Natalie Ring
I speak in hushed tones so they don’t hear me breathe
My tongue tied in a noose around my neck
My words have no freedom, they will lock me in a cage
I am a foreigner here
A death wish held in my throat,
if I trust you I’ll tell it
Freedom is a puppet for which they pull the strings
In an instant the strings will turn into chains
They have created monsters with angels wings
The trembling of a child overcomes me as I look to the sky
Breath is only for the worthy
What makes you worthy anyways?
They have turned me into the devil and painted me red
No words are safe, no one is a friend
Even now, I’m afraid to put words on the page
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Natalie is a freshman in the Marquette English department. Natalie is a member of the Marquette women’s volleyball team and enjoys writing poetry and spending time with her family.
