What’s This

What’s this? The pounding of my heart As my eyes gorge themselves on the sight What’s this? The heat that bubbles and Froths throughout my form As my ears drink in the voice What’s this? The thirst that dries my mouth even As it draws greedy waters But what is this to me? Dogs bark at me, and others compare me To some repulsive creeping insect What is this feeling to me, But something else to haunt my sleep With chills and teasing smiles? What have I to gain from this, This agony, this desert, with only The mirage of sweet water to keep me going? What’s this? Nothing but a dream.

Olivia Samerdyke comes from a very literary family. Her father is a writer, and in places at their house the books are piled hip-deep because there is no room on the shelves. She has been writing as long as she has been able to hold a pen, and over the last couple of years she has won a couple of local writing contests: The Lonesome Pine Writing Contest for poetry, and the Wytheville Chautauqua Festival Writing Contest for essay. She plans on majoring in Communications, and one day hopes to have a career in the film industry. At the moment, she is juggling coursework with all the stuff she wants to write creatively.