Startled by a hand
that yanked me out
and forced me down in darkness
flopping frantically
I search for my last
breath of water
I gurgle beer and stomach acid
and hear the echoes of alcohol drenched laughter
burning…
burning
my skin, my eyes
slowly being eaten away
by your childish actions
and all I can do
is hope it doesn't happen to the others
and hope that someday you'll know
how it feels
to be slowly killed
by drunken immaturity

--Starza Kolman is an 18-year-old student at James Madison University and President of the school's Animal Rights Coalition. She's been vegetarian since she was 12 and vegan for two years. This poem is from her collection called "Revolutionary Masks."