Student Publishing Program ::

Hyun Yung Boo

Five Red Flowers

In these final days of winter,
we share a passion unconstrained by words.
While we sing of innocence and loss,
Romeo and Juliet come alive under our hands.

The Mediterranean sun shines
into the ballroom as young
Juliet runs with light feet
over the tips of a hundred dancing bows.

A breeze blows in from open windows,
smelling of warm sea water.
The first spring flowers bloom
along walkways, scenting the air.

Across the streets of Vienna,
Tybalt and Romeo spar over grey cobblestones,
swords clashing
as wooden bows strike silver strings.

On the stage of Symphony
a sword pierces Tybalt's heart.
His last heartbeats reverberate
through the body of a bass drum.

As we bear his body from the streets
we are his family's grief stricken chorus,
crying in pain with voices
not formed by our lips.

Romeo drops to his knees
cradling Juliet's prone body,
a scream of agony pulled from cold metal
echoes his shriek of despair.

Silence, as the last tremors
of the piccolo fade away.
Drops of blood remain scattered
across the stage like red flowers.

[TABLE OF CONTENTS, LHS CLASS OF 2012 EDITION]