The Life Beat

To beat a drum. A heart beat. A rhythm.
Your hands are fast. Your body is slow.
Your hand is waxing. Your heart you know.
As you beat. The drum. As you beat. The heart.
As you pound. Your style.
As you pound. Your soul.
Do not. Delay. Do not. Hasten.
For to. Stop. Is to. Die. To quit. Is to. Let go.
Keep your hands. Repeating.
Keep your thoughts. Unfleeting.
That when. The beat is done.
And when. Your pause has come.
let your hands.

Falter.

Let is all. Go.
When the sea. Overtakes.
Your head is. Drowned.
Not in water. No. Not in death. No.
Drown. In life.
In the crush.
In the light.

let your hands. Go.

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Hendrik Matthysen, age 14
Lafayette, Louisiana
Lafayette High School