featuring written works from Burnaby Central's student body
Featuring works from
Angelo Atienza
Sofiya Bosnic
Zachary Chang
Jamie Drummond
Eva Ianconis
Chloe Schmidt
Jenny Shi
Mikaela Soloski
Gabriel Su
Leanne Tsai
Annika Wong
Teagan Wong
Ethan Yu
J.Y.
Anonymous authors
The executive team of Burnaby Central's Writing Club are thrilled to present the written compositions of the students of Central in the new literary newsletter, Central’s Voice
As a collaborative effort, our objective is to showcase not only the pure talent and dedication of Central’s students, but to motivate the masses to take an initiative in honing their expertise of the English language
Throughout history, writing has been employed as a tool to make a difference As the next generation of the world, it is up to us to create change, and through our voices in writing This is the key initiative of Central’s Voice
We thank everyone who has submitted their compositions We encourage others to take pride in their work and submit theirs in the next edition of Central’s Voice
“Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world ” -Nelson Mandela
Prose
Waltzing Through the Walls of the Past - Anonymous
Frozen in Time- Angelo Atienza
A Taste of Anxiety- Eva Iaconis
Amari Blue- Gabriel Su
My favourite Pair of ShoesJenny Shi
Quiet Nihilism- Leanne Tsai
My Sister the Spy- Mikaela Sokoloski
Ethnic" Restaurants Suffering After Cultural Appropriation Ban (Satire) - Zachary Chang
Poetry
Inaptitude - Annika Wong
Haiku for a Friend - Anonymous
Due to spacing issue, some pieces only have a part of the entire work included You can read the rest by scanning the qr codes below
In the backseat of my brain, a memory fades away like the warm glow of the sunset I remember it so vividly; yet as my mind traverses through a world full of knowledge and experiences, I struggle to recount a different detail each ime The earlier years of my life were spent living a quiet, humble life Our condominium was situated in a quieter area of town that was close enough to take a brisk walk to the mall, hop on the train to commute, or even play on the brightly coloured playground The entrance to the building was a dull grey all around, with the tile and wall blending in hues of white and grey A single rectangular fountain reeked of barf most of the time, and the quiet splashing of water acted as white noise for my young mind
I stand on top of a hill, motionless The Arctic winds send their regards as the temperature sits at a chilled level My boots are covered in fresh snow as I sit down by the edge The need for speed calls me as I prepare myself to go down Barely visible up top, the white world vanishes past my eyes into one big blob
The time of year had come again The children of Douglas Road see snow and instantly turn their minds to sledding The hill, short and steep, was a favourite among all students Our crusty bell announced the rodeo, and armies of children rushed up the hill We were armed to the teeth with snow gear and whatever plastic bag we could find I made my way to the top, too slow to be the first ones on A total of four lanes were carved into the snow, with the fifth one being banned for its icy composure I mounted my black garbage bag, amazed at all the scenery I could take in The bare trees at the bottom all orderly lined up next to the fence that separated the hazardous road from our school Two beauties of nature flanked the hill with branches splattered with white magic The parking lot behind me had left all the staff cars stuck and abandoned No rider crossed my sights as I pushed off
Test today I have to get up
You're probably going to fail But I studied What about trick questions? You're not smart enough to improvise That's true
A sigh escapes me, and I roll out of bed Someone is calling from downstairs Breakfast is probably ready Quick glance in the mirror Hair isn't too bad You should fix it up What if your friends think you ' re weird and stop hanging out with you?
Back to my room What to wear? What is expected of you But I don't want to wear that Wanting is irrelevant That's true I pull out jeans and a baggy sweater Not common enough People will stare They will Leggings and sweater are next Better Blend in, no one will notice you As always
I walk down the stairs, trembling in anticipation of the test later this afternoon My mom offers me breakfast, I refuse Normal morning basically To make her happy, I pour some cereal into a bowl and push it around with a spoon for a while Time passes Mom leaves, giving a sad little wave and wishing me a good day as she disappears out the door
Schooltime Don't make a fool of yourself I'll try
Whenever someone asks, “What do you want to be in the future?” I draw a blank. It’s not because I don't know what I want to do, but rather that I'm convinced the world is going to end in twelve years, one way or another
“7 2 6 ” I mutter under my breath I look over to the holographic screen floating on my left and inspect it After analyzing it from top to bottom, I spot the final number hiding amongst the others, 5 *Click* The screen shuts down as the thick metal door opens and the dark gritty alley is illuminated by a dazzling gleam of light My eyes widen and a warm feeling floods my body before instantaneously cooling down and turning frigid I hurriedly tap my right temple to activate the screen once more and shift my focus back to the upper right portion of the screen
Memory This word has so much more to it than what it seems A beautiful device that stores my past experiences, allowing me to recall all my emotions with perfect clarity Every joy, nostalgia, laughter, and satisfaction still play freshly in my mind What lies so vividly in your memory that you can describe it without a second thought? For me, they are my shoes (Yes, I said MY SHOES) That pair of cloth shoes has been with me for such a long time and silently watched all I have experienced My affection for it is way beyond the normal balance If I could, I would very gladly put it in my collection forever and ever
My family are all travel photographers starting with my great-great-great-grandfather From the moment I remember, I have been traveling around the world and moving home from place to place Sometimes if we are too far from the suburbs, I will have to cuddle in my seat that has been put back in the SUV If the sky was clear and cloudless to see the stars, I would count those shimmering diamonds until I fell asleep Life was busy, but fun Many times, when I wake up from my cozy dream, my family will be already driving on the road
On my eighth birthday, we came to visit my grandmother who lived in a small house at southern France
When I knocked on her door, it flew open with so much force that I staggered and almost fell over The next thing I knew, I was in an embarrassingly tight hug
Sometimes I feel as though I was supposed to be reborn as a blob fish It was meant to be easy, and suited to my interests Though the human to fish technology just isn’t where it should be But who’s to say that technology is the gatekeeper to my blobfish desires? Suddenly, a drab man appears from the skies, mumbling “swag like ohio” I, the wanna-beblobfish,feelasthoughtheanswerstomyproblemshavebeensolved.
Someone please embrace me in their arms so I can love who I want to be And out of the sea,Ipoutonthebeach Forgodsakethevoicesinmyhead
“Please do not use the Lord's name in vain!” a lone man cries But I ignore him as he fades away
Asthesunfalls,thenewbornturtlesstruggletowardsthesea
“Nah,”Irepliedproudly
It’sfartoolateforthenewbornturtlesnowasthemidnightmoonclimbsoutofthehorizon
IF YOU WANT TO READ THE FULL SERIES:
My mother walks into my room, tears slowly dripping down her face, her lips quivering with emotion "Mom?" I ask softly She sniffles in response, holding back a sob "What's wrong?" I whisper, afraid of her answer What could possibly make her this upset? I think to myself
She moves towards my bed and sits, bringing the tissues from my shelf with her Something must be really wrong I panic
She inches herself closer to me as I swing my legs around over the edge of my purple comforter, making the mattress sag under our weights.
She puts her shaky wet hand on top of my thigh, and that's when I know "Molly," she chokes on her tears, visibly struggling to get the rest of the words out "Molly, your sister is dead"
A Satire:
CANADA - One week after the passing of Bill C-13, restaurants around Canada are bearing the brunt of the ban on cultural appropriation
"I'm one of the few Chinese people in this town," says Faye Chen. "Ever since the ban on cultural appropriation, nobody's been coming to my restaurant, Chen explains "It's against the law now "
Chen, wearing a wig to cover her bob, which only Europeans can have after the passing of the bill, is one of many restaurant owners contemplating closure. She was forced to fire all her European staff and is struggling to find new Chinese workers
Bill C-13 passed with much controversy Ottawa states that Canadians are now banned from cultural appropriation, such as but not limited to wearing clothes, speaking with an accent, having a hairstyle, or consuming food of any culture that is not one ' s own
Jonathan Brookes, father of a six year old boy on the autism spectrum, says he is running out of solutions His kid, George, refuses to eat anything but sushi. Ever since C-13, Brookes has been restricted from buying sushi. Because of the family's European descent, the family is now even barred from purchasing seaweed "I've tried wrapping risotto in kale, but it just and the same, " he says
"Isolated in the dark, A tense silence filled the air. It was a sound of disappointment, A feeling of despair
There was no turning back, From that moment at 2am No matter how hard I tried, No matter how hard I slammed.
I asked my friend to write me a Haiku He said that he was excited to try. Alas, he found writing was an issue
Postponed and progress undone, words too shy
Nearing the deadline, I asked him again. Annoyed and fumbling, he left me on read Through bothering in real life, he caved in. Sat writing his haiku, racking his head
Screaming at the top of my lungs
Yet not a sound was to be heard.
I called out to you, But everything was a blur
The weight of regret, Loneliness, and sorrow
Bursting into hidden tears, Longing for tomorrow"
Now the iambic pentameter does, Allow for great poems and format: song Does not allow, five-seven-five to say.
I felt that the haiku he wrote belongs
“My friend, a poet, | she asks me to write Though I | was scared, sat in fright.”
As we get closer and closer to the end of the 2022-2023 year, Burnaby Central's Writing Club is proud to present the last literary newsletter of this school year, featuring the works of Central's talented students
As we get older and older, we graduate and move on to new chapters of our lives Change is everywhere in our lives, but sometimes, change is something that we need to create ourselves Literature and the art of storytelling is a powerful way to do so, and we encourage you to pick up your pen and start writing
Thank you for submitting your pieces for this year's final edition We encourage you to send in your pieces next year, and to keep on writing!
“If you want to change the world, pick up your pen and write ”
Martin LutherProse
World War One Letter - Gabriel Su
The Halls - Jamie Drummond
Al - Ethan Yu
Cafeteria Lines: What Gives?Leanne Tsai
Why I Write - Teagan Wong
Poetry
Enthusiastic Chair SalespersonAnonymous
The Worst Wa to Ever LuigiAnonymous
Graduation - JY
Imaginary Person - Angelo Atienza
Identity - Chloe Schmidt
Memorable - Sofiya Bosnic
Due to spacing issue, some pieces only have a part of the entire work included You can read the rest by scanning the qr codes below
Dear Ma,
I hope this letter finds you well. I’m sorry for not writing sooner. Life in the trenches has been difficult and I haven’t found the time or energy to write until now. Hopefully, I haven’t given Pa another heart attack. Speaking of Pa, how is he? I miss him more than ever these days. And how is Will doing in school? He was always the smart one in the family. After seeing what I’ve been through, I hope his thoughts of enlistment will just be a phase.
I hope back home, all of you are well. The trenches are awful, constant rain and mud make walking unbearable at times, and the rats They sneak up on you like the rats back home, but these ones are way nastier They’re smaller but skitter around faster, they’re desperate, reminds me of us The filth and the smell get to you at first but after a while, you just don’t care anymore The only good thing is the men, they’ve got a sick sense of humour, but who wouldn’t after spending so much time here?
Alone, walking down the hallway, a dark, dingy hallway “It’s so cold in here” I thought, as I continued down the hall There were doors, but I did not recognize the names As I open a door, I remember why I am here; I am the hospital director! I go down the hall some more, checking the patients' papers, which explain their diagnosis, treatments, and what else I can hear the occasional drip of a pipe somewhere in the wall, the once-off mumble of a patient in the next room over
I can see people up ahead wearing white outfits As I get closer, I can see them clearly; the doctors who work here As I stumble further down a hall, I see a crossroads One leads to a break room, the other leads to terminal diagnoses I chose terminal diagnoses As I reach the end of the hall, I find another, identical room in the never-ending row of white doors The room seems vaguely familiar to me, like de-ja vu I get a closer look at the name “Mr Green Stoway” “Thats my name, I don’t remember my office being here” I enter the strange room, it has only a bed and some flowers in the nightstand I looked at the wall and saw some papers there, with my name on it I flip through it and read “Mr Green Stoway Dementia Stage six”I can hear running down the hall as my world collapses around me I can remember where I am, and what I was doing here The sound of shoes gets quieter as two people approach me “Come on Mr Green, let's get you back into bed” As I take his hand and walk back into my room, I think to myself “how many times have I walked this way before?” I am already starting to forget why I was standing outside my room, but it doesn't matter anyways
IF YOU WANT TO READ THE FULL SERIES:
“Please take a seat, Mister Kaplan.” H offered. “Would you like a drink? May I suggest bourbon?”
“....That would be perfect.” The spy decided.
“Of course.” H turned to the cabinet behind his desk, and produced a bottle of the liquor along with two glasses. “Please make yourself comfortable.”
The spy quietly pulled out a chair, and settled in.
“Congratulations on resolving the whole devil business back in Tokyo.” H spoke as he poured the drinks. “Fine work you did out there.”
“...Thank you. ” The spy spoke with a sullen tone despite his apparent success.
“However, I can’t help but sense something is troubling you?” H slid over a glass of the alcohol. “...Yes…” Kaplan took a sip. “...I’ve been feeling a bit under the weather.”
“Indeed, one can’t stay out all the time.” H replied. “One needs to come in, in from the cold.”
There was a pause, before Kaplan broke the silence
"I lost all of them ” he lamented with a scowl “Hayakawa, Nikaido ”
In the beginning, Central created the cafeteria and the kitchens Now, the cafeteria entrance was formless and chaotic, a pile of students crowd around the door, guarded by one student armed with a wooden soup spoon And the administration said “Let there be lines,” and there were lines By god, there were lines And I wish I could say that all was very good, but I would be lying.”
Writing is expression and expression is personality and personality is attractive and attractive is subjective and subjective is individual and individual is people and people are human and humans are mammals and mammals have vertebrates and vertebrates are backbone and backbone is strength and strength is power and power is money and money is opportunity and opportunity is discovery and discovery is fluid and fluid is gender and gender is construct and construct is intangible and intangible is love and love is support and support is comfort and comfort is calm and calm is silent and silent is spacious and spacious is worldly and worldly is Earth and Earth is rock and rock beats scissors Iwin
Chairs are the greatest invention in the world!
They’re amazingly convenient
Found all over in schools
To your body, you must be lenient And sit yourself down
Your legs must be tired! Please, take a seat
My chairs are the best, I assure Perhaps you’d like one For when you feel defeat?
They are portable and compact With buckles and straps
To easily carry on your back
How about one for the kid?
A colourful one, perhaps
I assume they’d like the rainbow one For the aesthetic, of course
As well as for naps
Don’t want one?
Suit yourself, I guess
But you ’ ve already stayed for so long
The least you could do is Take one for a test?
Hustle I abustle within the halls
Staring at the quirky people at con
Roller skate down the long abandon mall
Crowds dressed in made costumes go on and on
I stop, I turn, I see the wonderful
Display, canvas spans floor to roof, a booth
The superstar all adore, worshipful
Didn’t get into Smash? That's just the mistruth!
His name starts with “ wa ” ends in luigi
“Pourple” cap, swag moustache, in all his glory
His snot so gross, think I need a squilgee
He cried when asked for a selfie kindly.
Siping my boba, I offer my tea.
Alas, he prefers four-twenty percent
Sugar, half ice, oat milk cause he bougee
He might as well let his drink have ferment
I throw up and make clear my fierce resent
His order I heard but did not consent
Goodmorning,graduatingclassofthisyear, Raiseyourhatsup,openupyourearsandhear, Weroamedthesehalls,whenweentered,wassosmall Nowlookatus,atleastsomeofus,growntall
We graduated from heartbreak, who you wanted to take
Understandingwhat’satstake,andtakingbreaks Sayinggoodbyes,andrememberingourfirsthi’s Thebestyoucanreallydointheendistotry
Listen to my letter, with a bolded header, that says how Iain’tbetterthanyou
I’mjustakidwho’stried,I’mjustakidwho’stired
I’m just a kid who had something to say, hoping for a betterday,so
Cananybodyhearwhatmyheartisbeating
Cause I know I’m not the only one feeling’ these feelings
They say, they say, that I’ll keep on dreaming so I nominatemyselfasvaledictorian
Fiveyearsgone,fourmoreyearstogo
Maybefourafterthatfour,man,Idon’tknow Ihearthat’swhattheysaywillgetasixfigurejob
IdoubtIbeabletoevenbuythatcar
Come fly away with me
God, what an idiot I was for saying that But they all come back to you
Thoughts of a hopeless dream
Maybe nobody should see theirs through Maybe we all are destined to be grounded
Maybe the literal sense is correct
Maybe it was right for us
For the feelings that escaped my skull
Was love in the air? I can’t tell I only loved the idea of you
People surround me
But people don’t surround “ me ”
But what even is real anymore, Did you help me visualise?
Inanemptyroom
Thetruthrevealsitselfbeforetheangel
Itwasn’tyouwholied
Butonlymyself
Perhapstherecouldbeanotherway
Bah,it’salltoolatenow
Ithrewitallawayyearsprior
Whenyoucameintomylife, Youdrewthestarsinthesky
Youaretheartist, Whopaintedmyviewwithlight
Theartistwhosepaintwasspecial, Thatsparkledandshinedwhichmadethepicture jumpwithjoy
You’rejustlikethesecondmaincharacterinthe book, Thatshapedandshookthemaincharacter’sworld withhappiness
Althoughyouarethecharacter, Thatonlystaysforafewchaptersinthemiddleof thebook
Thecharacter, That’sphysicallypresentforonlyalittlethenleaves Yet, Staysandlingersinthecharacter’smind Youdrewstars, Andthestarsbroughtlightintomylifewhenitwas dark.
Inmybook, YouwillalwaysbemyfavouritechapterandI’llfold thepages
Toremember. Thememoryofyoustillhurts, ButnowIknowyouweren’tmeanttostay.
Who are you?
Are you a doll
Or a figment of someone else’s imagination?
Are you a shadow alone in the world
Or a carbon copy of someone else?
Are you the side character who never gets the happy ending
Or are you the shining star of the story?
To bad you all are just pawns in one big game
Who are you?
Are you being forced into a body not your own?
Have you had your story ripped away
Or have you become your parents?
The very people you vowed never to become
Being shoved into a tiny box never to be let out
Your flaws your strengths your weaknesses shove them all down
You need to become like everyone else