Faith is like a thin, crystal piece of glass
But so is love
and hope
and trust.
One little mistake,
and it shatters into a thousand pieces.
Broken forever.
It will never go back to perfect.
The shards will remain scattered in their heart,
piercing them with every heartbeat.
Emily Narouz // BROKEN
Gianna Watson // NEVER KNOW
I sat down on freezing cold bench The snowflakes as thick as ever I listened to the whispers of the wind pass me by Oh how it reminded me of the day we met The cold breeze surrounding us as we sat and talked Talked about how we just wanted to get out of this boring neighborhood
How we wanted to travel the world See all the places we imagined The Bahamas to enjoy the warm weather New Orleans for the Mardi Gras festival Fiji for the beautiful sunsets And Paris to see the Eiffel tower.
I guess I just never got the chance to But you did…You left too soon We were so young, but that didn’t stop you. I wonder if you’re okay, What would life be if you hadn’t left so soon? I guess I’ll never know.
Jenny L // GAME OF LIFE
Remember, she said, to watch,
to watch for their every move
as if you are the predator
And you have to be brave
I keep my eyes clear,
my eyes straight
not letting a whisper blow past
And breathing with a freight
My prey looks back at me,
As I carefully switch a piece
Not slowing down Or wanting to cease
As the pieces moved back and forth
The game seemed to never end
Until the King is trapped
And no longer has a friend
Cellucci // ARUBA
With warm weather, everything is better
The sun in my eye I don’t see a cloud in the sky
Looking up high I know that it is going to be tough to say goodbye
With warm weather, everything is
better. The sun in my eye I don’t see
a cloud in the sky Looking up high
I know that it is going to be tough
to say goodbye
I sit in my chair and fan through my hair
And wonder what’s better than this fresh ocean air
While looking at the sand and listening to the Caribbean band
I sit up and sink my feet into the warm sand and feel the Caribbean heat
Then I feel the fat beat of the strong rhythm beneath my seat
After comes the warm breeze followed by ringing rhythmic music keys
Seeing the Caribbean sea I say “this is definitely the place I want to be”
Looking around down from the highland I say wow “this is one happy island”
Varun Sasisekharan // TOOTHBRUSH
Fear,
the only feeling
I have ever
felt.
Waiting…
for ages,
until finally,
nevermind.
Sad,
Stranded,
Forgotten,
Frightened,
my life
miserable.
Bright and early
I am woken with
a splash.
The churning faucet
tells me it is time.
Water all over,
then,
paste,
oozing through
every crevice.
Darkness…
rubbed back and forth,
every second hurts, but
It won’t stop.
Another gush
of water, then
back
to waiting
until nightfall.
My life,
an endless cycle.
I am unable
to escape.
Thomas Kan // UNWRITTEN
I have a person
That I am thinking about.
The whole story began
Filled with doubt.
Will she want to go out,
My mind feeling unsure.
I stare into her eyes,
Brighter than azure.
But the story continues,
Walking in the pouring rain.
Droplets on her eyelashes, she says yes,
The dragon has been slain.
I have a person
That I am thinking about.
I tell myself that
Everything will work out.
I feel as if I’m invincible,
On God’s good side.
Maybe I’m Icarus because
Did he not die of pride?
Everything feels perfect, sun gleaming,
How could it not?
But when she doesn’t show up,
I become lost in thought.
I have a person
That I am thinking about,
What if the rain of her affection
Stops in a sudden drought.
The story is unwritten,
What will it turn into?
Does my mind deceive me,
Do I need someone new?
I can’t take it anymore,
What if the story ends.
So I ask God about it and
He tells me to stay friends.
Sarah Jacqueline Murphy // I LIVE WITH THE SUN
I live with the sun.
My sister is 13 years old, and she shines brighter than anyone I’ve ever met.
Her happiness radiates in waves of laughter
And her soul glistens like a diamond in the rough.
I live with the sun.
Her light casts a shadow that is impossible to fill.
Her radiant personality blazes through normality,
Shining down on humanity.
I live with the sun.
My rainy days vanish with her presence.
Her aura beams with confidence and humor
And her laugh illuminates my world.
Rachel Man // PLAYGROUND
The scalding swing groans slowly
up and down. The skritch skratch of chalk,
faded colors, walk and wash over
faded colors, layered and sunbleached.
Silver aluminum buttons in the sun-yeowch!
sizzling, consuming blackness.
Hear the slapping of feet against the blackness
a skip and a jump and an “ice cream, ice cream, cherry on top,”
coming closer and closer.
Chasing hands, reaching out to touch,
but just out of reach.
Yelling and pulling
at fistfulls of hair and screeching
with harsh laughter
(disapproving faces look away).
“You’re it!”
and footsteps, out of breath,
loud and gangly, heartbeat drums.
grubby hands knead chocolate, earthen
mulch onto dirty, laughing cheeks and earthen smiles and
“Tag, no tagbacks!”
Matthew Joseph // LONELY SMILES
People chase dreams of
white picket fences
and big backyards
and forget they
left their –
Smiles
back in kindergarten,
under the coloring table.
Matteo Nguyen // SKATEBOARD
The air sizzled like a pan
Beads of sweat traveling down the trails of their backs
Their mouths tasted of salt
Watering at the wafting smell of barbecue
His board snapped at the grainy cement
They watched him like a hawk
He flew like the birds flying over them
His shirt rippling like a wave
His shadow walked down each step
His board was a show of flips
Everything stopped in awe
Slap!
His wheels smacked the ground
He rode on
Whistles and cheers came from everywhere
“Pablo! Pablo! Pablo!”