A gift of Poetry POEMS
Fall 2008
Wiggly Waves Waves dance against the rocks As the wind sings a mellow Tune and the clouds fly across the Sky. As they bump their hips against The rocks. Listening to the tune Makes a perfect day.
I play in the wiggly waves
La’Daujuh, age 10
Ducky Ducky is my friend. He sleeps with me every night. When I am sad
I hug him. I love him so much.
Emily, age 6
Come Out and Play I love the beach, nice and quiet Going swimming, playing in the Sand, making a sand castle, all So nice. The wind whispers to you Go out and play. Crash, crash, the Wind pushes the waves against the Rocks. Wind blowing the sand, Don’t get it in your eyes. Oh no, The tide ruined my sand castle. What am I going to do? The day Is not over. There’s so much to do.
Come out to the beach. You will love it too. Jarhea, age 9
Tell Me Why
Why does my heart yearn for you? Why are you so close and yet so far away? Why is it that when I see you I am filled with joy and comfort…and sorrow? Is it because I see you and I realize that you are not mine? Or because when I see you I can do nothing but stare, lost in your beauty? Why does my heart want to open up to you and my body stays still? Why do I have these feelings, these beautiful, hurtful feelings? My heart is being torn from the chaos of love and pain, joy and sorrow. Can you please tell me why? Why do I feel this way?
Adventures in the Sea Where will I travel today? I would dive into the deep blue life Around the brilliant sea creatures Through the misty refreshing water
I would dive into the deep blue life Where sea rushes with the wind Through the misty refreshing water Relaxing all the way through the sea Where sea rushes with the wind Diving deep, deep to the ocean floor Relaxing all the way through the sea My day feels blue like the ocean getting ready to spin Diving deep, deep to the ocean floor Swimming near the sandy water My day feels blue like the ocean getting ready to spin Sailing through the windy air
Brandon, age 15 Swimming near the sandy water Around the brilliant sea creatures Sailing through the windy air Where will I travel today?
Stephanie
Good Night to You, Too Enjoy the night blue sky The moon comes out The crickets appear The crickets chirp A beautiful song Enjoy the beautiful Sounds of the crickets And the locusts chirping The night blue sky Has the wonderful sound Of howling wolves The dogs go on watch When the robbers come out
All the children go to bed tonight And good night to you, too Shawn, age 10
All About Me AUTOBIOGRAPHIES AND SHORT STORIES
Moving On My junior high experience was fantastic. I went to the same school for three years. I remember my first day I was nervous, but also excited about going to a new school with new kids and new experiences. One thing I started was orchestra. At first it was hard, but then it got easier. I play the viola, and it’s neat how all the sounds combine to make something new. Another thing I liked about middle school was all the parties and dances. I remember Midnight Madness where we stayed up until midnight playing games in the gym and hanging out with friends. We even had a boys’ beauty pageant. How hilarious!
I remember the Valentine’s Day dance that was in our cafeteria. They decorated with balloons and streamers and we had a photographer who took pictures of us. One of my friends and I helped out with the door prizes. Everyone had a good time! We also had cool fundraisers at our school. I remember the Cookie Dough Fundraiser for our orchestra. It was fun. I sold eleven tubes of dough. The field trips were neat too. I remember visiting a ranch and learning about Texas history. We took a wagon tour and saw different animals and kinds of houses and even how metal was made. I also liked just helping out at school. One time I went to the office and helped deliver messages. I think being outgoing and friendly helped me adjust to junior high. I also like to laugh a lot. The day I left junior high was sad. It was a time to remember all we had done. At the awards ceremony I cried. I had a flashback of everything from beginning to end. I also cried because I was happy to move on!
Stephanie, age 15
Who I Am When I was born, the first words my dad said were, “Thanks to God.” The first word I said was “Dada”. I understand three languages—English, Urdu, and Gujrati, and I speak two. I’ve never been to India, but I want to go to meet my relatives some day. I have relatives in India and Pakistan, and I want to meet all of them. Last year we couldn’t go because I got sick. Maybe next year.
If you ever visit us, you’ll like our food. We eat things such as briani (spicy rice with chicken or beef), samosas, and chicken boti. We go to the mosque every day. I also attend religious
classes. We learn our prayers and how to say them. Our prayers are in Arabic, and we say them three times a day, at 5:10 a.m., 7:30 p.m., and 7:40 p.m. Right now we’re celebrating every day because it’s the 50th anniversary of our spiritual leader.
Shaz, age 8
More than Roses! I like to play with my two cats. One is named Simon, and he likes to chase his ball. His blue eyes go back and forth. He’s fast at running out the door. Sometimes Simon sleeps on my bed. He likes to lay down with me. My other cat is named Midnight. He’s all black. When I turn off the light, I can’t even see him! Once he scratched me on my arm. When he’s bad, we flick his nose. I love my cats more than roses!
Beach Days I like going to the beach with my mama. I dig big holes in the sand and eat ice cream and build castles.
It is fun!
Andrea, age 6
Sean, age 3
Toad Catching
The Camping Trip
My dad taught me how to catch toads. They hide under rocks in the dirt. The black ones jump away fast, but the gray ones are easy to catch. I use my hands to trap them. Then I put them in a cage with mulch and feed them crickets or cockroaches I find in the house. They like that. When they want to get out, they scratch the sides of the kiddie pool and I pick them up. Sometimes I name them things like Chris or Martin or Zabu.
A long time ago when I was five, I went camping. We saw some bears. I wasn’t scared, but my mom was because she heard them growl. They were brown. We just stood and looked at them. At night we slept in a tent. We could hear the owls going “whooo, whooo”. They tasted good burnt. We looked around and I found some frogs. Next time I think I want to go to the beach.
I take them out for toad exercise in my pool.
We built a campfire and cooked marshmallows.
Jothika, age 6 P.S. I also like lizards. I’m going to get a bearded dragon from the pet store. I have to see the lizard before I name him.
Michael, age 5
The Nightmare Mystery The scariest thing that ever happened to me was on the night we moved into our new apartment. I thought it would be fun and exciting because I’d get to meet new people, but it turned into a nightmare. That night my brother Chris started to act funny. He didn’t want to eat and he looked pale. He cried and sat around, which was unusual because he’s usually so active. We checked his temperature, and it was 104 degrees. Then he started getting worse. My cousin, a fire worker, rushed over to our place to take Chris to the hospital in his truck. On the way there he ran out of gas, so he had to call the Kangaroo Crew to take Chris to the emergency room. I was waiting at home feeling scared because I didn’t know what was going to happen with my little brother. My dad came to pick up me and my other brother Phillip so we could go to the hospital. When we got to the hospital, everyone was crying. Chris was having a pain crisis.
It was scary. No one knew how it would end.
Turning Thirteen I’m really excited about my birthday. I like getting lots of presents and attention. We’re going to have mole, arroz, and chivos when I turn thirteen. We’ll have cake too. We’ll listen to Latino music and invite over the family. My grandmother from Mexico is getting a visa just so she can come to my party. I can’t wait until Sunday!
Maria, age 12
The Changes Most recently, my family got a new addition. My new baby sister, Riley, is eight months old. Things have changed a little since Riley came in the world. It’s a little stressful now because we have a lot to do in one day. My Mom has to pick us up from swim practice, get Riley, and clean, which keeps her very busy.
Two days later Chris was okay again. He was as good as new, and he’s been doing well ever since.
A typical day for me is to wake up, go to school, ride the bus home (which I hate), arrive home, do my homework, get ready for swim practice, come back home, then eat dinner, take a shower, then get ready for bed. I wish I had more time for friends and family, but my schedule gets in the way.
All I can say is I hope that nightmare never returns.
Cheyanne, age 12
Chrystal, age 10
Bad Day It’s morning. I wake up. I have overslept. I go to take a shower. I slip in the tub and hit my head. I get dressed for school. I can’t find my shoes to go with my clothes. I have to change. I go downstairs. I have to skip breakfast because I’m running late. I go outside. I run after the bus because it passes me. I get on the bus. I have to sit three to a seat with two big guys. I get to school. I go to my locker. I can’t open my locker because it’s jammed. I go through a whole school day getting yelled at by teachers. I go to the locker at the end of the school day to try again. I figured out I tried opening the wrong locker. I slam my real locker door closed. I jam my finger. I go outside. I get on my bus. I have to sit three to a seat with two big sweaty guys. I suffocate the entire ride home. I get off the bus. I walk up to my house. I don’t have a key. I am locked out. I wait for an hour for someone to come home. I decide to go to the backyard for shade. I try the back door. It has been open the entire time. I feel stupid. I go inside to the nice a/c. I sit on the couch and think about my day. I realize life is not perfect. I realize that everyone has good and bad days.
I realize things happen for a reason. I also realize at the end of the day everything will be fine. I know everything will be fine and life will go on. Pretty good discoveries from one bad day.
Brandon, age 15
My Friend Chet It all started with a very, very, very long airplane ride that seemed to last forever. We got to our hotel, and we bought some chocolate cake to eat right before bed. I was excited. We were there with lots of people from Cure Search to lobby for more money for childhood cancer research. Our congressman and our two senators had not signed onto the bill, so we were there to tell them our story. We met Congressman Chet Edwards face-to-face, and I sat right next to him and ate Skittles with him while my Mom talked. She’s a really good speaker. His aides kept telling him, “You only have 5 minutes.” But he kept saying, “Wait. I want to hear this.” He stayed with us for 45 minutes and listened to our whole story. When we left, he gave us his number and promised to support the bill. When Congressman Edwards came to Aggie Land, he invited me to sit in the presidential box and watch the A&M/OU football game. I got to meet the former president, George Bush, at the presidential buffet, but my favorite part was sitting in the box with my congressman and his sons. It made me feel very special. We became good friends. Last year when we went to lobby, he gave us a personal tour of the capitol and invited us to his house. We played all afternoon. Since I met Chet, I have worked hard to help him get re-elected every year.
Right now, the Conquer Childhood Cancer Act, HR 1553, is on the House calendar, and it may be voted on this week. It is also on the Senate calendar. The last time I saw Chet Edwards was May 27th, and he said he’d take me to another football game! We’re still best friends! I hope our bill passes so there will be more money for better medicine.
Erin, age 11
Cannonball! When I was born, we had a pool at our house, so I started swimming when I was little. The first time I went to the beach, I wasn’t even scared of the water. I was scared of the sand! I love water. If I were an animal, I would be a dolphin because they’re such swimmers and so sweet.
I like going down the rock slide at my house. It’s slippery and fast. I wear goggles so the chlorine doesn’t burn my eyes, and I can swim all the way from one side to the other, but it makes me feel like I’m going to pass out! Our pool is shaped like a peanut. I don’t think I’ll do a job that has to do with swimming. I love the water, but I’ll probably work at my Dad’s tire shop. It’s a family business, and that’s what I want to do.
Mary Jo, age 8
Schlitterbahn One morning, my stepmom ran in the back room, where me and my sister Kailey were sleeping. She gave Kailey the phone, but Kailey was still half asleep. She didn’t know my mom was still on the phone. So my stepmom came back in the room and woke Kailey up. She said, “Kailey, your mom is still on the phone!” So Kailey called her mom back. My mom said, “Your Aunt Lupe is gonna take you to Schlitterbahn, so get ready!” So me and Kailey got ready. My Aunt Lupe came, and we went to Wal-Mart first. We got my sister a bathing suit and sunscreen. Then we went to Schlitterbahn.
It was magnificent! Alyssa, age 9
Samantha One morning, we woke up, got dressed for school, walked outside, and there was a dog! She was sleeping under my Mom’s car.
She was a little puppy with fluffy black and gold hair. We got some chicken to get her out. When she smelled it, she came out. That’s when we noticed the paper that she had torn up all over our front lawn. We were running late, so we tried to put the puppy inside our gate, but she got out. We had to go to school, so we just left. When we got home, she was down the street in the circle playing with a little kid. We asked his mom if she was his puppy, and she said, “No.” So, we took her home and gave her a bath. Our stepbrother helped us and then asked my Mom if we could keep the puppy. We had to beg her, and finally she said, “Yes.” We’ve had her for five weeks now and we named her Samantha.
Kailey, age 11
Aliens My Trip to Vietnam Once I went to Vietnam. We flew on an airplane. It took a long time. It was cool to look down on everything – so small! When we got to Vietnam, I was excited. We took a van to my Grandmother and my Grandfather’s house. It was big, and it had stairs, and my Grandfather had a dog named Lucky. My Grandfather tied him up so I could pet him, but he barked, and I was scared. So I went down the left side of the ramp to get away, but I slipped! I remember one day my Dad cooked french fries for me and they tasted good. I also watched Tom & Jerry and played with my cousin. I was happy to go back home. One day, I went to the airport to pick up my Grandmother. She came to visit here, but now she’s back home in Vietnam.
I like to go to the stars. I read that red stars are cold, blue stars are really hot! Last month, Lily went to a blue star and a red star, but she did not tell me the name of them. She went there and saw tiny little blue, orange and purple aliens crawling all over the place. An hour later, Lily was so hot! So she bought some water. She went to the gift shop and bought water bottles. Then she joined the other aliens to have fun in the sun, like a vacation. But she couldn’t enjoy that long because a volcano erupted. People were screaming all over. But Lily thought of a great idea to save everyone. She used a gigantic knife and cut up four medium sized balls and blocked the volcano and saved the day. Now she can have sunny fun. Then she went back. What an exciting adventure she had.
The End. Kim, age 9
She loves to eat fish, and so do I! Someday I’ll go back to Vietnam and see her again.
Timothy, age 7
The Magic Cat Once upon a time, there was a rainforest. One day, a cat that had magic came to the rainforest. She saw a stormy day with rain and wind. The other animals were hiding, but the cat was not.
She was tapping together her paws to stop the storm. It worked! All the animals thanked her. They wanted her to stay, but she had to go help animals in other places. She became the famous magic cat.
The End. Cindy, age 5
Forever Dance When I was little, my Mom used to record me dancing in the living room. I would spin around and do hip hop moves that I’d seen on videos. Everyone thought I was good, especially since I was so young.
We were living in Hawaii, and lots of people do the hula. It’s a cultural dance that tells a story. In third grade, When I was around seven, my Mom put me in hula.
My First Camping Trip This summer, I want to go camping for the first time. My Dad and Mom and me are going to check out the campsite. We might not be able to stay in a tent this summer because my baby brother is only four months old. My Dad said he’d take me fishing.
I wonder if I’ll be scared camping. The snakes and frogs and bugs might bother me. But our tent will keep us safe. It’s yellow, and it holds ten people, and it has a closet and storage! I can’t wait to go camping.
Karen, age 12
I started cheerleading; it was more dance than flips and stuff. I liked that because I made new friends, got to wear a blue and black outfit, and had something fun to do on the weekends. I still like to dance. I think it’s in my blood because my whole family likes music. Even when I’m mad, sometimes I’ll dance, and it will make me feel better. I think I’ll be dancing when I’m 102!
Serena, age 12
My Bionicles I’m good at building things. I love working with Legos. I put together Bionicles from McDonald’s and Burger King. It’s easy. You can move all the parts – the arms, the legs, the hands. I just built a Barraki, and I make up stories about the characters. My favorite stories are action ones.
I like imagining adventures they have on Earth. They are always good guys, and they defeat evil.
Some day, I might want to design one. It would be red, blue, black and gray. It would have powerful legs and arms, and it would be carrying a sword and a shield. I would sell it for $50,000.00. Then I’d be rich and buy my own bed.
Jason, age 7
My First Dirt Bike Experience My Dad got me into dirt bikes. When he was little, he used to ride them in his back yard. He still loves them. Last week my Dad bought my brother and me our first bikes. We both got Honda CRF’s. To start it up, you kick out a metal pedal and push it down, and that revs up the engine. Next, you pull in the clutch and pull the throttle. Then, you let go of the clutch and it moves forward. You control the speed with the throttle on the handle bar.
The hardest thing about a dirt bike is the jumps. I’ll probably be trying those in Conroe this weekend. I’ve seen people doing it on TV, and it seems scary but also fun. Right now, I’m practicing in my front yard. I had a close call when I was going too fast and almost flew through the neighbor’s fence. Luckily, my Mom wasn’t there, and there won’t be any fences at the tracks in Conroe! Really, riding a dirt bike is just like riding a bicycle, just faster. I’ll probably be doing it when I’m my Dad’s age.
Dancing I’ve been dancing since I was three. My sister used to dance, and maybe that’s why I started. I’ve taken tap and ballet. Now I do jazz, lyrical, almost everything. I’m a part of a dance company. I started when I was around seven. I used to be afraid to go onstage, but now I’m not. Before a competition, I mark it and then I go over the dance in my head with the music. I take a couple deep breaths and then I just do it. Once, I remember I was onstage, and I looked over at a judge and just froze. Somehow I made myself keep going and managed to still get a platinum. At that competition, I ended up in first place overall. I’ve gotten a lot of first places, with groups and solos. I think one of the reasons is I practice almost every day. One of the best feelings I’ve ever had dancing was during a solo. I did a step that I usually wobbled on, but that time I did it perfectly. That was a good feeling. I still love dancing. Even though I practice so much, I am not bored because I’m still learning new steps. My favorite types of dance right now are ballet and jazz.
I’ll probably continue dancing my whole life because it makes me me.
Christopher, age 11 Madelyn, age 12
Playing Baseball I play baseball for the Cubs. I have my own uniform that’s blue and white and red. I also wear cleats and a baseball hat. We have to practice before our real games. It’s a little bit easy and a little bit hard.
The Bayou Wildlife Park One day I went to the Bayou Wildlife Park with my Mom. I saw a goat with four horns that looked so silly. He was eating food out of a bucket.
I saw an ostrich with a long neck.
Every time I hit the ball, I hit a homerun. I always slide into home plate. I’m really good at baseball. I was throwing balls when I was two years old, and I just got better and better.
We drove around in a jeep. I also saw a camel, and I opened up his lips to see his long teeth. When we were leaving the park, I was holding the bucket of food in my lap, and the eland snatched the bucket away!
My team always wins. If we lose, I just think we’ll win next time.
I liked the park, and I want to go there again.
Jonathan, age 5
Moritz, age 5
Harley
The Life Style of Hair!
I love kitties and dogs. My uncle has a dog, and he’s real little. Sometimes he jumps on my legs. When he runs outside, my uncle has to take his motorcycle to catch him.
I love to do hair. Doing hair is something that helps me relax. I’ve liked to do hair since I was five years old. My aunt is a hair stylist, and she inspires me a lot.
Right now, I’m learning how to do braids. It’s hard to learn to do certain types of styles.
My uncle named him Harley. If my uncle got a cat, he’d probably fight with Harley. I think Harley would win the fight even though he’s little.
I wish Harley lived with me. Marcel, age 5
I can do braids real good on long hair because it’s easy to catch the hair. I love soft textured hair. I love the way hair looks and how you can do so many things to make you look and feel like a better person. I sometimes do friends’ and family’s hair. By the age of twenty-five, I hope to have my own shop and business, and I hope it will elevate me to bigger and better things.
Ayana, age 14
Love and What It Means To Me Love is something that’s made not destroyed.
Disney World My favorite place to go is Disney World. I went when I was four years old, and I still remember it. I got to drive in a limo and then fly on a plane to get there. I was scared on the plane because my ear hurt, but I was happy when I got there. I watched a 4-D movie and went on a ride called Lilo and Stitch. They said no one could bring food or drinks in there, but then Stitch said, “I smell chili nachos and cheese!” He ate it up and then burped, and we could smell it. We said, “Yuck!” The limo driver took us to a house, and there were two beds and a Jacuzzi! We found a TV when we opened a cabinet door, and my Daddy and I sat down and watched the Disney channel.
Someday when I’m older, I want to go back to Disney World and have some more fun! Jaslynn, age 7
Love should never hurt – just make you feel warm and good inside. Love is like seeing two people getting married and having their first child. Love is like two hearts combined together to build a four-story house. Love is like walking through the park and seeing someone’s grandparents holding hands. Love to me is like seeing a tape of you and your high school sweetheart getting married when you were about to turn fifty.
Rolita, age 17½
Friends Will Always Be There for You No one in my family sings that I know of, but I love to! Ever since I was little, I’ve been singing. When I hear a CD that I like, I just want to song out loud. When we travel, I always take my iPod with me and sing along with the music. It makes me feel happy inside. Someday, I’d like to take singing lessons and enter competitions.
I’ve never written a song before, but I’d like to try it one day. I might write a song about friendship because friends will always be there for you. They’re there through the ups and downs, and they watch your back for you.
Ellie, age 11
The First Comfotable Hospital Visit A few weeks ago, I was in the hospital. I’ve done this hundreds, maybe thousands of times, but what made this visit nice was that my cousins came. They stayed the whole week I was in the hospital. We talked, watched movies, and played games like Candyland and Trouble. My older cousin made sure I had everything I needed. My legs hurt so much I couldn’t walk, but she took care of me, bringing me water and snacks. It was something a big cousin should do, and she did. Normally, I’d be by myself and bored and hungry. But with my cousins there, I had everything I needed. When I had to leave the room, she’d unplug everything so I could get out of bed. She’d help me get to the bathroom when I had to go, so the nurses didn’t have to do so much.
It was one of my better stays. Having friends around made being in the hospital comfortable and relaxing. Rolita, age 17
A Basketball Dream Next year, I want to play freshman/sophomore basketball for Klein High School. This summer, I’m going to practice and lift weights to get ready. I’ll play with Alan and work on the fundamentals like dribbling, shooting and passing. I’ll use the machines at the gym where I work out. I’ll cross train by running and swimming. It’s important to drink lots of water, so I’ll do that. I’m a determined person, so I’ll stay motivated. I may take a basketball camp this summer. That would help me improve my skills. Basketball is a great sport because it keeps me fit and out of trouble. It’s competitive, and I like the challenge.
My dream is to play in the NBA. It will take everything I have to give – hard work, effort, confidence, and high self-esteem. These will help me achieve my goals. In the meantime, I’ll take inspiration from my all-time favorite player, Michael Jordan. In my opinion, he was the best basketball player ever. I’ll try to live up to his standard.
Christian, age 15
My Granny, Leatha Mae My Grandmother lives in California, but we’re close. I used to live near her, until I moved to Houston. She’s like my best friend. I can tell her anything. Whenever I got sick as a child, she took care of me and spoiled me. She used to take me out to the zoo and movies and buy me whatever I wanted.
The most important thing about my Grandmother is that she listens to me. I can tell her about what it’s like to have sickle cell, and she gives me advice about how to take care of myself. She listens to me, and she’s helped me become a lady. I love her a lot. I want to grow up to be like her – funny, kind, and helpful.
Flower Girl I just came back from a trip to Los Angeles, which I took with my two brothers and my Mom and Dad. Our first mission when we got there was to find a hotel. We went through several different hotels before we finally found one that made us all happy. Next, our mission was to find food. We settled at a diner nearby where we ate hamburgers and french fries. I was excited as I ate with my family, thinking about my aunt’s wedding – the reason for our visit to L.A. She asked me to be a flower girl, which is a really fun job because I got the chance to be pampered and stay in another hotel with the rest of the wedding party. The next morning, I woke up really early to get my hair done and to put on my dress. Wearing my dress made me feel pretty because it was white and cream-color with flowers and buttons in different designs and matching shoes.
Bonisha, age 15
The Shiny Ocean The blue sea has green fish flipping and a bright sun burning. The dolphins splash and dive in the deep ocean. The waves are dripping. My skin feels salty and warm.
The animals in the ocean feel happy. All our problems disappear.
Janice, age 10
When everyone was ready to go, we got into a huge hummer limo to take us to the church. My twin brother Kenny and I walked down the aisle together. I was a little nervous. Although we had practiced before during rehearsal, it was different when it was the real thing. We had to do it in front of an audience filled with many people and smile and wave to everyone. By the time the wedding was over, I had calmed down. Later that evening, we got back in the limo and rode to the reception.
Tai, age 10
My Love of Football I’ve always been tall, so sports come easily to me. I started playing football with my cousins when I was about eleven. I am persistent, and I don’t give up, so that was an advantage playing with all boys. We play in all kinds of weather, even in the rain. The rain makes it easier to slide and make a touchdown.
Usually, I’m the only girl when we play. The boys try to intimidate me, but I’m not easy to intimidate. The hardest thing about playing football is being skinny. I don’t want to get broken into pieces. Recently, I was playing at my Grandma’s house. She has a big lot right next door to me, and it’s perfect for football. It even has a perimeter of roses to mark the boundaries. Often we run into the roses and get poked. When we get tackled, we usually get up. I got tackled when we were halfway through the game and had a knee injury. We thought I would be OK, until I tried to play again and could not walk on it. I’m glad my knee is better now, and I can play all kinds of sports again.
Isabel, age 15
Perrier, Just like the water I feel like a fish with just one sip. I feel like I can do a flip after I take a sip. It’s not the ordinary drink. It’s like nothing you’ve ever tasted before.
The way it fizzes in your mouth, you’ll just want more and more.
Adele, age 11
Apples and Oranges and Beans with Ketchup! I love to color little horses and hearts and snakes and butterflies. I love to ride my bicycle at home and at the park.
I love to play with my dogs and throw them balls. I love to eat apples and oranges and beans with ketchup!
Emely, age 5
Dogs in the Summer Dogs like to play ball Chew on their favorite bones Take walks to the park Catch frisbees Bark at their owners Run under the sprinkler Chase squirrels and cats
My Trip from Texas to Albuquerque I remember going on a trip to Albuquerque from Texas. We went through Amarillo. We had to drive slowly because it snowed, and it was really slick. We had to sleep on the road and once we even slept in the car. It was more comfortable than I thought.
Sniff Pee Jump
Petey, age 7½
Swaying I’m on the 14th floor, high up. A wall of windows to my left and, down below, patches of green trees swaying, almost pitching, in the wind. This is the cancer floor, where inside there’s plenty of pitching, too. Lives suddenly moved off course, thrown for a loop, everything uncertain. The kids in the next room are glued to video games, counting down 5, 4, 3, 2, 1, yelling at the screen until the nurse comes in and says, “Lower your voices. Lower your voices.” And I’m here thinking about swaying, and loops, and lowering, remembering …
Sara, age 19
There were lots of trucks in front of us when we were going up a mountain, and I was scared because they might lose their brakes and roll backwards and knock us off the mountain! But we arrived safely.
The snow was so deep there, that it came up to the top of my boots. We had to sleep in a shelter because of the storm – it was a gymnasium, and we slept in sleeping bags. I was nervous when we were on the road because some of the big trucks lost their chains. I was worried we’d get lost in the storm. But we made it, and it’s something I’ll always remember.
Emily, age 8
Lightning’s First Game I love baseball because my Dad is a coach. He helps me and my friends learn how to throw and hit and catch. He’s really nice. He helped my friend Anah learn how to catch.
He helps us hit the ball and tells us the rules: no hitting people and no making fun of your friends, even if they mess up. I love catching balls. The glove My other coach’s name is Coach Thomas.
is your friend. You have to put it in front of your face so you don’t get hit. My team’s colors are light grayish blue and mustard yellow. Our team’s name is Lightning, and we’re playing Thunder soon, and we’re going to try as hard as we can.
Ashley, age 8
An Important List
Thinking Positive Right now, I’m in a dance group called Liberty Stars. It’s part of the drill team at my school. We go to camps to learn routines and line dances and meet people from other schools. Everyone is really friendly, and the instructors break it down step by step. When we have to perform, I get really nervous, so I just take a deep breath and think it through. I tell myself, “I can do it.” In my previous year, when I was trying out for Stars, something bad happened. I got really sick and had to go to the hospital. I felt shaky and sweaty, and I felt nervous about how I was feeling and whether I’d be able to nail the dance. After I got out of the hospital, we had to return to the school immediately, so I had to pull myself together and think positively. The routine went well. I performed with two other girls. They depended on me, so I couldn’t let them down. After the whole experience, I found out that I did make it.
1. Avoiding Grandma’s sausage and sauerkraut
2. Wearing flip flops and being lazy 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10.
Listening to music to keep from being bored Sending 250 text messages a day Friendly with everyone Night owl Macaroni and cheese and Almond Joys Going to mall and “accidentally” running into friends Scary movies and roller coasters Sleep
Tiffany, age 12
I felt happy and proud of myself. I’m still dancing with Stars. Kadijas, age 14
My Passion I love cheerleading. I started when I was at the end of sixth grade. I was nervous when I tried out, but proud that I made it through the clinic. We had to leave the school for thrity minutes and then return to see whether we’d made the list of names. I really didn’t think I’d make it, but I was happy when I saw my name.
Tia’s House
I think I love the sport because of the competition and the achievements.
I remember when I went to my Aunt’s house and spent a whole week. I was nervous, but after I got there, it was fun. We went to buy pizza and get movies from Blockbuster. One night we stayed up all night! We also got to see a movie at the theater.
One moment I remember was going to camp at a Hilton hotel. It was exciting to compete against girls at the camp. To be good at competing, you have to have high standards and be a good team member. I hope to keep cheerleading in the future. Right now I’m a JV cheerleader at Liberty High School.
Diante, age 14
Things I Want to Do 1. Go on a Nickelodeon Cruise to Mexico 2. Meet Tony Romo and T. O. of the Dallas Cowboys
3. Get a ferret for a pet 4. Eat lobster and crawfish every day 5. Learn to play the drums 6. Go to a NASCAR race
Taylor, age 12
I also remember when my Grandma and Aunt took us to the park. It was so fun. It was close to Christmas time. She took us to a neighborhood where there were lights everywhere! One street was all Disney stuff. We got home and drank hot chocolate with marshmallows. My Tia read to us, and we ate popcorn while we fell asleep. The next day we stayed at my Aunt’s house. We didn’t go out.
But I played on her scooters and bikes in the street and in the backyard. The next day we had to go home. I was sad, but it was a really fun week.
Irene, age 8
Why I Draw I’ve been drawing cats and dogs and birds since I was eight. I taught myself. First, I just doodled with a marker. Then, I improved and started doing it better. Now, I draw them all the time. I do it to relax, and I do it when I’m bored. I’m bored a lot, so I get to draw a lot. I draw these animals because I’ve had them as pets. I used to have a parrot. He was so mean he pecked at us whenever we tried to touch him. If we opened his cage, he’d fly around the house, and it was hard to get him back in.
Star’s Easter Egg Party Star, the bunny, is fluffy and soft with floppy ears. He sniffs everything with is nose, sniffing for carrots and eggs in my backyard. Star finds noisy things in my backyard, like the sound of my dogs barking. My dogs bark with a little “aarfh!” Star finds the carrots and the eggs in the backyard. Star and his friends, Thumper, Clover and Bear, are having a carrot and egg party and then going to bed.
The End. Now, I have one dog and two cats. My dog is friendly, but lazy. Her name is Bell, but we call her Bubbles. She likes to hang out on the couch and under the covers when we sleep. My cats are friendly, even with the dog. One of them, Gaby, is also a little scared. If I’m petting her, and she hears a loud noise, she’ll race under the bed. The other cat, Kallie, will walk until she gets tired and then just plop over, like her big brother Toby. Toby is my sister’s cat, along with Sassy.
Having all these animals around inspires me to draw. I think maybe I’ll be an artist some day. Jamie, age 11
Madison, age 7
When I Had a Dog Once I had a dog named Chris. I thought it was a good name for a dog. He was black and small. In the morning when I woke up, he’d be waiting for me. At night he’d get on top of my stomach to sleep.
He loved to play games like hide-and-go-seek.
We had to give him away. I really miss him.
Marquis, age 10
My Trip to Disney World Pop Genre Gymnastics makes me strong and healthy. It teaches me to work as a team. I’m like a monkey when I flip on the bars. The life of a gymnast is fun and exciting. But it’s a lot of hard work. I feel like a snake when I’m on the high beam. Cartwheels back flips, round off. I can do them all! Splits and high kicks. I can do them all! I feel like I can do anything. I’m flying with the birds. I miss gymnastics. I have to be brave if I want to be a gymnast. I need to bring my strength. Doctors, nurses Mommy, Daddy Family, Friends Help me be strong. So I can be a gymnastics star.
My family loves me. They give me inspiration. Kaitlyn, age 8
One day, I went to Disney World, and it was the best trip I ever took. I was totally excited and bouncing around. It took a long time to get there in the car. I kept asking, “Are we there yet?” When we got there, we went to Magic Kingdom first. My eyes were so big because there was so much to see. I met Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse, Donald Duck, Goofy, and Pluto. I ate popcorn and played all day and night. One of my favorite parts was going swimming because I got to dive.
Maybe one day, I’ll go back to Disney World. Hey, maybe one day, I’ll work there!
Carmeishia, age 6
What’s Important to Know About Catherine I have six cats and two dogs. I have a big house. I feed them cat food. I have one black cat. I have a white cat. My orange cat ran away.
I have toys. I like to take naps during the day. I have a favorite color. My favorite color is blue. I like to watch Dora the Explorer.
Catherine, age 3
I Like Hannah Montana I like Hannah Montana. My Mommy’s friend took me to the rodeo last year to see her. I was excited when I saw her come on the stage. I saw the Hannah Montana movie. I like the Jones Brothers. I like Hannah Montana’s voice.
I listen to the radio in my Mommy’s car.
All About Charae
I have one brother. His name is Issac. I love my brother. Sometimes we fight. We play at my Mommy’s friend’s house. We have a lot of toys. My brother has a lot of trucks and cars. I like dolls. I play with my Barbie dolls. I pretend that my Barbie dolls have their own house. I have two Barbie cars.
My Mommy does my hair all the time. I sit still while she fixes my hair. I like her to make curls for my style. My favorite color bows are pink, blue and yellow.
Cassi, age 5
I like to ride my bike at my Grandmother’s house.
Basketball One of my earliest memories of basketball is playing for the Little Dribblers. I was about six. We did things like dribble around chairs and try to make shots.
Grandma Carter lets me ride my bike on the sidewalk. Keandria, my cousin, rides bikes with me. Keandria is seven, but she is the same size as me. When we ride bikes, we like to see who goes the fastest. I also like to dance to music. Beyoncé and Ciara are my favorite dancers. I can shake and move just like them. My favorite animals are “horseys,” ducks and snakes. They live at the zoo.
Charae, age 6 I kept playing, and when I was eleven, I made All-Stars. I was excited, but it was tough. The competition was at a higher level. We went all the way to Fairfield where the Nationals were. We ended up winning the whole thing.
I played guard and wing. I continued playing league ball until I could play for the school. In seventh grade, I made the A-team. I go to high school games to watch friends play and pick up stuff I can use. I hope I’ll be able to keep playing all the way through college!
Danielle, age 14
Yellow House Why I like Baseball I’m into baseball because it’s fun, and it gets you outdoors and exercising. Also, my family likes baseball and knows a lot about it. I have two brothers – one is a twin – and they both play baseball, too. In baseball, you can play a game called Last Man Standing. My Dad made it up. The parents pitch and try to get you out, and the kids hit and run the bases. Whoever is the last one standing gets a prize, like a free drink or skipping part of a practice. My Dad used to coach the team I played on, but now my twin brother and I play for a different team, called the Green Machines. He coaches my little brother’s T-Ball team, called the White Sox. Baseball season just started, and in our first scrimmage, we lost really bad. I play right field, a little bit of first, and I’ll probably pitch this year, too. I think we’ll have a pretty good team.
Nathan, age 9
When I was a little kid, my Daddy and my Mom built the yellow house. I don’t know how they knew how to build it, but they did. Now, they want to build more houses – one for me and my brother when we grow up. I’d like a yellow house, too. Our house has four bedrooms upstairs. It also has a living room, kitchen, and family room.
My favorite room is the kitchen because I love to eat.
My Dad changed the color of the house to a leather brown, and I like that color, too. My dad also changed the kitchen and put in some new backgrounds. I love that house, but it’s in Kansas, and we live in Texas. My Daddy finally sold the house because my bother had a stroke and it was too cold there. I like Texas because it’s warm and my Aunt lives here with her son Paris. Our house here has bricks instead of wood. I like it a lot.
Sabre, age 7
All About Me I’ve been dancing and singing for as long as I can remember. When I was around six years old, I would sing with a karaoke microphone for my family.
Music Helps Me Cope
I’d sing Marvin Gaye’s “Heaven”. I wasn’t shy at all.
I listen to hip hop, Spanish, gospel, and R&B. My favorite artists are Paula DeAnda, Pitbull, Marques Houston, Pleasure P, Pretty Ricky, Sean Kingston, Baby Bash, and The-Dream. I get my music off the computer or listen to it on my MP3.
As I got older, I’d dance with my friends. We’d do the New Orleans Bounce and other dances. I’m able to memorize the steps really easily. I catch on fast. Maybe it’s because my Mom is a good dancer. Right now, I listen to Keyshia Cole and Chris Brown.
Music relaxes me and takes my mind off my problems. I love music. If there were no music, life would be complicated. I don’t know how I’d survive.
It helps me cry when I need to cry and laugh when I need to laugh.
I like to sing, too. I’ll do it alone or at my church. I don’t dance much anymore, which is sad. I’d like to start dancing again.
Shana, age 15
Disney
Dancing is another outlet for me. Whenever I hear a beat, I just want to move. The music, if it’s dance music, just flows through me. I think music will always be a part of my life.
Jayneshia, age 17
I went to Disney World in Orlando last year. My family went with me.
We flew, and it was my first time. It was cool to be up high and see the sea below.
When we landed, we went to our place to stay, “Give Kids the World.” The next day we went to Disney World. It was fun. All six of my brothers were there.
I Love to Draw I love to draw. Even when I was little, I liked to draw.
I know how to make airplanes, suns, cars, and rockets.
There were rides and places to eat and Disney characters everywhere. I liked Mickey Mouse. I remember going in a rocket, and they simulated how it felt. It made me dizzy.
I usually draw in the morning at school. My favorite picture that I ever did was a green car. I kept it.
When my time was over, I still wanted to stay. There was so much left to do!
It’s almost Easter, and yesterday I got an egg at school. I’d like to draw a bunny hiding eggs on it. I’d keep that, too.
Alexis, age 10
John, age 6
The Dark One Chapter 1: A Dark Birth (excerpt from a novel) It’s a dark world, the place I live. It is a world of never ending emptiness, where black is all I am able to see, hear, think … feel. I can’t escape it. Like a pool of dark muck, seeping into every crevice of my body, infecting my very being with hopelessness and despair. I close my eyes but it’s the same, an infinite void where nothing grows, ponders, moves, or exists. I don’t know how long I’ve been in this nothing filled chasm, but I don’t remember ever being outside of it. I do know things exist outside this void, like trees, and rocks, and birds, and roads, and… life. But thinking of such beautiful things only worsens the pain of being engulfed in this black froth of emptiness. So I close my eyes once more and lay there, defeated, suffocating on the pain of complete absence. “Kieron.” A voice whispers. My eyes pop open and search the darkness, but that is all there is, darkness. So I close my eyes slowly and return to my misery. “Kieron.” The whisper returns a little louder. I open my eyes again and peer through the dark space which surrounds me searching for the voice I undoubtedly heard. “Kieron.” The voice calls out, closer this time. I crane my neck and try my hardest to look through the infinite bleakness. “Kieron.” The voice is much closer now, maybe a few feet away. I now begin to writhe madly, trying my best to answer the voice. “Kieron!” It’s right in front of me! “Kieron!” I reach forward desperately, clawing at the emptiness. “KIERON!” The tips of my fingers brush something in the black in front of me. It’s slimy and smooth, like the skin of a slug. I reach into the black again, this time with both hands landing on a large slick surface. I press my body against it and savor the feeling of slime oozing over my skin, the musty odor which fills my nostrils; even the salty taste of the slop gives me pleasure. All this time I’ve spent in a vortex of nothing; never
seeing, feeling, or hearing anything and all of a sudden I’m hugging a wall covered in muck and hearing voices. My lips slowly curl into a smile and I contemplate leaving this horrid world which only offers pain, misery, and loneliness. A tear runs down my cheek as I see myself climbing a tree, swimming in the sea, petting a dog, running in an open field. I press my forehead against the squishy wall and sob joyously. My knees buckle under me and I fall to the ground … ground. My sobbing now turns to laughter as I realize there is a ground. I had never felt a ground before, at least not that I could remember. It is hard and cold and rough, I guess it is made of stone. I throw my head back and laugh, then lose my balance and fall backward onto the cold stone below me, still giggling.
“Stand up, Kieron,” a voice says. It’s the same voice as before. A man’s voice, raspy yet strong, like an old man who has great power, and knows it. I try my hardest to stand, but my legs are weak, so I stumble across the floor several times before finally using the slime covered wall from before as support, which in itself wasn’t such a great idea. “Hello Kieron.” I look around but find only nothingness. But there’s something different about this nothingness, something about it that made it much less terrible. Then I realize: this wasn’t “nothingness” it was just “darkness”. The difference being, “darkness” isn’t necessarily empty. I am no longer in the world of nothing. I am in a world of existence, of matter, of life. I just can’t see it. “Uh… nah blah!!!” I try my hardest to ask the voice its identity, but my mouth is still numb and my time in the nothing has left me unable to remember how to even make the words which urge to break from my lips. “Sir! It is trying to speak!” another voice shouts from darkness. This voice is higher in pitch, than the first voice. It is also smooth and delicate, like the strum of a harp. It takes me a while to remember the title such a beautiful sounding creature, but then it hits me: Girl.
The Dark One continued . . .
“Be quiet!” orders the first voice in a harsh whisper. “You’ll frighten him!”
violently. Pain erupts within me as my arms and legs lose control. They start bending and twisting themselves into warped positions, forcing my bones to snap and crack with each new contortion.
“Sorry, sir.” I imagine the girl slinking away from her superior. “Eh… ET… et” I shake my head in frustration, letting my mouth hang open and my tongue swing out. “Et ooo ki.” I say finally. I turn my head in the direction the girl’s voice came from and struggle to make more words. “I… I noot… ss… sscaret!” I stretch my mouth and tongue again. They must have gotten the message because the first voice boomed a hearty laugh that made me jump backward against the slime wall.
Then try my best to give a smile.
“Why, Kieron, was that a smile?” the voice asked. I looked in his direction and gave two big nods. “Sir,” it was the girl again, she was whispering to the man very softly. “Is this really him?” I could barely hear her question, but it intrigued me nonetheless. Before I could ask about it I heard footsteps coming towards me, large and heavy. “Kieron, would you like to see where you are?” It was the man again; he was no more than an inch away from me. I felt his breath on my forehead; it was oddly cold, like an arctic breeze. I raised my head to him, and thought once more of seeing the world beyond. I smiled again and shook my head furiously. “This may hurt a bit.” He said. The man clasps my head on either side, his massive palms centered on my temples. He begins to squeeze it with tremendous force. I clutch his hands and attempt to pull them away but it’s a hopeless battle. He begins chanting in a low voice, squeezing tighter and tighter. I open my mouth to scream but only manage a weak squeal. He lifts me up slowly, chanting louder and louder. Soon my feet are dangling in the air and his voice is so loud it feels as if a hammer is being smashed against my eardrum.
As my lower body mangles itself like a possessed puppet, my eye sockets begin to burn terribly. They fell as if someone were pouring boiling oil into them. I can’t take all the torture much longer. My head feels like it’s going to burst and my body is nothing but shattered bones wrapped in meat and skin. I clench my jaw shut and suck all the air in that I can through my nose. I hold it a while and concentrate on putting as much pressure on the air in my lungs as I can. Then, snapping my mouth open, I scream in pure desperation, howling at the top of my lungs till my chest burns as much as my eyes. The man ceases his chanting and his hands snap open. My body stiffens in mid air, and then crumples as it hits the rocky ground below. My fingers and toes twitch slightly as I lay there, ragged and broken. The suddenness of such abuse and torment has shocked me into a haze of numbness. “Holly, wrap him up tight and take him to my quarters. Make him as comfortable as possible. I’m afraid the spell may have hurt him worse than I thought.” The man says as he marches past me. I hear a faint creaking sound as he opens a door and then a soft thump as it is closed. I feel my conscience drift away slightly, like a small cloth caught in the breeze. My body wants me to let go, to rest, to sleep. I think of fighting the urge, but decide it may feel good to sleep after this whole ordeal, to be at peace for a little while. I relax my bruised and torn muscles, giving no resistance toward the slumber which begs to envelope me.
A final ragged breath leaves my tired lungs and as I fall into the serenity of sleep a single thought rises in my head: “I am free.”
J.D. I feel a sharp sting on the back of my neck and a shock run down my spine. Then my body begins to shake and tremble
Pantoum Sometimes I have my ups and downs. I feel loved. Then I’m still waitin’. Every time I do something, it just don’t work. Then I’m still waitin’. For that one guy. Every time I do something, it just don’t work. Under my skin, I feel like I have been stung by the love bee. For that one guy. To fill my heart with warmness. Under my skin, I feel like I have been stung by the love bee. I met the guy that will be there when I have my ups and downs. To fill my heart with warmness. Fill my heart with hope and kindness. I met the guy that will be there when I have my ups and downs. I felt like flowers were blooming inside my head.
Fill my heart with hope and kindness. Then I’m still waitin’. I felt like flowers were blooming inside my head. Sometimes I have my ups and downs.
Diana
Thanks to Albert and Ethel Herzstein Charitable Foundation Kiwanis Foundation of Houston The Search Foundation Clarence Westbury Foundation Valero Energy Foundation/ Valero Houston Refinery
is published by The Periwinkle Foundation, Writers in the Schools (WITS), and the many talented young writers at the Texas Children’s Cancer Center. The Periwinkle Foundation develops and provides programs that positively change the lives of children, young adults, and families who are challenged by cancer and other life threatening illnesses and are cared for at Texas Children’s Hospital. For more information,visit the following websites: www.periwinklefoundation.org www.writersintheschools.org www.texaschildrenshospital.org