Vandal scrawls poem down 10 flights in HRS

There is anger tumbling down the west staircase of High Rise South. A poet, who has not been identified, wrote rhyming verse from the staircase between the roof top lounge and the 24th floor to the staircase between the 15th and 16th floors. Each letter of the poem is written in thick, black capital letters and is about three inches in height.The poem reads: I have a heart of burning coal. I have a majestic major goal. I have an imprisoned raging soul. I live in a tripped out putrid hole. There are torn stained sheets on my flagpole. My time's been bought, My life's been sold. I peek out At the world through a rusty keyhole. I've walked in the wind, my hands are cold. I sit waiting for you. I grow old. Following the poem is what appears to be a signature. It reads, "Credo" in the same black marker. Beneath this signature, is an assessment of the poet's work. "You are a stupid fucking asshole," the response reads in red marker. "I bet you hurt real bad inside, I really feel sorry for you. Boy, the struggles young people go through -- we are here for you: Advice: Eat some rat poison." Residential Living Director Gigi Simeone said she was not aware of the poem. But she said it would be cleaned up immediately. She also said the size of the poem surprised her. "Unfortunately, we have had graffiti in the past," she said. "But I've never heard of a whole poem going for several stories. I've never heard of that before." High Rise South residents who read the poem said they could not pinpoint the author's meaning but were amused by the presentation. "I feel like it was some type of broken Valentine," Engineering senior Brian Nolan said. "It's written like a heartbroken teenager, kind of puppy love thing. But it was kind of weird spiraling down through the staircase." Nolan added that parts of the poem, such as "imprisoned" and "rusted key hole," made him think the poem was referring to the dormitory. College sophomore Mark Milstein said he respected poetry but criticized the author's chosen medium --graffiti. "I think it's interesting that people feel that to get their message across they have to deface nine floors of a building," he said. But another student saw a different side to the emotional expression. "I think it sounds a little cliched," College sophomore Jeff Wachs said. "But I guess it's better that the ballbiter graffiti in the elevator." Wachs also said the poem reminded him of T.S. Eliot's verse style.