Westfield Student's Poem, For Uncle Who Died Of Covid, Wins Award

Westfield NJ

06 April, 2021

8:31 PM

Description

WESTFIELD, NJ — Shirzad Mustafa, a junior at Westfield High School, found out last month that he won the Silver Key Award from the Scholastic Art & Writing awards for one of her poems. His poem, "The Artist," was written for his great-uncle, who died last September of coronavirus. The Scholastic Awards, open to teens across America, have been given over the years to many young artists who became well known for their craft: Stephen King, Tschabalala Self, Andy Warhol, Charles White, Joyce Carol Oates, and Kay Walkingstick. Mustafa's teacher was M. O'Hare. The poem: The Artist I've inherited a century-old clockBut it doesn't really workIt's not here to tell timeIt tells of a boy who could rhyme. The clock belonged to the governessto her, he recites poems, stuttering shyness A farewell present, a reminder of a dreamthat once someone had treasured him. The clock chimes him awake, silently looks The youth craves canvass and paint, not booksRegretful laugh, his heart's a foolBound for bank work, not art school. The clock strikes noon, collecting life's new taleMan's Taj diorama waits beneath magician's veilA beauty for him at last, he's made her velvet flowersShe stares, uncomprehending, and cowers. Decades-old clock misses a beat, maybe longerMan mends it, getting no youngerGrown children, not inclined to form or verses of joySo, he hobbies alone, sculpture and curved toy. The clock's not there for the last painful breathI've missed his life as I missed his deathWithin colorless walls, void of beauty as if to mockAnd selfish, foolish me, left with the damn clock. Want to be the first in your Westfield neighborhood to get breaking news alerts, or a daily morning newsletter of news in your town? You can sign up for Patch alerts and/or a free a daily digest of news here: Sign up and choose your preferences. Got news? Email [email protected]. Got photos? Please include express written permission from the photographer for us to use them. To be the first to get free news alerts with breaking stories in your town, or to get a free local newsletter each morning, sign up for Patch breaking news alerts or daily newsletters.