INSIGHTS SMS Literary Magazine 2012
Gail Alter Grade 6
INSIGHTS Scarsdale Middle School
Literary Magazine 2012
We hope you enjoy this
compilation of literary and
artistic works created by the students of
Scarsdale Middle School!
Chiara Leone Grade 6
Table of Contents Literary Work
Page
Literary Work
Page
Artwork
Page
Josie Blatt Kendall Bensche Celia Berman Marie Ceske Jacqueline Clark Caroline Donat Abby Drucker Patrick Dwyer Hanna Eisenstein Kimberly Ellis Ecem Ertas Sophie Fast Zack Gelles Daniel Gliedman Dalia Gopstein Alex Hart Emily Hokin Lila Horwood Tomas Jackson Sarah Jathas Emily Jusuf Kathleen Kantor Alexis Kline Madoka Kumamaru Matthew Kuo Emma Lappin Lizzie LeBoyer Isaac Lee Samantha Lin Emily Markowitz Hernan Marambio Jens Mariager Jillian Mehlman Roshni Mehta Laila Mian Sophia Mohlulis Sophie Munoz Yuji Nam Genevieve Nemeth Dan Patrizio
4 12 8 4,13 4 32 5 16 7 31 30 24 28 23,25 9 19 5 18 30 22 6 22 22 9 25 32 20 8 6 29 19 23 6 18 17 29 24 27 11,32 20
Laura Pollack Serena Pratt Megan Reynolds Natalie Rosier Anna Rubin Carly Rubin Jaanvi Sachdeva Allison Saltz Adam Schwall Victoria Sciortino Mandira Shashank Julia Sheinbaum Lauren Singer Nakul Srinivas Annabelle Stanley Lily Steckel Stephanie Strek Sandra Suarez Courtney Swift Zach Tesler Vicki Tomalin Jessica Tsai Fefe Tuchman Ambika Venkatakrishnan Ananta Wadhwa Adam Wolf Karen Zaklama
31 28 8,11 7 27 32 12 21 15 16 6 22 12 15 23 14 11 33 19 11,26 33 26,32 9 25 10 27 17
Charlie Abrams 19 Gail Alter Cover Kendall Bensche 30 Emily Berk 15 Matthew Breitman 23 Justina Camaj 17 Kelsey Chin 34 Peter Dibbini 20 Gabriel Dickson 7 Tom Fanning 9 Marykate Filos 24 Matthew Greenberg 30 Jordana Kaller 13 Emily Kopp 8 Maya Kulick 29 Chiara Leone 2 Caroline Mandel 18 Emily Markowitz 28 Kaitlin Marrs 22 Aarti Mehta 5 Holly Rittmaster 4 Sam Rosner 25 Allison Saltz 21 Sydney Schweber 31 Lucas Tesler 16 Bebe Thompson 34 Maki Umehara 32 Sydney Weber 34 Hannah Weinstein 26 Cherie Xu 33
3
A Painting
A Writer At Heart With expectations set As high as the sky A pen in one hand A dream in the mind The future untold Yet eager to unfold The writer descends With a smile so light And passion so bright A whole heart put in To the story she writes Marie Ceske Grade 8
Friends Friends Remember the nice ones? The ones who stayed with you? Through all of your struggles Friends Remember the mean ones? The ones who called you names The ones that you complained to your mom about
Could you ever relax And take a look at the world Think to yourself, “What is this place?” You might think it’s a busy planet Where people rush and don’t calm down Or you could look at it with an open mind And say, “The world is a painting” With children in schools and animals in forests Sometimes I wish the world could be a painting Just a frozen moment in time And I’d make it beautiful Just like a painting So whenever you’re stressed And don’t know what to do Take a step back Freeze that moment in time And picture the world as a painting. Josie Blatt Grade 7
Friends Remember the temporary ones? The ones who you meet on vacation or at the pool Friends Remember the forever friends? The ones you’ve known all your life The ones you share inside jokes with Friends They all seem the same Nice and mean Temporary and forever Always in your heart Jacqueline Clark Grade 7
Holly Rittmaster Grade 6
4
Pictures and Memories When I look at them I smile When I see them they bring back memories Old and new memories will last forever And ever They are everywhere In my room, on the walls, in my house We add or take new ones And put away old ones Many memories are hidden in these pictures From vacations to even just regular days Everyday is a picture Everyday is a memory Of my friends and family Emily Hokin Grade 7
Aarti Mehta Grade 7
Family Heirloom it sits in my box filled with jewels but it’s the most special of them all forever in my family’s memory and when I’m older I will pass it on to future generations I imagine my daughter looking at that diamond ring thinking how lucky she is to have a ring that once belonged to her great grandmother I catch myself staring and seeing my grandmother before I knew her when she was young, a school girl laughing with her friends on the pavement in the schoolyard, excited about her birthday present the diamond ring, for turning ten so special to her now so special to me that small diamond ring means everything. Abby Drucker Grade 7 5
Costa Rican Ocean
Beginnings: June 24, 2011
The sun sets in a sleepy farewell, leaving behind memories and colors that dance off the white crested waves.
The cool rain falls; A gift of silver sparkles, Each drop a tiny mirror of my joy. This is freedom in the earliest of mornings. Our story has just begun.
Mystery lies below in the rainbow of coral and fish. Eternal peace is achieved here. The craftsmanship of God created an art gallery of beauty, obscurity, and illusions that cannot be stomped upon by the heavy feet of humans that lurk above.
Our lips part like buds breaking open, Words like “Goodbye” and “I’ll miss you” Flitting here and there-But I promise you they will not be our last! ...Because Time is on our side today And a full, fresh year to spend together Shines promisingly ahead of us. Is it not a miracle That we can throw out our arms-Rippling through the crisp summer air-And not be afraid?
Jillian Mehlman Grade 7
Emily Jusuf Grade 8
Fall Poem
Time
Clouds stoop to wrap a blanket around us And the trees scattering golden leaves Reaching out skyward for sunshine not there Crimson berries perch on battered bushes Above, a tree bears the weight of the sky Like an Atlas bent and twisted by time A drooping willow weeping over death The bushes below like heart tears of grief A hunched tree mourning over a rock grave Icy and dead marked by barren cold stone Abandoned tree caught by winter’s bleak fist Shaking only branches that are left Crooked tree leaks a steady stream of blood Slowly dripping onto frozen mud
Slowly slipping Lying upon us Gone too quickly Giving its gift That cannot last Lilies bud To morning glow Sand slowly drifting Sifting like snow Mandira Shashank Grade 6
Samantha Lin Grade 8
WORK URL
6
After the Rain After the rain, The sun pushes Through the clouds As if it is the star Of a show.
Precious Place Nature has precious places. Places of different shades of color, shape, size, and personality.
After the rain, Little yellow rubber boots Splash in the puddles On the side of the road.
The sun glistening with delight The precious places come to life. The royal blue sky, with contrast of fluffy, off-white clouds. Nature is so precious, Nature makes me proud.
After the rain, A beam of colored light Breaks the dark shadow Of the gray sky. After the rain, The beauty of the Fresh new day Reminds me How much I love the rain.
Fish gliding across the ocean. The reefs moving with swift motions. Nature is so interesting, With its different emotions. Exultant Depressed Elegant I am impressed.
Natalie Rosier Grade 6
With all of its Quirky Feelings, As it moves from Day To Night. It is so beautiful, We must be polite, to this precious place of mine. Don’t ruin it, It only has So Much Time. Hanna Eisenstein Grade 6
Gabriel Dickson Grade 8 WORK URL
Abigail Stone Grade 8 7
Emily Kopp Grade 6
Autumnal Callings The lone tree standing tall Over the mist that covers all The brown is dying, fighting to hold on While few crimson stand strong. Limbs reaching out wide Chestnut creeping up the side Of the wall which stands dreary With nothing you can see completely. The brightest flowing circular like a river While golden crunch and quiver Fern regularly covering the ground Blanketed by an amber brown. STOP! NO PARKING! FIRE ZONE! Stood out in nature’s own Broken chains, broken hearts Nature’s green is falling apart.
Last Stand One more show to end the year, Filled with happiness and cheer The stage is ready, cleared away The dancer’s body starts to s w a y Their colors change from green to red Their pretty coats begin to shed One by one their clothing d r o p s Yellow, orange, it never stops The music whistles past our ears As the dance’s ending nears Now the color flooded ground Stops any remaining sound The dancers slow with grace and care This time, they’re completely bare. Megan Reynolds Grade 8
WORK URL
Celia Berman Grade 7
Fall Walk The tall figures of trees, arms outstretched Their long bony fingers pointing to the sky The whispering of the bone chilling wind whistling through them The last ragged leaves clinging to the skeletal, cold branches The grass waving and rippling like waves out at sea Spires of jagged rocks looming out of the foggy gloom The mist obscuring and distorting shapes The old, dead leaves being consumed by the earth The dark, shadowy clouds overhead, sealing all in like a Coffin lid Isaac Lee Grade 8
8
The Woods After Rain The wind whistled through the evergreen trees The transparent sky grew bright The birds sang their tune The fierce lake glistened under the warm sun The hawk soared through the cobalt canvas The deer tiptoed on the damp surface The orange sunlight poured onto the atmosphere Life in the woods woke with the sun Madoka Kumamaru Grade 6
Daffodil One day I was sitting on the windowsill, And suddenly I spotted A daffodil. With its yellow petals like rays of the sun. It reflected spring, with all the laughing and fun. It took away the dark days filled with snow and hail, and made me remember the good days with sunshine and swinging water pails.
Spring is Coming
Fefe Tuchman Grade 6
Flowers blossom, Into the newly warmed air. Bees finish pollinating The flowers and trees. Animals begin to come out of hibernation. Butterflies flutter their light colored wings, To the satisfaction of humans. The air is full of excitement! Colors begin to reappear, As they once did last year. Green, Blue, Purple, Pink, And more. Winter begins to fall As spring beings to rise. This natural occurrence is a beautiful process. The last drop of snow Melts. That’s when you know, Spring is coming. Dalia Gopstein Grade 6
WORK URL
Tom Fanning Grade 6
9
A Compassionate Cut My mom walked into my room and held a book before my eyes. “For you, Ananta,” she articulated softly. I hugged my mom, murmured a disinterested, “Thank you.” I looked at the book and was drawn in by the eyes of the girl on the cover. They did not look sad or happy; however, the look in those eyes commanded me to read the book. Within two days, I had devoured Because of Anya by Margaret Peterson Haddix. This book became instrumental in teaching me something I had never known and inspired me to do something that I would never dream of doing. I felt the wetness of the tears on my cheeks as I learned that the main character, Anya, was one of the four million people in the United States who suffer from Alopecia areata, a disease that causes hair loss. I mopped my tears as I remembered Keely, who donates her hair at the end of the book. Suddenly, I felt stronger as I imagined Keely with her short, blonde hair, and a light turned on in my head. “I could grow out my hair and donate it to Locks of Love,” I declared even though I was the only person in the room. I dashed down the stairs like a bolt of lightning. I could feel the air whipping through my hair. I could hear the creaking sound around the elliptical, and I knew that my mom was exercising. As I announced my decision to my mom, my heart was beating as fast as a running cheetah. After that, I had one goal. It was to grow my hair another ten inches. From then on, I became more aware of what I ate and added a lot of carrots, fish, and olive oil to my diet, hoping that my hair would grow longer and healthier. I imagined it cascading down my back like a black waterfall. *** The sun god Apollo was riding his chariot high up in the sky as my mom drove me to the stylish Premier Atelier Salon. I held out my hair letting the sunlight fall on it. It glistened like black gold, and I really felt proud of my hair. I entered the salon amidst noise that came from people, hair dryers, and scissors. The smell of hair styling products made me feel uncomfortable. The salon was made literally from glasses and mirrors and was accented with brown leather chairs. As I walked in, I could see two of every person; the individual and their reflection. The small tables that were next to each chair were cluttered with many bottles of hair styling products. These products clustered together reminded me of a Christmas tree with different colored ornaments on it. My mom and I were greeted by a chic woman. She was a tall, skinny woman with short, dark brown hair. She wore heels, making her look even taller than she already was. She shook hands with me and had me sit on a squishy, swivel chair. I gazed in the mirror and saw a pair of nervous eyes staring at me. Then I saw another face in the mirror chirping, “Hi! I’m Tanya! I am going to cut your hair, pretty girl.” Suddenly, I was frightened. Soon my long tresses were not going to be a part of my body. They would not belong to me anymore. Short hair would make me look boyish. My stomach lurched as Tanya began braiding my hair. “Ready?” asked my mom. This was the moment for me to make my final decision. A simple “no” and my hair would continue to adorn my head. My mom patted my shoulder and my doubts vanished. “Ready,” I answered in a bold voice. The shiny blades of the scissors in Tanya’s hands looked like sharks’ teeth ready to attack my hair. Strangely enough, these teeth didn’t frighten me anymore. I felt a slight tug on my head and felt the scissors closing around my hair. There was a “snip snap” sound and my braid fell into Tanya’s hand. Tanya handed the snake-like braid to me. I held it triumphantly as pride surged through my body. My mom held out aRachel Ziploc bag, and I gently placed this precious jewel inside. Soon this braid Wolfe Grade 7 was to embark on a journey and arrive at the Locks of Love headquarters in Florida. WORK URL
Ananta Wadhwa Grade 6
10
Sad Not excited like laughter in Venice Not angry like when I spill my cold ice cream Not happy like when I’m hugging my family Sad like a blue day Swamped over with clouds And tears of rain falling down Sad like a baby bird who can’t fly Sad like going to school after a long weekend Sad when I am sitting at a cold desk instead of my warm bed Sad that I can’t sleep in and stay up late Sad like a fall tree with no leaves Sad like a day with only a glimpse of the sun Stephanie Strek Grade 8
I’m TIred not like you stayed up too late tired not like you have jet-lag tired not like you just exercised tired but happily tired laying down on the grass tired looking at that dazzling sunset tired tired from having fun. Zach Tesler Grade 8
I am feeling tired... Not tired from Thanksgiving turkey tired Not overworked tired Not from staying up until midnight But Monday tired Sleepy, sinking eyelids Anxious for a small nap Head throbbing because I should have slept a little
l
Not walking into glass walls confused, Not straight jacket mental hospital “confused,” Not confused like Wingdings 2 font, But confused as in shock. Shocked about how fast time travels, Shocked how much can change, Shocked so that next time, I really should stop for a moment and smell the roses. Megan Reynolds Grade 8
o
I’m confused...
n
g e
r....(zzz)....
Genevieve Nemeth Grade 8
WORK URL
11
Students in Popham 7 worked on rewrites of Sea Fever, a classic poem by John Masefield
I Must Go Back to New York City Again I must go back to New York City again, to the land of flowing dreams The land of height, the land of light, the land where car horns scream. Where building tops slash through the sky, street lights blinking, staring down An infernal labyrinth of subways screech by, rumbling underground. I must go back to New York City again, where patches of pigeons rule In packs they fly and swoop in close, for a lone French fry they duel. And in Times Square digital signs blink, day and night and day A river of yellow taxis flows, everyone on their way. I must go back to New York City again, the capital of the world, Hot dog vendors line the street with pretzels hot and curled. And busy workers rush around, a cell phone always bleeps It’s always busy, packed and loud in the city that never sleeps. Lauren Singer Grade 7
I Must Go Back to the Gym Again I must go back to the gym again, to the vault, bars, beam and the floor, Where my second family practices and life’s never a bore. Tumbling six feet over a four inch beam praying my feet will land, Scoring 10.0 is where the hopes and dreams of gymnasts stand. I must go back to the gym again, even if I’m sore and aching, To condition every muscle, until I feel like breaking. Traveling to compete against other gyms, full of adrenaline, For the time when all eyes are on me, and I feel I must win. I must go back to the gym again, where the memories are like scars, To stick a vault, to catch the bars, flying high to touch the stars. The grace of a swan and the strength of a lion are needed to say, I will be on that podium at the end of the meet day.
California
Kendall Bensche Grade 7
I must go back to California again, the sun shining bright in the sky The fluffy white clouds, bright white against blue, just lazily passing by. The luscious green grass with deep rolling hills, creating a picture perfect scene, The serene sunsets, deep shades of red, forming a watercolor dream. I must go back to California again, the beaches with oceans so grand, The soft waves crashing gently upon the shore, just barely meeting the sand. The angry waters rushing to form a wave, making such a wonderful sound The birds soaring above the heads, of those watching the warm ocean splash around. I must go back to California again, sunshine, the clear skies, so pretty The soft daylight sets into dark nights, with everything all around me. The millions of white stars, against a stunning dark sky, clear and gleaming with light. The summer’s subtle breeze, creeping up through the valley, slowly cooling the night. Jaanvi Sachdeva Grade 7
WORK URL
12
Marie Ceske, a Popham 8th grader, won a Silver Key and honorable mention in the Scholastic Art and Writing Awards! Below are several of her poems:
Perspective Delicate strands Glisten in the sun A gracious feat A task well done An invisible trap Do not fly there If you do Your life beware A web of life Ideas so bright A beautiful masterpiece Sparkles in the light A web of death A coffin of silk Your blood could be The spider’s milk A web of love A web of hate Depending on the Side you take.
Army after Army From far away The ocean stirs And starts to build Its mighty forces Camouflaging its strength In the peace Of the distant sea The armies move Closer And Closer Preparing to attack With all their might They stand up straight Revealing Their power And start to charge Against their invaders But once they reach A certain point They trip over the shoreline And fall Flat With a crash Their downfall Heard from miles Despite defeat The violent sea Will never Give up Sending army After army In hopeless thought of Victory
Jordana Kaller Grade 6 WORK URL
13
More Alive “Mhmmmmmmm” I inhaled the fresh, salty air. I looked around and saw what looked like any ordinary sea, with tons of people and an uncanny shack. It was my last day in Israel for December break in 2010, and I was loving it. My family and I had just come from Masada, which is a natural fortress in Israel by the Dead Sea. Earlier that day I had ridden a camel, which I enjoyed very much. I could tell that I was getting better after my blistering fever that I had to prevail with for four days. However, I kept taking medicine, and persevered through all of our adventures. Now it was the time I had been waiting for this whole vacation; floating in the Dead Sea. Out tour guide, Yoram, led us to the changing rooms where my sister, my mom, and I had to put our clothes in lockers and change into our bathing suits. While we did that, my dad and two brothers were led to the men’s changing room. The changing room smelled like old sweat. It looked as though 1000 people had been there and made a mess but nobody had cleaned up after them. Once I thought about it, I realized that that probably was the case, only more than 1000 people must have been in and out of there. Once we were changed, we met the boys and headed off to the beach to go into the Dead Sea. “I will wait here until you are finished. Have fun!” Yoram remarked. Being a tourist, I was stupefied that Yoram wouldn’t be going into the Dead Sea with us, but then I recalled that he lives in Israel and must have experienced this moment many times before. We got down to the Dead Sea and it was a weird sight. To my right, I could see these mud pools that looked like melted chocolate. Straight ahead I saw the Dead Sea, and to my left I saw some outdoor faucets to be used as showers. “Let’s go!” my mom exclaimed, and off we went, six of us running like dogs do when you are giving them a treat. My family went to the mud pool, and my brother Henry was the first one to go in. I followed after him and felt my body being absorbed into this brown goo that was supposedly good for your skin. As I got in my older brother and sister came in, all of us smiling, looking jubilant. Astonishingly, the mud pool felt good on my skin. It felt as though it was making my skin softer and that it was moisturizing it. I started to put it on my face and before I knew it, my whole body was covered in mud. I decided to come out so that we could take pictures, although I was struggling. It felt like quicksand, and each time I put my foot up to come out, it would slide back into the mud. “Here, let me help you,” my mom and dad remarked in unison, and they gave me their hands to be lifted out. It seemed like ten minutes, but I finally got out, and we started taking pictures, posing like we were monsters coming to haunt someone. I decided to go into the Dead Sea. The moment I had been waiting for all vacation was about to happen. I went in with my mom and was uncertain of how I was supposed to float. My mom is like my best friend. We do everything together; she is always so comforting and amiable. She has brown eyes and a soft, freckly face. I was very paranoid, thinking that if I dunk I would either get in trouble, get sick, or both. “What am I supposed to do?” I asked my mom. She just floated like it was a normal pool, so I decided to do the same. “Just like this,” my mom replied. So there we were, on a sunny day in Israel, floating in the Dead Sea. My dream had come true, and I now felt more Jewish, more religious, and more special, just because of this one activity I had done. Lily Steckel Grade 6
WORK URL
14
A Walk in the Streets of France I wake up to the scent of chocolate-orange crepes Ready to have under my cheeks Listening to French jazz tapes As I gaze out the window at the meadows and creeks The chrysanthemums shame the sun with their brightness Riviera rivers rush, reflecting the blueness of the sky The lilies are whiter than even the moon’s whiteness I stop for a pate sandwich and a lemon pie The sunny Sienne River shimmers and shines The rushing Rhone River and the Rhine And as sunlight gets dimmer, it’s time to dine This Friday feast was filling and fine And when we return home, we can safely say, “I have seen beauty for the first time, today!” Nakul Srinivas Grade 7
I will go wherever you go I will climb any mountain Search any jungle Leap cliffs Dodge fire Run forever I will break rules I can wait Even if the world is tumbling down I will risk it all I won’t stop fighting No matter how big the obstacle But it’s all just a game I’m already too late I missed my chance
Emily Berk Grade 8
Adam Schwall Grade 7
WORK URL
15
Our Hearts Will Meet Again As I see you in my reflection I cry every minute thinking how I’m going to miss you I remember the memories we had together and what we will do I pray every minute that you will come to see me again I get scared that when I say “I love you” its the last time You have been suffering for a while and I want that to end As the last breath gets closer I remember how much fun we had I stay next to you throughout it all I will never forget you I look up into the sky and know that you are looking down at me I’m not afraid to cry in front of my friends thinking about you The last breath gets closer every breath God is ready to get your happiness and the joy you bring when I talk to you You can leave us just remember I love you and I’m going to miss you You are my entire world and I pray every night that you are there Our hearts are going to meet wherever we both are Miles between us don’t matter love has no measurements Always and forever we are going to be together! Victoria Sciortino Grade 7
Brothers
Lucas Tesler Grade 8
Going to war I found the brothers that I never knew I was going to have Kat whom I know as no other man Haie who laughs so much one time he dislocated his jaw We are brothers We lay our sacks side by side to sleep for rest We share cognac I believe we have a more complete communion than even lovers I am no longer a speck alone in the darkness I belong to them and they belong to me As the war goes on one by one each of my brothers fall Here lies our comrade Kemmerich It is not possible that I perhaps shall not see them again I would carry any of them on my back I could almost weep As I continue on my own I miss them terribly Those voices They are more to me than life They are more than motherliness They are the strongest comfort They are the voices of my comrades Out of our time in the war we developed the finest thing Our comradeship Our brotherhood Patrick Dwyer Grade 8
WORK URL
16
A Cold Winter’s Night On a cold winter’s night, When the snow is blowing And the temperature is dropping And it feels as if all the hot chocolate in the world should be yours
On a cold winter’s night, When the street lamps barely flicker but only because you have been looking at it watching it for the past half hour On a cold winter’s night, When it is below 32 degrees and a think layer of snow covers the ground and everyone who dares be out is shivering yet smiling
On a cold winter’s night, When people walk in coats Trench, quilted, or puffers Earmuffs, scarves, and gloves all wrapped up On a cold winter’s night, When wind gently knocks your hat off And your ear slowly turns extremely red, You start to shiver And tell your mother you are freezing On a cold winter’s night, When the moon shines directly on your skin and the trees whistle with the breeze so that humming noise starts and becomes part of you
On a cold winter’s night, When you’d rather be inside watching a holiday special on TV but something about the frost outside drags you there On a cold winter’s night, So many things can change you and though it may seem freezing, the piercing sting can still feel warm Karen Zaklama Grade 7
Snow on the Tree As the snow touches the tree It glistens Like tiny diamonds On the branches It taps the tree ever so lightly With a soft white color It blends in with All the others They look like White fluffy cotton candy As one looks At each snowflake At a time and then Looks at the whole tree One can see The small snowflakes Have become Snow on the tree Laila Mian
WORK GradeURL 6
Justina Camaj Grade 6 17
Sunset
Magnolia Flowers
As the day turns to night The sun sinks into the water Like the ocean is swallowing it up Little by little
I watch the wind flutter by As if it were coming alive I see the leaves The petals Dancing in the calm and playful breeze Very soon a flower comes out Reaching out to greet the Glazing, glorious Sun And the natural world around it A bee comes by, Ready for some honey The flower doesn’t mind It loves animals Especially bunnies
As the day turns to night Hushed voices fill the air The world around me has stopped To watch the yellow and pink sky As day turns to night BIG and little creatures stop To watch nature’s beauty In action Lila Horwood Grade 6
The flowers release a fragrance The sweet aroma fills the air And purifies Before it begins to wear The magnolia flower Nature’s perfume After a rain shower The alluring petals, A splash of pristine pink blended with white A beautiful sight Splendid a delight The flowers sunbathe in the hot air They look so peaceful So fair The flowers rest Still with ease The reason its around To perfume and Please! Animals, bunnies And someone like A real honey! Roshni Mehta Grade 6
WORK URL
Caroline Mandel Grade 6
18
Renewal The fragile leaves bring vibrant colors, Crimson, Amber,Tangerine, And Emerald, Scatter across. Knots and knobs Run up and down its back. Branches separate, Becoming thinner, And thinner, Along the way. Leaves fall one by one. Changing by day, Changing by season. As light as a feather, So gentle and frail. No one will notice, Until spring comes. Its beauty is delicate, Yet bold. Transcendent, Consummate. A barren shadow of its sleeping self. Courtney Swift Grade 6
Charlie Abrams Grade 6
Snow Melt Spring is in the Air Spring is in the air. How do I know? A chirping robin told me so. Spring is in the air. How do I know? A buzzing bee told me so. Spring is in the air. How do I know? A yellow daffodil winked and told me so. Spring is in the air. How do I know? Achoo! My friend’s allergies told me so! WORK URL
Hernan Marambio Grade 6
As the snow on the branches Begins to melt Droplets gather Until they fall Down to the earth As the snow on the ground Begins to melt New streams are born Flowing Down to the basin As the snow melts Patches appear on the earth Branches are cleared And spring is born Alex Hart Grade 6
19
Time Machine The world’s most amazing machine Step in and you can change anything From the color of the sky To the way the ocean sounds in the afternoon It’s amazing A solution to all of your problems It sits in your fingertips Or press a red button And go into the future See a picture of tomorrow Or what 3 years will bring for you I no longer have to worry about useless activities Scheduling and planning are all things of the past Anything It can do anything Everything It can change everything But yet, you don’t get it You can’t comprehend why I find it fantastic You tell me, “It’s not worth it. You can’t wait for tomorrow to fix today’s mistakes” But what do you know Things have changed since your childhood Your sagacious eyes look distant, disappointed almost And this time, I can’t figure out why
News for Sports Fans Wake up in the morning Turned on the TV Nothing on, nothing to see Top ten plays, best of the week Wakes me up in a heartbeat Mike and Mike in the morning Tell you your info short and sweet The not top ten on Friday Funny as it can be NFL Blitz, football lovers’ place to be Saturday and Sunday information is where you can see Keys to victory After Monday night football, During the football season See if your team will make it Eight o’clock, late for school See you later My sports friend, ESPN Dan Patrizio Grade 7
Lizzie LeBoyer Grade 7
Peter Dibbini Grade 7 WORK URL
20
He stares at me with strange green eyes His mouth is a fish’s and his snaky arms outreaching All over there are strange brown spots over green and purple His body is a cup with tiny veins running through it But then I realize this strange new creature is just an exotic orchid Allison Saltz Grade 7
Allison Saltz Grade 7
WORK URL
21
Butler 8th graders read, discussed, and reflected on various articles about bullying and created these poems (on pages 22 & 23) as a result:
A Day in the Life From across the room It may seem like Everything is just fine. Well, take a step closer. Look into my eyes. Is everything REALLY okay? My life, A mystery (And not the good kind). I step out of my bed Each morning Nervously wondering Who will be the first to shout out, “Go kill yourself,” Or punch me or even throw me into a locker I am being suffered by a barrage of insults And I am beginning to wonder if they are true The perfect definition of my life is CRUELTY And TORTURE And no one even notices. No one cares. I know the bruises will eventually heal, But the rest... It stays. The scars don’t go away.
The Girl With So Much Promise Phoebe Prince beauty, brains, and big dreams only 15 bubbling with enthusiasm victim taunted abusive “Go kill yourself” cyber and verbal “It was torture” they insulted her ipod in hand, crying hardly kept a secret everywhere she turned could never escape scared found dead bullying is not tolerated too little, too late too late, too little pay your respects to the girl with so much promise so her death could have some meaning Kathleen Kantor & Sarah Jathas Grade 8
Alexis Kline & Julia Sheinbaum Grade 8
WORK URL
Kaitlin Marrs Grade 8
22
Bullying is TOLERATED as a fact of life. Targeted kids suffer scars are left behind. Tangible or not the scars remain.
Misery, Infuriation, Pain, Injustice, Ostracism, Cruelty, Tormented, Victimization, Ego-centric --bullying! A target painted on your forehead Your knees buckle. You’re trapped inside your body with nowhere to go. Aggression and violence pass you by. You are his vulnerable prey.
The fat kid deliberately excluded. The gay kid taunted by teachers. The strange kid shunned by neighbors. The new kid as “good as gold”, but Powerful GROWN-ups let him down. The heartbreaking moments of when the continued injustice embeds the cruelty of vile names into the minds of those TRYING to make a difference changed into a painful consequence. A voice in the Universe is ashamed of kindling kindness. You can’t change the world when Bullying is a Fact of Life.
You trust no one yet, although you don’t know it, there is, help. Teachers, parents, and friends can all be advocates but you are clueless to their abilities. Don’t let go of your HOPE because it does get
Better. Daniel Gliedman & Jens Mariager Grade 8
Annabelle Stanley Grade 8
Matthew Breitman Grade 6 WORK URL
23
Hidden Gloom
EXHA
I perch on my roof The one place I can be alone I shiver violently On the hard white stone
U S TED Not bright eyed and jumpy Not wide awake and eager Not pumped up with caffeine But, exhausted like I have not yet awoken Tired from little sleep and much studying Tired from a long
hard
late night swim practice Too tired to take on and start a brand new day Sophie Fast Grade 8
I stare at my tree Her claws reach out to me She lurks in the gloom But comforts me like my bedroom A dark shadow takes flight As day turns to night Squirrels scurry to their destinations As I remain in contemplation I hear the muffled crunch of fall leaves Whispering secrets below me And as the darkness pulls me into slumber Crickets play their violins in the nearby lumber Sophie Munoz Grade 6
Marykate Filos Grade 7 WORK URL
24
When the Moon Flickers On At night the flashlight Of an invisible man in the sky Signals the time for rest It flickers on Signaling bedtime Birds stop Their high pitched chatter And fly home A bear guides its young To their den For then as night expires The flashlight runs out of power And the man must replace them With the spirit Of new stars Then a new day is Born Matthew Kuo Grade 6
The wind howls around me Nothing stirs The whole world came to a stop The cage of rules and restrictions opens its doors The bare landscape of freedom beckons me I stare at the think blanket of icy white snowflakes It pains me to penetrate its beautiful smooth white surface I could stare at it for hours I open my mouth One snowflake gently lands on my tongue and melts Sheer coldness Icy blasts of wind Glistening white specks sprinkle down And little white flakes Swirl around me I feel only sheer pleasure Of being alone Forgetting bothersome, worrying thoughts Merely enjoying myself My happiness was the light On that dark, cold, snowy night I was in winter paradise Ambika Venkatakrishnan Grade 7 WORK URL
The Battlefield Entering A new world. Brisk, fresh, And beautiful. Clouds Caving in surrounding Us and yet the sun Breaks through making the land Look like a battlefield. The leaves, dead soldiers littering The ground. A tree named willow Is weeping for her loss The soldiers will soon become Part of the earth and the world Will become an icy fortress. But now it is Fall and the world is filled with color. Red, green, yellow, maroon, and orange all Around. Falling like Dead S O L D I E R S Daniel Gliedman Grade 8
Sam Rosner Grade 8
25
Hannah Weinstein Grade 8
as you take a stroll through nature you notice the trees some have dried tear tracks yet others blossom in the crisp autumn air the twin maples are like old souls or friends who’ve been through it all and the evergreens are always positive while they stand tall, bearing their coats on the coldest days while all others s h i v e r some leaves are warm and friendly while some are dark and depressed the bare branches of those without coats look like frozen fireworks bursting towards the sky their arms extend over me over us all forming abstract patterns fit for canvas that make a gazebo of protection from rain snow and wind that’s when you realize we live in a clear cut world that the trees have been trimmed and cut and killed to make way for r o a d s and that’s when I ask you how would you feel if I cut off your arms? Zach Tesler Grade 8
The Fall Sensation Wind brushing up my cold, numb cheeks Leaves falling off the branches like ballerinas leaping from leaf to leaf. Jumping in the leaves so I can feel each little crinkly, crunchy leaf under my body Each assorted color leaf as I grab in my hand feels wrinkled, damp, and crumpled. Thousands of little pieces of leaves fall out of my hand like snowflakes or like sprinkles being sprinkled on a cake Running around seeing branches hitting me on every side of my body each reaching out to grab me with their hard, wet, brown branches I feel the sensation of my cheeks turning red and getting hot It’s time to go home. Jessica Tsai Grade 8
WORK URL
26
The Life of a Tree It is time to let go of the children I love that cuddled my soul and kept me company for six months.
Cycles of Life I am a bud Filled with curiosity I wait I wait for the day When I will appear Unique Among my peers When the sun is bright And the time is right I will bloom
Now I stand naked in the lonely field of white with no one but a duplicate of myself to rely on. She is always there for me even when bitter cold along with icy arrowheads haunt us.
I will bloom Open myself up I will let my delicate leaves Unarmed Sway with the wind Face the emotions of life Face challenges Obstacles That I will overcome
I must survive I must not be tricked by the sweet appearance of those arrowheads I must wait until the warmth of the sun chases them away.
I will blossom Into my own Figure out Who I am What I have to offer As I age I may fade However I pass along lessons Helpful hints For generations And generations More Anna Rubin Grade 6
WORK URL
I must be patient until my babies come back to embrace my empty soul again with warmth and love I long for. Yuji Nam Grade 8
Flight Now fly away bird and take the memories with you for I do not need the pain and the lies of the past on my shoulders I need to focus on the present I need not think about the future now is what I think Adam Wolf Grade 7
27
Fountain 7th graders created reflective writings (pages 28 - 31) in response to discussions concerning the horrors of slavery while studying the historical novel Chains by Laurie Halse Anderson On Being a Slave What will I do About being a slave I’m beginning to get angry I’m starting to rave
Without my services They will complain As for me There is nothing I will gain
I can’t help it No one can I’ve been a slave SInce my life began
With a whip to my back Or my ankles broken in It pains me to think I might not live
Tears run down my cheeks Glistening in the sun Flowing like a river I want to run
Through the torture I live day by day If only I wasn’t born This would not be a problem today
I work forever and ever For hours on end For no pay I have only one friend
What shall I do When my day arrives To part with the world I’ll say goodbye
I cannot live I want to die But if I do How will anyone get by?
No more torture No more slave I will thank the Lord For this day
Serena Pratt Grade 7
Slavery A hopeless adventure Separated from family Harsh, cruel times Severe punishments to the point Where I can’t stand it anymore Like a never ending journey Whisked around and treated like an animal Alone, depressed, and tired A dark pit of despair Will freedom ever come? Zack Gelles Grade 7
Emily Markowitz Grade 7 WORK URL
28
The crowd roared, holding money in the air, prices raising higher and higher. Prized pigs snorted in the mud of their picket sties. Newborn lambs turned their heads away, scared of the spying eyes of wealthy customers. Price tags were attached to each pen, but these animals were not the only ones being sold; I was. What I think was a few months ago, I was captured from my home, Africa, and put in the bottom of a cargo boat heading to America along with my parents and four siblings. The boat ride was horrible. We were trapped down there with many other captured Africans. The stench quickly became foul. How I wished for a chance to scurry up to the deck where the salty fresh air could be my friend. There was hardly any food; the occasional meal of three stale biscuits was regarded as a king’s feast. Many passengers got sick. Their temperatures rising in rhythm to the rising heat in the bottom of the boat. Finally, after what seemed like many months, I got to where I am now. Our captors are now selling us one by one to this howling crowd. I have made it so far with my family intact. I hope we will not be separated. The butterflies in my stomach seem to be beating their wings more than one hundred times per minute. As a man with a booming voice yells something in a language we do not understand, my family and I are ushered to a small platform. The people around us stare at us with big, hungry eyes. After a moment of complete and utter distress, a man in the crowd finally raises his hand full of money. I was then quickly shepherded off of the platform with my fate in the hands of the man with the money. What would now become of us? Emily Markowitz Grade 7
My master controls me Every time I hear footsteps I cringe, waiting for the whip I dare not hesitate And serve him well If I do not please him I am flogged I am forced to sleep In the eerie basement With rats and maggots As my only friends I fear that any day My sister will be sold My life’s only sunshine Extinguished forever
Maya Kulick Grade 6
WORK URL
Every day Is a battle To swim or to sink To live or to die Sophia Mohlulis Grade 7
29
Brought us from our mother country Animals, they think we are, not humans No humans should be treated like slaves Sell us for their pleasure Lie to us and separate families Asleep on floors not beds with aching backs Victuals are scarce Everyone is equal, they say Reading and writing they ban from us Yell at us and call us names Ecem Ertas Grade 7
Matthew Greenberg Grade 6
I Am Not Free... I am not free I am not me Less than human I am a cow, branded I carry the mark of my owner But even a cow can choose what it eats Or when it sleeps I eat when I am told I sleep when I am told I wake up when I am told Free only when I am dead and cold I am a prisoner The chains that hold me are Fear and Hunger Tomas Jackson Grade 7 Kendall Bensche Grade 7 WORK URL
30
Slavery We look outside our owners’ windows hoping for freedom to take us from them they treat us like dirt, like we are not even human like we are some kind of creature they can toss around, owners beat us, even the children, command us to do their work, that is not even the worst part; it is that we can be sold without a second thought like we are livestock or goods, they can even split up families without consulting with us, owners can do anything they want to us but no one cares because we don’t matter in their eyes because we are shadows... Kimberly Ellis Grade 7
I do not understand what is holding me From my destiny of being free People look at me and think I am different. And yes, I do feel distant. I feel trapped As though I have been kidnapped by this whole world At times I feel as if I should collapse But I know that time is ticking by fast Maybe one day I will be free But the power is way beyond me People walk as if they rule this universe As if it were a play that is being rehearsed Maybe one day that will be me Running the world, knowing I had a victory. Laura Pollack Grade 7
Sydney Schweber Grade 6 WORK URL
31
Butler 8th graders created the following poems (pages 32 & 33) in response to The Cage by Ruth Minsky Sender Waiting waiting Carry precious details Journey to the unknown Maybe... waiting Outstretched arms for her children. waiting The story: struggle for life, dignity. waiting Take everything cannot return. In our hearts, always. If hope is lost, all is lost. Caroline Donat & Jessica Tsai Grade 8
WORK URL
Hold on to Hope “Courage, children, courage” Hoping we can hold on, Until we meet again When the sun shines with strength And the moon glows, persistently “Don’t be afraid” Be brave to represent our people, To stay alive, For Mama “Where there is life, there is hope” We must keep sustaining The treats, the violence Stay peaceful, my children, stay strong For you have my love to guide you Genevieve Nemeth, Carly Rubin & Emma Lappin Grade 8
Maki Umehara Grade 8
32
The Pain Within A whisper behind me, shows smiling eyes, Marching Against that Horrible day. First day, Stole, Punished, Make good use of this treasure. Shut your mouth, Insults cannot touch me, Wanting to shout for joy. Write again Hands tremble, Pencil tip flows. A booklet, A friend. In a daze ... Tormented heart, grief within rips it apart. Tears Flow Freely. Friend of my sorrow, Future will build once again. My dreams, My hopes, Poke out. Swollen red eyes stare. Voice s h a k i n g My hunger to survive. Sandra Suarez & Vicki Tomalin Grade 8
WORK URL
Cherie Xu Grade 8
33
Editorial Staff
Maggie Donovan Laura Pollack Serena Pratt
Faculty Advisor Peggy Fox
English Department Jim Andreski Lisa Bryan Alex Campbell Kathleen Connon Denise DelBalzo Brian Fisher Janie Fitzgerald Peggy Fox Cara Hiller Jonathan Hilpert Will Maldarelli Marjorie Ross Marci Rothman Trish Serafin David Wixted
Bebe Thompson Grade 8
Special Thanks
Michael McDermott Larry Chatzinoff Rochelle Hauge Denise Cassano Linda Fisher Miriam Freedman-Carmen Scarsdale Middle School PTA
Many thanks to Ken Holvig for his efforts to help us produce and publish this Literary Magazine!
Cover Artwork
Gail Alter, Grade 6
Kelsey Chin Grade 6 Sydney Weber Grade 6
WORK URL
34
WORK URL
35