Eagle's Eye Handbook 2017

AGELESS Eagle’s Eye 1

TABLE OF CONTENTS HISTORY..... 2 MINGLING OF MEDIUMS ..... 5 OTHER CREATIVE WORKS ..... 29 2017 Dalat International School

Eagle’s Eye Literary Magazine Compiled by: Denise Chai Emily Grad Darby Kendrick Jerald Lim Jing Low Mathias Maurin Daniel Munson Mathias Maurin David Unruh Mersades Zimmer With the help of: Mrs. Lydia Roberts

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THE HISTORY OF EAGLE’S EYE The first issue published at Dalat was on August 1949, underneath the name Pine Echoes. By 1958, the name of the publication changed to Pine Hill Echoes. In 1962, the issue was titled Bamboo Beacon.

The first issue of Eagle’s Eye was from 14 October 1964. Regardless of the name, the purpose of each issue was two-fold: 1) to let kids showcase their work to parents and alumni, and 2) to inform parents of what was going on at Dalat. The latter was especially important when 100 percent of the student body boarded, and communication between parents and kids was limited to a weekly airmail letter.

Obviously, as this means was often inadequate to let parents know what was going on at school, the paper was sent out.

I, John “Tommy” Tompkins, served as collector/facilitator/formatter from 1978-2015. Copies were produced quarterly for parents and alumni; eventually, these publications went from print to online.

My favorite aspect of publishing these updates was to receive letters of appreciation from alumni and parents. The most common article type in Eagle’s Eye was feature writing. Occasionally, one of the students would write an editorial giving an opinion on a topic or a poem. There was also a “Dear Abby”-style column called “Dear Gertrude.” Lastly, there were point/counterpoint columns where kids wrote on two sides of an issue. Archives of these issues can be found on the Dalat website.

—By Mr. John “Tommy” Tompkins

Thank you for your service to Dalat, Tommy. Happy retirement!

EAGLE’S EYE—WITH A TWIST MADE FOR AND BY SENIORS Also in the spring of 2016, Eagle’s Eye became an annually published literary magazine. Each senior submitted one piece that represented him or her as an artist, being within the discipline of writing or the fine arts; the heartbeat purpose is still to showcase student work. But the vision of the Eagle’s Eye is expanded to the following: • representing a Dalat tradition through a collaborative publication that hosts multiple art forms and spotlights creativity and personal flair • empowering artistic ownership of senior students by providing a platform to engage in purposeful interaction • serving the community by presenting a piece of academic excellence This year’s pieces highlighted the following artistic expressions: poetry, creative fiction, essaying, news article, photography, painting, drawing, film, dance, musical score. Be filled with joy from their artwork.

—By Miss Emily Grad

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MINGLING OF MEDIUMS

Mingling of Mediums was a project between seven writers (poetry, non-fiction, fiction, and song) and seven students of the fine arts (photography, dance, graphic compilation, and drawing). Members from each discipline were paired and exchanged an initial artistic piece. Without consulting the other party, each individual responded to his/her partner’s work by creating a new one; in total, twenty-eight artistic pieces were created. The mirroring interpretations of partners are published side-by-side; enjoy these purposeful conversations between these disciplines. —By Miss Emily Grad

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KEITO WATANABE

JERALD LIM

Response: Sturdy Statue

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Upside down baby,

Even baby can,

Earth above his pudgy palms,

Enormous lack in power,

Nothing weighs him down.

Conquer such a task.

Lifting without strength,

People are weak,

Baby thinks outside the box,

But with determination,

Holds planet in place.

Comes ability.

Baby sets his mind,

Equipped with knowledge,

Sturdy handstand is his tool,

Nothing bars our potential,

Used to carry world.

To change the planet.

JERALD LIM

KEITO WATANABE Response: Darwinian Dumplings In a small kitchen,

Diamonds turn to dust,

Of a world-renown Chinese shop,

All but three tattered in shards,

There were ten dumplings.

What an ugly sight.

Wrapped with expert skill,

And the lone victors,

Each made into a jewel,

Served to the gods above,

None could be more fine.

Prideful and with greed,

As this fine jewelry,

Plops into their mouths,

Thrown into the frying pan,

Chewed and gulped with utter filth,

Sizzle up their taste,

Treasures turn to none.

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ANDREW KIM

LILIAN LI Response

Dear young self, Calm down! You'll be fine!

I know you hate aging. You think you’ll always look and act like a kid and, therefore, be a kid forever.

Well, it is time to grow up!

The fountain of youth is not a hidden spring, and eternal life is not a mysterious thing. It is a choice—a choice to be ageless. Always Good Enough. Loving Endlessly. Serving Selflessly! (Class theme!

Remember that? Please don’t tell me you’re old and forgot everything already…)

Don’t compare yourself to others or to pictures of your teenager self. Comparison is the thief of joy.

Look in the mirror at yourself—aged and wrinkled and toothless—and believe you’re still beautiful.

Besides, age is an issue of mind over matter. If you don’t mind, it doesn’t matter. So, don’t freak out over white hairs. Don’t mind, don’t matter.

And continue to love others. How can you love with comparison and jealousy in your heart? Love always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails.

Love yourself. Don’t freak out about wrinkles. Wrinkles should really indicate where smiles have been, not how ancient you are like the rings of tree trunks.

Just because you become “old” doesn’t mean you still can’t be awesome. Everybody can be great because everybody can serve. If you’re put in an old folks’ home, then fine. Work at the cafeteria! Go lead those tai chi classes! I’m happy to report that my inner child is still ageless!

Maybe you’ll look back at life and regret things you didn’t do—like forgiving a person, keeping in touch with classmates, confessing a secret crush, writing a better Eagle’s Eye piece. But that’s just part of life.

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Lilian li Dear future self, Congratulations! You graduated! So, I’m writing this near the end of my senior year here at Dalat; and I have a couple of guidelines for you to become the adult I want you to be: Don’t mess up in college. Please tell me you got into at least one college. I trust you, future self. You’ll do great. Just make sure you get rid of my procrastination habits before you head for college. Oh, and you better stop slouching, eat less junk food, exercise more, and become a better person. Okay?

I hope you make new friends. Please do not continue being an awkward turtle. Please. I hope you and your roommate won’t fight. I hope teachers there will be as nice as teachers here. I hope you can feed yourself real, healthy foods and not have instant noodles. You did learn how to cook, right? I hope you will be able to raise your hand and say something sophisticated in class, not hiding behind books.

And just become a fun person. Okay? But before you go, I hope you remembered to spend more time with family and friends. Who knows when you’ll see them again? If ever?

Maybe you’ll have an alumni reunion in ten years or so. And when you come back, you might not recognize many faces. You might not recall many names. When our classmates ask, “Hey, how you doing?” and “What do you do now?”, what will you reply?

Well, I’ve been busy. I became a famous author; you can see my books on any shelf in the world! I have changed so much from high school. I’m much more confident, more sociable, more everything than I was before. I’ve accomplished all my goals—standing straight, eating healthy, exercising lots, and being a better person. I’m doing great!

But you might also answer like this: Well, life sucks. I couldn’t find a job; I lost my passion for writing.

I really changed from high school. I’m a loser, a failure, and everything disappointing. I thought I was more than this. I thought I was meant for big things. So, yeah, I’m doing just great. Am I stressing you out? Sorry. You of all people should know how much I just daydream and drift away and get off topic like when I’m watching the clouds slowly crawl across the sky and…I’m doing it again. Future self, I hope you stopped daydreaming so much and focus on your goals in life.

Stop wasting time on social media. Stop worrying about what to wear or whether your hair is puffy.

Stop comparing yourself to others. Stop stressing out about every single thing. And you know what… stop making your future self do all the work! Stop panicking about the future. Stop pushing the pressure to your future self. Stop setting up high standards to reach for yourself.

Just stop. Breathe. Look at the clouds. Enjoy the present. Slouch a little. Make the most of your life when the future comes.

All I ask, future self (or present self), is for you to make the most of everything. I can start learning how to cook, exercising more, poking my head out of my turtle shell, and become the person I want to be today. Maybe even tomorrow, but that is not tomorrow-me’s responsibility.

Wow. I sound so deep. Just go out there and have fun! Make sure nobody tells you what to do and who to become (except for me because, well, I am you). When you pick this up, future self, you’re probably slouched over, munching on a cookie, feeling regret from having not exercised for a month, and still daydreaming to becoming an author.

When you pick this up, future self, I hope that you’re still me. Okay?

Lilian Li

ANDREW KIM Response

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LAURA PHILIPS

It’s twilight outside.

Darkness swallows chunks of the cell, choking on them in its greed, leaving a few ragged scraps of scattered light that only serve to highlight the growing blackness. Night approaches. At least I assume it does; but all I really know is that I’ve been sitting in this room for what may as well be forever, trapped in this transition between day and night.

I shift my position on the rough-hewn bench, wincing as I hear my chains clank and clatter beside me, chafing against my wrists. They snake around my feet in coiled heaps. I glance at the door, knowing I could open it. The length of my chains allow me to leave the room when I want, but no matter how far away I get, sooner or later, they begin to tug, reeling me back to my wretched room.

The door slams soundly, and I let myself fall to the floor, crying, gasping, as I once more breathe in the cell’s suffocating air. Flopping violently, senselessly, like a fish still pierced by the hook.

Eventually, I get up again. My limbs are stiff, my face sticky from the trails of tears. I solemnly reflect that I had known my little jaunts could never have lasted anyway.

I turn away from the door; I don’t have the strength for another venture. As I slide the shackles up and down my arms, cringing at the biting familiarity of my situation, I wonder if I will ever truly be free. Dust motes wander sluggishly through the weak shafts of light. Tracing my finger along the wall, I dislodge a cloud of the creatures that dart away before slowing to drift with their cousins like carcasses floating on stagnant water.

I sneeze. My gaze flicks to the key hanging neatly on a rusted nail. I take it down and finger its little knobs. As I turn the key over in my hands, I turn the facts over in my head. I’m locked in; this is a key. I know it should fit—and it seems to, sometimes—but no matter how many times I try, I can never quite break out. So I resort to glaring at it.

“I know you’re my only way out. And I’ve tried you.” I grip it hard. “So why don’t you work?” I scream.

No longer able to control myself, I hurl it against the opposite wall. It falls to the floor, with the clink of metal on stone. Fuming, I avert my eyes.

Shortly, however, I find my gaze wandering back; and I see that the key has fallen into one of the bits of light. I follow the trail of muted brightness along and up and to the window. I know what I will see there—the endless twilight. The last dying vestiges of day. And yet I pull myself up, and then I am standing by the window, looking out at the charcoal sky.

“Knew it,” I mutter, wheeling around to glower at the key sitting innocently in its wash of light.

A haunting cry pierces my ears and runs straight through me. I turn back to the window. A bird is circling in the grey sky, outstretched wings ruffled by the breath of the wind as the creature cuts effortlessly through the air.

It soars, untethered and unconcerned. As I watch it hunt for seed, I find myself drawing closer and closer to the window until my face is pressed right up against the bars. It’s more than unconcerned, I realize, watching it take to the air again. It’s blithe, screaming with joy as it cavorts through the faded welkin.

After a time, the creature wings away, leaving me once again staring at the sky.

It’s still twilight.

But for the first time, it occurs to me that maybe it’s dawn.

(Inspired by Matthew 6:26-27) 10

HANNAH BUHR Response

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HANNAH BUHR

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LAURA PHILIPS Response An open field stretches far and reaches out.

The broken stones are strewn about the plain, The remnants of a glory, crumbled now.

Returning to the earth from whence it came.

The rubble, ruins, rocks all whisper “broken”.

Proud pillars turned to dust and jagged stumps.

There’s freedom in this unobstructed open; There’s liberty despite the scattered clumps.

Yes, imperfection’s etched on every stone, The lack of walls leaves everything exposed.

But that means bonds can go right to the bone; Hearts can speak when secrets are disclosed.

The threat of pain can make us want to run, To hide, sequester, isolate our hearts.

We build up walls away from everyone.

And hunker down behind the tall ramparts.

It’s prim and proud, impressive and revered.

Its every brick is perfectly arranged, Its face is oft admired, even feared.

But in the end, it will become estranged.

For people come, attracted, to admire.

But no one tries to look beyond the wall.

Where, deep within, the person’s trapped in mire, Curled up in some dark corner, feeling small.

I’d rather be the ruins than the wall: While from outside, it’s true it looks a mess, It’s this that lets us find, amidst it all, A kind of beauty found in brokenness.

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JONATHAN LAFFERTY

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KIMBERLY HORTON Response: Closer Than Breath Verse 1 G D Sometimes the silence feels so lonely Em C And I can’t find your peace inside G D I know your eye is on the sparrow

Em C But does the sparrow always feel you in its life?

Verse 2 G D God, I don’t always have the answers; Em C And when I do, they just fall short G D Em Do the fish of the sea need to know why they swim?

C How can I just be still and call you “Lord”?

Verse 3 G D You’re in the living air around us Em C Yet we’re the only life that can forget G D You gave your people.. the choice to make Em C May you be what I choose long as I live Bridge Am You clothe the lilies D You feed the sparrows G C And you care so much more for me alone

Am You are my Shepherd D O God of the ages G C Let us praise you, mighty Father on the throne G C (Let us praise you with all creatures here below) Pre-Chorus G D The grass withers and the flowers fall Em C And all that I’m left with is you Chorus

G You are closer than breath

D I am with you again

Am D When I can be still and remember your heart;

G The wind in the trees,

D The sounds in the breeze,

Am D Reminders that my God and I are never apart;

C I will sing through the silence,

D Dance through the pain,

Em A In the hope that I’ll hear you calling my name; C D Em So don’t let me forget Am D G You are closer than breath 15

KIMBERLY HORTON Who Says I Want It to Pass?

Capo 3 [Am Em G D] x 2 Verse 1 Em G This too shall pass C D From piano keys, melancholy with rain Em G I’ll make it through alright, C D That’s what they want me to say Em D But I can’t tell a soul G C How heavy this will weigh inside Em G C This spaniel heart that I must bear D For the rest of my life Verse 2 Em G This too shall pass C D Oh it’s only a phase, you just let it decay Em G But the lane lined with green carnations C D You don’t simply wish it away Em D If only you could smell G C The roses here, and walk this road Em G But there at the Cambridge end, C D This Oxford soul, you cannot roam Pre-Chorus Am Em And I want to help but C G D It’s hurting me more because you are long gone Am Em Down the path we cannot travel C G D Em A lonely road we cannot walk

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Chorus Em C G Thought I’d find you in the street D Em When you were walking down the lane C G I didn’t meet you ‘round the corner D Em But I could see you through the pain C This tandem agony G D Em We’d give anything to end this or to be C G On the other side of the path- D [Am Em G D] x 2 But who says I want it to pass?

Middle 8 / Diff. Chorus Em C G There’s no comfort from the street D Em I wish that I could take your pain C G But I hold a different burden D Em And it kills me just the same...

Bridge C G And you wear that yellow leather D Em And I wear the colors of my home C G And you sing a sad song D Em And I harmonize with dulcet tones C Faint smiles G Tea mugs D Lingering Em In your touch C G Knowing and knowing and knowing and knowing D Em C G D All too well that this is how it ends Em C G D….

This is how it ends

JONATHAN LAFFERTY Response

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MERSADES ZIMMER Persevere Hold fast my son Persevere For Life is a storm One moment you will bask in the sun The next you smash upon the rocks But does that mean you stop?

Hold fast my daughter Persevere For it may hurt The bees will sting and the weeds will grow People will pick and admire And then leave you to wither But does that mean you just sit and cry?

Hold fast my child Persevere We are not nothing but ships at sea and flowers in the wind So when Life comes, do not flee or hide Smite the Earth with steadfast might For He is with us Persevere

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JESSICA ROSS Response

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JESSICA ROSS

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MERSADES ZIMMER Response: Tiger Lily Time melts in a magenta ray Life withers and now fades away Tiger lily, tiger lily What secrets do you hold?

Tiger lily, tiger lily The wealth you have grows old The shimmer of a flicker of a flash of burning light The dribble and the trickle seals fate’s weak, fading might Tiger lily, tiger lily What do you hold most dear?

Tiger lily, tiger lily With age, dreams disappear You hold the lifeblood of the time, love You hold the destruction of your soul You pray to long lost gods above But their lips are sealed, cold Tiger lily, tiger lily The time escapes away Petals, waxy health, wilt and decay It’s slow and painful, long and forlorn The furtive flame of you heart, your soul it has worn Tiger lily, tiger lily One day you’ll surely die By the flicker in your eye You’ll perish Your flowery soul dry By the flame you can’t contain Melting Smelting Felling Tiger lily 21

MATHIAS MAURIN

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BENJAMIN FINLAY Response

A voice tells me to commit, To reach into the dark abyss.

What lurks beyond, I do not know.

I can only hope.

I can only hope I will find The one thing people tell me of.

I don’t know what to do.

The longer I wait, The longer the parasite will feed.

It will eat away at so much of my mind That it will eventually consume me.

The faint, encouraging voice inside my head Tells me that what I want is there.

That it isn’t hiding, But it is inviting me to seek it.

That once I seek, I will find.

Once I reach, I will grasp it.

I need to make up my mind.

Should I reach or should I not.

Do I commit?

Though I don’t know what is beyond, Should I at least find out?

I wait.

For longer and longer, The parasite of doubt Torments its host.

I need to make up my mind.

I continue to wait.

I think I found what I had hoped for, But I couldn’t grasp it.

It allowed me to take hold, But only for one moment.

Like sand, It ran through my clenched fists And escaped the palm of my hand.

I was only left with a few grains.

Left hopeless once more, Quickly frustrated, I withdrew my hand from the mist.

I was only left with a few grains of sand.

Not enough to be satisfied, But enough to be of a reminder: That there is something there.

I hear the encouraging voice yet That it isn’t hiding from me.

The doubt in my mind speaks to again.

It just wants me to delve into me In the small portion I have left of the abyss, With so much authority. my mind, And trust.

I can’t ignore it.

The voice returns.

Like a parasite, nipping at my I need to trust it.

I can’t reach halfway and expect brain.

I need to reach.

To find what I need.

I wish it would go, but it I can either commit I extend my arm. remains, oh, so present.

Or be left disappointed.

A part of me wants to at least Hopefully, Yet hopelessly.

The parasite of doubt is gone. reach, Expectant, I understand the quiet, Just to see.

The encouraging voice But so much of me tells me not Yet hesitant. to.

My hand disappears into the That I needed all along.

I know to trust it now.

I know the voice is encouraging, mist.

I need to commit.

Good to me, and I know I should I don’t know what to think trust it.

I reach, But the other, doubtful voice is Or what to say.

I feel a shock of euphoria, Hopefully, so vehement Followed by a wave of despair. And expectantly.

That I can’t just ignore it.

I commit.

But I can’t see beyond the mist.

I don’t know if it is really there.

For all I know there may be nothing.

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BENJAMIN FINLEY I fear I am dreadfully ill.

I’m dying, in fact, and all too quickly.

And on my deathbed are the memories of my past.

The fond memories and the not so fond.

Yet both are just as remarkable.

What I would give to live those moments again.

To feel those feelings again, To hear those sounds again, To breathe that air.

To live my life once more.

Oh, how one could wish.

To meet those people again for the first time, Then to say goodbye moments later.

To experience the tenderness and care of someone Then find yourself to be without them.

To watch someone cry when you tell them how much you love them.

To listen to someone telling you how much you mean to them.

To know that you are their greatest joy.

To know that it will one day cease.

Why does love and care have to be the greatest feeling?

It’s not fair.

To lose something you love empties you from the inside out, And the greatest feeling is replaced by the worst.

Oh, how one could wish.

To tell them how much you loved them one more time.

To tell them how great their food was one more time.

To listen to them speak of the simplest of things.

A cupboard or a wooden table, even.

Yet later realize you cherished each of the few moments with them.

They know I cherished every moment.

They know how much I love them, Even if I didn’t say it as often as I wished I had.

They know how much they meant to me.

And on my deathbed as I depart, I weep.

I take their hands, and they can feel what I feel.

They already knew, but now they know again.

One last time I can tell them.

I love them with all my heart.

And that one last time meant the world to me.

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MATHIAS MAURIN Response 25

ASTER H’NG All To Myself

link: https://youtu.be/k86cfK59X0o VERSE 1 Stay here now right by my side Wrap me in your arms Hold onto me oh so tight Home is where you are

VERSE 2 Hand in hand let’s take this ride Leave the world behind Love me till the day we die Never let me go

CHORUS I just want to hold you I just want to love you I just want to keep you Safe and night

BRIDGE Time will show What our love can hold Waters so unclear Hearts full of fears

I don’t know the future I’m so scared I’ll lose ya All I know is baby I want you all to myself I want you all to myself

DARBY KENDRICK Response: All To Myself link: https://youtu.be/iWkUDEyNfjI

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DARBY KENDRICK Smile

link: https://youtu.be/ZB-ffc4z- 18

ASTER H’NG Response: Waiting

link: https://youtu.be/It76Lj_ggjE I’m waiting as the clock goes tick tock Skipping stones just too bored Waiting as time goes by It’s too long, I don’t even know how Sipping tea that’s too cold Waiting for that time Cause in this day, I’m waiting For that one special guy But I don’t know - how when and where

Ba-da- da-da Ba-da- da-da Ba-da- da ba-da- ba-da- ba-da- ba-daDee-dee- dum So I’ll wait for you, Knowing yoU’ll be true One day I’ll say to you, Hello, and I Lo-ve you.

I’m wait-ing

Or who I’m waiting for So I’ll wait for you, Knowing you’ll be true One day I’ll say to you, Hello, and I love you.

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OTHER CREATIVE WORKS Each student not part of the Mingling of Mediums project was told to submit a piece that represented him or her as a creative and academic artist; each piece was meant to empower personal flair and artistic ownership.

The students also hope to serve the greater community, especially parents and alumni, by sharing these pieces through this publication. For pieces within the fine arts discipline, brief blurbs of explanation are provided.

Continue to be refreshed by this creativity. —By Miss Emily Grad

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SHELDON ANG Bittersweet

The time has finally come again, To say goodbye to family and friends, What a loss I will have to feel, As if a part of me has just been killed.

Living in Penang has been a great blessing to me, So much to feel, so much to see, I’ll never forget this beautiful island of mine, The beaches, the view, so majestic, so sublime.

This place bursts with the flavors of different races, I’ll miss all my friends and their faces.

Dalat International School: a place of many memories, All the little things that happen here will go down as legendary stories.

From being late to class to staying after school to play basketball, Memories I’ll miss, memories I‘ll always want to recall.

I’m really grateful to be able to come to a place like this, Honestly, this place comforts me and makes me feel bliss.

My beloved family, I’ll miss them too, I can never thank them enough for what they do, My father, working hard to support me and my family in life, My mother who, with me, always takes great pride.

My sister, quite annoying, but a sibling like no other.

I’ll miss all of you as I go farther and farther.

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To all my friends who paint my life with all sorts of entertainment, Don’t let college become your containment As we all part on our separate ways, I pray to God that you will not go astray, College life is a life full of possibilities, You can choose different paths, each having their own responsibilities.

I really do hope that we can keep in touch, We should visit each other when we have the chance, if that’s not too much.

There’s this one person that I cannot fail to mention, A person, a girl, in fact, that always wants my attention.

Seeing her makes the dark clouds in my life disappear, When I’m down, she comforts me and gives me a good cheer.

No words can describe the sadness I feel, To be separated by distance: it feels so unreal.

I will cherish all the moments we spent together, I really wish all our memories lasted forever.

You really have a special place in my heart.

Let’s get past these few years and kick distance in its butt.

All in all, I look forward to what my future holds, The different cultures, countries, and food that I will soon know.

I will certain miss this place, my dearest home.

But being away gives me the freedom to roam.

I get to experience a very new lifestyle.

Make sure your four years there are worthwhile.

I’ll miss you Malaysia, my birthplace, Where I was born and raised.

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ANONYMANEMANOUS Growing Chains, Growing Pains

“Mommy, why do I have a bracelet on my ankle?” Rowan inquired. “It’s heavy and it hurts a little.”

“Oh! That’s your admittance anklet! You need it to get into high school. Don’t worry; you’ll get used to it. No complaining: that’s just the way it is,” Rowan’s mother said insensitively. She finished packing Rowan’s lunch and sent him off with a kiss.

The anklet, a heavy, seamless piece of steel, had a ring welded to its gun-grey surface.

Rowan arrived at his new high school and, despite his complaints, everyone’s ankle boasted the same drab “jewelry.” Upon arrival at each classroom, Rowan’s teachers linked a ring to the loop on his anklet. By the end of the day, his anklet had a small chain of 8 links. Some kids had 12, so Rowan asked why. They replied that AP classes added two (rather than one) links to the chain.

The schoolyear progressed, and with each major project, essay, athletic team, or extracurricular event, another link was added to the students’ chains. The students began to compare their chains with their peers’ chains, measuring to see which was longest. Rowan wasn’t much interested in this game. He noticed that some upperclassmen could hardly move because their chains were so long and so heavy. He didn’t want to relinquish so much of his freedom.

But, of course, Rowan’s chain did grow. Really, at his school, it was inevitable. Links always were being added. More length. More weight. Always. He started looking for ways to shorten and lighten his chain, and his friends thought he was crazy. Finally, he found a Man who promised an easy yoke and a light burden.

“That must be better than this stupid chain,” Rowan thought. So he gave it a try. It was a bit weird at first, spending time with this Man and asking him to ease his burdens, but Rowan began to like it. He noticed that his chain was shorter. Every time a new link was added, he only needed to go to the Man and his anklet would get lighter again. He learned that this man’s name was Life and the way he offered to lighten chains was through “truth” and “freedom,” words Rowan didn’t hear much about before.

Some of Rowan’s friends made fun of him for his short chain, but he didn’t care. It was so beautiful to run and dance without the burden of a chain dragging him down. He tried to convince his friends to meet Life. Some did, and they, like Rowan, loved “truth” and “freedom.” But most, to Rowan’s grief, kept on linking new rings and being proud of it.

Before he even knew it, Rowan was a senior, sitting in his school’s auditorium, about to graduate. The auditorium had a great long stage where students could show off just how long their chains were. Each student had to walk across to receive their diploma. Most slouched and struggled against the weight of their chains while the audience applauded the length of them.

Then, the booming voice called Rowan to receive his diploma. He skipped down the stage with only a few links, happy and gleeful. There was a rare bounce in his step and twinkle in his smile.

Rowan said goodbye to his friends. Years wore on. He remembered his friends and hoped they would meet Life. One day, he bumped into a few of them at a class reunion. Some had impressive chains, coiled into backpacks or loaded on carts. But most, like Rowan, only had one or two links. They came to learn that their chains didn’t really matter at all and that the only burden worth having was “truth” and “freedom.” Those two rings only came from that Man called Life.

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EMMETT BALZER The Dream of Reality

What is living but a dream?

When you lay your head down at night, The darkness overcomes and blackness engulfs.

Soon you are chasing a fantasy, A fantasy you know to be true, The rules are clear and the goal is clearer: To escape the army of kidney beans, While taking care of your mother, a ladybug.

Awake with a start, you ponder the story, It was a universe of your own invention, A story with custom rules and rituals.

Yet now it is a foreign dimension, A land of utter nonsense.

Still other times the dream resembles reality, As the thoughts seem to flow from this world.

Go to school, take a test, and talk with some friends.

Yet every time the thought is the same when you awake: What was the point?

When we awake from the dream of life, Will we cling to the goals of our making?

Will we shudder at their sheer irrationality?

The only truth that extends beyond the dream, Is knowledge from the dreamer’s origin.

Only with truth not from our own twisted paradigm, Can the story we live in this dream, Carry weight into reality?

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JOSIAH BRAKE The Inevitable Fork

An atheist has utterly no hope, a void of non-belief without any chance of a happy ending. For if God does not exist, as the atheist so desperately clings to, then life has no meaning. His life will simply end, and nothing more. His entire existence will be living a life, building a personal empire that will shatter in the end. Life for the atheists is but a waiting room to twiddle thumbs before death, even void of emotion, as the atheists believes love and joy and forgiveness are nothing more than a chemical reaction.

Yet the more chilling prospect for the atheist is if he is wrong. The life of twiddling thumbs was really a life of genuine emotion. A purely human life. And all of that the atheist discarded for the sake of being “rational.” Yet that loss is nothing in comparison to the horrifying end of the atheist. He will stand before the God he scoffed at, and face judgement.

Ironically, he will get what he always wanted: an eternity without God. And when he realizes how terrible that end really is, it will be too late.

In many ways, we all, at some point, are atheists. There are, of course, many religions (atheism included in this category), but only one can be right. If worldview ‘A’ is the truth, then those believing in worldview ‘B’ are just as much ungodly as those believing in worldview ‘C,’ atheism. Thus, a man who describes himself as religious but worships a false god finds himself in the same boat as the one who denies God altogether, as worshiping the false god is denying the real God, but perhaps in not so dramatic a way as atheists. Again, we are all once atheists because no one is born believing in the true God.

Simplified, there are only two worldviews, those who follow the true God and those who do not. A man must decide which direction to take at the fork in the road. The direction towards God or the direction away from him. This is the case for every man and woman.

Which is right? Atheism, on the surface, seems so pristine and correct, but the two possible outcomes of such a life are both horrid, so why even try?

Thus, what is left is the belief in a god or gods. But once again, which is right? Aren’t all religions about the same God? No. When properly examined, all religions have more or less a constant message presented in very different ways, except one. Each religion requires the person to take the true path in the road, except one. Christianity. Yes, Christianity. The only worldview to say that man cannot reach God, that man cannot take the right path. The only worldview to say that God reaches man, that God shows man the right path. The only worldview to recognize that the imperfect cannot do anything to become perfect.

Jonathan Edwards said, “You contribute nothing to your salvation except the sin that made it necessary.” Here Christianity stands out.

So, the only religion, despite what many ignorantly think, that has sound historical, scientific, and philosophical basis must through all logic be the answer. Man will always choose the wrong road, but thankfully God Himself treaded that road so He may show man the right road.

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CHLOE CASTRO In the Eyes of the Beholder

Frail and worn Cold and hungry Homeless and orphaned Yet she smiled At the crushed world around her Spoiled and judgemental Mean and strict Nasty and rich Yet he frowned At the comfortable world around him She could call nothing her own But every morning Was a beautiful gift to be cherished He had everything he ever wanted But nothing could satisfy The selfish hunger inside.

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DENISE CHAI Familiar Strangers

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Looking at this piece was like peering into a mirror image of my middle school self, as I was transported back to that moment when I was sitting on the floor of that storage room, fully focused on the now as I captured the intricate details of even the most mundane objects. Snap forward to the present moment, I’ve transformed into someone who has traded presence for productivity in my anxiety-driven obsession to maximize achievements. I forget when I started on this compulsive retreat of living for the future. Memories turn blurry when you realize just how fickle and susceptible to change they are; and if you’re not careful, they may lead you into murky territories as you start to ask if this mental construct of “self” in your mind tangibly exists. Because really, our identities are based on stories that we tell ourselves, regardless of how true they are.

As disconcerting as it is to become aware of the tenuous strand my sense of identity lies upon, it is also comforting to know that my identity is not set for life. A simple picture like this can change its meaning over the years. My identity can morph into an infinite number of directions. Ultimately, over time, change is inevitable for all of us. It’s always good to keep some mementos here and there, a few tiny snippets to anchor ourselves to our past and grant us a semblance of stability in the constant flux and heavy demands life; so that maybe someday, we may stumble upon a harmless picture, such as this, in a dusty folder in an inconspicuous corner in a storage room, and we are reminded of the familiar strangers we used to be.

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AARON CHAND Tears Falling Onto the Soil International schools all across the world have an abundance of one thing: international students. And those international students all bring their own cultures, heritage, and stories to their school communities. For me, that special culture, heritage, and story is none other than India—the land of chaos, beauty, and simplicity. It is a place that will always have a special spot in my heart.

It was in August of 2016 when I approached my family and asked for them to let me go one last time to this extraordinary nation before I graduate. They agreed, and I had never been more ready to return. I had not returned home for at least three years, and my cousins who I remembered to be mere toddlers had practically grown up. My job on this trip was fairly simple: take pictures and spend time ministering/encouraging the church leaders in that area. …We arrived that night at my eldest uncle’s house. Instantly, my four-foot grandmother came to hug me; however, I followed the customs of Indian families and reached down to touch the feet of all of the elders of the house before hugging them. Overjoyed, my grandmother led me into the house and instantly presented me and my father with chai. We talked and caught up about everything that had happened to us over the past three years. I was instantly reminded of the simple lifestyle they live, without the Internet or no real connection to the outside world. However, I can’t say it wasn’t refreshing as I was definitely glad to be around conversation where the topic of choice wasn’t Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton.

The next day I was overwhelmed by tons of people coming to say ‘hello’ to me and my dad. Throughout the day, I heard, “Hello, Aaron! Do you remember me? I am your aunt’s, brother’s, daughter’s, husband’s cousin!” I would simply nod politely and say, “Ahhh yes, I do recognize your face!” In honesty, I hadn’t the foggiest recollection who they were. The day flew by fast and was filled with laughter and joy as we all prepared for the eve of Diwali. That night, fireworks, curry, and the love of a family filled the air as we all enjoyed the little reunion.

Nevertheless, that little reunion had to come to an end and it was time to go home. We prepared to say our goodbyes.

I saved my grandma for last because I knew that would be the hardest of them all. When finally the time came and I said goodbye, she instantly broke down crying for neither of us knew if we would ever see each other again, as her health has declined over the years. I could feel my heart cracking, 38

and I begged God to work in her heart and help her experience the love of Jesus, as she has not yet fully accepted him as her Savior. I quickly said a prayer over her, and I and turned to get in the car which would take us to the airport. While driving away, I turned my head back to see her on her knees, tears falling onto the soil below. I felt my heart break knowing that that was possibly the last time I would ever see Grandma.

It was a good trip full of joy, sadness, and love, and I know that I will forever look back on it with a smile on my face. The pictures I took will forever remind me of the great things God did within me and others during this amazing trip. I hope that, in the future, I can do more with missions and more with helping the community around me. Learning more about my culture and heritage really changed my perspective on things and showed me that I have a deep appreciation for cultures. I pray that I can share that culture with Dalat; I mean, after all, it is an international school.

JARROD CHANG There’s No Turning Back: A Collection of Haikus Though seasons may pass

It doesn’t matter

Our branches and roots have grown

Memories overrated

There’s no turning back

Who cares anyways

For better or worse

Sad times, hard goodbyes

We have traveled far in life

Doesn’t bother, no troubles

There’s no turning back

No need to complain

The journey ending

But who you fooling

Destination approaching

Can’t hide the true emotions

There’s no turning back

Your mask transparent

The day we hoped for

For deep down within

The day we dreaded the most

You know you cannot handle

There’s no turning back

The reality

The day we hoped for

There’s no turning back

The day we dreaded the most

Life’s fair clock is in motion

There’s no turning back

There’s no turning back

The day we hoped for

Cherish the present

The day we dreaded the most

Relive the memorable past

There’s no turning back

Hope for the future

5, 4, 3, 2, 1

Losing everything?

Years, Months, Days, Minutes, Seconds

No, we are still holding on

There’s no turning back Who saw it coming Who predicted the moment There’s no turning back But maybe just maybe You do not want to turn back Future more than past

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Even adding more Because who said that It is such a bad thing when There’s no turning back

MEGAN CHANG Exordium As the end of high school draws near, the unsettling feeling in my heart grows wearier. With each passing day, I hold on even tighter in hopes that I can stay a bit longer. Am I ready for this? Am I ready to let go of everything that feels like home?

Some days I am. Most days I’m not.

I feel myself shrinking back as the countdown towards graduation day gets smaller. Sometimes before falling asleep, I lie awake for a moment thinking, “A year from now, I will be in a new room in a different country. Right now may be the last time I will get to come back to a familiar place every day. Things won’t be the same again.”

I have yet to wrap my head around the idea of leaving the place I have known for so long. Home.

A place of familiarity and security. A place that makes me feel warm on the inside just by thinking about it. Home is this island, the humid weather, speaking multiple languages, laughing hysterically with my friends, seeing my mom every day, and him.

I’m not ready to leave yet. I’m running out of time. I don’t want to go.

But these are things I can never say out loud. Because the reality is that I can’t stop time and time won’t stop for me either. Life goes on whether I want to or not. Eventually, I will have to pack up, say heartbreaking goodbyes, and board the plane that will send me miles away from here. Though, with time, the longing that I feel will be less prominent, and I will feel more at ease with the thought of coming back again. A part of me, however, will never stop missing home. I will always remember the memories I have made here, and the people I have come to know and love.

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NING KANG CHIA Bars

Senior year, the hardest game.

To the writers of haiku:

Time is like a dwindling flame,

Lazy people but it’s cool.

Feelings none can hope to tame,

Want to dream like Doctor Who.

I pray they think of my name.

Cheap way out; that shall not do.

The future is almost now,

Then again, it is a chore.

The actors about to bow.

Students are given a bore.

Cherish my time here I vow,

Many classes make me snore.

Yet I’d leave if schools allow.

Someone please show me the door.

With my dreams and hopes in sight,

Just kidding, need my degree.

Wish my journey be alright,

Let me for once be carefree.

The thrill keeps me up all night,

Under Dalat’s policy,

But God will shine on me the light.

That undergoes changing spree.

I bid all my friends farewell,

To my readers, think then speak,

The past I’d rather not dwell.

Else your stupidity will peak.

Growing up is like a spell,

Useless banter if you reek,

Our lives, a show and tell.

Of your voice, don’t let me shriek.

As a senior, here’s a tip.

Please don’t be a big disgrace,

Don’t lose sight, get a firm grip.

I’d hit you with a huge mace.

Don’t worry, if results dip.

Shameless ditz, do save some face,

All you need is fish and chip.

God forbid your nature be base.

That was weird and off topic.

Time I stop the satire,

Like my stress, macroscopic.

Rest easy as I retire.

Here at Dalat it’s tropic.

High school is a big choir,

Cherish it and buy a brick.

Good friends I did acquire.

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ANSON CHIN Cataholic I made this art piece back in 10th grade as a CB gift for my date, Grace Lim. Surprisingly, it didn’t take me a long time at all to make, only about two or three days. I bought a piece of hardwood, painted it black, printed out an outline of a cat, and then placed nails in one inch intervals. Lastly, I simply wound string around the whole thing. I am happy as I am not normally considered an artistic guy (besides amazing stick figures) and this is, in my opinion, the best work of art I have created in my eighteen years of existence. It also kept my CB date around.

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HASUNG CHO Eagle’s Eye Piece 1

Eagle's Eye = 801

2

3

4

Piano

5

6

7

8

9

Writing a music piece has been something I have always wanted to do. I wanted to express my emotions through music, even sadness and madness. Therefore, the music I have written for Eagle’s Eye expresses my desire to be free; but it also expressed my confusion with what I want to do in future. Like the melody of the music, I want to feel light despite all the hardships I have to go through. I want to confront all the adversities with an optimistic mind.

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CHRISTY CHOW Scattered Heart

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WOO YOUNG CHUNG Personal Fitness Plan Monday

Tuesday

Wednesday

Thursday

Friday

Type of workout

Arm Strength

Shoulder and Back

Leg strength

Cardio

Arm Strength

Muscle Group

Bicep, Delts, Chest

Traps, Lats, Abdominal

Quads, Glutes, Hamstrings, Calves

Core, Calves, Quads, Hamstrings

Bicep, Delts, Chest

Warm up

Dynamic Stretching

Dynamic Stretching

Dynamic Stretching

Static Stretching

Dynamic Stretching

Bench Press (3 sets of 5)

Shoulder Press (3 sets of 10)

Weighted Squats (3 sets of 5)

Bicep Curls (3 sets of 8)

Handstand Pushups (4 sets of 5)

Calf Raises (3 sets of 8)

Lying Fly (3 sets of 5)

Dumbell Row (3 sets of 12)

Deadlift (3 sets of 5)

Static Stretching

Static Stretching

Static Stretching

Workout

Cool down

Running (20 minutes) Jump Rope (10 minutes)

Static Stretching

Bench Press (3 sets of 5) Bicep Curls (3 sets of 8) Lying Fly (3 sets of 5) Static Stretching

*Rest Days - Saturday and Sunday

Junior year was the motivational year for me. With football season and other sports going on, I had the obligation to step up in my fitness career and take initiative about my body. Laziness was one of the obstacles that prevented my urge to go workout. “Well begun is half done” or “The beginning is half of the whole” is a Korean proverb; it recognizes the importance of starting a task because it takes dedication and determination to even begin. I took time and effort to make my way to workout room, and many times I get distracted by friends playing football. I would join in and get carried away.

I have to admit that the worse part about working out is when you’re at the second to last set and you to realize you have one more set to go. It instantly kills the motivation, and mentally, it makes me want to stop after this set. Fitness class gave me a boost towards initiating my regular workout routine. It started off with Mrs. Frohlich asking us to create a personal fitness plan I could do in the future. After constructing a thorough personal plan, I realized that this plan could benefit me in the future. Undoubtedly, the first two weeks of workout with this plan was a success and from then on, I began going to the gym regularly. Soon enough, the second to last set was the set that propelled me to complete my last set.

As of current state, working out has been a source to release my distress and turn it into eustress.

The fascinating about working out was realizing I was growing deeper spiritually. Occasionally, I find myself communicating with God during these times. I think that is the primary reason why I emphasize the significance of doing physical activity to others. I want others to understand and experience what I have gone through in the gym and how it had impacted me, both physically and spiritually. People sometimes question why I waste my time in the workout room? I answer by questioning back, why do you sit around at home doing nothing? I couldn’t have envisioned myself coming to this stage of life when I was a junior. I am now proud to affirm that I am now an addict of working out.

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DOMINIC FITZGERALD Bare Knuckle Fight For me, life is a bare-knuckle fight: it can get very brutal, but in the end, everything’s in God’s hands. I can tell you that those are very good hands, and I know many witnesses who can tell you the exact same thing. Just keep your heads down, fight hard, and put your faith in the One True God who controls the outcome. That is the meaning of this picture, so what are you waiting for? Keep fighting!

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JOEL FROHLICH Farewell Friends

Farewell friends, memories latch well to the mind— it is true, Of times past, painted red, orange, yellow, blue, Who cannot recall old days of laughter and fun?

The very hours we begged never to run.

Thoughts we can taste, hear, smell, see, touch,

What is wealth next to remembrance? It isn’t worth much.

Farewell friends, we have experienced it all, We’ve won, succeeded, stumbled—sometimes to a fall, We have been frustrated, motivated, happy, and sad, Can our memories, re-sparking these emotions really be bad?

If so, why do we humans constantly cling, To our memories? Such magical things.

Farewell friends, we have all grown so much, As our relatives remind us constantly of such, Some of us were cute, chubby, and small, But now we are mature, muscular, and tall, The road ahead of us is long and unknown, We will walk our path our own, though we need not alone.

Farewell my dear friends, I hope those of you who forget me are far and few, For I shall never forget each and every one of you.

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CAITLIN GOH Brave Always too afraid of doing anything,

Instead of saying:

Because failure comes to my mind

“I should have done it.”

Before I even try,

I tell myself: everything is worth a try

I’m afraid that in the end, I might cry

I have to put on my wings and fly,

Too afraid to love, too afraid to live,

I can’t let my past hinder me,

Why can’t I just take the wheel and drive?

I have to get out of my cage and be free.

Life taught me to take every chance,

Fear was the only thing that made me shy,

Because in the end, I’ll regret

I’m no longer afraid to try,

For not taking the chances I have

As I’ve crushed my fear, and it died.

Live a life full of joy and not regrets.

Life has taught me to be brave,

Ten years from today,

I am now restored and saved.

I want to look back and say:

WEI SING GOH More Real Than Reality

Although I haven’t spent a lot of time with photography, there is something about it that has always intrigued me. Taking an image, freezing that moment, reveals how rich reality truly is. Photography is undoubtedly something that we take for granted. Like Alfred Stieglitz once said, “In photography, there is a reality so subtle that it becomes more real than reality.” Above are a couple of my favorite snapshots throughout my brief time here.

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NOAH GRAVES I Am From

I am from Alabama football

I am from an obsession with sports

I am from two wheels flying down an old dirt road

I am from a house under God

I am from learning how to pick myself up after I fall

I am from countless hours on tennis courts

I am from Christ carrying my heavy load

I am from a life of studying abroad

I am from rolling in the white snow

I am from standing up for what is right

I am from a blessed life

I am from respecting my parents

I am from “what doesn’t kill you makes you [grow]”

I am from worrying about sun because I’m so white

I am from learning how to deal with strife

I am from learning to be myself I am from a life of homeschool I am from a love of the movie Elf I am from a house where my family is cool

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I am from learning to have patience

I am from friends overseas I am from learning everything I have is His I am from when trouble arises, never flee I am from “home is where my family is”

SAM HOFER Cultural Ideals as Told by a Burnt Document …1025 ended with a tone of despair for the English. Their nobles were all either dead or in exile, as was their king. It was during this chaotic time period that a monk wrote the Nowell Codex, which preserved the epic poem Beowulf for generations. Whether it was written immediately after the death of King Edgar, in the aftermath of the murder of Edward the Martyr, or during the reign of Cnut and the Viking occupation, Beowulf was by no means written for a happy and joyful audience. It could have been commissioned by a king as a piece of propaganda, or it could merely have been written by a monk wishing to preserve an oral tradition. Whenever it was written, whatever it was written for, and whoever wrote it, Beowulf’s themes certainly corresponded to the context of the times. In such an unpredictable world, it isn’t surprising that loyalty to a lord is valued to a great extent…Beowulf travels far to aid someone he has never met and has no connections to, because Hrothgar once offered help that ended up saving Beowulf’s father (and his king’s) life (Heaney 460-472). The only thing that persuades Beowulf on this dangerous journey across the sea is his loyalty to his father, who is indebted to a man in need. Clearly,there was only one course of action for Beowulf; loyalty demanded it. A theme commonly manifested in this time period is that of honor. In this culture, all men of age, not just earls, were seen as having a responsibility to uphold their personal honor, even when it would cost them. Reputation was a huge factor in this. If someone did something dishonorable, everyone they knew would hear about it, and they would be shunned. So why this emphasis on honor? The Anglo-Saxons were constantly attacked by Vikings, as well as engaging in civil wars, so the best explanation for the emphasis is that communities needed to depend on their men. They needed men who would defend them at all times, who would never shirk from duty, who would never do anything to hurt their home. While this ideal was never fully achieved, it fulfilled its purpose to create a group of regional, dependable defenders…Connected with honor was the ideal of vengeance, an ‘eye for an eye’ concept. With wars and feuds all around them, it is reasonable that the Saxons would become intent on repaying the wrongs dealt to them. This may also be left over from their time as a warrior people in Denmark and Germany, for the Vikings and ancient Germans had a similar concept of vengeance. Even the word for the repaying of debt by paying a fine, wergild, is the same. With Vikings raiding and even taking over, it was important that the Saxons remember to avenge their fathers and not give up even when hope was lost. As an epic poem, widely known around England, Beowulf reinforced this trait by encouraging young men to let no wrong go unpunished. On many occasions revenge or the process of getting revenge is mentioned. Beowulf kills Grendel’s mother to avenge the murdered retainer of Hrothgar (Heaney 392-396), and foresees a problem in a proposed marriage due to a blood feud (Heaney 2029-2031). The three greatest traits of Beowulf perfectly fit in with the times they were produced in: times of strife, civil war and unrest, and foreign invasion and conquest. Honor, vengeance, and loyalty all brought much needed stability in such a time. But the subtle genius of these traits is that they end up checking each other. Too much loyalty leads to a lack of honor, while too much honor leads to a lack of vengeance. Too much vengeance can lead to a lack of loyalty. This well-balanced system ensured that excesses in these ideals were uncommon, while still imposing a degree of stability on a culture struggling for survival. It is in this regard of expressing these ideals to a desperate and weary culture that Beowulf shows its true significance. Yes, it is a good poem that sounds nice when read; but to understand that this is what boys were raised on, that its ideals impacted how they lived their lives, is the greatest form of appreciation that can be shown for a poem of such longevity and resonance.

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JOSEPH HSU Childhood Dream Realized Sitting alone in the cockpit of the Cessna 172 (a single-engine aircraft), I firmly grip the control yoke and gently increase the throttle. I gaze at the runway that extends towards the horizon as the aircraft begins to accelerate down the centerline. My heart is racing. I make every effort to stop my legs from shaking, but the rumbling of the plane did not help. Upon reaching 55 knots, I pitch the nose up and steadily climb away from the airport. Words cannot describe the nervousness and excitement I felt about the fact that I was actually flying solo. Just me— alone in the aircraft—soaring through the calm, blue sky with a beautiful view of the KL Tower and Petronas Twin Towers to my left. The moment was magical. All the times I had to wake up at 4 a.m. on Saturdays to go to KL for lessons and all the studying I had to do for my aviation exams, in addition to schoolwork, was worth the experience I had that day. Since I was eight years old, I dreamed of becoming a pilot. Until six months ago, flying an aircraft was just part of my imagination. I am so thankful for my parents who supported me and were so dedicated to helping me realize this dream. The journey of getting my pilot’s license did not go the way I had initially planned at all, but I am grateful that God was in control of everything. And because it went according to God’s plan instead of my own, I have become more independent, I have had well-experienced instructors, and I got to make new connections along the way. This might not have been the case if things went according to my plan. Through getting my license, I have learned not only to fly planes but also to trust that God’s plans are far better than any plan I can make for myself.

SAM HUANG Brothers to the End The Dalat boys’ basketball team had an exciting, yet heartbreaking, week as they played in their first ever ACSC held on their home ground of Penang…The tournament kicked off on Tuesday, February 14. Our Dalat boys felt confident they’d do well in the tournament. However, on the next day, during their first game as the entire school cheered them on, it was inevitable that they felt the pressure and nervousness...The boys got tense and played like a weaker team, which resulted in a 34-61 loss…During their next game, the second of the day, with nerves out of the way, our Dalat team finally showed their true potential as they won 58-46 against Yongsan International School...On the early morning of February 16th, the Dalat boys took another 52-48 win over Morrison Academy… The next morning, the 17th, the Dalat boys took on the International Christian School of Hong Kong with a 42-35 win… However, this meant that the boys had to go head-to- head with the undefeated Faith Academy to stay in the winners’ bracket...The Dalat boys fought with everything they had, even closing the gap to a two point game at one point, but they fell to Faith Academy in a 46-66 loss. [O]ur boys took on Morrison Academy again to advance into the semifinals...The Dalat boys were being out rebounded and the point guard from Morrison Academy was shooting surprisingly well, draining five three-pointers to lead his team to a 56-44 victory. It was a devastating loss for the Dalat boys...But amidst the sorrow, the one thing that grew stronger was the bond between the Dalat boys. From the beginning to the end, they bled, sweat, and wept together. No matter how tough the opponent or the situation was, they always picked each other up and fought together. Through the wins and the losses, it had become more than just a basketball game. The Dalat varsity basketball team is no longer just a team of guys playing a sport; the brotherhood that developed is something that will last a lifetime for the boys. The boys have no reason to stay depressed. They have learned much from the games. Also, as Coach Arnold says, “I just want to say how proud I am of each one of you for competing at the highest level. Every coach made an effort to say how fun you guys were to watch because of your brute toughness and physicality. They all said you were the toughest opponent.”

To read the full article go to: http://seniorscribble.blogspot.my/2017/02/acsc-boys- basketball-brothers- toend.html 52

NEEHAR KANTIMAHANTI The Whole Wide World

Very soon, we will all be leaving a place that we have been privileged enough to call home for at least a year. For some people, Penang is the only place they have ever called home. For others, Penang is just another name on a long list. However, it would be hard to find someone who will not miss this island at all. Whether it is the food, the culture, or the scenery, Penang is quite a unique place. That being said, there is so much more to the world.

I consider myself to be somewhat of a traveler (I have visited about 20 countries across 5 continents), and even I can think of so many more places to see. These paintings offer just a glimpse of our incredibly diverse world. There is so much more to the world beyond Penang.

Even though I will be sad to leave friends and family behind in a place I have called home for over 14 years, at least I have the whole world to look forward too.

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KHAI YI KHOR Bangkok International Choir Festival 2016

On October 6th, Thursday, all the choir students gathered around in the choir room after school, before leaving to the airport to participate in the Bangkok International Choir Festival 2016 (BICF), which was held at International School of Bangkok (ISB).

The next morning at 7:30am, Dalat’s choir students departed to ISB. It took approximately an hour to reach the destination. Inside the ISB campus, workers were driving golf carts and giving ISB students rides to school. Each of Dalat’s choir students was given a nametag to help other schools recognize and differentiate students from schools all over the world. There was a total of 400 choir students from various schools that gathered in a chevron theater to do their rehearsals.

The schools who participated in this year’s BICF consisted of ISB, Dalat, Grace International School (GIS), Seoul International School (SIS), Bangkok Patana School (BPS), British School Jakarta (BSJ), NIST International School, Ruamrudee International School (RIS), Thai-Chinese International School (TCIS), and St. Andrews International School of Bangkok (St. Andrews).

Moreover, all 400 choir students stood and sang for ten hours or so, rehearsing for the next day’s festival concert. For two days in a row, the choir students did the same routine over and over again. The festival concert on October 8th, Saturday, was a success; the harmony of the High School Mixed Choir reverberated across the chevron theater, its notes knitted with confidence. The songs that were sang throughout that day were “Dance Today With Joy,” “The World of Our Dreams,”

“Ride in the Chariot,” “Ritmo,” and “I Am a Song”; they were directed by the Male Ensemble Northwest (M.E.N.) from the United States.

The individual workshops, also led by the members of M.E.N., made all the choir students feel at ease, while showing them how to have fun and to be passionate about achieving musical excellence. Without the members of M.E.N., the festive concert wouldn’t have turned out as well. Throughout the two days in ISB, Khai Yi Khor (12) made friends with Beryl Hsu, Mable Ye, and Yae Rim Park, who were juniors from BPS.

When Dalat choir students were asked about their overall experience in BICF 2016, Aster H’ng (12) stated, “It was very scary, but also very amazing as it was a once in a lifetime experience. So if you have the chance, you should go because I can’t think of any other time that you can do something as cool as this.”

Although all the choir students were exhausted after singing and standing continuously for hours, BICF 2016 was an amazing experience to all; and it will forever be engraved in each and every one of the choir students’ memories.

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INHA KIM Corpse Groom

As I try to write my parting thought

I recall the loves that never happened

I remember the tender joy it brought

The bitter sweetness of times I’ve been saddened

The kindness, love, friendship naught

Now I laugh at the times I’ve been flattened

From my time in Dalat.

I recall the daunt of the first day The terror and horror of the first say The warming welcome when I heard the first “hey” My first time in Dalat.

I recall the times of sublime frustration The livid longing for a vacation Replacing testing for a resting sensation.

My assignments in Dalat.

My Valentine’s of Dalat.

I recall the friends I’ll remember forever The ones that stuck through every endeavor Bond so strong time will never sever My friendships in Dalat.

As I seek myself in remembrance I struggle to find a resemblance To my first day at the entrance From my time in Dalat.

I recall the days I stayed in retreat The fun at the beach and the bus seat The summer sweat under the sun’s heat My field trips in Dalat.

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KEVIN KIM Play of the Game

“We are all soldiers now,” a half cyborg human coarsely whispers into my ears every time I select him for the arena of a virtual world that resembles King’s Road, England.

Moving about with my mouse, I am excited by how much can be done with this one character to win the match, along with the five other people whom I got teamed up with: sprinting, shooting off missiles, jumping around, waving towards my team. He moved how I wanted him to, and I felt like I was actually him. I was literally one with Soldier: 76, the character I was using.

“Game starts in 3, 2, 1,” announced the game administrator.

I quickly dashed off ahead of my teammates so I could scout out the enemy team’s defense.

Lots of things came to my mind as I approached nearer to the enemy territory: Will there be more tanks than damage dealers? How many healers will there be? Will there be skilled players waiting to decimate my team? How fast will this game end?

As soon as I saw the enemy team, all these thoughts dissolved instantly. I only kept focus on dealing as much damage as possible towards my enemy in order for my team to push through their defense.

As I relentlessly blasted barrages of bullets, I heard faint footsteps and chains tinkering behind me. Turning around, I saw the enemy Roadhog, an obese character who resembled that of a hog except that he has a shotgun on his right arm and a big chain hook on his left, marching towards me with determined eyes for a kill. Panicking at the footsteps heard in my mind, I knew death was imminent; however, the situation pivoted away from my expectations. I kept firing my shots at him until I smashed my space bar key to dodge his skill. Knowing that his skills are on cool-down, I went aggressive with my attacks and secured a kill with a blast of missiles through his head. I had a big grin on my face when I managed to survive an unlikely situation.

After the small duel, I sprinted my character to the front line of my team’s offense and continued to push along with my five other teammates. Despite the pressure, the enemy’s defense was so tight that time was of the essence. My team and I only had a couple of minutes before defeat could ruin the fun I had been having. Right at that moment, a glimmer of hope was shown. Soldier 76, the character I had been using, said, “My ultimate, Tactical Advisor, is up and ready!”

I knew that it was too early to give this game up.

While my team made their one final push towards the enemy’s defense, I sprinted my character to the highest elevated spot in King’s Road. As soon as I saw the enemy team grouped, I launched my attack. After smashing that Q key, I had no idea what had happened, but the game announcer went crazy by saying, “Double kill, triple kill, quadra kill, team kill!” With the defense broken down, my team and I secured the win, as my screen turned black with the words “Victory!” shown in bright, orange font.

As the game reached its conclusion, I shrieked with joy as I saw my nickname and character shown at the screen of my computer, along with the dramatic background music and the game commentator announcing, “Play of the Game.” It was that fleeting moment where I felt that victory was meaningful; it felt better than receiving an A for a test that was really difficult. What’s best is that the game actually recognizes my set of skills and shows everyone in the match a replay of that highlight. Having to see for myself what happened in that last thirty seconds, I had goosebumps all over my arms. I couldn’t believe that I made a play worthy enough to be shown to everyone. Just as I was about to exit the game, my character concluded the match with his farewell quote: “Job well done.”

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Indeed, it was a job well done, Soldier 76.

GRACE LIM Endless Love

Although I haven’t done anything for you You light up my day like the morning sun.

Even when I don’t ask, You help me get through the darkest days of my life.

Although I haven’t done anything for you, You hold my hand and walk with me.

Even when I fall and stumble, You offer a hand to put me back on my feet.

Although I haven’t done anything for you, You light up my way like street lights.

Even when I choose not to be with you, You show me way back home like a lighthouse.

Although I haven’t done anything for you, You sent your Son to die on the cross on behalf of me.

Even when I have sinned, You never fail to love me endlessly.

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JING LOW This piece, “999”, was originally composed by Yamato Kasai, and its audio file is published in his album Klavier. Despite its beautiful arrangement, the piece’s music sheet, unlike some other songs by Yamato Kasai, were not published at all. And with its surprisingly low popularity on the web, “999” has grabbed no attention from the well-known, professional arrangers and transcribers who I often download music sheets from. So, I decided to transcribe it myself, using spectrogram for generalizing the contour and my ear for getting the specific notes. I did not add any dynamic markings onto the music sheet because they might be misleading sometimes, and it is always better to refer back to the original audio for expressions. The sheet might still contain some missing or extra notes, but it is a fairly accurate representation of the piece.

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61

ALAN LUCHTENBURG Discernment at Dusk

At the end of the day, what does it matter?

New clothes, new shoes, new hair—just to flatter, You can be the smartest, strongest, fastest of them all Doin’ everything you can to look like you aren’t a shortfall It’s the story of everyone tryin’ to stay in the game You see; everyone’s got issues, just different magazines Rate, judge, and label people based on their genes We all know how to preach it but can’t eat it So overwhelming, it forces some to quit it Who are we to think we are better than the next?

There’s something wrong with us; no religion denies that Desperately searching for that thing that’ll fill us Sports, grades, and rep buggin’ you like a gnat The missing puzzle piece that’ll give you sureness Why do we expect each other to be perfect when we aren’t ourselves?

I never said I was perfect; if you heard different, then someone lied Just living in a competitive world which feeds my pride Look around you, we all want to be respected and accepted The funny thing is we are the reason for what’s expected And we continue and still wonder why Strength isn’t how much weight you can lift To persevere and stick with it is far more than a gift Endurance isn’t just how many reps you can do It’s looking back to see how far you flew With the world trying to drill standards and ideas in your head Try to keep everyone happy but feeling misled It’s not just media lit; we can’t be sheep Because in this world, doing the right thing isn’t cheap Glory and achievement will give you a thrill But you gotta climb over your ego to master your will Work hard and do the right thing cause it’s key Offered the job but I’m still me But in 10 years will I still be?

It’s the story of everyone tryin’ to stay in the game Doin’ everything you can to look like you aren’t a shortfall To persevere and stick with it is far more than a gift Get new clothes, new shoes, new hair just to flatter, At the end of the day, what does it matter?

62

BENA MAUGER All Because of Love Just as God created the wonderful world The six-day miracle Every living being received life from words. The words of the living God The perfect world brought about by God For the glory of God The magnificent birds fly in the sky The incredible fish All of the land animals live in this world The world that God created Then God made something special. The people like God God made man to rule the fish, birds, and other animals He gave men power Men are special because we are made to be like God To be made in the image of God God gave us the power over all the animals The beautiful creations from God All of the power came from God’s mouth Oh, the glorious power Then came a day, a day of death, a day of trickery, a day of deception In this perfect world lies started to begin with a truth The truth brought about spiritual death And brought sin into the world Eyes were opened, the man and woman saw good and bad They became like God But the thing is, they were already special to God For they were made in the image of God Now, knowing good and evil brought death to them And to their generations No one born from their lineage would ever be free Free from the curse They were separated from God because of this sin For God cannot bear sin The perfect world became full of sin And of death But God is still in charge He is still loving He is still with us Everyone has sinned and there is no way to break the cycle of sin But there is still hope because of God’s love Hope within his grace For God loves us so much that He sent His Son to us, the one He loves To die, to bear all of our sins, to experience our deaths, to give us life When the Son was on this earth, he healed whoever came to him He didn’t turn anyone away 63

He came to bring a new covenant, a beautiful covenant But the leaders weren’t ready for change The people closest to Him understood many things that he taught But they were scared They didn’t understand that he will have to leave this world To save us Jesus came to save, not to be saved He came for me His disciple, whom He taught, betrayed Him For the price of a slave Jesus was whipped and mocked and spit on Because of His love The Son of God was made a crown of thorns Hammered on His head He was nailed to a cross because of what we have done Because of our sins A sign was put over His head saying, ‘This is Jesus King of the Jews’ A person being crucified with Him mocked Him Even when He was dying But another one being crucified rebuked the mocker He said, ‘Jesus, when you go to your kingdom, remember me’ And Jesus replied, “tonight, you will be with me in Paradise” And the sinner was saved When Jesus died, the veil It represented that anyone, anywhere can go to God He said he was going to destroy the temple and rebuild it in three days The temple was his body Because Jesus, the perfect man, died for the sinners We may live with God Jesus’ death brought the possibility of life for everyone Life forever His death provided a pathway directly to God and to His love Which we might receive God gives us free and wonderful gifts because He loves us For we did nothing to receive it His Mercy is a beautiful thing because he should destroy us But he loves us His amazing Grace He blesses us with all that we have Again, because of love We, as humans, do not have to work for any of these things Because God gives it freely All we need to do is receive the free gifts from God And know what they mean For God sent His Son while we were still sinners All because of love

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DANIEL MUNSON Trials of Kalim

Excerpt from Chapter 1

The entrance to the seat of the Dweln Republic’s government loomed large in the distance in front of the Executor’s eyes. The “Colosseum” was what they had called it, the Executor remembered; based off of some earthian building—or so the myth goes, for it was built many millennia ago. He sighed and then continued on the promenade towards the Colosseum, casually observing the shining pools and sprightly palm trees that lined the path before him. Few in the Republic had ever seen the tropical world of Ashoyya, the planet which held the honor of being the capital. It was late afternoon, with the triple suns of Ashoyya dipping slowly towards the horizon; despite this fact, it was still quite bright and the planet had a pleasing orange glow.

As the Executor came closer to the building, he could see many other governmental officials from nameless planets coming and going to the Colosseum on the same nameless business. He did recognize a few characters among the crowd, the octopus-like Ashoyyans, the giraffe-necked Plastians, and a few furtive grey-furred Vlufians. Roughshod “stalls” that resembled hawkers started popping up on the path towards the Colosseum, each one an “embassy” for an alien race unfortunate to only have colonized a single planet - or worse, share one. The Executor remembered what his queen had told him before he left the Chorus:

“The Dweln Republic has an odd system of representation on Ashoyya,” she had said.

“Its weakest races have little to no power, and are reduced to shacks located outside the Colosseum.

If a race is fortunate enough to have conquered more than a single planet, they are granted a spot inside the Colosseum, but in the outer region.”

Furthermore, if a race has conquered a significant region or is wealthy, it will be granted a spot in the inner circle of the Colosseum.

The most powerful races, the ones with the most influence and wealth, are granted a seat in the Tower of the Colosseum; this is where much of the decision making comes to place, regardless of what other notions lesser races may have.”

“And the Chorus, your Highness?” asked the then Grand Master.

“It, unfortunately, does not take part in such matters—you, of all people, know what our purpose is,” she replied.

“Certainly, your Highness, but shouldn’t the Chorus at least be granted a spot of observation in the Tower?” the Grand Master asked.

“That is precisely the reason I have called you here, Grand Master. For you are to be our ambassador to the Dweln Republic.”

The Grand Master protested, “But, your Highness, I am the commander of the Star Mariners! How is there to be action in a perpetual altercation?”

The queen repeated, “Once again, that is precisely the reason you were chosen for this occupation. You will be the spur in their metaphorical horse. Make them take action against the chaos and stagnation of this failing Republic!”

“Yes, my Lady,” he said.

Then the Grand Master of the Star Mariners, now Executor of Vaal, rose to take his leave. As he strode down the stairs of the throne room, the queen called out after him, “Remember, Executor, for what purpose the Chorus was created.”

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SUSAN OH Fart Love is a heavy fart.

The longer you hold it, the more painful it gets, But once you release it, it’s like a jet, Release the love and the weight will be lifted, And there is nothing that can stop you, not even the net.

Love is a stinky fart.

Let it out and those around you will move, Most time they will reject and disapprove, Sometimes you confess your love and the other runs away, Rejecting your love and leaving you heartbroken.

Love is a small fart.

The faster you let it out, the calmer you will feel, Let it out fast and you don’t have to deal, Confess your love and make it known to other, Until then, your heart will be in agony.

Love is fart.

No matter how much you hate it, Or want to deny it, It’s there inside you ,ready to come out like a wild fire, Don’t hold back, instead embrace it.

Love is an unexpected fart.

It slips when you are not paying attention, Quiet but deadly, might even be sent for a detention, If you are lucky, you will find love in a hopeless place, Or love might find you when you least expect it.

The more you fart, the healtheir you will be, The more you love, the better person you will be, Love, fart, what’s the difference?

KASEY ROGERS Past, Present, Future There is hope in the future, even for those who have suffered greatly in the past. There is always a light that will shine in the dark. Our pasts do not define our futures. A broken past does not mean life is broken. This piece is meant to show the hope, to show the pain of the past and the light in the future.

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JEROME RAMIREZ Blood Trans Destined by recent plight, quite an atrocious sight, You still made an effort to hold on tight, Don’t let go of the reins; they’ll surely give way, Keep fighting the temptation that rids of all pain, Distance yourself from that which makes us finite, Time crawled at a snail’s pace, before they came upon the place, Oh so close, your features froze, each limb reached a stasis, Swiftly paramedics came running, ambulance sirens began to sing, You were losing too much blood, like a raging flood, In my mind it flew in, you desperately need sanguine fluid, I shouted over to the white-clad men, Time and time again, I keep pulling the pin, Only then, did they come to drain, The lifeblood from my veins, That which keeps me sane, Sure enough, it was a tad tough, I let out a huff as they put a pen in, A crimson livid liquid flowed rigid thickened, Each livid trickle, my head grew into a vivid sickness, My body bled to keep you away from the dead, When blood was gathered, they took your arm, The needle stuck by luck into the forearm, I sat close nauseous and awestruck, It took some time, I now know I had the right blood type, In conclusion, the blood transfusion gave you a new chapter in life.

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TIM SASSE Aspects Every part of this picture reveals an aspect of my life, aspects that may not be so clear to see. At the top left, I am holding a weight, which symbolizes more than a mere task that I complete a few times a week. I’ll be honest with you; I was selfish when I first started working out. I did it to make people think highly of me, but it turned into a way to grow in my relationship with others and myself. To the right, is another picture that describes me; baseball is something that I’ve always loved. If I take a look at the reason why baseball is so powerful to me, I believe it is because I am confident when playing it. I am not confident in most everything I do, but baseball is something that allows me to be myself and not have a care in the world, to some extent. Now looking at the bottom right picture, there is a soccer ball. I wasn’t ever that great at soccer, but it always delivered when I needed it to. Soccer served as a great distraction from basically everything. It allowed me to take out my anger, socialize, and even just to pass the time. Last, but definitely not least, is my left leg. I thought it would be unfair to not include God into this. That leg is a symbol of my hopes. I hope I continue to stand firm in my relationship with God. I hope that what I’ve created this past year won’t go to waste.

EN QI SAW Break Free If I were to describe myself at this point in life, nothing else does a better job than a freed bird, as illustrated in the photo.

The idea of a bird being released from a cage signifies the never ending journey I have ahead of me. As overwhelming as it sounds, as I count down the days to graduation, I feel a strong, immense sense of excitement and intimidation curling up in me. The cage, as I would describe as my “comfort zone”, or as the environment I am currently comfortably living in right now, represents my home, my family, and my beloved ones. Factors of such, however, are pulling me back from leaving my cage behind, consequently restricting me from venturing across the globe, visiting new places, and meeting new people. A part of me is looking forward to what life has in store for me, but the other part of me is feeling the complete opposite. My mind yearns for a brand new chapter in life, but my heart desires to stay. Am I just not ready to fly alone yet? Or am I just too dependent on my cage? My hope is that one day I will conquer my insecurities and overcome my fears completely, and I will learn to feel comfortable about trying out new things in life. Like a freed bird, a symbol of new beginnings, I look forward to what my future holds.

Farewell, my school; and until later, farewell, my friends.

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FELICIA TEOH

Senioritis targets us one by one.

Goodbye

Away from our problems, we run and run.

Summer abruptly draws to a close.

Reluctantly, we start school with our woes.

Upon encounter with our friends and foes, It’s time to make amends, you know.

So beaming smiles on our faces we show, And lively chatter in the hallways flow.

In school, our eyelids start to weigh a ton.

Due tomorrow becomes do tomorrow.

Beneath a pile of blankets, we burrow.

After a peek at PowerSchool brings sorrow.

Lethargic, we become trapped in a jar full of jelly.

No longer are we cherishing little trinkets of memories.

Every day is a step towards graduation,

After a year of selling drinks and gum,

But we still need to focus on our education.

The time for escape has finally come.

Before we know it, we’ll look back and say,

We sneak away after waiting for some.

“Where has the time gone? It seems it was just yesterday.”

Who didn’t show up? I wonder.

Leaving us in the bus to ponder.

Good thing they caught us in Thailand, over yonder.

As we approach our end, tiny things pop up in our mind.

The warmth of the soft sand tickles our feet.

For friends like these are hard to find.

Down on our faces and bodies, the sun beat.

Koh Sah Mui was really neat.

Aboard the yacht, there was quite a feat— A cannonball explosion you’ll never beat,

Back, we wish that time would wind, As we move on to the next chapter of our lives, We can only hope this is not our last goodbye.

Where has the time gone? My, my.

Landing on an unexpected seat!

To the rest of you, I impart you with this:

Then there was the hike to the waterfall.

Home-cooked food and clean clothes will no longer be a guarantee.

And that same day, came the infamous fall.

For his dear life, he clung to the wall!

He yelled and yelled and yelled.

To the bottom he could have fell, Thank God, he is alive and well.

In an instant, our paradise was over.

Above our heads, the drag of school hovered.

At least our class grew a lot closer.

With tests and quizzes, our schedules are soon packed.

The amount of workload, piled in a stack.

And forward to university we can only look—not back.

Treasure and cherish thy friends and family.

Try new things and meet more people, What you find may surprise you a little.

If you don’t try, you’ll never succeed.

So put in the effort and you’ll be rewarded greatly.

When you may be stressed or suffering, Remember those living in poverty.

Relationships are full of ups and downs, It takes two to tango—don’t beat yourself up.

Gossip and hatred does no good for thee, Only dumps a mountain of burdens on he, Beware, that time is a precious thing.

Don’t let it flee by you on its wings.

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SHOKO TEZUKA Pilgrim’s Progress

While I was hiking up Mount Sinai, I was suddenly knocked to the ground by someone. Even though he was so lanky, he had the strength of a hundred lions or more, and he could easily pick me up using only one hand. Why and how was he so strong? With the appearance of this stranger, along with the fatigue of altitude mountain climbing, I was also knocked down mentally, doomed to despair and desperate for help.

Myself: Why, huep- ha- huep (panting). Why did you stop me? Who are you anyways?

Selfishness: Sorry, I don’t wanna talk. I am busy. Could you go and ask someone else?

Myself: W-what? No need to be so mean, gosh. (Panting some more). Why you are here?

Selfishness: Not so sure actually, just going with the flow. (Whoosh). Feel that? Ah, the wind is so nice, isn’t it? Makes you want to follow it wherever it goes.

Myself: That is nice,-(more pants)-but right now-(and more)-I have to go against the wind. I have to climb up this mountain.

Pep-pe- peeeeeeeeeeeeeeeep (a sharp sound ringing echoes through my mind).

Selfishness: You okay?

Myself: Er, my head. Bl...bl…bleahhhhh (vomit spews).

Then I blacked out. Without a moment’s hesitation, selfishness carried me 1,000 meters down the mountain to save me. He puts up a tent for shelter and wraps me up in thick blankets because he knew the nights were cold. Eventually, I woke up.

Myself: Er, what happened?

Selfishness: You overworked yourself, that’s what happened.

Myself: Then why did you save me?

Selfishness: I, I just don’t want people dying on me. I…it’s not like I wanted to save you or anything.

Anyways, as a climber myself, I am warning you about altitude sickness. You better rest for a few more days, stay here, and don’t go anywhere yet, alright?!

Myself: Fine (sigh).

Selfishness had left the tent already to prepare some food.

Unknown: Hehehehe (laugh). Hello!

An unknown man appeared in the tent, and he doesn’t have features like Selfishness; he’s a weird witch-like man with a long nose, sharp eyes, and a very creepy smile. He was wearing a top hat and suit and holding a cane, which was unusual since we are on a mountain. He came and sat in front of me. He looked at me seriously.

Unknown: Do you want to know what it feels like to die?

With that said, he took out a pocket knife with lightning speed and, all of a sudden, the tip of the knife was one centimeter away from my neck.

Unknown: Hahaha (His eyes are tearing up while he’s hitting his thighs out of joy). Hahaha!

(He wipes a tear). I’m just joking with you…Ha!...That face though. Hehehe.

Myself: Wh-who are you?

Unknown: Oh, pardon me for my rudeness. I’m Mr. Unknown Peppercheesecheckit.

Myself: Peppercheesecheckit???

Unknown: Phehahahahaha. (He tried to stop laughing but couldn’t). Sorry, phehahaha, your expression is just amazingly hilarious…Do I look that unusual to you? (Flashes creepy smile).

Myself: Yes, very unusual.

Unknown: Very well, but let me tell you something: at the bottom of this mountain, there is a secret elevator that no one knows about that can reach all the way to peak.

Myself: Really? Oh (disappointed), but then I will have to climb all the way down the mountain that I just climbed up. (Worried about what to do).

Unknown: Hahahaha. Did you really believe that? Hehehe There are no shortcuts to this mountain, my dear. Just keep on going. You will be fine. I know you will get there. Then he left.

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KYLIE TOH My First Love It all begins like a birthday surprise, A gift in a box that you can’t recognize, Because it is all wrapped up as a good disguise, But the connection, you know you can’t minimize.

Time flies when you’re with him, Running around, who needs a gym?

When you’re together, it surely does seem, Like there’s not a day when you can be grim.

Day by day, your love triples, But suddenly it needs a hospital, Unexpected, and it was so little, Time to say bye bye, little Skittle.

Open it and be filled with glee, Although you don’t know what it will turn out to be, Always hoping that you will have the key, Whether or not it wants to be set free.

DAVID UNRUH An Obsession for the Glory of God “Whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God” (1 Corinthians 10:31, NIV).

Our created purpose is to give glory to our Lord. Naturally, humans are creatures that are constantly desiring something. Yet, when we get what we want on Earth, we are never satisfied. That’s because we were made to not be satisfied in this world. God created us to have desires, but, by design, those desires can only be satisfied through a desire in God and His glory. We may, however, be tempted to think that by committing to glorifying and desiring God, we must give up our own happiness. But John Piper explains how our joy and God’s glory coincide, “And on the other hand, I knew I wanted to be happy. And I knew this was not a choice that I was making. I didn’t choose to want to be happy. When I pondered who I was, at the bottom of my being, I was a wanted, a desirer, a craver. My heart was —and is — a desire factory. And I know now what I didn’t know then, namely, that this is the way human beings were created by God. This is not a result of fall. This is not sin. This is part of what it means to be human. Humans are designed by God to desire — to seek and find happiness, too long for and discover joy, to want and attain full and lasting satisfaction. Namely, happiness in God, joy in God, satisfaction in God.” We must understand that to find satisfaction and joy in the glory of God, we cannot cling to the desires of the world as said in Mark 8:34, “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me.” If we put our earthly desires above the glory of God, we will never find the satisfaction and joy that was intended for us by Christ. Rather, we should seek God and give him our desires so that he has control, and, through this, our desires will be manifested in ways we never thought possible. One of C.S. Lewis’ famous quotes puts this idea into context perfectly: “It would seem that Our Lord finds our desires not too strong, but too weak. We are half- hearted creatures, fooling about with drink and sex and ambition when infinite joy is offered us, like an ignorant child who wants to go on making mud pies in a slum because he cannot imagine what is meant by the offer of a holiday at the sea. We are far too easily pleased.”

You see, through a commitment to glorifying God, we not only fulfilling God’s desire for us, we also finding fulfilment of our own joy, satisfaction, and desires.

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KEITO WATANABE Burgers

The two delicacies mix,

There once was a fast food store,

With some little magic tricks,

With various junk food galore,

To make that perfection once again.

The famous of them all,

As these chemicals go into the pot,

The Big Burger Ball,

With the formula that ancient witches taught,

Is one that everyone will want more.

With astonishing eyes,

From the flames that Satan spat,

The mystic ball arise,

The bread, which was once flat,

A delicacy even Trump has bought.

Rises up into,

As the Big Burger Ball is served,

A beautiful shape of two,

With a zest that is well deserved,

Those buns; that’s where it’s all at.

The swines on the bar,

Sizzling like snowflakes,

Snorting from afar,

In a boiling iron lake,

Drool with nothing to be conserved.

The mush, once simmered in red,

Before they eat, the famished boars see,

Painted in sorrow and dread,

The masterpiece made especially for thee,

Now is gold, which the rich even forsake.

And as they take a bite,

With the crispy leaves from Eden,

Their mouths open wide,

And the moldy cheese of Sweden,

It vanishes in gulps of one, two, three.

DARIAN YEAP #Christian

Living words guide the weak and shuns the fake,

On this land which we stand and we will lay,

Written for you as if moving pictures.

Purpose sits quietly still and awaits,

Live life worthy of your Fatherly Lord,

What thought made you believe

Evil strikes forcefully to all being,

That you will stay,

Stand forth with spirit determined as sword,

Hold to truth and eternal life awaits.

Know your purpose and may life feel freeing.

Truth attainable and worthy of take,

Time on this platform won’t last forever,

Sits idly by in the Holy Scriptures,

But this won’t be your final endeavor.

72

YEORIN YUN Identity: Blooming

The first time I stepped onto Dalat’s campus as a kindergartener, I knew very little about English. I couldn’t sing the whole ABC song, let alone communicate. It was a nerve-racking experience. As time went by, though, I adapted well to the school and miraculously formed a strong identity. But sometimes this identity was impeded or changed by breakouts. This made it feel as if I was on a rollercoaster. I admit, life at Dalat certainly isn’t as perfect as it seems. But I’ve been taught an important lesson: each challenging experience doesn’t have to negatively dictate who you are; you’re the painter of your own life, so no one or nothing can dare define who you are. Life’s experiences, the good and the bad, come together as a whole to form a big painting— a flower is a flower, regardless of the jaded mosaic pieces stuck in-between.

ALWAYS GOOD ENOUGH. LOVING ENDLESSLY. SERVING SELFLESSLY.