No Man’s Land

All of my life I have looked up to you
Your wizened face a wrinkled mask.
I sit across the table
Saying nothing while you say nothing back to me.
A space grows between us
And the bridge of communication has fallen
Bombed by the army that you marched with
And I wanting to ask so much about your travels
But I don’t know how to ask.
I don’t know what to say.
I am one of your many grandchildren
And yet I can’t speak to you when the room is loud
Or when it is quiet and we sit in the kitchen.
I say nothing and you say nothing
But before the silence starts to talk
I get up and walk away.

by Erin Shintaku
11th grade, Kahuku High School