaying, studying, calling, texting, experimenting, geometrying, kissing, dancing, working, sexing, applying, driving, deriving, interning, integrating, graduating, working, marrying, working, nursing, working, working, working, working, working, working, working, working, working, working, working, working, working, working, working, working, working, working, working, retiring, dying,

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Poem 4

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In its war against others,

The animal must change.

It must experiment with new lifestyles

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Rethink its fashion sense

Decide which body parts it can keep.

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In its war against others, 

The plant must change.

It must constantly migrate to new homes

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Try out new foods

Decide which neighbors it must murder.

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As these plants and animals changes,

they slowly become monsters.

And those that don’t,

Die forever, forgotten.