Guys That I’ve “Dated”
2nd grade
lasted: 2 minutes
He hated me.
5th grade
lasted: 5 days
He never talked to me.
7th grade
lasted: 2 months
He was insanely religious and his mom loved me
but I broke up with him.
Summer 2014
lasted: 4 days
We met at PCC and he broke up with me
over the phone right when phone time was ending.
Summer 2014
lasted: 9 days
We kissed on a couch in JC Penney and I ended up
breaking up with him.
9th grade
lasted: 2 weeks
He had the same last name as me and it freaked
me out so I dumped him. No, we weren’t related.
9th grade +
Still going strong.
He’s my best friend and he’s the only boy
out of the seven that ever actually meant
anything to me, so I’m glad he’s around.
-Julia Freeman
Six Words
1. The sun and moon chase each other.
2. The darkness thrilled her; she challenged it.
3. She loved to run in all weather.
4. I left you a rose; you left.
5. I’d fly but my wings are short.
6. I started running, I never stopped.
7. Your shadow? My shadow? Whose? Ours.
8. Looking up. Looking down. Such wonders.
9. I have a secret room hidden.
10. I can see far, if nothing’s near.
-Andrea MacNaughton
The Delivery Man
The delivery man is in love with Mom,
it’s my job to protect her.
No more fruit,
no more flowers.
Go home, delivery man.
-Julia Freeman
All the Animals I’ve Had
Pete was a bunny. He was brown and white.
One night, my sister went out to feed him,
left the cage open and
we never saw him again.
Cona was a car that was so dark brown he seemed black.
He didn’t like people too much.
He went out one day and our neighbors stole him.
He came back one day with a collar that
said “Coco.” Then he left again.
Coola was all different colors. She was best buds with
Cona so when he left, she followed.
Fenway was more like a dog than a cat.
She was grey and orange.
She liked to follow people around wherever they went.
One day she left, came back five months later,
said ‘hi’ and left again for good.
Halfa and Buddy are sisters that are Fenway’s offspring.
We kept them both because
we didn’t want to split them up.
Then a neighbor came to us and wanted Halfa
so we gave her to them.
She only came back twice.
We still have Buddy.
Sterling is an all grey cat.
She’s pretty chill
but doesn’t like to be touched.
Kelly is multicolored; offspring of Buddy.
We gave her to my grandparents.
After a little bit, they gave her back.
Now she’s fat.
Emma was a black pitbull, my first dog ever.
We got her from a friend of a friend
who couldn’t take care of her anymore.
When my mom discovered she was too strong
for us, we gave her to a guy with a truck.
Ginger is a sandy cockapoo, my current dog.
We got her on my 12th birthday because of a tweet.
If we hadn’t gotten her that night, they would have sent
her to a shelter. She is the best dog ever.
-Capri McLucas
Every Fish I’ve Ever Had
Clifford- really my sister’s fish.
He was a big, red beta fish
that Lauren got from my great Aunt.
Mom liked to call him Oscar
just to spite Lauren.
Alfredo- tried to jump out of his tank.
He always seemed very lonely.
Another one of my sister’s fish, although I fed him.
Gregory- Another beta. This one blue and very depressed.
Lauren never fed him.
It’s tragic, really.
Hoolio Ricardo Georgio Jepez III- My sister’s friend Katie
gave this fish to Lauren as a gift.
He was less lonely than the previous.
Sadly, he died. We held a funeral and I wrote the speech.
There was even flowers and a gravestone.
Poor Hoolio.
Olaf and Finnegan- Guppies.
My sixth grade science teacher gave them to me.
She wasn’t allowed to have them anymore.
Unfortunately, they died as well.
Zeus and Tiger- Struggled a great deal while trying to name them.
My sister got them for her birthday from Katie.
She didn’t feed them.
Now only Zeus remains.
But we love him as a brother.
-Alissa Pray
The night is dark,
Nobody was outside
It was just me
Me and the shiny full moon
Lighting my way.
Every step I took,
Felt like I was in a different dimension,
But only me,
The other dimension had nothing in it,
Not even air,
Or a little bit of sand.
A cup,
A cup on the ground,
Was it a trap?!
I didn’t know,
Was I scared?
No I wasn’t.
-Kayla Barros
Dear All Cats,
I just wanted to let you know:
From the day you became an adult
All the way to the day you will die,
I have
And always will
Hate
You.
And I’m not the only one.
All the goldfish you’ve eaten,
Hate you.
All the rugs you’ve shredded,
Hate you.
All the clothes you’ve buried in fur,
Hate you.
All the Ms. Goldman’s you’ve lurked on,
Hate you.
And most importantly,
All the me’s you’ve annoyed
Hate
You
Most.
Hate,
Capri
-Capri McLucas
The Sun and Moon
Our relationship is the sun and moon
Far away, light and dark, separated
Your light emits a joyful, pleasant tune
My luminescence seems hesitated
You are the powerful, radiant sun.
Your energy gives me the strength I need
The way you shine can never be outdone
I only want you, that is guaranteed.
I am the moon that glimmers in the dark,
Observing your beauty from far away.
While other stars sleep, I adore your spark,
As you try your best to brighten the day.
Even though we’re so different at heart,
Our souls will be together, not apart.
-Olivia Rackley
I remember you were there
all of you.
But not a single one tried to help me
As I got chased by a T-Rex.
-Capri McLucas
I drove up a hill
up and up and up
until I crashed
Into you.
-Capri McLucas
The Director’s Advice
She said
we knew the routine by now
just go on stage to act it out
and at the end, to take a bow
and when you say your lines, shout
She said
your ones are right on time
your costumes look fantastic
and your diction is sublime
while your movements, not too drastic
But most of all, have so much fun
she said,
you've done good in the long run
she said,
go out there and show them you've worked hard.
-Alissa Pray
For life is short,
and we should live,
fight our own battles,
and not let other's suffer
for us.
When the night
is bright
and your star,
is far,
don't cry,
just fly
-Kayla Barros
In the eyes of a six-year old
The world doesn’t make sense.
There are mice that say “moop”
And all planes are dangerous
And Nala and Simba are real.
In the eyes of a nine-year old
You know everything or so you think
Soccer practice is like the Olympics
And you hope Santa brings you a DSi
And you hope Santa could bring your grandfather
In the eyes of a twelve-year old
You don’t understand how your friends are so mean
You’re gonna run in the Olympics
And your friends leave you out
And you want to be a meterologist.
In the eyes of a fifteen-year old
You know life is a gift
and you’re confident and happy
And sometimes the world doesn’t make sense
But you’re okay with that.
-Jane McNulty
Boys
Oh, how I hate them.
Their aura makes me sick.
Oh, how I hate them.
If they’re in my group, I quit.
Oh, how I hate them.
They smell really bad.
Oh, how I hate them.
They try to get me mad.
Oh, how I hate them.
I hate when they stare.
Oh, how I hate them.
Don’t you dare care.
Oh, how I hate them.
I don’t actually know why.
Oh, how I hate them.
Don’t judge me. Good-bye.
-Grace Foley
This story isn’t sad,
I promise you it’s not.
It’s about my rage, my anger,
my hatred for the lot.
The sleepless nights thinking about you
Will you ever come home?
In this room surrounded by darkness
just makes me feel more alone.
So instead of pure happiness,
I’m stuck with the blues.
It’s a daily thing.
Nothing different, nothing new.
You changed my life
not for the better, for the worse.
I hate you, I hate you!
My life, now a curse.
-Eva Miller
It’s Complicated
I love you more than I love my dog.
I hate my dog.
But yet, I hate my dog more than I love you.
I hate my dog a lot.
I hate my dog because she hates you.
My dog hates me because I love you.
My dog hates everyone.
I hate my dog.
She hates me.
She hates you.
I love you.
It’s complicated.
-Julia Freeman
Oblivion
his wide, bright eyes fill with curiousity
as we watch the sun drift into nothing;
his smile has a sense of peace to it--
no worries, no fear--only hope.
hope of seeing the world one day,
hope of falling in love with a beautiful soul,
hope of following dreams of his own.
his blond hair falls in small curls over his forehead,
bouncing in the breeze;
his laugh lifts my heart just with the sound,
making every moment happier and more memorable.
these carefree moments are the ones to cherish the most
happy laughter and loose hair and bright smiles and
curious eyes-
and lighthearted hope to become something someday,
to mean something.
to be remembered.
-Julie Martin
All Of My Cats
Salty, a pudgier cat with white, fluffy fur. Salty is only in my earliest memories, as my mother had him even before I was born. He was killed by a fox that we would see in our backyard sometimes.
Pepper, a thin, grey cat, as well as Salty’s “brother” and best friend. He was quieter than the more sociable Salty, but never mean. He died in a washing machine.
Fearless, a friendly black cat with piercing green eyes and soft fur. I remember him as a kitten and his transition into a skilled hunter. He was actually named after a children’s book my brother and I read about a fearless girl stopping a dragon. Fearless was my favorite cat, and I now regret not petting him when he was deathly ill. We had him put down.
Spotless, a grey cat with black stripes and a white belly. Spotless was to Fearless as Pepper was to Salty, only more so. Spotless and Fearless hunted together, slept together, and ate together. We sold Spotless shortly after we put Fearless down, as Spotless was becoming depressed and irritable. I don’t know which loss was harder on me.
Cody, a chubby orange car with dark orange stripes and a sprawling white underside. We adopted him as a kitten when we still had Spotless and Fearless, and I’m happy to say they did in fact become friends. When they were eventually gone, however, Cody seemed unaffected. I wonder if he remembers them. Cody will take my seat, stand in doorways, scratch me, and meow loudly, yet I still love him. Don’t ask me why, the human brain is weird. Then again, so is a cat’s.
-EJ McCabe
Under the Bedroom Floor
I hate to admit it
But I have a heart
Constantly alive
Beating and breaking
Its pieces are unknown
My heart is hidden well
I’m not sure I want someone
to locate its whereabouts.
So I ask you don’t try
But maybe you will anyway
Either option is bad.
Either way you lose
Because I’m not the one
For anybody like you
Because you have a heart of gold
Solid and rare
I have a heart of hate
Nothing sacred, just feared.
So please don’t come any closer
I don’t want to let you in
But if you knock hard enough
I might open the door
So you can find my broken heart
Under the bedroom floor.
-Samantha Alice Sparrow
The Nap
I turned off all the lights.
Put on some sweatpants.
Threw my hair in a bun.
Grabbed every snack in the house.
Shut the doors.
Drew the shades.
Picked my favorite movie.
Snuggled in my heap of blankets.
Took the best nap ever.
And then you came home.
-Capri McLucas
The dusty toy,
forgotten and broken.
A blank canvas.
The artist’s thoughts spoken.
A child’s sleeping mind,
innocent; unbroken.
The tiny necklace locket,
a most valuable token.
All these are special
in a certain way.
A child’s favorite pastime,
an imaginary game.
The brilliant masterpiece,
a ticket to fame.
Waking to harsh reality,
from the sweetest dream.
A promising item,
the most important claim.
-Ryann McSherry
Together Alone
You never realized
how much it hurts.
To see you with so many
others.
When we could be together
alone, forever.
I only wanted you by my side.
Not any of your followers.
It may be silly,
it may be dumb,
to think I thought
you would only be
mine.
-Eva Miller
Hate + Love = You
I hate how much I love you.
I hate how your eyes are
so blue and intriguing.
I hate how your hair looks
majestic when you flip it.
I hate how your smirk is so
playful and devilish.
I hate how much I love you because
I know I can’t be with you.
-Amaya Carter
I like to think
that a stranger has a seen me
and wanted to meet me.
I like to think
that a stranger was eavesdropping
when I said a joke, and started laughing.
I like to think
that I made someone’s day
when I shoot a smile their way.
I like to think
that these take place
and maybe put a smile on a stranger’s face.
-Hannah Keough
Strawberry
Strawberry.
I like blueberries not strawberries.
Why? I do not know.
Maybe it was the way I was born
Or maybe it’s just for show.
Blueberry.
I like blueberries, not strawberries.
Why? Well, why not?
To go to the grocery store.
That’s what I bought.
Life.
I like blueberries, not strawberries.
Why? Who cares?
For the world to know.
For me to share.
-Mari McGinn
My First True Smile on a Sunday Afternoon
My life is a melancholy melody
I’m addicted to the sadness that’s singing so
beautifully.
And now I don’t know what to say to you.
Because I’ve never been this happy before.
-Danielle Chaves
Destination Unknown
I have to say goodbye now
It is time for me to go.
Please don’t ask me where
I’m going
Because even if I tried I could
not tell you.
You’re starting to get
pushy
Insisting I share my
destination with you.
You’re really starting
to infuriate me
as the repeated
questions makes my
emotions get higher
like a beastly
ocean wave rising
to meet the
shore. I am trying to
hold it back but it’s
so hard. I’m
blinking back
the salty stream
that shoves at my
eyes like an
angry mob trying to
break down a door.
One last time you
make an effort and
suddenly I snap
like a cold.
The stream runs down my
cheeks and my
words sting you
like a whip…
I tried to warn you.
Now please excuse me,
I have to go.
-Arianna Pelletier
Dogs
Name: Percy
Age: 3 years old
Breed: Australian Shepard
Attitude: leader, aggressive when needed, selfish, attention hog
Name: Pluto
Age: 2.5 years old
Breed: Dogo mix
Attitude: cute, gentle, lovable, lazy
Name: Bailey
Age: 15 or 16??
Breed: Shiba inu mix
Attitude: old, lazy, wants her personal bubble
Name: Zuko
Age: 4 years old
Breed: Dachshund
Attitude: shy, selfish, can be an attention hog, also
Name: Panda Bear
Age: 6 years old
Breed: Danish
Attitude: lap dog, lovable, gentle, smart, hyper
Name: Hawkeye
Age: 10 years old
Breed: Yellow lab
Attitude: Lazy, selfish, fat, clean freak, hairy
Name: Blossom
Age: 11 years old
Breed: Chihuahua
Attitude: love bug, sweet, gentle, caring, giving.
Name: Radar
Age: Passed away
Breed: Mutt
Attitude: Excited, confused, special, loved, missed.
-Rory Brennan
Music
Music is like an escape,
In the car, staring out the window.
Putting in my earbuds and going into another world
a world of excitement and adventure,
of depression and redemption,
a world where I don’t have to worry about anything
except a guitar solo.
My earbuds pop out when we hit a bump
and I realize I’m in the same old place
and the same old world
not the world of Rock n’ Roll
that I’ve always dreamed of.
-Jackson Costa
Bedtime
Anxiety dances.
Across my pillow case.
My god, it dances.
It’s like 1,2 step.
It’s asking stupid questions.
Like are you living right?
Such stupid questions.
Yeah.
Mari McGinn
I Can Hear Her Weeping
I can hear her weeping from her
bedroom.
Oh, how I abhor those sounds of
sorrow
emanating from your soul, which
suffers
from that intangible curse without cure.
Oh, if only I could free you, my dear
from the sadness and the fear which
plagues your
mind, so fragile, like the
fluffiest dove,
and show you the delight and wonder
this magnificent, lightful world
offers.
Yet, you refuse to see God’s joyful
world,
and see only shadows cast by its
light.
The sad ones, the rot, the scum
of this land.
If only I could have the power to do
the act of ripping this damned
curse from you.
-Samuel Phipps
Thoughts
I couldn’t see it then
but I did see the birds
and the rabbits
I heard the branches in the wind
and felt the hot summer air.
The world was alive
with songs of nature
and the distant thrum of passing cars
from the road that crossed the river.
Stillness hovered in the air
but I went on.
While the hill pulled me downwards
down, down
Until I reached the river
shrouded in forest
The earth was different there
damper and darker.
I laughed
how great it was to be alone
with birds, branches and thoughts.
-Alissa Pray
Joy In Hands
Happiness
cannot be grasped
in a slippery fist
wet with the words of others.
You must dry off
your hands, damp with insults
so you can enclose
Happiness in your palms
to keep nearby
and warm your soul
with the delicate glow
of joy.
-Samantha Alice Sparrow
I Hate the Way You Complicate Things
I hate the way you care about me.
I hate the way you make me smile.
I hate the way we have a deep respect for
each other.
I hate the way I care about you.
I hate the way you’re like family to me.
I hate the way I’ll miss you when you’re gone.
I hate the way you’re always there for me.
I hate the way you hate yourself.
I hate the way I love you.
I hate the way we argue.
I hate the way you’re literally one of my best friends.
I hate the fact that when we leave
I won’t hate you anymore.
-Arianna Pelletier
On Turning Fourteen
The whole idea of it makes me extremely anxious.
More than any big test, or quiz, or presentation.
This is worse.
A headache starts to settle behind my right temple
and my hands sweat profusely.
Am I ready for this?
You tell me it’s too early to be looking back,
but I just can’t believe I’ve already made it
fourteen years.
I miss the carefree life of a toddler
and the happy-go-lucky spirit of an elementary kid.
The times when my only worries were
whether or not I got dessert after dinner, and
not wanting to miss my morning cartoons.
But now I am mostly at the window,
watching the sun set and the moon rise.
Watching the setting change,
from white to green,
with bright splashes of yellow and pink.
I wait as it nears the end of my middle school years,
my year of thirteen.
This is the beginning of sadness,
I say to myself as I try to make sense of things.
It is time to let go of my middle school,
and the number thirteen,
as I transition into freshman year,
and slide into the new skin of fourteen.
It seems that only yesterday I used to believe
I was a princess,
rolling over all my stuffed animal subjects.
But now I see I am just a girl,
with hopes and dreams,
at the freshman year
of Fourteen.
-Olivia Rackley
Cross
Cross
Crossing a bridge
water under the bridge
or
lava poison under the bridge
either way I can have a will to cross
Cross
Crusification
Saving
I am saving you with my tears
My tears will be rain that wash your suffering away
Do not cry
Do not be sad
I'm not sad
Let me cry for you instead
Cross
Two brothers are fighting
they are cross
Do not be mad
I'm crying I'm sad
but their fire makes lighting
Cross
Star crossed lovers
Holding hands
Crossing and folding and turning into each other
till their one
they won
Cross
You promise?
I cross my heart
hope to die
or stick a needle in my eye
Cross
A long time ago
a teacher told me
to sit criss cross apple sauce
I was cross
Cross
goodbye friend
till our paths cross
till I see you again
Cross
The end
X
Andrea MacNaughton
Dog
We sit in silent contentment
her furry head on my lap
her tail wagging slowly and lazily
She knew I needed this.
I never called her,
I didn't find her,
She knew.
She waddled her way over.
She jumped on the couch.
She licked my arm softly
and put her head on my lap.
Isn't it magic,
How they just know?
-Nicole Berglund
I Am
I am that bird on your window
and you watched me in awe.
Now that you're grown used to me
this moment is nothing special,
nothing new.
I fly away
you do not know why
you never did.
I am a tree
standing tall in your yard
if you need me I will be there.
No questions, still there.
However, I will not chase you.
I will stand firmly in my place
I will not run, will not hide
any day, any night
I am the wind
quiet and loud
you won't know when
and neither will I
sometimes helpful
sometimes I am not.
But isn't everybody?
At least we try.
I am you
with your secrets within
no one knows them but you
but that's how it's supposed to.
We have things our own.
But we aren't so different
-Nicole Berglund
Gilly
His eyes pierce my soul, deep inside
I look at his smile and I know I can’t hide
His blue hair sends a shock down my spine
This time Gilly has crossed the line
HIs voice shoots through my ear like a gun
I thought dolls were supposed to be fun?
-Jackson Costa
No Invitation
No invitation, wouldn’t have gone anyway.
A fire burning high and bright that night.
A cool evening for a bunch of cool kids having
the time of their lives.
The mosquitos bit at their bare legs, and the
flash of a camera reflecting off the eyes of a girl.
Her birthday, her celebratio with her friends,
her temptation.
The embers of the burning fire weren’t the
only thing in the air.
The scent of alcohol strong and new, the
whispers of liquor lurking in the shadows.
Pictures taken, memories made, good times.
Right?
That’s what I was told anyway, by Francisco
who went and the stories I watched at the
ten second window.
And I stared at the window, and I listened to the
gossip in my empty seat by the dying fire.
-Justin Sherlock
I Float Through the Air
I float the air, my legs dangling
The cold air strikes at my face like razor blades
I look down at my little skis hanging
And watch the people glide in waves
I pull my scarf up over my pink face
And open my ears to the silence
The quiet I immediately embrace
Forgetting about troubles and violence
My skis hit the ground with a thump
And down through the mountain I come.
-Hannah Keough
Glass Demon’s Eye
The gravestones stand tall
as the raindrops fall,
and a large, dense cloud
glooms over the death yard
roars its thunders loud
through the moist air, hard.
I stood in the yard,
over dead men’s tombs.
Headstones, cold and hard,
aftermaths of dooms,
beheld that grey beast
awe-filled at its rage,
‘twas jaguars pre-feast
now freed from their cage.
With each clang of Thor,
three times greater sound
than the roars before,
my ears felt the pound,
like a giant’s fist
rushing towards my mind.
My heart shrunk smallest,
I left sense far behind,
I fled from the beast,
sprinted like a horse
towards my homestead, east.
Into the woodlands, I
trampled past branches,
needles, brooks, and flies,
towards the safety
of my cabin, east.
Relief flowed through me.
I escaped the beast
called nature, above.
Nature’s not the peaceful dove,
but the power and wrath
of the deities above.
-Samuel Phipps
Metaphor
Murder, lies, protection
You use me for your own twisted agenda.
I can’t help but hurt you, and everyone else.
You’ve told lies because of me.
Protection? Yeah, right. In a way, yes, but that’s
far from the truth.
Murder? Don’t I get a phone call. I kill because
I am told, not because I have a choice.
Lies? No, whatever could you be talking about.
Today marks the anniversary of my sobriety,
sober from the truth.
There are others, others that were constructed to kill.
Me? I was constructed for protection. Was.
Don’t let me do it again.
Don’t let me leave my mark, a hole
through your heart.
I’m a metaphor. I’m legit.
Don’t pull the trigger.
-Justin Sherlock
Perfect
The boys watch her walk.
The girls watch her talk.
She is known for her smiles.
She can run for miles.
Perfect.
Her grades are top notch.
Her nails, neatly blotched.
They try to copy her.
They always try to learn.
Perfect.
Many wish for her love.
Many don’t think she’s tough.
Some envy so they laugh.
Some love so they last.
Perfect.
Quick, she can roll her eyes.
Quick, she can get the guys.
People can’t see inside.
People can’t see what she hides.
Perfect.
-Jessica Slavin
The Summer I Didn’t Have
Could’ve been amazing.
I could’ve walked on water.
Could’ve won the lottery.
I could’ve become famous.
Could’ve had the best summer of my life.
But
I wouldn’t have met my closest friends.
Wouldn’t have been inspired by ten different speakers.
I wouldn’t have bonded with my proctors.
Wouldn’t have laughed as hard as I have.
I wouldn’t have all these unforgettable moments.
I realize now,
I couldn’t have had that summer
Because I was busy having this one.
-Capri McLucas
Nothing is Pleasant
Nothing is pleasant
Nothing is good
Nothing, at least, lets me be
No one
Someone is worth it
Someone is caring
Someone, at least, will love me
Someday
Everything is amazing
Everything is precious
Everything is becoming beautiful
Everyday
-Samantha Alice Sparrow
The beds are soft and the pillows are light.
The nurse is nice and the food is in sight.
Terrible noises and big machines
So lonely and I am the only teen.
That’s just my luck.
My toes tickle and my body’s cold.
The beds are made for those who are old.
When life is given you just accept it.
Many are weak and run from conflict.
I’m not like them.
-Rory Brennan
Guys I’ve Liked
In first grade we were neighbors, best friends;
then I had to up and move to another state.
I still remember you, do you remember me?
Second grade friends, you would come over to my house
and we would play imaginary games,
then you got popular.
I stayed the same.
I stayed the same.
You are my best friend to this day.
I liked you in third grade,
but you made up for it
when you liked me in fifth grade.
It was fourth grade.
You didn’t come to my birthday party.
I was crushed.
The first guy that liked me back,
and told me so.
Why’d you have to move?
We sat next to each other in science.
I thought you were cool,
you liked me, too.
That lasted about three days.
I thought you were smart, I liked you,
but now we are friends.
It stinks you are going to Tabor for high school.
You’re leaving and I never told you I liked you.
-Ryann McSherry
Together, Alone
We trudge through the woods everyday,
me, and my old hound dog Jay,
looking for food, scrap, supplies,
used to look for others, too,
but I gave that up, all lies,
told by my lonesome mind, who,
nowadays, likes to trick me.
Never, not in ten times two
decades, have I found one man,
woman, or child alive. Who
would keep trying, after ten
times two decades of nothin’?
And besides, I still got Jay.
I’d call that a win.
And even if I still had
hope of someone, out there, live
and well, I’m gettin’ old. Bad
enough wastin’ time, now I’ve
gotta walk city to
city with a bad back?
No thanks, friend-in-my-head.
Nothin’ but empty towns, dead
cities, and deader, pitch black corpse
No. Don’t like think’ ‘bout that.
Bad mojo, those thoughts are, yep.
Jay’s my bud, I met him at
an old place called New Jacep’s
Town, as a pup. Momma got caught
in an old huntin’ bear trap…
I took him in, loved him alot,
and he felt the same. Real hap’
to have found him when I did.
I get lonesome real easy.
Without Jay, I’d be mad now.
I wish he could talk to me,
but at least I got one now,
one I can eat with, sleep with,
talk with, especially I’m glad
to have little Jay Jay. I’m sad
there is no out out there, but
at least we’re together, me and my mutt.
-Samuel Phipps
Childhood
A memory like a dream,
filled with nothing but happiness.
My big blue eyes, chubby cheeks,
and tiny figure ready to challenge
any obstacle on the playground.
I smile as my little feet start
running like the wind,
kicking woodchips from behind me.
Coming up to a mountain,
I hold firmly onto the rainbow
colored rocks and reach the top.
My mother reminding me
to be careful as she watches
from afar, I wave to her.
I see a long unsturdy bridge
to the jungle.
I step carefully, one by one,
till I reach the vines.
I firmly grasp one and
start swinging to the other…
“I’m almost there.”
-Eva Miller
Small Things
The linger scent of cigars he doesn’t smoke
and the smell of coffee on his breath
The stubble on my father’s chin
and a pat on the back from his calloused hands
The hairs on his arms that I used as a pillow
the rumble of his laugh that spreads to his smile.
One sharp cough that he does to save time
One sharp cough that he does to save time
and a poke on the side to get me to laugh
the tap of his leg that he does out of habit
And the scratch on his chin every five minutes
The fuzz on his head that intrigue my child hands
and the holes in his shirt from where he would chew
These are the small things I will never forget
Small moments with my father that never seem to end.
-Nicole Berglund
The Best Thing I've Ever Written
Dad, put on the summer music
I want to hear good tunes.
I want to hear 4 British guys
and sing along to American Pie
(which, thanks to PCC, makes me cry).
Turn on the radio,
the station with the summer songs,
the one that plays Bobby McGee.
I want to fly like an eagle, to the sea.
Dad, put on the summer music
I really want to hear it.
It's sad and it's sweet,
I know them complete,
those are Billy Joel lyrics.
Julia Freeman
Dear Santa,
I'd like a new nintendo 3DS or XL
I'd like an xbox one or 360 if you will.
How 'bout a pair of Vans? or Supra for my feet?
or Pokemon first edition cards? Boy, that would
be neat.
Thanks for your consideration and don't forget to eat
The cookies that I made for you, and these reindeer treats.
Dee Chaves
Our harmony a perfect rhyme,
Our song kept in time,
As we search for any flaw.
There are none for all I know,
Your smile a radiant glow,
Your skin shines in the light,
Your voice safe i the night.
We are hypnotized by love -
a crazy emotion in the air above,
a distraction from pain and sorrow,
despite when they leave till tomorrow.
Our infatuation is inevitable,
Everything about us incredible.
We're lost in the something unreal
But we're blinded to help scars heal.
Julie Martin
Hot tears run down my quivering face, blurring my vision.
The cool night air soothes my burning throat
My thin cotton nightgown doesn't keep the rough woof from scratching
my bare legs.
I clutch her hard trying to steady myself,
as waves of panic wash over me.
She sits, my steady anchor.
I rock, but she stays,
Caressing, comforting me.
My breathless gasps don't frighten her,
She whispers into my ear, calming my rapid heart.
Ryann McSherry
I remember laying on the couch, eyes closed.
Waiting for you to notice.
I listened as your footsteps grew louder
and louder
and louder.
A pause.
So quick but, filled with anticipation.
And then gently, I rise from the couch
with no effort at all. My legs
wrap around your thick middle. My arms, your neck.
My head finds your shoulder.
And then the best part.
Thump. Thump. Thump. My head jostles and sways
along with the rhythm.
I let you place me in my bed,
tuck me in,
shut off the light,
whisper from the doorway.
You fade as I drift off for real.
Capri McLucas
