Mélange 2019

MÉlange 2019

MĂŠlange Writing and Art from

Morristown-Beard School

2018-2019

Front Cover Artwork: Dumebi Okonkwo Back Cover Artwork: Andrew Hu

Faculty Advisor: Melissa Hill 2

“Mélange mine own, the unseen and the seen, mysterious oceans where the streams empty.”

-Walt Whitman

3

by Max Rothschild The Artist and the Apron A New York City loft with rustic brick walls and wide open windows Millions of canvases crowding the space, all filled with abstract, minimalist art, Visions created by an artist’s racing fingers And their tattered apron, A smock splattered with acrylic paint And imagination smeared on their hands, They create a mix of colorful messes Showcased at the opening night of Modern art galleries And prestigious auctions, Jungles of pleasure and wild inspiration

by Colette Gentile

4

Who am I? I am more than a name Regina Sofia Born Hispanic, raised everywhere No name or place will ever define me I’m not Regi or Gina or any possible name Just Regina Sofia, a girl born with curly hair a girl who use to be outgoing someone who used to smile every day Not waiting for a text That would send relief in her heart Someone who would wake up Feeling fine but someone who realized bad things were coming Named Regina so she could be unique So she could fall in love with her name So she could not regret her life

by Regina Arrocha

by Jonah Tinkelman 5

I Believe I believe in standing up for my rights.

Even if we try, the police always find a way to click us into cuffs.

I believe in consent.

Pushed. Shoved. Thrown.

Not ready for motherhood.

Our right to say no is drifting away, like a boat lost at sea.

I believe in choosing what is right for my body.

"We won't sell you this,� They say.

Their masculine hand, sturdy as a brick wall.

Our rights trapped behind.

They couldn't get over.

No matter how hard they tried.

I believe in respect.

Minute by minute, it feels more and more like our rights are being ripped out, straight from our bodies.

I believe in fair treatment.

We are just as powerful.

We can do anything you can do.

It is not our job to please you; it is our job to please ourselves.

I believe in our ability to influence the government.

Voting does not take skill.

It takes brain power.

We are smart, and know what is right.

I believe in equality.

by Ali Strauss

by Maya Bhide 6

Mixed Emotions He deserves this I will never think He doesn’t.

The truth is Jewish people need to be treated this way I will never believe he shouldn’t have been dragged away.

I was given an order I didn’t want to let him be free I thought I am a monster. (now read from the bottom to the top)

by Dumebi Okonkwo

How to listen

by Danica Rosenbloom

I don’t listen To my father To my mother To my brother And to any other I tune it out To end the sound So life can be just me Me and my thoughts And the music droning on in the back of my head

by Liam Hughes

7

Perfection. It’s face plastered the walls with its sickly sweet smile. It had a soft voice but it could spew words sharp enough to kill. It was loved by all and couldn’t avoid envy from others either. Perfection helped others in need. It was kind and intelligent. It couldn’t help but gain the attention of everyone around it. It had inviting warm eyes and a body clear of imperfections. It was perfect and nothing less than that.

Perfection was too perfect.

There was the problem.

It’s smile curved too much. The words couldn’t all be theirs. It was only a matter of time before those whose envied it overpowered those who loved it. There was no way it could manage helping everyone and perhaps that kindness is forced. How is it possible that perfection manages to only get good attention? Who knows what its eyes have truly seen? Perfection was too perfect. Even the best people aren’t perfect, so why is this the exception?

Perfection had to have secrets. Wicked thoughts that kept them up at night. Ideas that could send them to hell. It had to have done things that would warrant a sharp glance from those beside it. Perhaps, it was a well-known delinquent elsewhere and was sent here to be “perfect”. Maybe they had things that could only be told to the dead and only them. It was too impossible to be completely oblivious to every malicious incident, idea, and action around you.

Perfection was a teenager, after all.

She had a name.

8

Grace Johnson had no sense of danger. Perhaps it was because she couldn’t walk anywhere before her guards stepping there first. Her blue eyes shone with purity, waiting to be taken and shattered. Those at the school she attended, Rosefield High School, worshipped her every step. Some even bowed at her when they saw her on the tennis courts. Of course, Grace smiled at them with the same cheesy smile and helped them up. It made her kind. She was head of everything from cheerleading to a small portion of her father’s company. It heightened her status. The expensive uniform she wore to school made a great resting place for her curled blonde locks. Her home was located in the luxurious part of Rosefield. She had it all. We all knew it. We all knew how lucky she was. Yet, she was always met with adoration.

It was her “aura” and her “kind nature” that drew others to her. She was the perfection that high schoolers craved and dreamt of in their twisted nightmares. It was laughable how quick they were to fall for it.

There was no way Grace was untainted. Something was hiding in that forced smile of hers. All it took was one little push. One little action to drive her wild.

One thing to push perfection to madness.

And that was Hana Jung.

by Kaitlin Blount

by Hailey Rollins 9

Mouth-Watering Treat Cookie Sweet, Crisp Mixing, Shaping, Baking Chocolate Chip, M&M, Snickerdoodle, and Gingerbread Munching, Melting, Devouring Chewy, Delectable Dessert

by Camille Sergenton

by Zach Braun Behind Screens It is easier to say things behind a screen Than it is in person.

When you’re behind a screen You have all the confidence in the world. You feel So powerful being able to type anything you want onto the screen.

But this isn’t always a positive thing It can get you into trouble without you even knowing it.

We should learn to talk to our peers the same way in person as we do on are phones.

by Zach McBride 10

A Perfect World I believe in a perfect world Women being themselves People living in perfect harmony I believe in justice Justice for all the labor to bring the gift of children: a lifetime of happiness Justice for those who were arrested for putting their opinions toward an "equal country" I believe in my daughter being treated as a coworker Where she won't be penalized for "dressing inappropriately" in a skirt and blouse For her to be treated with respect Not having to smile when being called “sweetie” or “sweetheart” For her to be paid the same amount for doing the same job as a man I believe in true love Knowing that there is someone out there who will treat me right Treat me well Treat me like no one I believe in my son looking for a wife as well as a life partner Not just a human machine that does the housework I believe in respect Where 'no' actually means no I believe in the abandonment of stereotypical thinking The stereotypes of what a civil woman is Stereotypes on what is considered “pretty” Stereotypes depicting which side of politics that a woman should be on I believe in the future I believe in new beginnings New experiences, new ideas, new opinions As future advocates, fighters, and dreamers enter the world Bright, innocent eyes looking up in confusion Questioning their new world Little fingers grasping for knowledge Trying to find their answer to our questions I believe in the next generation I believe in tomorrow

By Egbefe Omonzane 11

What yesterday was gold Had today turned to tin All the happy memories Secrets Winter vs Spring “honest opinions” used to hang over my head Winter Like a beautiful blanket Cold, White Thrown down and thrown out Playing, Sledding, Shoveling Ripped up and stretched thin Snowman, Hot Chocolate, Flower, One day you mattered Ice Cream One day you didn’t Swimming, Planting, Blooming I went to bed and looked up Sunny, Colorful But woke up and looked down Spring Hoping just a glimmer of what once was Was still there

by Daphne Mariano Just waiting to poke out, to say Relax!

I was there the whole time I thought that it mattered

by Ava Bourneuf

by Jonas Weinmann 12

Isabel Home is not Home sweet home Home is not Where I run to I do run Run from home Home itself Not the people Not the buildings Not the norm Cuba was never normal I gave my strings Traded culture for family For a chance to be free They felt guilty Cause I was a teen barely But the harmony Only sounds with uniformity

I will be back Me encantan mi casa y mi país I love my home and my country We should have waited says abuelo Mi papa is wrong says abuelo Pero, it had to happen I love my home and my country Me encantan mi casa y mi país Claro que si Yes of course I will be back When I am free As of now, the Refugee

by Lydia Oluwasola

Me preguntan porque corro They ask why I run I run to escape I run to find the safe I run to be free To run or to flee A Refugee To be or not to be

Refugee When he was first taken away I was just a scared little boy We finally saw him again But he wasn’t the same man He was shaking, trembling Why was he doing this?

After he got out, We just swapped places I was the man, And he was the child It felt strange at first But then I realized-This is being a refugee

by Sal D’Agostino 13

Pride Pride is a beautiful thing It is full of strong and beautiful people It has rainbows and lots of colors

pride is full of different kinds of wonderful people there are people who can just be themselves then there are people who hide it in pride there is love and acceptance there could be a boy and another boy holding hands or a girl with short hair and wearing men’s clothing but in pride there is always room to be yourself love who you want be who you want love is love and you are yourself. don't let anyone tell you otherwise.

by Isabelle Kelson

Boom! Crash bang This is a normal day in Syria, Ashes cast the gray skies, As buildings collapse, Children scream barely hearing each other While I lay in bed praying to live another day.

by Zubin Pande 14

by Ruben Taits

by Brooke Tannen Halfway Home The peacefulness and quietness of NJ, Has taken over me, I am losing the feeling of the cold Canada wind, No more maple leaves, Just evergreens, The sky is grey, Do I really have to stay?

This is not my home, This is nothing like the north, It’s a whole different country, A whole new world.

by Richard Zhang 15

My Name Matthew A Hebrew name Placed upon a Chinese boy A gift from God they might say Wang A king In Chinese One of the most popular Of the many last names Wang A name is often said wrong And seldom said right People pronounce the “a” As they should But I’m Chinese It’s pronounced like an “o”

by Shaylan Patel

王乐成 A Chinese name Starting with king Following with happiness Ending with success Chinese names Often reflect The person the parents Want you to be In my case I think it’s perfect While it may be still too young to see I think my name fits me perfectly

by Matthew Wang 16

Jealousy Jealousy is flaming orange like the pelt of a prowling Bengal tiger, waiting to pounce.

It tastes off, like an almost perfect dessert.

It smells as rancid as spoiled milk hidden in the back of the fridge.

It looks like enraged crimson faces, before a terrible quarrel.

It sounds as silent as the countryside at twilight, no creature stirs.

It feels painful like stepping on steaming hot coals with soft pink feet.

by Alex Genua

by Hailey Tannen

Love is in the air On the best day of the year Hearts and chocolates

by Brooke Fesq

17

The Jump of Faith The last day of summer had arrived as I stood in line waiting to go off the high dive, wanting to face a fear of heights I’ve had for the longest time. Should I really do this? I thought as my heart raced. Finally, my turn came as the lifeguard said, “Buddy, you’re up”. Three flights of stairs I climbed. Once I reached the top, I realized there was no going back. I had to prove to myself that I’m a person who takes risks. I took a deep breath and jumped. It was happening, I was facing my fear.

by Jack Kylis

Love means someone Cares about youDeeply out of This world

by Jack Scordley

Love sounds Like music To my ears Released from heaven I know That love is something no one could ever lose The air is filled with smiles and laughter I know that I am loved, I am happy, I am loved.

by Emma Kneebone 18

The mechanical marching filled my ears along with the screams from the guards. The head SS smiled as the first line of inmates pleaded for rest. He slowly turned his head to face the opposite guard. There was a silent conversation that was held in their black sunglasses, doing little to hide it. I knew it before it even happened and so did the first inmate. Anyone else would have missed it. He turned and looked at me. A shiver ran down my spine. His deep brown eyes bore into me as if he was searching. For what? Maybe for a reminder of his wife and children. Without breaking contact, he gave me a slight nod and turned around. The inmate took a deep breath, and I knew he was dead even before they shot him.

by Egbefe Omonzane

The sun goes up the sun goes down You wake up and go to bed Buildings are built and knocked down People are born, people die Things move and things stay Time goes forward but not back Things can be done but not forgotten Nothing is forgotten

by Gavin Schornstein

by Luca Tutella 19

by Addison Kelly Incident Give me the toy, I asked grabbing the toy out of my mother’s hands.

No, I’ll hold it for you, said my mother.

She worries for me.

I am too young to understand.

My eyebrow was the direct hit.

Gushing blood everywhere My mom gets her phone calls 911.

The ambulance arrives.

My mother crying.

I passed out on the stretcher.

My brother slides up the curb on the ice.

I follow trying to be cool like my older brother.

I awake losing half an eyebrow and getting my first stitches ever.

I run up to the ice start to go up a centimeter til I fell face first right on

That’s only the Beginning.

by Grant Dangler

20

Grandfather December 24th was Christmas Eve, And nothing could hold my excitement.

But that changed when my dad came to my brother and I at breakfast and told us our grandfather was dead.

I tried not to cry, but tears dripped down my face.

I went into my room and cried.

Because the death of my grandfather made my world So much smaller.

by Zubin Pande

Wild and Tired Young Curious, Innocent Playing, Learning, Growing Start of a New Life, End of a Long Life Lending, Advising, Knowing Wise, Admired Old

by Ellie Pine 21

by Nico Fonseca

by Jonah Tinkelman Happiness Happiness is bright yellow like the beams of the sun.

It tastes like a warm melted ice-cream sundae.

It smells as good as a fresh batch of cookies.

It looks like the massive smile on a baby’s face when they receive a new toy.

It sounds like birds singing in the trees.

It feels like the warmth of the sun’s light grasping you.

by Anthony Pallone

by Matthew Gatward 22

Different by Two Two Fight To Be Victorious But The Traitors Are Worse People That Stab You

Hunting Then Killing Lion Fast, Strong Stalking, Killing, Lurking Alive in the Beginning and Dead in the End Shooting, Hunting, Killing Mean, Illegal Poaching

by Declan Quinn

In The Back And Let You Bleed

by Ava Pillari

23

Little Seed Tears stream down my face rain pours on my leaves I was once a seedling, but I am still growing My roots keep me grounded, my branches keep me Flying

by Gavin Schornstein

I have so much more to experience for I am not a tree yet but I am getting there You can’t expect me to not get Knocked down But you can’t expect me to Stay down either For I am still growing So… Let me be me, and watch me fall, but help me get up For I was once a seedling… but I am still growing

by Maya Patankar 24

I Remember I remember my school And the woods behind it There we were secret agents, war heroes, storm troopers I remember my alley --the short road full of bike race tracks, half used chalk sticks, cardboard hideouts and hockey sticks I remember my street, Elm Street, there were parades for Fourth of July, there was a hockey rink, a tennis court, my favorite park with the spinning tire, there were coffee shops with pumpkin bread, and there was my best friend’s house, right across from mine I remember my friends, and our nerf wars, and frog races, and PokÊmon cards, and trampolines, and hide and seek I remember the day when the Windy City blew its last cold gusts and lifted my plane off the ground and blew it away I remember the tears But I remember better, the joy when I go back there every year.

by Hutch McDonald

by Justin Givner 25

A Sandy Summer Day The sand, the water, the waves Sand stuck to your feet like glue to paper The piercing cold water hiding your face The waves crash and race to the shore A giant umbrella shielding your skin from the blazing, bright sun Finding intricately designed and unique shells and seaglass right under your feet You watch the seagulls fly over head while you slowly doze off in a huge, comfy lounge chair

by Clara Pearl

Ecuadorian Memories The waving green grass, swish, whish The beautiful multicolored sunsets The ice-cold river And the super busy city of Quito The fun at the carnivals The love and adoration of my cousins Enjoying the delicious food While dancing to blasting music The unique and special culture

by Hailey Rollins

The quiet and peaceful nights The adventurous days I still remember That one special time The time I went to Ecuador

by Kassy Patino

26

by Sloane Fiverson Small Eyes The car ride to the hospital was long, full of excitement.

My daddy took me out of school early today.

A surprise is on the way At 40.6392° N, 73.9984° W I met Madison.

She was my sister.

She didn’t look like me.

Is that ours?

Her hands were tiny like her body.

She couldn’t run around and do anything fun.

Her hair was curly and she wasn’t as pale as me.

She also had very, very small eyes.

That doesn’t look like my sister It didn’t matter though.

My small-eyed sister didn’t need to look like me.

She didn’t need to know how to play...yet.

I loved her, even with her small eyes and tiny body.

by Kaitlin Blount

27

The Secret Life of Jonas Weinmann

Jonas woke to rough hands shoving him awake. “Jonas wake up, you have to go save the world today,” someone yelled with a hint of sarcasm in his voice.

BAM! He was out of his bed running as fast as he could toward his window. From what the window showed, it was just about morning.

Jonas knew he had no time, so he prepared himself for the pain he was about to feel when smashing through the window. “There is no other way,” he thought. The door to his bedroom was locked and he needed to reach the laboratory as soon as possible. He couldn’t spend any more time dilly dallying, so he charged forward and broke through the window and landed in the river below. Pain exploded through his shoulder and feet as every part of his body began to get soaked, but all Jonas thought was, “Stop them, you need to or else the world will be infected by the horrible virus.”

“Jonas, get UP!” my brother practically yelled. “I’m up, I’m up,” murmured Jonas. Charlie left the room and slammed the door. “Could he have been any more rude” Jonas asked himself as he lifted his bedsheet and the Kill Order fell to the ground. Jonas smiled at the sight. His books were one of the only escape to Jonas, a place where he could escape the misery and boredom of his own life. Jonas made his way down the stairs and sat down at the kitchen table. “Could you have gotten up any slower?”

Jonas’s mother asked. “Sorry,” muttered Jonas.” You have Greek mythology class today and you’re going. Your father thinks it’s important that you learn the Greek goddesses and gods for some odd reason.”

WHOOSH, he stuck out his hand and lightning shot out from his hand and struck one of Cronus’s demons. “How dare he try and ruin what we built, how dare he try and take our Olympus!” Zeus yelled to the other gods and demigods. With that, they all charged forward and started to demolish Cronus’s army, one by one. He charged up his lightning from the skies and obliterated a whole group of the demons. He could not let down the other gods. He had to defend their honor and defeat Cronus.

“Jonas, Jonas wake UP! Why do you always fall asleep or go into a trance or something,” yelled his mother. Jonas jerked awake and stared at his mother. She had a look of annoyance, not even a trace of concern for her son who had just fell into some sort of trance. He muttered “Just tired,” and without waiting for a response, he left and went to go sit on the on porch and wait for the bus.

28

He pulled out his copy of The Blood of Olympus, and started to read it. He loved this series so much and became so immersed in the Greek Gods he convinced his father to let him go to a Greek mythology class. Jonas’s father was the kindest one to Jonas in the house and occasionally gave him treats, like the mythology class.

The bus squealed and Jonas snapped his book together and threw it into his his bag. He jogged to the bus and settled in. No one sat next to him as he had no friends. Although that made Jonas sad, he loved his books so much they could be his friends. “Wow, what is that.”

“That’s crazy.” “What’s happening, what are we looking at.” All this talk made Jonas take his nose out of his book and look at what the other kids were pointing to. He was amazed. It looked almost like a castle. Almost like…

HOGWARTS. School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. “What is this?” Jonas asked. “Open it,” said the strange man dressed in a cloak across from them. He was still wary of the man even though he had made no attempt to hurt his family. Jonas opened the letter slowly and saw a invitation to a school call Hogwarts. “What is Hogwarts?” he asked.

“It is a school for talented children like you, who know how to do magic. If you attend, you will be leaving in a week to learn magic.”

“Magic?” Jonas asked with wonder.

by Jay Vashisht 29

Hatred Hatred is red and hot like the scorching sun It smells spoiled like rotten eggs and expired milk It looks like the monster inside of you staring back at you in the mirror It sounds like broken glass and the screaming of a child It tastes like cough syrup and dry Fortune cookies, hard to swallow It feels like hot charcoal burning the bottoms of your feet

by Zach Braun

by Liam Hughes El parque bonito En el parque encima del rĂ­o y debajo del cielo despejado hay un puente

by Ava Pillari 30

Winter is coming Sprinting With Sweat And Pride

The days are growing shorter

The air is growing colder Basketball Fun, Energetic I want to see my mother Sprinting, Passing, Shooting Ball, Court, Bat, First Base, Teammates And brother Stealing, Catching, Pitching Powerful, Strong Soon I will travel to New York Baseball Leaving my grandparents behind

By Jack Kornett I will miss them I will miss Greenville I will forever live in two places New York here I come.

by Buddy Valastro

by Justin Givner 31

Listen My mother always tells me: Listen I never want to I always do what I feel like doing Playing soccer and soccer Not worrying about the mosquito bites I get.

My dad says “Ruben we have to go before it gets dark.�

I do not listen Until eventually I give up aiming for the top corner Hearing the sound of the net ripple The satisfaction from it, like biting into a sweat peach.

I never listen to other things I do not listen when I am reading Harry Potter I do not listen when I am doing homework I do not listen anywhere where I chose to I only listen when I have to I listen to the noise of nature outside I listen to music I listen to my friends.

I hope one day my parents listen Not listening is what hurts But when you do, it is amazing Listening is something all can do, But not all do it.

by Ruben Taits

32

When Love Arrives We think of wives We think about affection and compassion We think of the parents who have taken care of us with passion We celebrate with chocolates and a rose Or maybe someone will propose We think about Valentine’s Day We think about red and pink, not grey We think about February Or getting married We think about wedding celebrations But, most of all we think about our heart Where it all starts

by Richard Zhang

by Hutch McDonald 33

I remember my first favorite writing piece It was in third grade We had a roller coaster structure to follow Beginning Rising action Climax Falling Action Ending And that’s the format I followed And that’s how I wrote until fifth grade But when soon I realized that writing doesn’t have to follow a strict format But instead can be used as a way to express yourself I still use a light format Beginning Rising action Climax Falling Action Ending

by Dumebi Okonkwo Challenging Ice Hockey Challenging ice hockey Practice and you’ll make progress Involving shooting scoring and skating Crowd erupts after a goal Penalties push the Stanley Cup away Boom, broken glass everywhere, Next to it was the hurt player Challenging ice hockey

by Robert Magnotta

34

The Soup Living in the Auschwitz extermination camp in 1944 would be a very

tough memory in anyone’s mind.

The person standing next to you would be dead by the end of the night,

trapped in the chamber, gas filling their lungs.

Dinner comes, you eat soup.

Your belief in G-d withers away with every spoonful you eat.

You can’t do anything but lose hope, lose faith, lose friends.

You walk past the gallows every night on your way to eat more soup, You don’t want to live anymore.

Every spoonful you eat, you gain a stronger interest of having a rope tied

around your neck.

Night is accompanied by the smell of smoke and the screams of children being taken away against their will.

You eat the soup, one spoonful for every demise you have witnessed in your time at Auschwitz.

The soup isn’t soup anymore, it’s remorse being forced down your throat.

Maybe that’s why tonight, “the soup tasted like corpses.”

by Ben Epstein

by Alex Pelinsky 35

New Memories

The sun shone down onto the dew covered grass, showing each and every drop. The trees danced together with the wind, acting as an ensemble. I stepped onto the reflective puddles laying on the dirt road, only to see me smiling back at myself.

Looking at my new house, I wondered how my life would be in this new place, practically a new world. I had lived in the city most of my life, so the countryside seemed, well, empty. City life was always busy. I was always constantly going somewhere, seeing something, doing something. I wouldn’t change a thing though. The hustle was my coffee in the morning, it made me awake for life. Although I love the energy of the city, the past months have been hard on my family. My dad lost his job and we could no longer afford the city life. I didn’t want my dad to lose his job, but the countryside seemed so serene, like a still lake that was untouched.

I wrapped my hand around the rusted door knob of our new home.

The door creaked open, sounding like a screeching owl at night. I looked through the house, but my feelings were numb. It’s almost like I didn’t know what to think of it. My apartment in the city was different, as the loud noise of cars and trucks would always take away from reality. But this house felt special. I crept up the stairs, feeling lured to a room like a fish on a hook.

I opened a wooden door that lead to an empty room. My boxes fell on the floor, only to get a heap of dust flying onto my face. I slowly walked around the room, sliding my feet against the rocks and dust. But when I turned around, I was met with three swirling machines. Colors galore where spinning in a mesmerizing way. I couldn’t help but be in awe.

S uddenly, I felt a piece of paper hit the side of my foot. I picked it up only to be greeted with instructions. I read slowly, soaking up the words, like it was water. The paper was elusive, full of a twists and turns. But between the letters, I picked out one thing. There were three portals, and for each one, I could pick a place and time to go to, but only one trip.

I glided my my feet across the wooden floor towards the window, only to view my parents laughing while taking boxes out of a truck. For some reason, tears slowly fell down my face, like a waterfall. Without thinking, I ran back to the first portal, thinking of the Big Bang. Suddenly, all I could see was black.

I woke up in a daze, only to be surrounded by nothing. Nothingness surrounded me, like a cocoon on a butterfly. My hands swished around, but I wasn’t in air, there was nothing surrounding me. Not white, not black, and not pink, nothing. I looked around some more, coming upon a speck, the size of a pencil tip. The closer I went to it, the more energy I felt pulsing through my veins. Out of nowhere, a burst of light opened me up to a world of colors. I floated around for a while, not knowing where I was. The colors 36

reminded me of the portal, spinning and bright, yet in a slow ripple of nothingness.

Suddenly, my memory whispered in my ear “The Big Bang Theory”.

The Big Bang, that it where I was. I felt energy walk on my shoulders and down to my toes, making me shiver. Then, I went black, only to open my eyes to my bedroom ceiling.

I quickly shot up and scurried back to my window, seeing my parents still carrying boxes, like I had never left. When I walked back to the portals, one had turned gray, like it was dead. I put on foot in the second one, except this time, I wanted to see my dad on the day he got fired, then maybe I could have more sympathy. Courageously, I dove into the swirling portal, ready for anything.

I woke up in a small dark room with brooms and sponges. Slowly, I crawled up and opened the door, only to be met by a chatter of voices drift by. Out of shock, I crawled through a vent, avoiding anyone.

Out of the ordinary, I heard footsteps talking loud and clear, then go silent.

I peered through the vent and saw my father standing there with a stack of papers. He handed them to a man in a black suit, who arrogantly took them.

Heated chatter started between them, steaming with fury.

“These are late! Again!” The man in the black suit yelled.

“I’m sorry, I’ve had a lot of work lately, I won’t do it again!” My dad nervously murmured.

“It won’t be done again, because you’re fired!”

My dad scurried out of the room with tears forming in his eyes. Unlike him, I had no time to cry, as I went black.

I woke up on the floor again, only to cough up the dust that had been sleeping on the wood. When I looked at the portals, two of them were gray and empty. One more trip, I said to myself.

I jumped up and walked towards the last portal, wondering where I would go to. Instead of traveling to a fancy place, I simply wanted to back to my old apartment. Without concern, I slipped into the colors.

I woke up in my old bedroom, looking at my ceiling. I jumped off of my bed and looked around. The memories flooded my mind and scolded me for leaving. Instead of giving into the sadness, I remembered my new home of peace.

I loved both places equally. One was filled memories of friends, and one was filled with new possibilities. I didn’t want to lurk in the dust of my old life, I wanted to go back to my new one. And as soon as the thought walked into my mind, I woke up on the field near my house, with sunlight on my face.

I got up and breathed in the fresh air, then ran over to my family with a wide smile. I was ready for new memories.

by Campbell Blake

37

Memories with Poppy When I was around six Years young My poppy would always Take me down the streets In my stroller To Dairy Queen for Ice Cream He would wheel me down the roads Until I would get close enough To run down the sidewalk And stand on the lines going practically Out the door I would wait And wait And wait Until I would take a quick nap In Poppy’s arms holding me close To him I miss memories like that When I was younger When he was alive

by Ava Pillari

by Danny Sasse 38

Jacket Tattered and faded, torn at the seams Rusted, copper buttons still stuck on the ancient pockets with string Been through barbaric battle fields and sparkling schoolyards Handed down from generations of celebrated warriors, loyal to the end Patched till near perfection, one sleeve still bears a gaping tear Wear this jacket proudly young one, for it brings unspeakable honor to anyone who slips their arms through those army green, battle ridden sleeves.

by Alex Genua

by Spencer Anderson Opposite Feelings Solitude Dark, Silent Leaving, Abandoning, Isolating Alone and Invisible, Feeling Complete Caring, Adoring, Respecting Amorous, Passionate Love

by Kassy Patino 39

Gates Burst In Comes Evil Evil Uses Guns

Gray Clouds and Blue Skies Rain Cloudy, Wet Thundering, Dripping, Drizzling Weather, Forecast, Temperature, Rainbow Dazzling, Glistening, Shining Bright, Spectacular Sun

Birdshot Digs Deep

by Tori Holdsworth

Open Wounds In My back But Rejection Betrayal Exclusion Hurts Far Worse Than The Bullet Gash

by Liam Hughes

by Hutch McDonald

40

Inspired by Mary Oliver’s “Why I Wake Early” Good night moon shining down on me Good night one who fills the sky Light in darkness Brings out the creatures Makes the werewolves howl Shines light into caves Bright and grey Best moon ever Better them all the others You are number one Protecting us from darkness And making camping trips memorable Holding my hand as I walk home In the dark alone Goodnight goodnight goodnight Watch now as the night begins A cool breeze in the air

by Charlie Gibbs

by Ian Patchett

Anger Anger is dark red, like blood quickly gushing out of someone’s nose, splashing everywhere.

It tastes like a rotten apple that has fallen from a tree.

It smells harsh, like wood burning to ash.

It looks like a greedy grey cloud floating above, destroying things with its untamed lightning.

It sounds like the fierce and ferocious roar of a lion.

It feels like burning lava bursting out of a huge terrifying volcano.

by Tommy Byrne 41

Fireball Waking up to darkness As I was half asleep I was Biking to the boardwalk The beach Hello sun in my face The sunrise The yellow Orange And red A big fireball in the sky You can see that the sun slowly rises The waves as they crash into your legs The sand in your toes The summer of ‘15 Kiawah Island, SC

by Olivia Siegel

by Addison Becker

When love arrives, family arrives, friends arrives, but there’s that one special person.

They make you smile, feel warm inside, make you happy, make you want to do better.

They keeping you going everyday that person you keep close, they make you feel loved, cared for.

You never want to lose them, you feel a connection, like never before.

They make your day, Everyday.

by Robert Magnotta

by Grant Dangler 42

Sarah and her family just moved into a new house. Her dad’s job moved from New York to Delaware, and they moved with it. She was really happy to move from New York, she hated the hustle and bustle of the city. She didn’t like riding the subway to school everyday and she really didn’t like being crammed in a apartment with three other people. She had a little sister and her toys were always all over the place, and Sarah was just excited to move into a house in the countryside.

A couple of months ago, they visited a ranch style house and the family automatically fell in love with it, so they bought the house. Two months later, here they are moving in.

When they pulled into the dirt road, Sarah woke up from her nap and saw the dirt rising from underneath the tires, and she knew she was home. As soon as the car stopped, she unbuckled and ran up to her room. It was her favorite color, white, and she had so many ideas of how to decorate it. She was it as a canvas, and her imagination was her palette. She had her own room, away from her sister, and she was really excited.

by Jackie Velikiy

by David Stulberger

Stitching a Diamond Knitting Therapeutic, Repetitive Wrapping, Pulling, Counting Yarn, Needles, Mittens, Fabric, and Thread Designing, Creating, Stitching Restorative, Timeless Sewing

by Maggie Bailey 43

the thing ••• Jacob took the safety off on the gun and aimed it at a tree.

“Dude! Put the gun down.” Zeke said.

“Calm down!” Jacob replied, and then shot the gun, aiming at the tree. Zeke sighed and walked ahead of all the boys.

He checked the time on his watch and then said, “It’s 11:00 guys. We only have an hour to find and kill this thing.” The other boys nodded and they stopped at the end of the road. The thing was just down the other street and it was looking at a strange abandoned house.

It started to walk towards the boys once Jacob yelled, “Hey, get over here!” The thing looked straight at Jacob and he aimed the gun at the thing’s head. It charged him, and Jacob pulled the trigger. The bullet soared through the air, and then hit something.

Jacob looked at the thing and it was still coming at them, its mouth wide open and ready to eat them whole. Suddenly, Lenny ran in front of the thing and held his hand out, as if to say ‘stop’. The thing stopped dead in its tracks. Lenny opened his eyes and realized the thing had stopped and not killed him. He put his hand down and stared the thing in its eyes.

“Dad?” Lenny asked the thing. A white light flashed, blinding Lenny temporarily, and he then woke up, back into reality, as the thing was feasting on his leg. Lenny screamed in pain and he looked back at the boys. Jacob was standing in such shock that he couldn’t move. Zeke was shaking and then he fainted, hitting his head hard on a rock. Quentin looked straight into Lenny’s eyes, but he didn’t move at all. Ryan held a spare taser in his hand and walked slowly to the thing. He hit the thing with the taser and then tased the thing with the highest amount of power as quickly as he could. The thing let go of Lenny’s leg and blood gushed out. Ryan tased the thing a couple more times and it dropped to the ground, shaking violently. Ryan grabbed Lenny’s arms and pulled him away from the thing, pieces of his torn up leg were hanging off.

“You’re going to be ok. It’s gonna be fine.” Ryan assured Lenny, holding in his vomit.

Though Lenny didn’t stop screaming as the pain grew stronger. Zeke and Jacob got out of their trance and helped Ryan pull Lenny. Quentin stood still, holding a gun in his hand, shaking violently.

“Come on Quentin.” Jacob said. “We need your help.” Zeke turned to face Quentin and he grabbed his arm. Quentin lifted hs arm and shot the thing in its head. The thing took a big breath of air and then dropped dead on the ground. The boys looked down the other side of the street to see if anyone was watching, but once they turned back to where the thing was, it was gone.

“Where could it have gone?” Jacob asked.

“Back to the underworld.” Zeke said. The boys laughed and Lenny clutched his leg.

“Lenny needs a hospital. Now.” Zeke said.

“Yeah. Let’s call an ambulance.” Ryan said. Jacob took out his phone and called 911, asking for an ambulance to come. Five minutes later, the ambulance was racing down the road towards the boys. They picked up Lenny and brought him to the hospital, leaving the rest of the boys on the street to walk home.

44

A loud banging sound came from down the street and the boys looked back. They saw the only thing they didn’t think they would see. Karina Mikhailov. She was walking towards the boys. Though she had her eyes closed and hands together, as if she were praying. The boys could hear her mumbling prayers as she walked towards them. Suddenly, Karina was struck from behind by the thing.

The man in black killed her and started running towards the boys. The thing was limping and had a bullet hole through its head, also running behind the man in black. Blood was dripping, but it didn’t stop for anything. It ran through trees and fire hydrants, breaking everything in its way. Once the thing got to Quentin, Ryan, Jacob, and Zeke, it opened its mouth, breathing out fire on them. They all screamed in pain as they burned. Once the thing stopped breathing the fire, all the boys were nothing, but ash. `“Lenny?” The nurse said, touching his arm.

“Huh?” Lenny mumbled.

“Your friends are here.” The nurse said.

“They all should be at home, though.” Lenny said quickly.

“No. They’re here to see you.” She said. The nurse walked to the door and opened it slightly. Lenny heard her mumble words to someone. The next thing Lenny saw was unbelievable. He gasped and held his chest.

“No. No. No.” Lenny whispered.

“Why would you do this? Why?!” Lenny screamed. The nurse came to his bedside and gave him a tray full of delicious food, but all Lenny could look at was the video of all his new friends being burned by the thing on repeat. Lenny kept screaming, “No!”, as the video continued. He heard all of their screams as they were burning, and Lenny turned cold, breathing slow, and he didn't move.

“Hi Lenny. How are you doing?” The nurse asked him. “Lenny?” The nurse asked, feeling his head. “Code blue in room 316.” The nurse said on the speaker. Doctors flooded into the room, trying to revive the poor boy. Lenny felt his soul leave his body and he watched how the doctors tried to revive his lifeless body from above.

Suddenly he felt a light touch on the shoulder. He turned around and saw his friends.

All they said was, “Goodbye… for now.” Pushing Lenny away from her, he gasped as he came back to life. The doctors clapped around him and his heart was pounding.

“Wh-where is th-the thing?” Lenny asked.

“It’s gone. It is 12:00 AM. Until next Halloween.”

Lenny suddenly heard a faint, low laugh from outside his room. He got up from the bed, took out his tubes, and waddled to the door of the room. Looking out of the room, he saw no one in the hallway. He then turned back towards his bed again, when he bumped into a figure standing right behind him.

“Christ.” He whispered to himself.

Lenny pushed himself off of the figure and looked at it. It was wearing all black and he couldn’t see it’s face. Blinking once, the figure was gone and Lenny was left alone in his room, wishing that Halloween never existed.

“Code blue! Room 316!” The speaker said.

“Beep.” The machine sounded. The noise was continuous, and it never stopped.

“Beep.”

45

by Anonymous

Try To Be A Rainbow

“Try to be a rainbow is someone’s cloud” -Maya Angelou Try to brighten someone’s day when they are feeling down.

For whatever reason, whether a bad grade, a fight with a friend, or whatever.

Try to help them with whatever they need.

Try to help them on their path to succeed.

Try to be a Rainbow, in someone’s dark and stormy cloud.

Try to learn something new whenever you can.

Try to learn from other people from the stories they tell.

Try to understand what they are saying and ask questions to deepen your knowledge.

For whatever reason, listen to them.

Sometimes people need to talk about a story.

Sometimes, people like to reflect.

Sometimes, you should try to be a Rainbow, in someone’s dark and stormy cloud.

Rainbows are a secret to unlock happiness.

The sight of a Rainbow can make someone smile.

If you ever see someone walking with their head down, remind them of what they did right.

Remind them of the happy times before their sad ones.

Tell them that everything will be okay.

Try to be the Rainbow, that shines through their dark and stormy cloud.

by Roman Berger

46

Come back tomorrow he said So I did I went back the next day And the day after Then one more time I will let you know by tomorrow he said So I waited until tomorrow came Nothing Two days later Still nothing Thank you for your patience he said Then the good news

by Jack Scordley

by Yash Shah Empty and dead the camp and my soul My heart beats fast how long will this moment last?

Being thrown and hit now I can’t throw a fit Watching people being hung, being crushed and beaten hanging by a thread Out comes the spirit, out comes the past Finally their souls are free at last Left left Left right left Role call but not for our names Our identity is thrown into flames A-7713 now this is what they would call me

by Hailey Rollins 47

Heartbreak Heartbreak is dull red like a cherry popsicle with all the juice sucked out of it.

It tastes like a bitter lemon It smells like the scent of rain.

It looks like a smile turned upside down.

It has no sound because of the loss of words.

It feels like someone is ripping your heart out of your chest.

by Raidah Karriem

The Boy on the Island The boy sat alone On an island of his own The boy sat there, cold On an island of his own He would go to the edge Of the island he owned And look at the people who passed by on boats He would wave and shout to the people afar But the people never heard him, or saw his waving arm He would go back to his corner On the island he owned And he would ponder if he’d ever see again The other world that he had known.

by Jack Bailey 48

Immediately as I stepped out of the cab There was such a good aroma Coming from all the little food shacks On the side of the road.

I could smell freshly brewed coffee coming from cafes Warm buttered muffins Tons of different types of pizzas And of course The semolina pasta being boiled.

But not only that There were so many people In smart looking clothes Walking down the streets in groups Or separately And many people sitting and playing instruments On the sidewalks.

This culture I was exposed to From the food To the different activities Like riding a gondola And finally, the architecture of beautiful buildings Was such an amazing experience that I will never ever forget.

I had a blast in Italy And hope to come back again soon!

by Maya Bhide

by Charlie Gibbs 49

by Chip Powar

by Jack Webb Victims Hurt Confused Upset Discomfort Each and every one of Larry Nasar’s victims had felt like this. Not only coming forward to accuse and share their story was hard enough, they had to confront their attacker. They had trusted this man.

Danger Trouble Unfixable To this man they were used to satisfy him. They were told he was the best in the business and that they were lucky to even have an appointment with him.

Broken

by Maddie Berniker 50

Graceful Athlete Lacrosse Tournaments, Games Cradling, Checking, Shooting Sport, Athlete, Technique, and Dancer Leaping, Turning, Pointing Graceful, Elegant Ballet

by Josie Geschardt

by Hailey Rollins

Rubble scattered over the floor Blood splatters everywhere Bombs explode with a deadly crash People run for their lives Families search for one another Every home is nowhere to be seen It’s time to leave, it’s not safe here Families travel there and far Searching for a place to stay Loud noises echos in the night Kids try to throw away all their worries Trying to escape to a safer place Obstacles they face stand in their way Parents do whatever it takes to protect their families People hope that this war will end Say their prayers and go to sleep Hoping for a better day than yesterday They might not have much to spare But at least they have each other

by Jonathan Hong 51

by Andrew Hu Trading Places My old lunch table Off in a country far away Outside covered in mold and spores Was filled with the sounds of bartering and trading Like a marketplace in Istanbul Everybody had something to bring Everybody had something they wanted And they would haggle over the amount Until a deal was struck And we would feast on each other’s food Like chips for cookies Or a muffin for a Slim Jim All sorts of food From all over the world Italy, America, China, or the Netherlands It was as though we were our own countries Working out trade deals

by Andre Chabra 52

Love Turns To hate Talking Turns To Yells

The big green trees stand tall Shadowing over blue pure water Looking at God all day. Lifting it’s arm to pray Making sure that the water stays clean So that the ducks can be seen. The big green trees brings joy to all Even to the ones that are small The big green trees.

by Hanzalah Bhatti

People Break Apart Paranoia When Talking To Others

by Hanzalah Bhatti

And Love Is Never The Same

by Will McDonald

Smoke to Steam Fire Ancient, Hungry Roaring, Burning, Soaring Power to Destroy Life and Rebuild a Fragile World Cooling, Resting, Quenching Smooth, Fierce Water

by Zach Braun 53

I sat there with tears in my eyes, I knew what was soon to come. The inner circle of the cartel sat around me, quietly discussing what to do with me. “Let’s just finish him and go, we don’t have the time for him.” One of the members said in a hush voice. Upon hearing this I felt hopeless, I didn’t want to die yet. I couldn’t die yet. I joined the Anti-Drug force to keep thugs like these off the streets, locked up where they couldn’t hurt anybody. Where they couldn’t hurt my brother…, the thought of my brother hurt me. Rosalito was dear to me, we had spent every moment together. I remember the days when I would get bullied at school and come home with bruises. Every night, Rosalito patched me up and told me it was going to be okay. He would always make sure I slept well, ate well and studied hard. He was always there for me. But one day it was my turn to be there for him.

The front door opened with a *CRACK* as my brother stumbled inside, he was covered in blood and reeked. He had bloodshot eyes that just screamed “HELP ME.” His heart was beating abnormally fast. I soon realized that the blood on his hands wasn’t his. I yelped. “Rosalito what have you done…” I thought to myself. I dragged him onto the bed and patched up his bruises. After gulping an entire pitcher of water, Rosalito looked me in the eyes.

“I’m sorry brother…, it wasn’t supposed to go like this.” He mumbled. I quickly pieced it all together and realized that my brother got involved with the local “Asa” drug cartel. I was taken aback. My brother wasn’t a criminal, he couldn’t be.

“What happened Rosalito? I asked.

“They’re after me… they” He started to say A slap brought me back to reality, I was back on the street. The cold, hard gravel cut into my knees. The smell of gas filled my nose. The moon lit up the tiny alley, revealing the people who were next to me. The notorious members of the Asa cartel stood around me grinning. My mouth tasted of blood, my hands were bleeding and my legs tied together.

“Look at this weakling” One of the members sneered. “And to think that he is one of the best agents of the so called Anti-Drug force, its pathetic” 54

I looked up at the tall, muscular man.

“Take a look at yourself, if we are pathetic then what are you?” I said as I spat in the man’s face. He quickly retaliated by kneeing me in my chest.

I didn’t feel it. I knew I wasn’t going to get out of there alive, so I let it out. “You...monsters” I struggled to say, air returning to my lungs. My hair fell and covered my face, something Rosalito would always tease me about. “You corrupted him, he was kind, caring and was always there when I needed him” I struggled to say “and you took that away from me” I had nothing more to say, I was known for depending on my brother and without him I was weak. The cartel member squatted down to meet me at eye level. He laughed, the smell of marijuana radiating off of him was almost enough to knock me out.

“Rosalito was weak and a coward” He remarked. “Just as you are.” Rage boiled inside me, I didn’t care what they did to me but insulting my brother was too much. I hobbled onto my legs struggling to balance.

“You criminals can’t say anything about Rosalito’s character, he was a great man who YOU corrupted.” I yelled. Blood came out of my mouth as I spoke, my chest tightened. The man pushed me back onto my knees.

“You must really love your brother. But don’t worry, you’ll soon be with him” He said. I felt the cold shaft of his gun press against me. “Tell Rosalito I said hi” He whispered into my ear before pulling the trigger.

by Vincent Brunn

55

by Andre Chabra

Ocean

The light blue water Reflects the sun perfectly As the sea life swims As the waves come in A wave of seaweed arrives The process is calm

by Charlie Holdsworth

by Richard Zhang 56

Special People They’ll always be there for you, Their advice is like getting an A+ on a test.

They’re helpful, caring, generous, supportive, And want to make you a million times better.

They are your #1 fans watching and cheering you on as you succeed.

They are the clowns of the circus when they make you laugh.

These are special people in your life, You are lucky to have them, don’t take your family for granted.

by Arden Upadya

We Were Controlled Nothing But Pain Then Came Hope The Rebellion I Now Lead Perfectly

by Maddie Berniker

by Chris Kelly 57

Charlie full laughter and energy Now drenched with tears From the couch That gave him an ouch once thought of as athletic Now dumb and pathetic

by Charlie Hutchinson La Rampe C’est samedi. Arnaud et ses amis, sont sur leur bicyclettes. Arnaud voit une rampe de terre et il a une mauvaise idée. Il veut sauter de la rampe. Arnaud parle à ses amis, “Regarde moi. Je vais sauter de la rampe.” Arnaud est nerveux parce qu’il ne sait pas sauter, mais Arnaud veut impressioner ses amis. Arnaud pense dans sa tête, “1,2,3” mais les amis l’interrompt quand il compte. Arnaud recommence. Il pense, “1,2,3.” Arnaud est prêt. Il va vite. Arnaud vole presque! Son saut est parfait. Arnaud est super content et ses amis crient, “Superbe.”

by Matthew Teitelbaum 58

Legends of Ahora Darkness. That was all Indigo could see. It’s been around 10 days since she entered the tomb, but she hadn’t accomplished anything except finding some armor. She sighed out of frustration and reached for her bottle of water on her desk. Legends of Ahora was by far her favorite game and it was her goal to beat the game without looking at Game Forum once. It was summer time and Indigo had spent most of her time trying to get through this specific chapter of said game.

Indigo looked at the computer, she stared at the black screen, the only color being her health bar and stats in the top left corner. She sighed and closed the game, not even bothering to save her progress. She opened up her summer writing essay, she’d been assigned to write about a challenge she’d faced in her life. English was Indigo’s favorite subject, but this assignment seemed slightly childish. She was 13 now and she didn’t expect 8th grade to share any similarities with the rest of her middle school experience, but it did. She shrugged slightly and opened Spotify, turning on her writing playlist.

She worked for about 30 minutes before her eyelids started to get heavy.

She decided to turn in for the night. She changed into her pajamas and slipped into her bed clinging to her teddy bear. Indigo was awoken by the sound of a stream and farm animals singing their daily song. Her eyes fluttered open and she saw blades of pixelated grass. “What in the world?”

Indigo said frowning slightly. She sat up and looked around. All she could she was a farm, a little cottage and grass for miles. The pungent smell of manure and farm animals burned her nostrils. This triggered a memory, this was the landscape of the first mission in Legends of Ahora. Was she in the game? The more she looked around, the more reality set in on her, she was in Legends of Ahora...

by Alana Smith

by Jay Vashisht 59

by Neal Ramasamy When Love Arrives Really? You’re going to make me write about something that I know nothing about? Well, actually, I know a lot about it. I know a lot about Love arriving. I know about Love leaving too. But then the question that comes to mind is, what is Love? Is it when you get butterflies in your stomach after seeing something truly amazing and beautiful?

Is it when you can’t stop thinking about something? Is it the thought of spending time with people you want to be around? What is it?

When Love arrives, do you know it immediately? Does it take time to notice? No. Love arrives both swiftly, and slowly. But Love can also leave as quick as it comes. Love can leave in the blink of an eye, or Love can leave by the time you grow up, and haven’t had the chance to think, is Love worth it? Is it really everything they said it is? Is it the most beautiful feeling in the world when you get butterflies in your stomach or you think about something you can’t unsee? But then you realize, Love is what you want it to be.

By Roman Berger

60

Love Love is red like a freshly picked strawberry Love tastes like rich melted chocolate Love smells like fresh salty air by the beach in California Love looks like a field full of wildflowers flowing through the breeze Love sounds like water trickling down a stream Love feels like a small fluffy puppy curled up in my lap

by Isla Johnston

Ria, an Indian name Because I am an Indian A strong, courageous, graceful Indian A beautiful gem that dances with the wind Ria--it suits me I’m bitter, I’m beautiful Ria by name I challenge my dreams in a dangerous backdrop I’m less the lover and more of a friend Rare, Intelligent, Ambitious Extraordinary Intelligent, Smart Enthusiastic, Striving That’s me Ria

by Ria Shah

61

by Ava Pillari

California Sunset The cold of winter is taken over By the warmth of what comes next. The Trees already grown back, making me desire Staying even more than before. Thinking I Want this forever, but my stay will be Cut short, for I am homebound.

by Xola Moody

Hooked I was out in the middle of the ocean fishing with the sun pounding down on my skin. After what felt like an eternity I suddenly felt an enormous pull on my line. The pull was so strong it almost pulled me off of the side of the boat. I was furiously fighting but I wasn’t gaining any line. Suddenly the bluefish started to slow down and drift towards the boat. The fish floated to the surface and I yanked my huge prize over the side of the boat. After that I proudly posed with the fish for a picture.

by Max Masino

62

The Most Beautiful Game Twenty two yards out Heart is racing Shot…..

Goal!!!

Passing at midfield Through balls around the back four One turns into a corner kick Cross onto the six yard box A midfielder sprints as fast as the can to score a header Keeper saves the amazing try Goalie passes the ball to the left back…

Left back passes it to their center mid...

Running like a cheetah coming from their half to defend.

Shoulder to shoulder as a 50/50 ball goes past the eighteen yard box.

90 minutes have gone by….

Sweat, tears, and dirt cover the players Soccer is really the most beautiful game…

by Ben Luther

Cards are everywhere Chocolate hearts are given out Love is forever

by Maya Patankar

by Marco Valastro 63

Le commerçant ouvre sa charcuterie et sa boulangerie. Il a aussi un marché en plein air. Il vend de la viande, du fromage, des gâteaux, des fruits et des légumes. Arnaud et Thérèse ont faim. Ils entrent dans le marché pour acheter la nourriture pour leur déjeuner. Ils achetent du pain, du fromage, des légumes et des fruits. Arnaud et Thérèse payent le pain, le fromage, les fruits, les légumes et un gâteau et retournent à leur maison. Soudain le commerçant court après eux. Il donne la baguette à Arnaud. “Tu oublies la baguette!!” crie le commerçant. Arnaud dit “Merci Monsieur.” Arnaud et Thérèse retournent à leur maison. Madame Picon est contente. Elle aime le pain et le gâteau. Le enfants aident à préparer le déjeuner. La famille Picon est contente avec le déjeuner.

by Jack Webb

Couches The Couch sat bare But was soon to be stampeded by a family Eager to relax from a tiring day The Couch felt very satisfied

By Kevin Sokolowski

64

A Rainy Day Rain is mysterious Comes in fast, like a cheetah Disappears as quietly as a church mouse Drip drop plop drip drop plop Sounds of rain washing things away Slow-mo seeing it sink into puddles Mesmerizing you, like a movie Above, dark clouds growl at each other Once in while they throw down a bolt Soon you find yourself in a blanket Sitting before the fireplace Warming your body because of the rain

by Lauren Koepff

by Jack Mackin The definition of happiness A man desires happiness.

The man sits at the helm of his ship, staring off into the expanse.

Thousands of dollars spent to throw this extravagant party.

To throw money out and get happiness back.

Yet he sits there, alone.

Miles away a boy walks down the street with his friends.

They have nothing but the clothes on them to their name.

But yet their friendship brings them free and pure happiness.

They sit on a park bench laughing and talking.

All they need is each other.

by Vincent Brunn 65

Living Life Life is a timeline, Moving through steps, there’s college, family, sacraments, jobs, and most of all joy!

Life is like a box of chocolates, you never know what you are going to get!

You can have a Sunny Saturday but then a Soggy Sunday Life is short Why sweat the small things There is no room for negativity here on earth Explore The world has so many great things for you to discover, from stunning cities to ancient statues Go on and have fun Life is priceless enjoy it while you’re in it!

by Liam Atkins

Traitor At First It was Nice But Then He Got Greedy I Started To Hate Him I Made Blueprints

by Samantha Brown

And He Chased Me Away

by Matt Dixter

66

The First Trout I could feel the cool water on my legs as I casted. There was a caddis nymph tied on under my bite indicator. As the rig was floating down the stream, the indicator dove under and out of instinct, I set the hook.

I had never fought a trout on a fly rod before. I kept steady pressure on the fish at all times. The rod had a smooth bend in it as I brought in the fish carefully. The brown trout was beautiful with orange spots. It was about 13 inches long. That was my first trout fly fishing.

by Chris Kelly

Home Is With My Family

by Ava Bourneuf

Family Weird, Fun Loving, Caring, Annoying Grandmas, Grandpa, Pets, Parsippany Singing, Playing, Laughing Comfortable, Safe Home

by Isabelle Kelson 67

The last scream Shake, his hands did nothing but shake.

Trying to reach for the food, hearts pounding, stomachs growling, He reached as if it was all he had left.

Silence came over the room, all that I could hear was my thoughts.

What were the others dreaming of?

Food?

Death?

I will never know.

The only thing that I was aware of , was the man was breathing his last breath.

His heart was beating for the last time, And his mind was thinking the last thought.

All I heard was a scream and the end.

by Leonie Winghardt

A dragon was lurking around in the woods. My cousins and I built a castle to protect ourselves from the dragon “RAAW!” goes the beast.

“ARROWS READY!” said the king. The bow and arrows point up.

The lights are flickering. Waiting order. See a head peeking from the corner. We can smell the flames from its nose. The King whips out his sword. “I'm scared” whispered the little princess shivering in the corner of the room. Keep your eyes open and head up. Be ready.

Those were the last words before we saw the evil dragon and heard the words, “ATTACK!”

by Aaron Hong 68

Two sides to Everything

There are two sides to everything.

From above—beauty From under, do you really know?

You see mountains and water But, nothing below.

Below stands a large powerful volcano Active, unseen All you can see are bubbles rising from below.

One side may be beautiful and natural But, the other is a volcano waiting to explode.

by Angie Ramos

69

The Goddess of Literature Books. Presents waiting to be unwrapped. Each one created uniquely different, all made for one purpose: the reader.

That’s where I come in. I could spend days by myself surrounded by book and will never get bored. They're basically like clam shells: Your first tries are hard but it will eventually hand your treasure. Every page is filled with gold every time you turn them. Every chapter is a new adventure. New places to travel, new people to meet, new things to discover. All of it, sitting in the palm of your hand when you pry up a book.

by Egbefe Omonzane

by Maggie Bailey

70

A bright flower Among a dark sky Vibrant and colorful As it stands among the dark A bright flower

by Nico Fonseca

Love arrived knocking But the door never opened I still wait for it

by Jack Scordley

71

72