Lesson In Love: Erick Wansley's Scary Plea

Brianna Stuart and Erick Wansley

By Brianna Stuart

Erick Wansley is a freshman studying Literature.  His free time is spent drawing, reading, and indulging in horror films - which surely seep into his work.  His chilling and evocative poetry explores serious themes of love, loss, regret, and gratitude.

In the sixth stanza of his uniquely structured poem, “Dear Sister,” we read, "I could not see my own pride and greed / So my ego was overflowing and now freed," giving a glimpse into this dark but nuanced piece.

When asked about how his creative process began, Erick poignantly described an issue relevant to most everyone. "People don't really understand how good they have it. They realize how much love someone gives them when it's too late."

As a reader journeys from the beginning to end of the poem, questions arise about who got hurt and why. What was learned from this seemingly catastrophic moment? Wansley’s imaginative work of fiction takes you on a tour of emotions, leaving you to reflect on the symmetry between the racing thoughts and the broken lines. 

"I wanted it to feel like it was someone speaking to themselves, an internal dialogue, reliving the feelings before the moment. It's a memory that never goes away, their one bad day," Wansley said, perfectly describing the smog of shame that follows a remorseful decision. 

There is more than doom and gloom beneath the surface of this work, though, something everyone could stand to mull over. The narrator is passionately torn between their love for their sister and lamenting the choices that were made. Back and forth the reader and writer go, from gratitude to sorrow, from nostalgia to remorse. 

Wansley wants readers to think about this paradox of appreciation. "People should think about how much love they're given from people that they may take for granted, because at the end of the day, that love might not always last because of internal and external forces. You have to take the time to understand that the people who care for you shouldn't be taken for granted. When they are really gone, that’s when you'll be thankful."

Dear Sister

By Erick Wansley

I adored you my dear sister

            My wonderful beautiful sister

I didn’t mean to do the deed

            That would make you bleed

You were there to teach me how to read

            Always helping me whenever I was in need

The affection you gave me to succeed

            This would help me later indeed

While I made my craft writing stories for all

            You were there to lift me up or heal me when I fall

I could not see my own pride and greed

            So my ego was overflowing and now freed

On that night of my birthday with you

            I was a complete mess after a book failure

But you didn’t judge me even with slurred speech

            But that made me annoyed, so I took my palm to reach

I pushed you hard, hard indeed

            I just didn’t expect you to fall at breakneck speed

What I did I can never undo

I’m sorry my dear sister. 

I should have appreciated you.

Brianna Stuart is a Junior at UB majoring in English & Professional Writing