Involuntary Service free verse by Thomas Li
On the edge of the balcony, I bend ninety degrees– no goggles, no harness, not even a helmet. I frown at the stack of debris– dark, brownish purple. Cigarette smells escape from the facade. Age leaves yellow stains on worn-off paint. After hours of construction, I’m soaked with sweat under the roasting sun. A single PBJ for lunch. “Is it four yet?” “Twenty minutes.” Submerged in exhaustion, I have no sense of accomplishment, just the uncomfortableness from helping. There’s still a lesson to learn.
Woodberry Forest School
107
