From the moment of birth
To everything’s eventual death
Nature is not kind
We are flung into this world
Knock-kneed and gargling our own snot
Fumbling to find our place
Nature is not kind
As we limp behind the pack
Trudging through the thick sludge
Through rain or shine
Ardent for our survival
Nature is not kind
We chew the cud and think
About the time we spent on this green earth
The zest for life long gone
The need to outstrip the others left in the past
Nature was not kind
We feel the intense jolt in our minds
With our bodies writhing
And the light beginning to dim in our eyes
Nature will never be kind
Malik Joyner, thirty-two years old, was born and raised in the Bronx. A writer from childhood, his mind has always been filled with stories. He’s now fascinated by the process of expressing his thoughts and emotions to readers. Malik Joyner wants the readers of The Literacy Review to know that sticking true to oneself opens a realm of infinite possibilities. He attends CUNY’s Lehman College Adult Learning Center, where his teacher is Richard Ploetz and the director is Patricia Mullen.