I need something new

I need something new.
Something humble, but not gentle.
Kind, but not without strength.
Something rather impure.

Something distinct from Nothing,
although clearly derived from it.
Something I can hold in both hands,
and have it sting only a little.

Which, though beyond salvation,
will remain after light has faded,
like cinders on a dark plain.
Will you be that something for me?

Photo by Mike Erskine on Unsplash.

Ty Zhang

Ty Zhang is a law student, writer, and political organizer based in Ohio. He writes in a range of mediums including poetry, prose, and screenplay. He is an alumnus of the Scholastic Art and Writing Awards and was a finalist in the Boston Screenplay Awards. He is on Twitter and on Substack.