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14 

    “Tears of My Heart” 
Mark Chatarpal 

 

Mark Chatarpal is currently studying at the University of Toronto. He is co-president 

of the Caribbean Studies Students’ Union, and co-editor of the Caribbean Quilt. With 

a love for his country Guyana, Mark has maintained strong connections with his 

home, family and friends. In addition to his studies, Mark does small-scale 

community based development in Guyana and Roriama, Brazil. 

 
 
 

These tears of my heart 
I wipe over you 
droplets falling upon your tattered green dress 
your body still 
 
scornful laughs echo 
that dreadful hacking sound 
muffled groans 
piercing 
the rhythmic drip-dropping 
drip-drop into bottomless cups 

helplessly, I watch as your remains are auctioned 
watching as they look away 
watching as they ignore 
the glossy eyes of your malnourished children 
 
these tears! 
chemically induced ponds 
these Harpy-high kaleidoscopic showers 
I shed 
over you 

 
as I walk away