Poetry
Battlefield
Gabrielle Condecido
We live each day
Like it was our last
No more easy times,
That’s a thing of the past
The violence, the horror
The cries, and the screams
It’s a time of war
And things aren’t what they seem
Lives are at stake
You can hear the guns blow
One can only endure
But so much pain and sorrow
As one guy shoots,
Another one falls
If I die today,
Might as well give it my all
As I’m down on the ground,
I think back on my life
My husband, my kids,
And what I sacrificed
Was it really all worth it?
Beautiful
Sarah Dooley
You may be beautiful, but they are beautiful too
You may be beautiful, but what did you do?
The beauty you wear is only on your face,
Their beauty is in a much better place.
Their hearts and minds are beautiful too,
That gives them so much more than you.
You are greedy and envious, two deadly sins
They are giving and kind, with hearts wide open.
Forget me Here, Forget me Not
James Birr
Though in my bed I hunker down to sleep,
I think of you alone, sleeping in a cot
I like to wonder what you think of it all
Forgotten here, but forgotten not.
I find myself wondering about your final phrases
As you continue to suffocate and rot
It is of nothing but pure interest and question,
Forgotten here, am I forgotten not?
Am I to be like that pillar of sand,
The humanity of the wife of Lot
Who turns back to see the destruction -
Instructed forgotten here, but forgotten not.
Tears are not good enough, I need words
But words are too complex for thought
And if thought is nothing useful,
Everything is for not.
I am at this point,Where I am ready to stop
But I remember to continue
Some may have forgotten here, but never forgot.
I find myself thinking about your memory
On which I am possibly but a blot
I pride myself on the thought of you again,
Forget me here, forget me not.
Live with your life, live with your retention
For even in life I might’ve grabbed your attention
And when I come to discover that it was all for not,
There is still an inkling;
Forget me here, forget me not.
Happy Yet Miserable
Maira Durhan
Happy their not with someone else
Elated to be chosen
Yearning to be the only one on their mind
In their heart
Misery sinks in within your radiant smile
Happy, seeing that they are still beside you
But enraged when they speak
Excuse after excuse grows old
Annoyed with the worry there is someone else
Disappointment yet again
Night sinks in
You see their there to slip into sweet slumber
Another night spent with you
Cautious for when the sun kisses your check
That same heat placed upon your precious face
Fills you with anger
Miserable that you live a lie
Covering you like a blanket in the brisk winter nights
While your anger covers you heart
Casketed in concrete Wanting happiness and joyous mornings
Passionate nights
But still hoping to share your frightful evenings
Misery loves company
Happiness begs for privacy
Hope
Gabrielle Condecio
Cancer took over her
And won the battle in the end
She was too young to go to heaven
But as an angel, she would ascend
Teresita was her name
She rests in peace to this day
I still love her dearly
Though my memory of her is astray
I call her my Lola
She’s always in my heart
I pray for her every day
As if we’ve never torn apart
My only regret in life
Was not knowing who she was
I wish I could go back
And let time be on pause
I heard once that when it rains
The person you have lost is crying
They’re looking down at the ones they love
Hoping the memories of them aren’t dying
The stars in the sky are the souls we have lostAnd have always shined so bright
From the moment we sleep to the moment we wake
I know that all will be alright
I smile and wonder
How life would be if my Lola was still here today
I would cherish the memories and smiles we’d have
So they would never fade away
Every once in a while I think of her
And if she ever thinks of me
But we’ll always be together, forever and ever
The way it should always be
Hurt and Confused (1)
Kaycha-Renea Williams
When we first met, I never thought we would become what we are.
It was like living in a fairy tale.
I was Cinderella and you were my Prince Charming.
But one day the fairy tale ended.
Instead of being my Prince Charming, you became a total stranger.
You stopped loving and caring for me.
My heart was broken so that I didn’t even want to know that you existed.
The heartache and pain was so unbearable.
I thought you had cared for me too.
You could have told me something had changed.
Instead, you left me hurt and confused
"If you can make a girl laugh, you can make her do anything" -Marilyn Monroe
Kaitlan Gaulding
Not to sound cliché,
But your smile brightens my day.
And with that joke that made me smile,
You put all worries on hold for a while.
It’s not that we’re together,
Or that I’d ever tell you “forever”
But if you gave me the chance,
I wouldn’t deny romance.
All of this is just because
When you made me laugh, I fell in love.
Mistletoe
Summer Davis
White gleaming mistletoe
staring down at me
Why does no one come?
In my Christmas best
I wait alone
Under the gleaming white mistletoe
Waiting for someone to come
I draw in a breath
And start back for home
My eyes cast to the snow
when my shoulder is met by a tap
The words oh so clearly said
“I thought you wouldn’t come”
Ode to the Lost
Charles Neterer
This world is bleaken'd oft' by horrid schemes
By falling shells' and blinding bullets' whir
And lachrymosity pours out in reams
For those whose death a quickened end confirms
Such beauty stained a crimson red so deep
That nothing seems to wash its stain away
It's said that what you sew is what you reap
But candid children haven't sewn a day
So now this seems so hard to understand
It's touch so new, with scars as fresh as snow
But many say it fills a larger plan
For mothers everywhere I do hope so
Why must such ins'lent toils end thusly so
Opprobrium that's met they'll always sew
Poetry from the heart
Destiney Walker
Life
It’s so confusing
It can be very bright or blue
As sad as a funeral
Or as blissful as the smell of honey dew
It can be typical
As an old man’s daily routine
Or as unexpected
As a teenagers next move
It can be safe
Like the Amish life
Or as dangerous
As a woman scorned
As sweet
As the divine experience of true love
Or as bitter
As the taste of a bullet
Dreams
I have big dreams
I want to rule the worldI have big dreams
I want to be more than the average girl
I have big dreams
I will not be a product of my environment
I have big dreams
I will not stop, no retirement
I have big dreams
They say the sky is the limit by the clouds
But I have big dreams
I want to be in space looking down
I have big dreams
I have potential out of this world
I have big dreams
I will conquer the world
Cherish
Cherish the moments
Little or small
Cherish the moments
Through the up hills and down falls
Cherish the momentsWhen someone makes you smile
Cherish the moments
When someone goes the extra mile
Cherish the moments
When you laugh until you cry
Cherish the moment
When someone wipes the tears from your crying eyes
Cherish the moment
When the credit is due
Cherish the moment
You never know who will cherish their moments with
Please Take
James Birr
Stop pretending like it’s easy to breathe
As if it’s easier to release than it is to keep
Is the inspiration I need from you
Escaping through the room
Hiding in my books
I feel nothing but hair on my skin rise
When I get down to pen myself a surprise
It’s selfish to not know a way
But I don’t know up from down anyway
I’m not trying to be ignorant of the things I know
Because all I know isn’t simple enough to show
I don’t even know why I’m laying here
It can’t be justified through fear
This is the proudest I’ve been for a long time
It makes me proud, here, to say I made a convincing rhyme
When I sit here reading it, it seems so insignificant t
But I know you’ll like it
But I know you’ll fear it
Raise your Voice
Gabrielle Condecido
Reach up and touch the sky
Cause God’s there standing by
Filling up that empty space inside you
When there’s nowhere left to hide
The things you’ve kept a secret
And you don’t know what to do
Raise your voice
And speak your mind
The only one stopping you is
You
Reason
Grace Kaiser
If love is a reason,
And time is a limit,
Why not run,
To find the reason.
Standing there cannot search,
Crying there will not help,
Pick up the broken heart,
To find a reason.
Pain can be limiting,
Despair can be unyielding,
But isn't it better to have a purpose,
To find the reason?
One day they will be found,
And they will be joyous,
That you had strength enough,
To find the reason.
22. Second Chances
Morgan Crewe
As I sit and let my mind wander,
A thought makes me stop and ponder,
And a question comes to me.
Should men be given second chances,
To try the same songs and dances?
Or is that too naïve?
When he’s come to me and apologized,
And no fault of his has been denied,
Am I foolish to believe?
“If you love something, let it go”
But then how will I ever know
What the verdict will be?
So maybe I will ask again
This time to him, and then,
An answer I’ll receive.
Should men be given second chances,
To try the same songs and dances?
Or is that too naïve?
Senioritis
Louise Redman
I have this terrible disease
It does not make me sneeze
Or cough or hack
But it does make me lack
The ability to wake up and go to school.
Then when I get to class
I feel like a fool.
Sleeping in feels so good
But I know that is not what I should
Be doing.
Simon
Summer Davis
Smothered in the darkened screams
Arms thrown out to reach the air
Wishing my mind to a new dream
The only light is their eyes small gleam
Their nails and teeth rip my frame bare
Smothered in the darkened screams
My only companion is the night’s warm steam
I run through my head my life’s last prayer
Wishing my mind to a new dream
I am surrounded by the beast I deem
He has appeared from his concealed lair
Smothered in the darkened screams
The unholy beast moves as a team
I feel in my heart that this is not fair
Wishing my mind to a new dream
My thoughts of horror teem
I feel my being tare
Smothered in the darkened screams
Wishing my mind to a new dream
The Cycle
Natasha Liu
What, exactly, am I doing here?
Lying motionless and alone, weeping over shattered dreams;
I am accomplishing nothing, going nowhere.
Yearning to leave this rural, little town.
Lying motionless and alone, weeping over shattered dreams,
I reminisce about my life, my regrets, in this dark, dingy space.
Yearning to leave this rural, little town,
As time hastily passes and opportunities slip away.
I reminisce about my life, my regrets, in this dark, dingy space,
Slipping into a deep, boundless slumber.
As time hastily passes and opportunities slip away,
Endless cycles of monotonous, conventional lives continue around me.
Slipping into a deep, boundless slumber,
Ambrosial, lucid illusions gently drift into my head.
Endless cycles of monotonous, conventional lives continue around me
And I realize, happiness is never fulfilled, if ambition does not exist.
Ambrosial, lucid illusions gently drift into my head;
They disappear as I slip into the cycle again.
And I realize, happiness is never fulfilled, if ambition does not exist.
What, exactly, am I doing here?
The Cyclone
Charlotte Walters
Flying ‘round and ‘round
Caught up so high
Open your eyes:
Glimpses of rooms,
Places and scenery, flying past,
Gone to fast to focus!
Black ink and white of paper
Many shades of skin.
Brown dirt
Projects started but never finished
Like a giant wheel going around a clock
But there are more spokes
Than hours in the day
Too many things to do!
No time to stay here.
Like Dorothy, so high up inside the cyclone
No time to pause
Air moving too fast to breathe
Snatches of music, discordant
Songs and notes
Fast songs, high energyNo time to rest!
And then, for a momentA slow song, a slow dance.
The cyclone slows down, takes a breath,
And then…
Picks right up once again.
The Life of a Slave
Gabrielle Condecido
Woke up this morning,
But things ain’t okay
I’m on a boat,
Coast to coast,
On this hot, sunny day
My family ain’t with me,
So I’m here all alone
Along with a hundred other people
Who have been stripped from their homes
The boat finally stopped
In this U.S. nation
Been sold and working hard
On my boss’s plantation
Picking cotton every day,
Ain’t all that great
I’m stuck in here forever
Which I can’t help but hate
When I do something wrong,
My boss treats me like trash
I get whipped, I get kicked
It’s a pain in the…buttGot bruises all over
Got nowhere to hide
If I try to run away,
I’ll get beaten alive
Now it’s been a couple years
And I’m still living here
Been waiting and waiting,
For a miracle to appear
So sad, nothing’s changed,
But I’m done with this mess
I’m leaving tonight
And I’m hoping for the best
On this Underground Railroad,
Praying I won’t get caught and die
I just look up and follow
The shining stars in the sky
I’m here, it’s finally over
Left all my worries in the past
I have my Savior to thank
For I am free at last
The Parlor Piano
Summer Davis
Sit on the bench
Push down the keys
hear the sweet notes
Hit the sharps
Hit the flats
Push down the pedal
To make it last
Feel the rhythm
Vibrating your hands
Keep on practicing
And you’ll someday
Play with the Big Bands
Make it fast and winding
Make it slow and mellow
Finish the ending line
Let the sounds
Settle in the room
Let the strings take a rest
Get up to go
Leaving the song to live
in the soul of
The Parlor Piano
The Tears I've Shed
Takilyah Starke
Black Heart
Black blood, black veins, black heart
It’ll never beat the same
The day “we” became “you and me”
Ended our history
You left me hurt and confused
With my poor little heart bruised
My feelings and mind felt abused
I turned cold and heartless
Because I couldn’t find my true happiness
The endless days we shared are slowly fading away
I thought those sweet memories would always stay
But life goes on so that new memories can be made
Mirror
As I look at the image reflecting in the mirror
I see beautiful dark skin, dark brown eyes, and dark
brown hair
I see the girl that I am and the girl I want to be
I’m almost at a cross roads trying to chose
If should be her and win or just be plain old me and
lose
Should I be extremely beautifully with nothing else to
offer?
Or should be naturally beautiful with a lifetime of
wisdom to share
I could sit here for days crying about the girl I wish I
was
But I don’t want to be her anymore, I want to be meYea, I want to be a few sizes smaller and correct my
gap in between my front teeth
I’d rather keep my flaws and imperfections
So that you know it’s the real me
The world’s mirror image will
Never let you get to know to know the real me
If I was to be the girl the world wants me to be
You’ll never know all my great endeavors
My life would be a lie
So when you look at yourself in the mirror
Blow a kiss, hug yourself, and say “I love you” to that
girl in the mirror
She may be hurting, lost, or confused in life
But you can self empower yourself just by loving
yourself
Be the light of your own world and embrace your
beautySo what you’re not the size of a fashion model and
you don’t have long, luxurious hair
You are who you are for reason
So, work that gorgeous smile
Show off your awesome personality
Be the young lady that you are without a care in the
world
All while loving that girl staring at you in the mirror!
Every single one of you is beautiful in your own way.
Never let a guy or anyone for that matter control the way
you feel about yourself. As young ladies, we always want to
know what makes us look slim or fat. The one thing we fail
to realize is that if you feel great in the clothes you’re
wearing then so be it! Don’t worry about that guy who’s
attention you’re seeking. The truth of the matter is, if you
love yourself in the skin you’re in, you have nothing to worry
about. Love every aspect of your mind, body, and soul.
Embrace the young woman that you are and except the way
you are! I know you shouldn’t always toot your own horn,
but ladies it is perfectly fine to feel and look beautiful. Feel confident in the skin you’re in and take full advantage of
telling other young women how to love themselves.
However, I am not telling you to sit around and talk about
how beautiful you are to other females all day. This is not
the right way to go about things, especially dealing with
other females. You will easily see people resenting you
because of a conceited personality. No one wants to be
around a young lady who talks about how pretty she is like
you’re the only gift God gave to the world. That is exactly
what I don’t want you to do! Instead, if the subject of
beauty comes to the surface, then you shall discuss your
opinions and tips. Find ways to encourage other young
ladies and make them feel beautiful. This is one thing us
young ladies must learn to do. We hate to give another
female a compliment as if it’s going to take away from us. If
someone looks nice give them credit where credit is due.
Don’t hesitate to tell others that they are beautiful in each
and every way. What harm can that to do to you? It will help
build your character, personality, and make an overall
difference in you just for letting someone else have the
spotlight. And even though you should keep up on your
personal appearance, personal hygiene, and the way you act out in public, BEAUTY is not everything! Personalities, great
spirits, a helping hand, dedication, and determination out
shine beauty by a long shot! amen! “You can be the most
beautiful person in the world and the ugliest at the same
time!” I use this quote to basically say, your appearance on
the outside could be quite beautiful, but your actions and
your personality on the inside is what can make you ugly.
Therefore, you don’t have to be rude or arrogant about
being beautiful. You should embrace it, not flaunt it all over
your school or work place. You may think it’s nothing wrong
it and that it’s perfectly fine, but you may not find someone
like me to tell you in a nice way as you read my book that
this is not suitable behavior. You may run into a person who
really doesn’t beat around the bush and who’s more upfront
than I am who will tell you exactly what look like doing this!
“Just as God can give to you, he can definitely take away” is
another one of my favorite quotes. Simply because God
gives us all of our necessities, luxuries, wants, and so many
other blessings. However, if you feel the need to brag or
parade around about things in a negative sense, he can
easily take away your gifts for not being worthy of them. So, just as God gave you your beautiful looks, he can take them
away.
The 18th President
Dustin Hendrick
One Federal Reserve note
The 18th president was the vote
His face will be a memory
Leadership in infamy
In God We Trust
Spending him is a must
Circulated throughout the country
Remember $50 is a lot of money
From leader of the 21st Illinois Infantry Regiment
To 5-star Civil War General, to President
This man therefore remained in command
His name is Ulysses S. Grant
You Are the One
Gabrielle Condecido
You were the one to make me smile,
Make me laugh, and stay awhile
You were here when I needed you most,
To hold me tight and hold me close
You were my sun, the stars to my sky
To light up my world, until the day that I die
You loved me then
And you’ll love me forever
You and me
Forever together
Your Life
Jonathan Kelly
You grow up in a cold world
doesn’t mean your cold
just put on a heavy jacket
and hit the high road
what your born into
doesn’t determine you
what determines you,
is what you choose to do.
You choose your life
live and do you.
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Nonfiction
Heartbreak 101
Takilyah Starke
After seven long months of tears, frustration, heartache, pain, and embarrassment, I can honestly say that I became a stronger young woman. Never in my life did I think a break up would hurt so badly and it would take this long for me to recover. As the days went by, I thought it would get better, but somehow along the way I gave up and I let my emotions get the best of me. The constant questions about the situation made me upset, but the fact that he acted like he didn’t care at all hurt the worst. All I could do was think to myself, “How is it that after all I’ve the good things in life I’ve done, that I’m the one who ended hurt and an emotional wreck?” My life and heart both were at a standstill in my life I felt as though it would never get better. My family and parents just wanted me to move on and get my life back on track to the way I used to be. The truth of that matter was I couldn’t because true feelings just don’t fade away. How could I forget the last two years with the person I thought was the love of my life? How could I move on when I still had to see his face? When will I ever be happy again? Those questions popped in my head one day
as I laid on my bed sobbing to myself. I suddenly realized that I could never move on if never forgave him for how he ended our relationship. So at the specific moment, I made up in my mind that I was going to forgive him not for him, but for me. If I continued to let my feelings get the best of me, I would be allowing him to control my life and give him power. That is not the example I wanted to set for my peers and younger girls who were going through this or may encounter this hardship. I had had enough of tears and sleepless nights and I was taking my life back! I began to say a silent prayer to myself asking God to forgive me for having so much anger towards him, for taking my anger out on the people who love me the most, for letting my emotions get the best of me, for letting this situation get out
of hand, and then I asked God to give me the strength to forgive him. The more I prayed, the more blessings rained down upon me and my life was starting to get back on track. On my road to recovery, I felt the need to share my story and maybe I could enlighten someone else with my wisdom and encourage him or her. All of my friends began to flock to me like as if I was the “relationship guru” and I felt like all of the talks I had with them were building great friendships and empowering other young women to be strong no matter what we encounter. Along the way, I started talking with one of my peers from Governor’s School, Whitney Hawkins;
we shared so many of the same experiences, ironically and both of our breakups ended the same exact way. However, Whitney and I began to form a sisterly bond and I could go to her at any time or day. I felt like God had sent Whitney in my life to let me know that someone else understands what I went through and to let me know I wasn’t alone. Whitney became the role model I needed because, every day she came to school, she still had a smile upon her face, she was always jolly, and she always had an encouraging word to share with me. Even though, the words “I love you” will never ever mean the same thing to me, I can honestly say that this experience has taught me a lot. With that being said here is a list of things that helped me get through my rough patch:
1. Pray! “If you’re going to pray, then don’t worry, if
you’re going
to worry, then don’t pray.”
2. Never let anyone see you hurt or broken down always
try to keep a smile on your face.
3. Forgive! Learn to forgive others even though they’ve
hurt you.
4. Confide in someone that you can trust whole-heartedly.
5. Always believe in yourself no matter what!
In life challenges, or that, but we all face hardships doesn’t mean we have to let these situations get the best of us. Somewhere along the way we as young women have to realize that these things we help make us stronger and wiser in the long run. So pick up the pieces and hold your head up ladies, because you all are destined for greatness! Never put someone else’s happiness before yours even though you may be a very loving or caring person. Your feelings and emotions still matter in any situation you face. Trust me ladies, it’s not a great feeling when you’ve played the role of a love struck fool for two years and given your all when he only gave a portion of that. And that’s another thing that a bad relationship has taught me: never stay with someone who is clearly not giving their all in a relationship. I believe that the female should bring 50 percent of love, affection, a listening ear, an open mind, and willingness to accept things and the male should also. However, this is not always the case, as we all know. The female is usually so deeply in love that she’s blinded when the male begins to start caring and loving less, she has no idea what is taking place. Once they end things, the female is most likely the one who is hurt and broken, but with my help I’ll teach you how to protect heart. One bad experience
can turn into a great learning experience, so that the knowledge you’ve gained can be shared with other young ladies who are facing relationship issues. And if you face this in the near future, two years from now or whenever, don’t rush to move on, it will just bring more frustration and tears. Just begin to focus on you, take one day at a time, and believe that there will be a brighter day! But before I move on too fast, I want to talk you ladies about loving yourselves whole heartedly. I want to discuss this because, so many young females struggle with body image, eating disorders, self acceptance, and self esteem.