Untitled by Bella El Makdessi '12

Refocusing, the heat from the oven
Warms my hands, feet on the tiled floor- lain
Before my arrival here. A new house,
Old habit. In rooms above, boxes linger, Sharpie
On cardboard-Names scratched out, re-labelled. Kitchen,
Living room, bathroom. Books.
Small shots of pain, frozen. Seemingly
Disconnected. I clench, don’t attempt
To change the situation. Hairs on my leg stand on end, ignored
For the smells reaching, chocolate baking. Result
Of large changes provoking smaller ones, my system
Confused by movement, unfamiliar spaces, stopped
Writhing.
Gather yourself, the voice told me. So I produce
Something small. Of little value, but great effort
The clenched muscles collecting an egg, don’t
Break it yet.
Steadying my breathing, Crack.
And now, the smell, cracks open the oven, steam
Fogs my glasses. I see a misty vision of Aztec history
And witch-doctors,
And writhing bodies
And sickness
And cocoa beans.