Love - Justin M. Lawson

Mary Leloudis


Love
Justin M. Lawson

It lays silently festering
Ever painful
Ever pestering

It lays silently until if bursts forth
Releasing all the pain and torment
and rage
You’ve kept inside
For all these years

You can’t control it
It is dominant
Your love is your undoing

This Is Goodbye - Tadiana A. Richter

Dan Haycock

This is Goodbye
Tadiana A. Richter

You stood by my side for so long
But now I have to let you go

I see the tears forming in your eyes
You’re sad but please don’t let it show

I can’t stand to see you cry
But I gotta do what’s best for you

You know I'm not good with goodbyes
So lets make it fast. I'll miss you too

Maybe someday well meet again
But till then this is goodbye

I’ll remember you forever and always
Until the day I die

Never Enough - Paul Atwood

Alayna Eiting

Never Enough
Paul Atwood

No matter how hard you try they always keep you down,
It’s like you’re a nail getting pounded into the ground.
You could try and change, but it doesn’t work,
They all just stare at you with a little smirk.
You’ll never be accepted no matter how hard you try,
I’m sure none of them would even notice if you were to die.
You ask yourself if it would be worth it,
Considering that they all treat you like crap.
Just step back and think for a few,
Do you really want all of them to be like you?
Break off and be yourself, in the end that’s all you have.

True Love - Tyler Vowels

Devin Lujan

True Love
Tyler Vowels

I creep, I crouch, I peek inside
I see her resting: fast asleep.
I hardly think that I’m a creep
For wishing her to be my bride
Perhaps in dreams, she sees us glide
From sea to sea; that water deep.
Perhaps from me that hope will seep
Into her heart she’ll take in stride
She wakes and turns, her eyes catch mine
I turn and run, but far too late
I’ll never ever get that date
Restraining order is far from fine.
So for one year I sit and wait
To meet the girl who I call Fate.

Bad Drivers - Katelyn Bleak

Jordan Yazzie


Bad Drivers
Katelyn Bleak

Some people are just meant to be alone
When driving on the road, for the don’t know
That they’re not meant to drive, they should have flown
To where they want to be so long ago
For they should not be on the road at all.
Those drivers that are oh so far away
To meet the cross whew some cars seem to stall
Bad drivers keep going all the way
Some people are so rude to all those ‘round
They cut in front, and break so hard to stop
From going through the neighbors brand new hound
Or maybe breaking down the brand new shop
Bad drives should be banned from every state
Because of horrors others will await

Hallow's Eve - Katrina Hunt

John Kenning


Hallow’s Eve
Katrina Hunt

Mannequin heads outline the night
ringing out into a candy land
bringing the passing of
Fierce
Beauty
screams
Falling away leaving room for
a cold November

Judgment - Paul Atwood

Jake Pigott

Judgment
Paul Atwood

People are judged everyday
Doesn’t matter what they do or what they say
It continues to happen anyway.
Judged on character, features, and looks.
These people don’t play by the books.
There dirty and rotten through and through
But they could be me, or they could be you

I Found a Piece of Silence - Rachel Wainwright

Zancy Pashley


I Found a Piece of Silence
Rachel Wainwright

I found a piece of silence
Glistening in the mumbled night,
And heedless of sharp edges
I blindly clung on tight.
I waited in the stillness
To think of things to say
I waited half a decade,
You waited half a day.
Before you starting chatting
With anyone around
While I stood on in silence
Just waiting for a sound.
No sounds could find my lips,
No sound could touch my tongue,
And soon the sound of silence
Began to have no sound.
I hadn’t moved an inch
But I managed still to fall
And drop that piece of silence
I’d been saving through it all.
And all the glittering things
I could have thought to say
All the things I could have said
To blow your breath away
Shone fleetingly in darkness
As it tumbled to the ground
Before it smashed away to dust
And shattered without sound.
So with cut hands
And an empty throat
We numbly walked away,
And one soft whisper slivered out
Between my lips of clay.

My Gregarious Older Sister - Brianne Sandorf

Clint Irwin


My Gregarious Older Sister
Brianne Sandorf

Clearly, she talked herself to death-
And did it only with one breath.

Ode to Summer - Rachel Wainwright

Brooke Rowley


Ode to Summer
Rachel Wainwright

You welcomed me in like a friend
I had the whole summer;
You couldn’t end.
You smiled and lured in every way
The days were endless,
Weeks dripped and swayed
Time seemed to stop,
But then sped up.
My whole world crashed,
You set me up.
Summer, you lied
You cheated
You cut.
Your smiling mouth opened
And then snapped shut.
You shredded my mind
You ripped out my blood
You gave me the sun,
Then drenched me in flood.
You’re not the same
As you were then.
I hate you summer,
Please come again.

Clueless: Age 12 - Brianne Sandorf

Jacob Cardinal

Clueless: Age 12
Brianne Sandorf

when my best friend
told me

that a boy
was cute

I didn’t
have an

inkling of what
she meant.

Alone - Emily D. Regis

Taylor Smedley


Alone
Emily D. Regis

“You know what else children don’t know?” he asked, staring at me with an intensity that was unsettling. I shrugged and averted his gaze.
“They don’t know how to hurt. I mean, they know how to cause pain, but not how to hurt. There’s a difference.” He thumbed the whiskers on his chin, nodding softly as if I had uttered that statement and he was reflecting on my profound insight. I followed his lead and nodded, not knowing what else to do.
When I had seen his name on the Caller ID at 3 this morning, I had assumed he was drunk and needed a ride home from whatever bar he frequented nowadays. I answered, feigning surprise at hearing his voice after all these years. I knew he had been sober for the past year and a half, but it was no surprise to me that I would still be the one he called to pick him up after a long night of drinking. Or so I thought.
“You want to come over for a while?” he asked, his voice quiet. “Rachel just called. She had some huge news for me. I need someone to talk to. Please, Kate, you’re the only one I can talk to right now.” Hearing his voice so weak and broken and in need of care, I couldn’t refuse. After pulling on some sweats, yanking my hair into a ponytail, and throwing on some flip flops, I drove the ten minutes to his house. I still knew the way by heart.
I walked up the three flights of stairs to his apartment, knowing that the elevator would actually be slower. I grabbed the spare key from its hiding place by the fire extinguisher and walked in. The apartment was dark, but I walked straight to the den, where I knew he’d be, without colliding with any furniture. He was sitting in the large purple arm chair, like always, but instead of his laptop on the table in front of him, there was a novel instead. The Count of Monte Cristo. I was impressed.
Timidly, I knocked on the wall to announce my presence and he looked up and nodded at me. Gesturing for me to sit on the couch in front of him, he placed a bookmark in his novel and clapped it shut.
“Kate. It’s been too long.” From the way he spoke, you would never have thought we parted on less than good terms. Finally, dropping his mask, his eyes reached out to me in the way that only he could. “Katie-cat, I don’t know what to do. Rachel dropped by yesterday. She, well, she had some news to tell me. Kate, Rachel’s pregnant. I’m the father.”
For a second, I was sure I had heard him wrong. There was no way. But as I saw the honesty in his eyes, my hands began to tremble. I now knew why he had called me. I was his last resort. If he didn’t turn to me, we both knew he would turn to the scotch instead. Searching for my voice, I could think of no words. I stared at him helplessly.
“I don’t know what to do. What do I tell Rachel? That I don’t want to be a part of the kid’s life? That he’d be better off?” I knew he was only thinking aloud. That these questions were rhetorical. Thoughts began to race through my head. Images of him, drunk and angry. Loud. Harsh. Scary.
I wanted to calm him, to shake off his fears, but we both knew he would be a terrible father to this child. We both knew that Rachel would’ve been better off never telling him of their offspring.
“Kate,” he said, looking at me like he’d never seen me before, “Maybe there’s something I’m supposed to learn from the kid. Maybe, you know, I’ve been given a second chance.” This idea seemed to cheer him up and he began to list qualities he could learn from a child that would better his life.
“You know what else children don’t know?” he asked, staring at me with an intensity that was unsettling. I shrugged and averted his gaze.
“They don’t know how to hurt. I mean, they know how to cause pain, but not how to hurt. There’s a difference.” He thumbed the whiskers on his chin, nodding softly as if I had uttered that statement and he was reflecting on my profound insight. I followed his lead and nodded, not knowing what else to do.
“Katie-cat,” he said, reaching out to touch my on the arm. I instinctively recoiled, but he didn’t seem surprised, if a bit saddened. “I wish I could say I never meant to hurt you. But we both know that’s a lie. I did. I meant to hurt you. And I’m so sorry.” This time, ignoring my efforts to avoid his touch, he grabbed my wrist and turned it soft side up. Gently stroking the three small scars, I could see tears gather in his eyes.
“I’m so sorry. I wish I could take it back. I wish I never hurt you. I wish I never made you hurt yourself.” Tears began to trail down his cheek and he didn’t both to wipe them off. “Katie-cat. Katie-cat.” He whispered over and over.
But I had heard it all before. I heard the I’m sorrys and I was sick of them. I stood up and turned around, and walked away. When I got to the door, I looked back to see his eyes, full of tears and understanding and no anger.
As I walked out, I whispered softly, “Goodbye Daddy.”

Irony's Hope - Rachel Wainwright

Sydney Staples


Irony’s Hope
Rachel Wainwright

They call me Irony. Who knows why my parents named me that; because my father expected a boy? Because neither of my parents were expecting me at all? Or because being their only child, you might expect I was their favorite child, and yet I am not? Whatever the reason, whatever the cause; I am Irony, and I will always give you the opposite of what you wanted. I will go to piano lessons and quit the day before recital, I will show up for class pictures with a mud stain on my shirt, I will set the table, but leave the cups and everyone will have to stand in the meal, when they get thirsty, to get themselves a glass. I’m Irony, and as much as I hate, and savor the bitter bile in my mouth, even I cannot tell what I will get, and what I will do. Sometimes, even I have hope, and Irony’s hope is inevitably lost. But to be human is to house hope; that runs like a headless chicken, splattering everywhere no matter how hard you chop at it, and attempt to force it to die. Everyone expected me to get accepted and move away to the University. And until I didn’t, I hadn’t realized how much that hope had been with me. Not only because it would carry me away from my parents, and our waterless dinner table, but because I still hoped, even after all this time, that they could love me, and call me Truth.

Callowmen Part I: First Night - Derrick Fox

Jordan Yazzie

Callowmen Part I: First Night
Derrick Fox

"This is it kid, this is your shot at the big time. Don't screw it up. Be ready by 6:50." Shawn checked his watch: 6:20. Very short notice. Shawn shook the hand of his boss and left the office. His heart was pounding and his whole body was shaking. As he walked to the locker room, co-workers patted him on the back telling him good luck. Each time Shawn responded with a weak nervous smile. Halfway to the locker room, an older man stepped in front of Shawn, held out his hand and said, "Good luck Shawn, I'll be watching you closely." Shawn gave another nervous smile, shook his hand, and said his thanks. A veteran, his hero Silus Archer no less, would be watching him. Had he shown that much promise?

He made it to the locker room and took a quick shower. As soon as he stepped out he looked at his watch one more time: 6:40. He dried off, pulled on his plain black trunks, followed by his knee pads, and then laced up his boots. He picked up his ring and whispered, "This is for you." Shawn kissed the ring before putting it into his bag and leaving the locker room. He quickly found the man that he would be working with by the curtain where they would enter. "You ready?" Tyson said when he noticed Shawn. He spoke with such ease, but he was a veteran. Tyson laughed when he saw how nervous Shawn was, "Don't worry you will do fine. We go out at 7:15, so let's talk about this." The both of them sat down and talked about what exactly they would be doing that night. Finally music familiar to only Shawn played loudly throughout the halls and the arena, "I guess that's you, kid. Let's do this." Shawn stood up and took in a deep breath. He slowly let it go before stepping through the curtain letting the lights and sounds of the arena engulf him.

Forgive Me - Katie Sexton

John Kenning


Forgive Me
Katie Sexton

I kind of kissed
the boy
that you met
last week
and whom
you were probably
liking
these days

forgive me
he was so charming
so sweet
and so attractive

Yours Truly - Emily D. Regis

Ashley Hanks

Yours Truly
Emily D. Regis

Things got hard
but I'm willing to handle that.
I want you to
hold my hand
and touch my hair.
I want you to
tickle me and
hug me and
be mine.
I've never been one
to be persistent
but with you
I must
insist.
I'm giving it up.
I’m giving up giving up.
I need you to
understand
that I am
willing and ready to
fight for you
with all
that I
can muster.
Why?
Because a little while ago
I started to
believe
in fate.

Cinquains - Katelyn King

Andrew Taggart

Cinquains
Katelyn King

Kneeling
On wobbly legs
All alone in the field
Bravely takes a chance on his feet
Stands

Soccer
Teams back and forth
Slide tackle, mud in face
Defenders race to steal the ball
Goal

Paper
Blank on the desk
Mind racing, heart pumping
Pen lowers as my train of thought
Stops

No Thank You - Tara Alvey

Clint Irwin


No Thank You
Tara Alvey

You
Are
A star,
They said
You can be whatever you want.
But then they quoted that stupid and supposedly inspirational quote
You know how it goes that one overly quoted quote
“Shoot for the moon and you’ll land
Among the stars!” What a dumb
Thing to say No, I think
I’ll land Where I
Choose Thanks

The Aftermath - Derrick Fox

Brandon Henderson

The Aftermath
Derrick Fox

Joseph woke up to searing pain in his head. The light of the sun beaming through the window didn't help at all either. Slowly, holding his head with his hand, he sat up on the couch. He sat normally, resting his head in his hands, trying to wake himself up. He put his hands down on either side of him so he can lift himself up, but he had placed his left hand into a wet spot on the couch. Quickly he removed it and stood up, what had he just touched? Joseph stumbled around and slowly made his way to the window, but the closer he got, the more the sun got directly in his eyes and the more it hurt. As fast as he could he closed the blinds and finally opened his eyes to the point where he could actually see. "What the hell happened?" His eyes adjusted to the new lighting of the room, and he didn't like what he saw. Plastic cups were scattered all around on the floor, shelves, and the coffee table. Every where you looked there was half eaten food, some of it even left a trail where they slid down the wall. The lamp that his sister had given him as a house warming gift was destroyed into hundreds of pieces of a corner, and on the otherside of the room there was a black scorch mark. And that was just the living room, who knew what the other rooms looked like? Joseph let out a very frustrated sigh, "The price of having party."

At this point he couldn't even remember why they threw the party, but it didn't really matter. Right now he had to worry about getting his house looking presentable again. At that moment he heard clattering and stumbling as someone was trying to get up the stairs. He grimaced as the noise sent a throbbing pain through his head. Two people emerged from the basement, one a guy and the other a girl. The girl wasn't wearing any pants and her hair was a mess, the guy, whose hair was also a mess, wasn't wearing a shirt. "Hey man, thanks for the invite to that wicked party last night! That homemade flamethrower was just awesome!" The girl just nodded in agreement and then added, "and if you find my pants, would you mind bringing them over to my place? Thanks." She just smiled and signaled for the guy to follow her so they could leave. Joseph just shook his head, a homemade flamethrower? He let out yet another frustrated sigh and got to work on cleaning, after taking some aspirin and getting a cup of coffee.

Man from L. A. - Aticus Peterson

William Numbers

Man from L.A.
Aticus Peterson

There was a short man from L.A.,
Who got shorter and shorter each day.
He tried to get taller
But only got smaller
You guessed it - he’s not here today

Heartache - Josh Brimhall

Mary Leloudis


Heartache
Josh Brimhall

Have you ever had a pain inside of you? Something there you’re not sure why it is there, nor how exactly it got there, although you have some idea. A sharp agony, not on the outside, but deep in the caverns on your soul, then expanding outward through the rest of the body, particularly coming from your chest, maybe your heart. Your body loses its strength and a deep cold feeling fills your insides, making the only thing to do is lay on your bed or couch, feeling like you could cry. It comes and goes a little bit, then abruptly leaves, but only for a while until it suddenly appears again as quickly as it left, sometimes piercing even harder. No matter how many psychological defenses you use to take away the repetitive hammering that this misery has caused you to inflict upon yourself, there seems to be no cure. I think this is something that comes from that thing called true love. Not the fake stuff, or else there would be no way it couldn’t hurt that badly. Many have sung about it-that painful feeling- too many talk about it falsely, others have made up metaphors or quotes trying to explain it, but the true feeling cannot be written in words or explained fully; the only way to know what it really is, is by experiencing it yourself.

Puppy Love - Brooke Rowley

Sydney Staples

Puppy Love
Brooke Rowley

Marry me, my love
Love me forever.

Say yes, my love
Love me forever.

Tweet me, text me, call me, my love
Love me forever.

Sweet talk – You rock

Miss you, my love
Love me forever.

Victorious - Derick Fox

William Beadle

Victorious
Derick Fox

A talented musician
Blondes that have red hair
Crazy girls who want to hurt me
Dudes that walk around with puppets
Even the teachers are a little crazy
First day here I made a girl angry
Geez, I just spilt coffee on her boyfriend
Hollywood Arts is a crazy school
I never would’ve dreamed I’d be here
Just because my sister couldn’t perform
Kind of glad she couldn’t I wouldn’t be here if she could
Lesson learned:
Make it Shine
Never just go into it not trying your best
Over the top is what you have to aim for
Passion takes you were you want to be
Quitting is for those who can’t
Reaching goals is for those who can
Stay with it and you will achieve
Take it from me
Unextraordinary me
Victory is what I am for
What I strive to achieve
X-ing out the negative
Yearning to be the best I can be
Zero people will stand in my way

Lamp Boy - Taeler Short

Payton Clements

Lamp Boy
Taeler Short

Lamp boy was very bright,
Always got good grades.

He was always charged up,
Always full of energy.

But one day the power went out,
And he never woke up.

Adventures of Gratt and Cheeto - Emily Hawkins

Rachel Rogers

Adventures of Gratt and Cheeto
Emily Hawkins

Gratt (Matt and Griff) is a flavor blasted gold-fish, he lives in a bag. One day Gratt was sitting, pondering his life, looking around for inspiration as he wrote up his poem for class, when out of nowhere a very imposing, annoying gold fish, Cheeto, came up to him smiling crazily. Gratt tried to ignore her, but as she persisted on talking to him, he had nothing better to do then turn to her and try to get her to leave. "Hi" said Cheeto with a smirk on her face that would have scared away any other person, but at the moment Gratt was just trying to understand why this fish was bothering Him, of all people. "Um, hi?" he said trying to sound cold, "what do you want?" "Will you be my friend?" said cheeto with a crazy look on her face as she sat down on the chair beside him and waited for his reply. Trying, at all costs to get her to leave him alone he answered, "sure, but i have to get this done so could we maybe be friends later? somwhere else?" Without hesitation Chetto replied, "sure" and raced away. In amazement and sudden releif Gratt turned back to his notes, picked up his pencil, and resumed the poem.

Black and White - TJ Hendricks

Elsee Hermansen

black and white
TJ Hendricks

my soul is dyed black, forever scared black as if burnt by fire. i have no idea how i found something so pure, so innocent, so free, so blameless. i don't deserve this. that fact that your still around means you see through the black or i've just learned to hide it so well its not noticable. i feel like the black wolf around the white one. i should go back to my cave and hide.... die alone, but i'm so hooked i'm won't.

Close Your Eyes - Matt Hatch

Angie Hansen

Close Your Eyes
Matt Hatch

There are no flowery fields of flagrance and bliss
Just a giant pile of rot and filth
and we're all covered in it.
we call those "flower moments" the one where we stand up from the filth,
close our eyes,
and forget
just for that time, that we're standing in mess.
It won't last long.
It can't.
You can't fully fool you senses
Even the happiest man who's every thought is pure
knows in the back of his mind that something is wrong.
So lie back down in the muck
squirm and cry and whine for help
These filthy creatures you call friends won't,
Nay! can't help you!
With thier inability to focus on more then their own filth
encrusted lives for the few seconds you need from them.

If thou wilt be a begger
beg for death.
For all else is but a cruel joke.

Epitaph - Jacob Cardinal

Tyler Sill


Epitaph
Jacob Cardinal

The children that once stood here,
Now lie in the ground, no longer held dear

The Bald Eagle - Caitlin Hibbert

Zandy Pashley

The Bald Eagle
Caitlin Hibbert

The bald eagle soars through the crisp air,
Ever increasing his ascent towards the clouds;
His majestic climb inspires the fisherman
Dreaming, gazing, into the sky.
This American icon has proved a strong
Survivor, sitting atop the food chain
He waits for his prey and attacks:
Diving through the air snatching a fish
With his knife talons and keratin beak.
Satisfied, at last, he glides across
The cloudless sky, into the sunset.

The Hunter - Ryan Larsen

Bronson Green

The Hunter
Ryan Larsen

I sat in the darkness
on the forest’s edge,
Waiting, Waiting,
With my bow and arrow
at my side,
Waiting, Waiting,
I know my game is
close,
Waiting, Waiting,
Something moved in the
darkness
Waiting, waiting
I raise my bow and
aim at my target,
No longer Waiting.

Love Is Like - Michelle Dodd

Jesse Murdock

Love Is Like
Michelle Dodd

Love is like a whisper of wind
You cannot catch it with your hands.
Love is like a warm, summer rainstorm
It can make you feel refreshed.
Love is like the dark night
It can leave you
Alone.

A New World - Devin Franke

Payton Clements

A New World
Devin Franke

The music swims
softly

Into ears of
people

Being taken away
far

To a new
world

The Tree - Kate Kuykendall

Angie Hansen

The Tree
Kate Kuykendall

The tree dances with the wind,
Smoothly waltzing between the
Soft notes of time.
Every branch is in rhythm,
And every leaf is slowly swaying
To the uneven beat.
With one last trembling, leaves heave
a sigh and the tree goes back to
Serene slumber.

Over- easy - Jason Andre

Tony Hsieh

Over-easy
Jason Andre

You take hold of my mind
and crack it open
destroying the fragile shell of my limitations,
and exposing me to the world.

In an instant I splatter;
spilling where I cannot be gathered
and clinging in clumps to everything nearby

Yet the very center of me—
quivering,
tenuous,
apprehensive,

remains miraculously intact.

Worth the Wait - Breanna Tucker

Rachel Rogers

Worth the Wait
Breanna Tucker

A spike of cold, a nest of pain
A million thoughts run through my brain
The feelings that I have feel wrong
But when I look they’re still not gone
I try and try but nothing works
They stay, they grow! That’s even worse
I need to let them go right now
My heart still clings to him somehow
He’s broken it, and not just once
And yet my heart, it’s such a dunce,
It loves him more and swells with joy
And when he smiles it sees no ploy
It thumps and stutters, how can I
Deny it, it’s my soul! It cries
I need him with me, night and day
And maybe just along the way
I’ll be with him and can’t deny
There is none happier than I

Haiku - Katelyn Bleak

William Numbers

Haiku
Katelyn Bleak

Walking on the beach
Majestic waves seen, feet sink
Into warm, soft sand

Blossoms reaching out
To the sky, filling the air
With the scent of spring

Gushing waterfalls
Fly past without a second
Glance at what they've left

The Moth - Sariah Horowitz

Rachel Griffin

The Moth
Sariah Horowitz

A moth doesn't seem to glow,
Color is rather hard to show,

The wings that do drape,
Create a wary cape.

Under the safety of winged cloak,
Will not chirp, prod, or poke,

The moth is scared to open her wings,
For they are not the prettiest things.

But if only she knew, if only she¿d try,
She¿d find that she is a Butterfly.

The Beach - Keller Seamons

McCall Cottle

The Beach
Keller Seamans

I am
The blowing wind,
The sand inside your shoes,
And the one who never forgets
You.

Melody Waxed Sad - Ben Harrison

Taylor Millward

Melody Waxed Sad
Ben Harrison

As time passed by the melody waxed sad,
The harmony grew tired, and deathly thin.
My song had changed from happy jig to ballad,
And I myself became too old, too grim.
From whence came hence this minor key? I knew
That 'Mas not my mistake, who could I blame?
The only one who brought these tears was you,
And on your shoulders rests the weight of shame.
So here it is, the song I wrote for you,
Do with it what you will, I've played it through.

Elizabethan Sonnet - Rylie Sandorf

Stephen Spencer

Elizabethan Sonnet
Rylie Sandorf

Walking slowly down the lane,
I met a man who asked my name,
In response I answered “Jayne.”
And said he, “have you fame?”
Caught off guard I answered “No,
I prefer the smaller town.
To a life of glitz I will not go,
Fame and fortune drag you down.
What I hold dear I will not sell
For a life of lust and hurt.
On this matter I won’t dwell.”
Was my reply short and curt.
“You are wise beyond your years,
This life has only brought me tears.”

You Can Do It - Kohle Perkes

Taylor Smedley

You Can Do It
Kohle Perkes

There are times in life
When all you can think about is
Giving Up

Don’t give up
You can make it
Come On

It is that extraordinary push
The one from a friend
Or from yourself

That will keep you going in life
Come On
Can you do it?

Fallen Soldier - Elizabeth Merrill

Devin Lujan

Fallen Soldier
Elizabeth Merrill

Lying alone, blank eyes that do not see.

The hero died that others might be free.

Poem for the Eye - Rylie Sandorf

Sydney Staples

Poem for the Eye
Rylie Sandorf

I
Am a
Fan of the
Star. As seen from
Afar, they may appear
Small, but if viewed up close, they are quite tall.
Wished upon in the night sky, look! A shooting star just
Flew by. Movie stars are said to be stars. If they
Are so great, and stars are so far, why oh
Why is that what we aspire to be?
Always on the search
And never reaching our
Goals, is a star really
Something we should
Want to be like?
Who knows.

Bleeding Hearts - Tara Alvey

Megan Squire

Bleeding Hearts
Tara Alvey

They used to hold such charm for me
The most delicate and precious in all the garden wide
The bleeding hearts, you see.

Yes I used to play a princess and be
The one to break and never hide
They used to hold such charm for me.

Away up high and in the tree
In my leafy castle I would rule and ride
The bleeding hearts, you see.

Then suddenly, it was no longer pretend to me
And in no one could I confide
They used to hole such charm for me.

But then he broke my heart, the he
And to the childish fancies I could no longer abide;
The bleeding hearts, you see.

Yes not the flowers speak of something else to me
A world that is cruel and now, no so wide
The bleeding hearts, you see
They used to hold such charm for me.

Faces of Life - Sharlene Meono

Stephen Spencer

Faces of Life
Sharlene Meono

Wherever you go and whatever you see,
There are faces always staring at you.
On posters, billboards and even on TV,
At the ocean, the park, or maybe the zoo?

Some are more human with a nose and some eyes,
Others are like monsters or something else we despise.
Most are unanimated in which few can tell,
Made up of windows, walls, or a doorbell.

Faces can even be seen in clouds way up high,
In the back of a truck, on the front of a train.
Found in the stars that shine in an evening sky,
From the drops of dew that form on a windowpane.

It matters not where these faces arise,
The message they bring is where true meaning lies.
So be careful of the things that you do,
Because somebody is always watching you.

A Long Time Ago In A Galaxy Far, Far Away... - Andrew Peters

Clint Irwin

A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away...
Andrew Peters

I used to have life figured out,
I used to know what life was like,
I used to not have a care in the world,
All of the sudden I am thrust into the real world,
It is nothing like I expected,
I am afraid and unsure of what will happen,
I cannot get away with being a kid anymore,
I have to act like an adult,
Which is not as fun as I expected,
Everyone told me growing up sucked,
But all I could see was moving out and not being told what to do anymore,
I never saw the responsibility,
I never saw all the work,
But now I see it and I understand,
But what else have I been told and ignored?

Independence Day - Ben Harrison

Hannah Murphy

Independence Day
Ben Harrison

I set fire
to your
house
using firecrackers

Don’t worry,
I celebrated
Independence Day-
we’re free
you know.

Small Moments - Tara Alvey

Camerie Smith

Small Moments (Apologies to Rupert Brooke0
Tara Alvey

These I have loved
The slip of a newly dusted and oiled furniture under my palms;
Smooth grains of homemade ice cream under my summery sweat tongue; Old pictures;
Morning birds singing your dark mind to consciousness;
The musty friendliness of old pillows; Inhaling clean mountain air;
The sharp crack of wood when it breaks and the constant chatter of hidden creatures as
you dash and dart along a secret trail; Then suddenly, Stillness, as you close your eyes;
Eyes, tiny orbs that wink and blink as bits of your soul shines through;
The smell of an old leather saddle;
The velvety push of your nose, close up against a horse when you kiss it;
The wind as it whispers your name and your soul answers back; Somehow knowing there is something more than what we see;
The slide of a dinner mint in your mouth;
The slap and sting as you hit water and then it slowly claims you for its own;
A turtle’s tongue;
The smell of sun tan lotion and the giddiness it inevitably inspires;
Long wild grass you chomp on as you wander along back country roads; Mirrors;
The smell of a boat as the engine roars and skids across the water;
The straight, army like, single file lines in a carpet after the vacuum swoons past;
The drip of your wet body on hot cement as you flee from a water fight;
The scent of new and improved dance shoes as you pop the box open; A new start;
Then again, there’s the endearment of old broken shoes and how they move with you;
Home; Cold water that slices down your throat;
The smell of a tramp in the sun;
The sound of a horse as it flies up a dirt road, the feeling of being one with the incredible
creature beneath you, and the power you wield;
Eating chilled snap peas;
The acute awareness as a single tear rolls down your face and the way your heart feels as
it does; The graceful grandeur of piano keys, old and new;
The panic as a wave pushes you down and salty seas water fills your gut, then the joy as you break the surface;
Adrenaline as it pours through your very core, fingers, legs and finally makes you weak in
the knees; The way your face looks when your hair falls just right;
Sky and Dirt;
Smooth legs under a warm blanket; The mass of sheep’s wool between your fingers;
Butterfly kisses;
All these have been my loves.

Virtues - Jessica Blackhurst

McCall Cottle

Virtues
Jessica Blackhurst

What are the virtues that I find inside?
Do I posses any humility?
Am I good, kind and filled with charity?
Am I someone in whom you could confide?
When you see me, do you want to say, “Hide!”?
These days it seem to be a rarity
To find one with responsibility
Someone to help, not just there for a ride
Do I really know what it means to work?
Or do I sit in a corner and lurk?
Do I see the good, or is it the bad?
If it is the latter, that is quite sad!
In this life all I can do is my best
And that will have to suffice for the rest.

The Pain of a Rich Man - Sharlene Meono

Megan Squire

The Pain of a Rich Man
Sharlene Meono

Hurt is unseen and unimportant,
I must hold myself to a higher standard.
Always pleasing, always civil to man,
A warrant of ‘well respect’ placed upon my head.
Fine wine and dining ever present upon my table,
Never the meager delicacies of a cold pizza.

My life is a poker game,
The façade I keep hides embarrassment.
I am not allowed to hold shame,
My frame cannot bend in a disappointed bow.
Authority and politeness are often expected,
Assumptions of my background are often predicted.

What more can be so contemptuous of me?
My life is a lie, to myself and my God.
I have worked hard my entire life to be Success;
I am not Success but a battered old man.
And yet my appearance would never suggest it.
And why not when I can afford rejuvenation?

Poor men despise me, and they spit upon my charity.
They do not seek my offered contributions.
Their only want is for me to be as lowly as they.
To whom am I a wealthy fool?
And yet I have revealed myself as the rich man.