by Beckham Lawre

If I let it go, will this nightmare end? 
And will they finally let me go free? 
Or will they just laugh and rip out my heart? 
Yes, I mean that quite literally

Three months now I have suffered at their hand 
And under their whips and under their chains 
Three months full of torture and exhaustion 
Three months of sheer torture and pain 

But my belief I will hold to steadfastly 
I will endure all the suffering and pain 
They can crush me and break me and kill me 
Strip my skin and watch my blood rain 

“Long live Falun Gong, forever,” I say 
The words dripping from my cracked, peeling lips 
My religion my soul will not betray 
I exit the world with a kiss 

* * *

 

Winner of the 1st Place High School Award in FoFG’s 2018 Poetry Contest

Beckham Lawre is a high school student at SUCCESS Academy DSU in southern Utah.