A really interesting fact is that

people can connect to just about anything

but themselves.

It’s confusing,

we can feel compassion and empathy

for a robot,

we can keep and cherish rocks for pets,

we can even collect, name, and style dolls.

But we can’t connect to each other.

One slip up and what you thought was

where you belonged,

was where the door

shut on you.

It’s as if you opened

the computer to

“Lost Connection”

“Please check your signal”

I reboot and reset

and it still shows up as

“Please reload”

“Try again”

Connections.

I can’t find something non-existent.

I can’t fix the broken.

I cannot connect when it is

all broken.

All broken left in silence,

in this world that we

hurt and break.

I fix and fix,

I mend and mend,

I try and configure,

‘Til there is no point

in the very end.

Connections.

Blanca Oliveras

Age 14, Grade 8

Trexler Middle School

Allentown School District