This poem by Christina Ko of the U.S. received runner-up honors in our September writing contest. Contest participants were invited to respond to this prompt in 400 words or less: “Write a psalm or poem that expresses to God your pain over injustice, racism, violence, poverty or some other challenge in your country and your cry for His intervention.” Twenty-five writers from a dozen nations submitted entries in this English contest.
“Powerful message; engaging style. The questions invite the reader in,” noted the contest judges. “Very imaginative poem that allows readers to draw deeper meaning from women’s suffering and their responsibility to them.
Contest judges Lillian Tindyebwa and Betty Kituyi of Uganda founded Uganda Faith Writers Association and Quiet Garden Publishing. Lillian’s novel Recipe for Disaster is used as reader in lower secondary schools. She is also a university lecturer for English and Literature. Betty is a poet with two published poetry books; a leading science educator and award-winning mentor of young women in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics).
My Sister’s Keeper
By Christina Ko
Who is my
Sister?
She is detained,
deported in the night,
stripped bare,
cuts on her
hands
from your
bindings.
Who is left now
to lift from Samaria’s road,
to bind up wounds when
we have bound up
our neighbor’s wrists?
What could heal
these wounds,
the floods of blood and
heart-water?
The spear is still
there, the sons and daughters
torn from
her bleeding side.
Hear Raquel weep
for her children.
Behold her, America –
you who imprisoned,
beat with bats and
burning crosses,
hung from trees
and shot
your prophets:
Now, turn and look.
See, your sister
your child
your father and mother
your
salvation.
Behold,
the one you
crucify.
Christina Ko lives in Seattle, Washington, with her husband and two cats. She works for a non-profit that empowers Christian volunteers to advocate for and with the vulnerable worldwide. In her free time she enjoys creative writing, blogging, yoga in the living room, and latin dancing.
>>Read the first place winner in our September writing contest, “My Heart Is a Battlefield,” by Ivanova Nono Fotso of Cameroon.
Write to Win! Enter our two remaining writing contests. Respond to each writing prompt in English or Spanish, in 400 words or less, and enter to win $50 USD. Check out the contest guidelines.
Top photo by Fabian Fauth on Unsplash
