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The Screen Between Us

Jennifer Choi

Is it the light in the dark,  

or the illusion the light creates,  

that pulls you toward it—  

grasping, peering inside with desperate motions?  

I see you (though you might say you see me).  


Are you the one trapped,  or am I?  

In this drowsy evening,  

hunger thickens the air.  

The darkness creeps closer,  

and we both fade into an unseen freedom.  


But still, the screen separates us—  

neither of us truly free.  

Am I blocking your way  

to protect my own?  

Or have you confined me  

for the sake of your escape?  


The darkness deepens,  

and I can no longer tell  

if you’re the insect,  

or if I am.  


If I could make you whole,  

if my blood could fill the space,  

I’d share it willingly.  

But your narrow focus,  

always pressing against this fragile barrier,  

refusing to look beyond the wide open sky—  

I can’t accept it.  


So, I’ll step into the screen,  

become the insect myself,  

and lock your freedom  

inside my own cage.  

Know this, and nothing more.

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