Diversions 2016

MIDDLE SCHOOL

NORFOLK COLLEGIATE

DIVERSIONS 2015-2016

Dear Reader, It is with great pride that I present the literary and artistic work of our talented Middle School students here at Norfolk Collegiate. Since its beginning in 2005, Diversions continues to showcase our young artists and writers, offering a place to present their work beyond the classroom walls. This collection is but a small glimpse into the efforts of our students, who have worked all year long to cultivate perceptions of their world. To capture these ideas in words and images is no small feat. I applaude each and every student for their dedication and thoughtfulness, as well as for taking the risk of sharing their creativity with us. I would also like to extend special thanks to our English teachers, Mrs. Hastings and Ms. Belle, and art teachers, Mrs. Schero and Mrs. Wright, for coaching our students to these creations.

Gratitude, too, to Mrs. Schero for compiling this issue.

Enjoy!

Dr. Chuck McCormick Head of the Middle and Upper Schools Norfolk Collegiate

© 2016 Norfolk Collegiate Middle School All rights reserved. All contents used by permission.

STAFF English Department: Lindsey Belle and Julieanne Hastings Art Department: Cathy Wright and Jennifer Schero Graphic Design: Jennifer Schero COVER: Ribbons by Annie Livingood, Grade 7 The name Diversions was selected in 2004-2005 by students in former teacher David Smith’s Choice Time activity bell. These students were the first to produce the literary art magazine.

A dictionary definition of the word diversion is, “something that distracts the mind and relaxes, or entertains,” which we hope to do with our literary and visual works of art!

2

Mask Inspired by Famous Work of Art

by Nolwen Andre

3

Literary Works

Good and Bad, Light and Darkness

25

Heart and Responsibility

34

SIXTH GRADE

Strength and Courage Poem

25

Don’t Judge

34

Be Careful Who You Trust

By Abbie Siebert

Everything is what it Seems

By Abby Carlsmith

The Importance of Family

By Abby Seeman

Knowing Right And Wrong

By Ariana McCavitt

Friends or Enemies

By Arsha Sirjani

Be Careful Who You Trust

By Audrey Spurgeon

Stand Up For What You Believe In

By Ashar Zahir

By Seth Larkin

12

12

13

14

14

15

Never Trust Mirrors

19

The Judgment

26

Don’t Trust Anything

35

Don’t Be Afraid

19

Shadows 27

The Inside

36

Be Careful Who You Fall For

20

Beliefs 27

Sometime You Got To Break The Rules

36

Never Listen to Anyone

Do what you think is right, Even if others don’t agree.

37

Betrayal 20

Which One Do I Choose

For The Better

By Elliot Hess

Heart Over Brain

By Feras Haque

16

21

21

22

Liar 22

By Gabby Guirand

17

By Cameron Somers

4

35

By Ellie Walden

Waiting 17

Lies and Deceits

Stay With Your Friends

By Drew Hess

By Blair Given

By Brylie Schaubach

26

By Daijah Kelly

Fighting for What You Believe is Not as Easy as it Seems 16

The World Isn’t Cruel, It’s The People In It

Be Careful Who You Trust

By Christian Callaghan

By Chris Signorelli

By Bennett Short

18

By Catherine Sarris

13

18

By Jaden Azam Choudhury

Family and Friends

By Caroline Jordan

Family 15

What you See

By Shivam Patel

By Caroline Creekmore

By Jack Carson

Love is Happiness

By Gracie Cutrell

Don’t Give Up On Anybody

By Ross Foster

23

23

Fearless 24

By Ryan Hodges

Look In Another Person’s Perspective

By Sadie McNaughton

24

By Solana Wesley

By Stanley Synenko

By Stella Baccanari

By Sydney Matthews

By Topher Francis

28

By Tori Chapel

By Trinity Brown

By Truman Skaggs

By Graham Fitzwater

You Have To Fight For What You Believe In!

By Hannah Gulley

Hidden Treasure

By Harrison Thomson

Don’t Trust Everyone You Meet

By Henry Glover

By Joey Sposito

Don’t Judge a Book by Its Cover

37

Sail Away

38

Your Head and Heart

39

Courage is There

39

Courage in The Face of Trust

40

Courage to Stand Up

40

Be Kind to Others

41

By Kaitlyn Kaplan

Rebel 29

Some Things Are Different Then They Appear

By Joe Hutchinson

By Kadin Ewing

Seek 29

By Zac Fowler

By Jasmyne Wright

By Julianna Selig

Trust 28

The Perfect World

By Jake Fowler

By Katie Scott

29

By Lexie LeHew

30

By Lilly Banks

30

By Lucy Bashara

31

By Mackenzie Woodson

31

5

Friends Always Help

By Malachi Love

The Difference Between the Truth and a Lie

By Marah Gordon

41

42

By Reilly Gallagher

One Shot Finch

By Gabe Rahn

Waiting

By Ander Crenshaw

Three Children

By Kaylee Bejarano

Never Come Out

By Russell Solomon

Welcome to America

By Skylar Anne Foster

The Story Of Tom Robinson

By Caroline James

Black Bird

By Caden Obermeyer

What Did They Ever do to Us?

By Harrison Williams

6

Give me Justice

55

Equality

By Nash Claywell

Screen

SEVENTH GRADE

By Abby McMonagle

54

By Ava Georgo

Trust 43

Growing Up Ain’t Easy

Innocent or Not

By Max Swartz

By Peyton Hamilton

By Emma Kalingking

54 54

By Jimmy Bugg

Betrayal 42

As You Grow Old

Growing up From Jem’s POV

By Emily Skroch

46

Someone Else’s Eyes

By Ellie Smith

46

To Kill a Mockingbird

By Amelia Berz

47

You Do You

By Sidney Jordan

48

The Word of the White Woman

By AJ Galiotos

48

57

57

58

58

59

60

Equality 60

By Annie Livingood

49

To Kill a Mockingbird

61

The One You Never See

62

By Ashton Hall

49

By Ava Knox

49

Shoes 62

By Finley Connors

53

The darkness

By Gabe Foleck

53

63

Power 63

By Gina Leanzo

Nobody Really Knows Who I Am

By Ava Link

64

Courage 65

By Bronte Unrein

It’s a Sin I Kill a Mockingbird

74

Look and Realize

74

By Thomas Walden

By Veronica Gross

Beyond the Cover

65

Real Courage

66

The Ground You Walk On

78

Equality

66

The Power of Chicken

78

Where is the Battle?

67

Ocean 79

By CJ Lockard

By Dana Connor

By Dylan Rowell

By Ellie Robertson

EIGHTH GRADE

By River Smith

By Abe Musselmani

By Madalina Siliano

Power 67

Oh, The Irony

79

Mockingbirds 69

Choosing the Choice That Must be Made

80

Through the Window

Dusk till Dawn Sunrise till Sunset

80 80

The Forest of Green

81

By Ennass Alfahd

By Jessica Magee

By Josh Yates

In Their Shoes

By Logan Gaskin

I Demand to Understand

By Max Edwards

Candle Light

By Riley Cunningham

Tom Robinson

By Ryan Williams

Injustice

By Sebastian Portillo

I Told a Lie

By Taylor O’Neal

69

By Jesse Mirman

By Marlin Adams

By Michael Harvey

70

By Jon Krueger

70

Dreams 81

By Monroe Forehand

71

Lies 82

By Perry McKay

71

Friend or Foe

82

Stubborn Ivy

82

You Gotta Trim The Flowers

83

By Brandon Pettrey

73

By Sylvia Mack

73

By Victoria Jones

7

The Mice Of The Men

83

Two Pieces of A Puzzle

90

Dreams 99

Empty Machines

107

When I leave

84

JUST DO IT

90

Dreams Don’t Always Work Out

A Visit

108

Realizing Everything is a Reality

84

The Truth About Dreams

91

Hope’s Image

100

The Monster Inside

108

Friendship 84

Don’t Let The Distance Slow You Down

94

Dreams Aren’t Reality

100

You Are Enough

109

Ketchup 85

The Moon Shines Brighter than the Sun

94

Friendship 100

Sweet Dreams

110

What People Always Say

85

The Ride Home

94

Always and Forever

101

Deadaway 111

Our Last Adventure

86

The Dream Was Just a Dream

95

A Leaf in the Wind

101

Alone in the Dark

All Alone

86

Still Water

95

Fading Away

101

The Pain of a Tree

87

In and Out

96

She Dreamed

102

Just a Dream

87

The Bird That Never Flew

96

The Horizon

102

Ugly Soul

87

Where Dreams Go

96

Oh Deer!

103

All The Good Ones Go

88

If One Goes We All Go

97

Good Friends

103

One 88

By Your Side

97

You’re Gonna Be Okay

106

Two to One

89

Have Fun While You Still Can

98

Saint Jude’s Blue Cheaters

106

In Their Shoes

89

Catching a Ride on the Train

98

Who Am I

107

By Ashley Stack

By Victoria Hargrove

By Bren Coakley

By Will Frankenberry

By Kai Bartol

By Antonio Gao

By Coral Bowman

By Sam Janovitz

By Dylan McCavitt

By Joey McDaniel

By Binal Patel

By John Livingood

By Archana Menawat

By Evelyn Marie Gardner

By Tabitha Thornton

8

By Skylar Tessler

By Emily Scott

By Logan Mercedes White

By Isaiah Boyd

By Alex Thibodeau

By Tyler Huckaby

By Elliot Baccanari

By Peter Francis

By Anna Flynn

By Kendall Harper

By Joshua Reed

By Emmett Jefferson

By Annabeth Cary

By Jake Reaghard

By Raymond Tahhan

By Spencer King

By Jaden Bullock

By Austin Doyle

By Jonathan Peck

99

By Jordan Familant

By Emily Hastings

By Andrew Hair

By Brooke Rogers

By Rachel Cooke

By Nolwen André

By Olivia Petty

By Ella Bashara

By Hailey Hux

By Mary Pembroke Kahler

By Zack Stack

By Inma Marin

By Chapman Holt

By Elizabeth Hughes

By Jesse Mirman

By Emily McDaniel

By Tyler Hamlin

By Dylan Pausch

112

9

Grade 6

Positive/Negative Space , Inspired by Japanes Notan

by Graham Fitzwater

10

11

Be Careful Who You Trust

Everything is what it Seems

The Importance of Family

Knowing Right And Wrong

By Abbie Siebert

By Abby Carlsmith

By Abby Seeman

By Ariana McCavitt

Be Careful who you trust The nail may rust

Everything is not what it seems.

Things are not always as they appear.

My family watches out for me and protects me, It is like they are my security guards.

Overtime it will lose its shine,

Someone you thought was helping could actually be the problem.

Someone you thought was the problem can help fix it.

My family is my role model, They show me the ropes and what is right and wrong.

Something that seems easy could be challenging.

Something that seems challenging could be easy as pie.

My family teaches me how to act and behave, I now know to respect the ones who fight for my home and my family.

They tell us to kill They know our every secret They tell us wrong Every second of our lives are recorded We have been thinking All this time, What they tell us is right This is all an illusion To distract them From what is real From what is the truth And who they really are They conceal their secrets But they leak Drip by drip Until everyone knows The evil that lurks Throughout our city That we have been in the dark All this time, They have killed Injured, captured And tortured people, Just to keep their secret safe, And hide from what is really true They tell us wrong.

The strength it once had Could soon become sad They may tell you lies But they may also be spies You might think that they’ll protect you They may just neglect you You thought the bond was strong Until another came along The person you once trusted Soon got you busted You had to go to jail Because you left a crime trail You fell into a trapped door of depression, When you’re told that you are about to be in chains And after that the bullets begin to rain You know you have to be as strong and brave as you can And you wonder if you could do it all again Would you still be friends?

Everything is not what it seems.

Things are not always as they appear.

People you thought were your enemies can become your friends.

People you thought were your friends fall out of favor, more fitting as foes.

Something you thought was the truth can be a lie.

Something you thought was a lie can be the truth.

Everything is not what it seems, Things are not always as they appear.

People you thought you could trust can betray you.

You can end up trusting people you never thought you would.

Some things seem simple, yet are complicated underneath.

Sometimes things seem complicated but are simple.

Everything is not what it seems, Things are not always as they appear.

My family nurtures me and keeps me healthy, Especially when I get sick.

My family supports me, My family tells me to go for it even when I am not sure.

My family values me, I am like a piece of expensive jewelry except you can’t put a price on me.

My family provides a house for me, It is my shelter, my home, and my quiet place.

My family bought me a blanket when I was just born, I still have it, but it is not an “it” to me, it is my “Baby.”

My family helps me with my homework, When I get stumped on something for homework, like a poem, Mom and Dad always help me.

My puppy, She comforts me, makes me smile, and makes me laugh when I am sad.

Some kids do not have a family, and that is why I am thankful for mine.

12

13

Friends or Enemies

By Arsha Sirjani

Are they my friend or my enemy?

I trust them and they trust me back.

Are they my friend or my enemy?

What do they do behind my back?

Are they my friend or my enemy?

They leave me in the dark.

Are they my friend or my enemy?

They have two faces.

Are they my friend or my enemy?

They treat my like royalty.

Are they my friend or my enemy?

They torture other innocent people Are they my friend or my enemy?

They have twisted minds.

Are they my friend or my enemy?

They have no mercy.

Are they my friend or my enemy?

They killed my family.

Are they my friend or my enemy?

I thought I knew who they were.

I was wrong?

So were they my friend or my enemy?

I might never find out.

Be Careful Who You Trust

Stand Up For What You Believe In

By Audrey Spurgeon

By Ashar Zahir

You can Never Be sure,

To stand up for what you believe in, you need to be strong and courageous, but most importantly you need to work for it.

You might Not be right,

To stand up for what you believe in, you must endure the hardships that come.

About who You are with.

Sometimes things will go the way you planned, and sometimes they won’t, in these times you need to stand as tall as a tree and work even harder than before.

Who ever You think You trust May be disguised, Like a Character In a play.

So be Careful about Who you trust, Because in The end You might Be sorry A thousand times Over That you Relied On them.

14

Never let people deceive you, or bring you down, but make them your challenges and overcome them.

You have to make every moment count, and fight for what you believe in, even if you have any doubts.

Sometimes you will be in a sea of emotions, but you will come out strong.

You have to work hard for what you believe in, overcome many challenges you face, and be strong and courageous, only then will you succeed.

Family

By Chris Signorelli

Having no family is an empty frame on the wall, Having family is a brightly colored painting.

Having no family makes you scared, Having family makes you fearless.

Having no family means you’re lonely, Having family means you’re always included.

Having no family means you have no one for encouragement, Having family means you’re always cheered on.

Having no family means you have no one to care for, Having family means you have people to care for you.

Having no family makes you feel sadness, Having family makes you feel joyful.

Having no family means you have no one to love, Having family means you have people that will always love you.

Having no family means memories are forgotten, Having family means the memories are passed down.

Having no family means you can’t enjoy a meal with someone, Having family means you can enjoy a household dinner.

Having no family means no one to hug, Having family means you can snuggle all you want.

Having no family makes you angry, Having family you lose makes you angrier.

15

What you See

By Bennett Short What you see is not what you get.

Like a friend being a murderer, Or a dutiful decision you regret Your family a mouse, You are their defender And you must defend that house.

What it takes, what it gives.

Whoever dies whoever lives What you see is not what you get.

Not always, but most, There is a secret, and a host If the government is bad, does fighting them make you good?

It will transform you from defender, To murdering offender.

Fighting can be good, but that depends the side.

Like a poacher stealing a lion, is it for the greater good?

When you have to be a defender, only be that defender, Do not attack the people, through revenge, rage, or envy alike.

Because what you see, is not always seen by others

Fighting for What You Believe is Not as Easy as it Seems

The World Isn’t Cruel, It’s The People In It

By Blair Given

The world is cruel like a crook is kind, it’s full of people who go forward without ever looking behind.

Soldiers fighting, boom boom boom One man standing, fighting alone He is fighting for his family Girl is there, brave like an eagle courageous like a hawk See’s what she’s fighting for has missed the mark Goes from bad to good like a dream Fighting for what you believe in is not as easy as it seems Together they form a team, fighting to be free They take a stand, fighting for their beliefs In the end, it’s harder than it seems

By Brylie Schaubach

The world is a spinning ball of truths and lies, and only through an honest mans’ eyes, will a twisted terrible truth arise.

That man can be evil as a dark night, and some men may never see the light.

If you follow blindly to the wrong orders, you may end up in the wrong quarters.

While you fight for whats right, you must question yourself, question all you know.

What is it that you are willing to fight?

If you’re willing to risk it all, fight for what’s right.

Or not at all.

Waiting

By Cameron Somers We sit waiting for our future to be planned Like ducks sitting in water, Waiting to see if we will live highly or in the scum.

They say that if we don’t pass the test that will be fine, But in reality we die, innocent children not having a chance in life.

My brother knew it but didn’t want to risk the information on me, And now he’s gone, betrayed by his best friend.

Day having to live in fear because he did not pass the test, His mother not even knowing he was alive.

This is what the republic has done to us, has lied to us about.

I wonder when the whirlwind of lies will end.

But there doesn’t seem to be an end and may never be an end.

Words like knives piercing into my skin, stabbing me in the heart.

Each new bit of information seems to do this to me.

They take lives, if anybody figures out: my parents, my brother, and I fear me next.

The world seems to have fallen apart in front of me as if it was just a fragile egg.

Memories seem to always flood, to cost me memories of my brother of my parents.

And then remembering what the Republic had done to them,they have eliminated them, just for a simple bit of information.

And now that I know the truth and I will fight, I will fight until the end for justice

Fighting for what you believe in is not as easy as it seems When everything you believe is turned on its head, Go with your gut and find a new path to tread.

Illuminated Letter by Sadie McNaughton

16

17

Lies and Deceits

Family and Friends

Never Trust Mirrors

Don’t Be Afraid

By Caroline Creekmore

By Caroline Jordan

By Catherine Sarris

By Christian Callaghan

A lie is a big hole.

The more you dig the bigger it gets.

As your lies multiply, More people get hurt.

People depend on each other.

Not knowing the truth about something, Can change your life forever.

Family

Never trust mirrors, For they will always tell you lies,

Don’t be afraid to stand up for what you believe in, even if you have your doubts.

They never compliment your full size, Never trust mirrors, For they will tell you lies, They always speak of your countenance, And not your full size, Mirrors only go skin deep, They make you think you’re all that’s worth, That is only on the outside, And if you think that dictates your worth, That is just another lie,

Don’t be afraid to fight for what’s right, even if it means your popularity’s flight.

Deceiving someone is like a puzzle, With missing pieces.

You think you have all the parts, But when pieces are missing, You feel cheated.

To save a friend, You may have to trick some people, But to do it, You may have to lie.

In the end, Everything could turn out how you want it to be, Or it could backfire in your face.

Think before you speak.

Sometimes it may be good, Or it may be bad.

Lies and deceits, Will eventually be exposed.

Be there for your family.

Be there for your friends.

Have faith that you will get to your destination.

Affection

Good friends are like family.

Good friends are like the sun, you need them to live.

Your family and friends are always there for you.

Meaning

The sky is like the relatives that have passed away.

When you look upward they give you hope in every single way.

You know they are watching you and providing courage along the way.

Inspiration

Your family gives you inspiration every single day.

No matter what it is they help you along the way.

Your friends encourage you when you are down.

Love

Love, Lasts, Life.

Love is there for you every single day.

Love will be there through joy and sadness.

Two lives will meet each other one day and come together as a family.

So never trust mirrors, For they will tell you lies, They never capture you smile, Where no one else can see, Never trust mirrors, For they will tell you lies, You have to trust yourself more than others, Others don’t tell the actuality of anything.

And you are your own truth.

Don’t be afraid to share your voice, even if no one will seems to listen.

Don’t be afraid to be someone’s hero, even if they aren’t one them self Don’t be afraid to soar like an eagle, even if you’re only a fledgling.

Don’t be afraid to hit a home run, even if you’re batting last.

Don’t be afraid to live your dreams, even if you’re nights are sleepless.

Don’t be afraid to shoot for the skies, even if it’s a rainy day.

Don’t be afraid to face your fears, even if your fears are dangerous.

Don’t be afraid to stand up for what you believe in, because you can be inspiring too

Your true self

You are in control of your own destiny.

Your family and friends help you strive to become a better person.

You have the courage of a lion.

You will always be there for your family.

18

19

Be Careful Who You Fall Betrayal

By Drew Hess For

By Daijah Kelly

Because of June’s brutal betrayal,

Be careful of who you fall for, Because each decision leads to another door.

Days’ punishment was fatal,

When they lure you in, there’s no turning back, But if they betray you, it will feel like a heart attack.

Indeed, love is a wonderful feeling, But if they break your heart, you will need a lot of healing.

To the Republics merciless army.

Be careful of who you fall for, Because the result could leave you hurt forevermore.

Love is a commitment that you make to someone that you admire, Even though sometimes that feeling could backfire.

Perhaps the love between two will cherish and bloom, Without any lies, sadness, or gloom.

He lost half his family,

June frees Day, And wipes the punishment away, To save his younger brother Though she participated in killing his mother, Day still forgave her.

But all of that aside, Their lives were built on lies, Forever changing

Which One Do I Choose For The Better

By Ellie Walden

By Elliot Hess

Your hearts says stay Your head says go

They betrayed us, Killed off our family and friends, Making Trials to see if they were useful or not, Thinking it was for the better.

Your heart says yes Your head says no Which one should I follow I do not know You heart says it perfectly right Your head says it’s perfectly wrong Your heart says keep going Your head says move on Your heart says Lead Your head says follow Your heart says speak Your head says swallow

No one is sure what path a connection will go, It could diminish and slowly fade away or get stronger and continue to grow.

Love is a mystery that no one will be able to fully understand, Things may not even go exactly as planned.

In their eyes.

Which one should I follow I do not know

June then resides, taking different sides,

Your heart says trust Your head says question

Be careful of who you fall for, You could fall out of love or you could soar.

The assignation begins,

It may be hard to forgive your lover, after they have betrayed you, And leaving you feeling alone, distressed, and blue.

But if you truly love them, you will forgive them and welcome them into your heart once more.

Day and June get the Elector to safety.

Be careful who you fall for, Because each decision leads to another door.

To get their revenge, To make sure everything is right again.

And the Patriots almost win,

They cared for some of us, The important ones rich and clean, The dull ones poor and wilted, Thinking it was for the better.

They tricked us, Making us trust them, The soldiers loyal and heartless, The dictator holding the world in his hands, Making everyone believe his lies, Thinking it was for the better.

But yet they loved us, Still caring, after the years of making us suffer, Betraying us, tricking us, and caring for some of us, We won’t stand for them anymore, We will make them suffer, Because, it’s for the better.

Your heart says love Your head says hate Your head is as strong as the wind blowing through the trees Your heart is as soft as a warm summer breeze

When the Elector turned good, Not all was great again ‘cause the Elector had some issues, That caused him to betray the other officials

Positive/Negative Space, Inspired by Japanese Notan

by Ross Foster

20

21

Heart Over Brain

Liar

Love is Happiness

By Feras Haque

By Gabby Guirand

By Gracie Cutrell

Your heart is like a compass it tells you where to go Your brain is like a storage for your info

My whole life has been a lie.

The society lies to us.

They lie about the trial, About where our children go,

Love is like a flower blooming, It keeps growing in beauty.

Your heart is like another person who tells you what to do Your brain is like your best friend who always follows through Your heart is like a lock, but you can’t find the key Your brain is like the treasure inside and never revealed Your heart is like a wildfire that spreads through the forest Your brain is like the forest burning up inside Your heart is like the magician, who always plays the tricks Your brain is like the volunteer always being tricked Your heart is like the master Your brain is like the pupil Your heart is like the adult Your brain is the child Your heart is like the water Your brain is like the fire Your heart is like the bark Your brain is like the leaves Your heart gives the orders Your brain always follows

About the plague.

I’ve lived my whole life, Thinking I’m in this world as perfect as a diamond.

But, I was wrong.

Behind this wall the society builds around us, Is a whole new world.

Where the truth to all things they made us believe were perfect, Stands there, Imperfect.

Love is like a butterfly, It keeps flying even with no plan.

Love is like a person who believes in you, It keeps you going even if you don’t believe in yourself.

Love is patient, It takes time to grow.

Love is like a heart, It keeps beating.

Love is always there, It will get you through life’s storms.

Love is like a rainbow, It has many colors.

Just waiting to be discovered.

And for all this time, Their secrets have just waited there, Waiting for someone to uncover the lies.

The lies they’ve told us for years.

Love is like family, It is unconditional.

At this point, Nobody knows the truth.

Everyone just stands there as I once did.

Drowning in a sea of lies; Thinking that they live under the perfect guidance of the society.

But as of now,

Love is happiness, It brings people together.

Love is like a tree, It grows bigger and stronger.

Don’t Give Up On Anybody

By Ross Foster Give up.

Just give on me, And I’ll give up on you.

But wait, This year I have grown and learned, That everything I want is still what I yearned.

Since then I have learned.

That showing the better of me, Helped me earn.

What I earned, Was a second chance, At being worth a second glance.

I know if you lie, cheat, or steal, You still have the opportunity to help them heal.

Even if your fat, thin, or small, Your personality is what counts overall.

The past is done and over, The future is what we ponder over.

The future is like what we depend on, And is what we look forward to like a really fun event.

If you don’t give up on me, And I don’t give up on you.

Life will be easier, For me and you.

I know.

I know the secrets they keep from us.

The things they’ve lied to us about.

And now it’s my time; My time to put an end to this.

22

23

Fearless

By Ryan Hodges You need Speed to hide, You need Hope to survive.

You can’t be soft to fight back, If you don’t have hope you can’t be a leader.

You need to be brave to escape, You need a lot of Heart to help.

Sometimes you just have to trust people, Criminals are never trusted.

You need to be caring to give, You can’t always accept.

Always remember the past, Only think about the future.

Never give information always stay silent, You need to be strict to control.

You need to be strong to fight, You need to be smart to predict.

You need Accuracy to be agile, You need to be clever to be smart.

Speed is like a blur in time, Hope always stays with you to help.

Day is quick, June is a month.

Look In Another Person’s Perspective

Good and Bad, Light and Darkness

Strength and Courage Poem

By Sadie McNaughton

By Seth Larkin

By Shivam Patel

Sometimes you need to look at different angles

Family stays with you through the good and the bad, But when they are gone you have nothing left

It takes power to be firm.

It takes courage to be gentle It takes power to conquer It takes courage to surrender It takes power to be certain It takes courage to have doubt It takes power to fit in It takes courage to stand out It takes power to feel a friend’s pain It takes courage to feel your own pain It takes power to stand up for others It takes courage to do things for others It takes power to grow up It takes courage stand up It takes power to be loved It takes courage to be trusted It takes power to what you want to do It takes courage to make confidence It takes power to be confidence It takes power to stand up like a wall It takes courage to face the fighting hurricane

Instead of believing everything you hear Reality tells lies that trap you You have to escape the illusion To escape the lies you need to accept the truth The truth is like the bright sun While everything else is like the raging storm While you might see light They see darkness While you see happiness and freedom They see death and sorrow People tell lies People tell truths You might think the world is perfect While it is a nightmare Do not believe everything you hear Do not trust everyone Look in another person’s perspective It might reveal the truth

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Good friends are like family, Staying with you through the good and tough.

Your friends will bring you out of the darkness, And will help protect you from going back.

Bad friends pretend to stay with you, But when given the chance will break away when they can.

Bad friends try to bring you in, But will push you back to the darkness of self doubt.

You have nothing left when you hide From the darkness of your own self.

The darkness of knowing you have nothing left, Will grow inside until it overwhelms you.

Good friends remind you of the time When your family was there for you.

Bad friends make you question Of what is right and wrong.

Good friends are like light guiding you from the darkness, Bad friends extinguish the spark of hope you have left.

Good friends are the warriors That fight against the darkness of self doubt.

Good friends are like family, Keeping you safe and strong when needed the most.

Printing in a Radial Design

by Hannah Gulley

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Be Careful Who You Trust

By Solana Wesley Be careful who you trust, In every single way, They try to endanger us They may not be enough, They could be just like a bluff, Who you might just always trust, like life, just a lie And now you need To restart Some people will Break your heart in every way Be careful who you trust, They could be just like dust, Who acts in a way that will only betray, Who goes with the wind, Then you have to adjust, without the dust Soon without anything Every single day, Be careful who you trust, People will betray

The Judgment

Shadows

Beliefs

By Stanley Synenko

By Stella Baccanari

By Sydney Matthews

It looks looks like a pebble, but is a mountain, It could be the gentle breeze that turns into a hurricane.

It takes one to be a mountain, It takes two to be a mountain range.

The shadows dance, The shadows prance.

Inspired by the theme ‘rebel against what’s not right’ from the novel Legend

A tiny start can lead to the biggest end, A tiny droplet could be the biggest ocean.

A tiny attempt could have the biggest outcome, A tiny cry could be the biggest roar.

The fastest person could be the one in shadows, The slowest person could be the record breaker.

The smartest person could have the lowest grade, The dumbest person could be the ace of the class.

The sharpest rock could be the dullest blade, The massive current couldn’t churn sand.

It takes one to live, It takes two to thrive.

And in the end when all is faint, Shine the brightest, choose your fate.

Be the pebble that is a mountain, Be the breeze that turns into a hurricane.

The shadows scream, The shadows shout.

The shadows do, All wonderful things.

The shadows never, Ever stop.

The shadows are brave, The shadows are strong.

The shadows are courageous, The shadows do it all.

The shadows aren’t afraid at night, And they never will be.

The shadows might just be shadows, But they are like the world.

Always spinning round and round, Their life is like a blur.

The shadows believe, The shadows are dreamers.

The shadows make, Their dreams come true.

The shadows never, Ever stop trying.

You have beliefs.

They are as precious as a wildflower in the middle of a snowstorm.

Treasure them like there is no tomorrow.

Hold onto them as if they were gold.

Authorities will try to convince you that what they are doing is right.

However, that is for you to decide; not them.

Stick to what you believe, even if no one else goes along with you.

Be strong, bold, and brave.

Be true to yourself.

So promise me, right here, right now, that you will treasure your beliefs like there is no tomorrow.

That you will believe that they are as precious as a wildflower in a snowstorm.

Hold onto them as if they were gold, and rebel against what is not right

Illuminated Letter

by Lexie LeHew

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Never Listen to Anyone

Trust

Seek

By Topher Francis

By Tori Chapel

By Trinity Brown

Never listen to anyone Until you open up your eyes Never listen to anyone Not even if they cry Never listen to anyone Never in your life Never listen to anyone Even if it’s your own wife Never listen to anyone Even if they say something true Never listen to anyone As long as 1 + 1 is 2 Never listen to anyone No matter what they say Never listen to anyone Even if its night or day Never listen to anyone Even if they are as beautiful as a flower Never listen to anyone Even if they have power Never listen to anyone Even if their voice is music to the ears Never listen to anyone Even as the end of life nears Never listen to anyone Even if they are in some sort mode Never listen to anyone Even if they are a volcano ready to explode Never listen to anyone They could be telling a lie Never listen to anyone Until the day you die.

Trust is prey, It is hunted for survival, But also for sport.

Always question the apple people give you to bite into Always question the people you love Always question who you look up to Always question your actions Always question the voice inside your head Always question your courage Always question your beliefs Always question the possibilities Always question what’s behind the smile Always question your strengths.

Always question reality.

Always question your surroundings .

Always question authority .

Always question the truth.

Always question who you trust.

Always question the love you have for yourself.

Always question your fears.

Always question your doubts.

Always question your broken heart .

Always question and find things out yourself .

Trust is a weapon, Used to inflict pain, And destroy lives.

Finding trust is like the weather, Some days you find it, Some days you don’t.

Keeping it is like a war, Constantly fighting, And never ending.

Trust is a guide, It shows you good friends, And deceitful enemies.

Trust is something you learn, It may seem hard at first, But practicing makes it easier.

Trust is the law, Those who keep it are rewarded, Those who break it will be punished.

Rebel

So, I WILL clean my room today.

My mom asked and I say yay She also asked me to be good.

At least THIS time I think should!

The Perfect World

By Zac Fowler Once there was a young girl, who thought everything was correct There also was a young boy who knew the truth, as he faced it direct The girl had money and wealth The boy could barely care for his own health Two worlds, divided by the Republic

By Truman Skaggs

But then their two worlds seem to collide And then that young girl did find

I will not clean my room today.

My mom has asked, but I say nay.

I wake up and feel like a hellion.

I think I will start a rebellion.

That nothing was good She had been lied to For almost her whole life

I will not vacuum the floor Nor will I wash the door.

I will not do my chores.

My attitude is experiencing an evolution.

I think I will start a revolution.

My sister thinks I am as cool as ice.

She likes that I am not being nice.

My sister and I have formed an alliance.

She has joined me in my defiance.

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Mom and dad say “you are grounded.”

This is the end! Or that’s how it sounded.

In order for us to learn our lessons.

We have to make our confessions.

So her eyes burned like fire Her sanity hanging from a wire So the young girl realized the truth That she should have learned earlier in her youth That her world was not different than the young boys world at all!

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Some Things Are Different Then They Appear

By Graham Fitzwater Summer winds are blowing again, And days of no homework are within reach, Three more days but it seems like a month, Just sixteen more lines and we get to go to the beach, Writing this poem is like hitting a ninety mile per hour fastball, Many swings and misses, Frustration is setting in, Lots of boo’s and hisses, My pencil yelling, “Would you please write something,” I have walked away several times, But time is not my friend, Dinner is about to be served, Time to bear down and get this finished, I will use my wit and all my smarts, Just thinking of these next lines, Maybe it should come from the heart, What once seemed impossible is almost done, Just like hitting that fastball, Challenges are never as difficult as they appear, Just like some things appear different that they actually are.

You Have To Fight For What You Believe In!

By Hannah Gulley You have to work, Believe in yourself.

Don’t stop fighting, You will never succeed if you don’t.

Keep your friends believing, Don’t let them stop.

Live, laugh, and believe, Faith and trust are like pixie dust.

Always believe, You might doubt yourself but still have hope.

Don’t let anyone tell you no, Just believe in yourself.

If you put your mind to it, You can do it.

Don’t stop believing, Life will take you by surprise.

If you believe, You will shine Believe, just believe, Because belief is happiness and staying true to yourself.

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Hidden Treasure

By Harrison Thomson The legend, full of lies and deceit The truth is hidden like a treasure More knowledge in the one that lives on the street Less in the one that has much pleasure Working for the government may seem great With power you might not have otherwise But when you resign it might be a huge mistake They may silence you so you don’t tell their lies Your tenth may not be as great as you think If you don’t pass the test Under their control you will sink Until you go into an eternal rest Though you are told you will go learn An experimental rat you will be Greater knowledge you will not earn Never again will you be free “Accidental” deaths are for too many a fate On innocent people they will place the blame Not caring for anyone, only hate The deceitful life they live is a game.

Don’t Trust Everyone You Meet

By Henry Glover Not everyone is as they seem Yet most people are very trustworthy Others are not How do you know who to trust?

That’s a great question The answer It’s a mystery as hard as a rock It is very hard

To separate Good from bad Nice from evil An example Of this is June Iparis She was nice as a flower To Day And Day Trusted her Very very much But then June realized Day was a fugitive And she then captured He and his family That is definitely The biggest example In Legend, but There are many more In life

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Letters, Inspired by Medieval Illuminated Manuscripts Top Row: Caroline Creekmore, Feras Haque, Daijah Kelly, Drew Hess, Elliot Hess Middle Row: Truman Skrugg, Audrey Spurgeon,Topher Francis, Gracie Cutrell Bottom Row: Joe Hutchinson, Peyton Hamilton, Marah Gordon, Arsha Sirjani, Caroline James, Jasmyne Wright

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Heart and Responsibility

Don’t Judge

Stay With Your Friends

Don’t Trust Anything

By Jaden Azam Choudhury

By Jake Fowler

By Jasmyne Wright

By Jack Carson Heart is the Mountain that won’t budge.

Trust is like a Big Blanket made to share.

Heart is needed to fight an entire army by yourself.

Trust is needed to help a someone that killed family.

Heart is saving someone’s life continuously for days while on the run.

Trust is saving someone you don’t even know.

Heart is keeping your family by not letting them know of your existence.

Trust is keeping secret diary entries for someone that may never find them.

Heart is sacrificing yourself to save your brother.

Trust is sacrificing your entire reputation for a criminal.

Heart is believing in someone that ratted out you and your family.

Trust is believing that the other person can understand what to do without speech.

Heart is loving someone that tried to kill you.

Trust is loving a possible murderer and thief.

Heart is keeping your best friend and brothers location and existence a secret.

Trust is keeping feelings for someone that abandoned you.

Heart is traveling with and caring for the enemy of an entire nation.

Trust is fighting alongside a criminal against your family.

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Don’t judge people for their grades.

Don’t judge flowers for the color of their petals.

Don’t judge people for the crimes they commit.

Don’t judge houses for how big they are.

Don’t judge a person for the color of their skin for it is only the inside that matters.

Don’t judge dogs for the size of their fur.

Don’t judge people for how much they eat for they may have worked harder than you.

Don’t judge stars for how much they shine.

Don’t judge people for their favorite color because that might be for a very personal reason.

Don’t judge time for how much it ticks.

Don’t judge how much they talk because they might have had something bad happen to them or their loved ones.

Don’t judge cats for how much they purr.

Don’t judge people for how smart they are for they may have grown up with a family that is not smart.

Don’t judge minerals for their texture.

Don’t judge people for the size of their stomach for they may have a lot of stress.

Don’t judge school for how many rules it has for they are only trying to protect you.

Don’t judge people for how dirty their belongings are for they may have not been able to catch up to dusting that day.

Don’t judge pigs for how bad they smell because I don’t believe that I have ever seen body wash for pigs.

Don’t judge people for the color of their clothes for those could have been the only ones in stalk.

Don’t judge the world for your problems because it does not focus on any one person.

Don’t judge people for they could be gone like a gust in the wind…

Always stay with your friends And they will stay with you Even if they betray you They will come back to you Then things will go to normal For all of you No matter the danger Or the risk Friends stay together Even in the darkness That’s because your friend is your flashlight And can guide you through the night After the night comes the day Where everyone unites Then you fight Always with your friend at your side Because with a friend You can win Because with a friend Nothing is impossible

Trust is a power that should not be given freely, A power that is hard to fix if broken.

Don’t trust anyone you bring in, They will possibly betray you.

The person you brought in can be your best friend, Or they can turn out to be your worst enemy.

Don’t place all your trust in anything you see or hear, The appearance of it is mostly fake.

There may be truth in what you see or hear, But most of it can be lies.

Don’t trust the people around you, They can lie to you and cheat you.

Trust is earned over time and action, You shouldn’t trust someone you just met.

Don’t trust people you have known for years, They can go against you any day.

Not even your best friends can be trusted, They know all you secrets and weaknesses.

Your best friends can use your weaknesses against you, And they can exploit you and kill you emotionally.

Some people are just like Devils in disguise, They may seem like you can trust them, when you can’t.

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The Inside

By Joe Hutchinson Being on the outside is like having a blindfold on, but being on the inside is like having the eyes of an eagle.

Sometime You Got To Break The Rules

By Joey Sposito June was an officer Day was a rebel

As we live on the outside we don’t see the truth, the outside is the start of the maze in which we have to find it.

June wanted Day But Day wanted cures

Entering the maze is a hazardous thing to do, but we have a job for ourselves and that job is to find it.

June lost her brother Day lost his mother

Growing up living the life makes it hard to let go, but there is a spirit inside which makes you curious.

June didn’t know That Day knew a secret

Living the lie helps us gain courage and bravery, and that is what helps find what is hiding from us.

Something the government keeps Away from the public

Sometimes lying is the right thing to do, but the lie you are living is hurting you secretly.

Something so secret Not even June knows

The truth is satisfaction for ourselves, but maybe satisfaction for other people is to live the lie.

June was lied to Day was falsely accused

Worse part about it is the inside is where we belong, but the outside is where we want to be.

In an attempt to save him June had to to break the rules But on the other hand Day had nothing to lose

The truth is like the present you’ve always wanted, but the Lie the one you will always get.

June had a plan At the time Day had a million thoughts

Is it better to live the lie, or live your life like you have always wanted to?

June accomplished this because of her rank But when John died Day’s heart sank After they escaped June knew they could rest Day knew John’s sacrifice was for the best Now the pair will travel together Most likely for ever and ever

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Do what you think is right, Even if others don’t agree.

By Julianna Selig

Protecting others is a sign of bravery.

The love between them was enough, He broke the rules to save his family.

How could he not?

She fought with everything she had Against people who were doing wrong.

She lost everything she had, But in the end she gained a friend.

They battered her with their words.

Bystanding is not an option, take action.

Standing up for what you believe in, May be harder than you thought it would be.

Self respect can be your new friend.

You learn when you go out of your comfort zone.

You may meet Confidence.

You may meet Courage.

He stood there all alone Like a museum statue that nobody was interested in.

Extend your hand out to him, Find someone valuable.

Everyone has to make decisions, You are not the only one.

Do what you think is right.

Don’t Judge a Book by Its Cover

By Kadin Ewing You can’t judge someone by the way they look They could be good on the outside but bad on the inside People are as mysterious as the Bermuda Triangle You have to find out for yourself who they are on the inside A criminal isn’t always bad A friend isn’t always good The good-hearted criminal is hated by all For something he didn’t do While the bad-hearted friend is loved by all For framing someone else for his wrong doing You think you know your friend very well But they end up taking away a close relative The 2 people that cared for you Also cared for others around them When they find out the problem with the people around them They are shocked to see its someone so close to their job When they thought their boss cared about them Their boss became there executioner Not everyone who looks good is good Not everyone who looks bad is bad Life is a roller coaster that you can’t get off of Your going to have to ride with its ups and downs

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Sail Away

Your Head and Heart

Courage is There

By Kaitlyn Kaplan

By Katie Scott

By Lexie LeHew

Your heart and head are very important in life one tells you how to think when another tells you

Courage is like the voice that guides you, And helps you along the way

how to feel. Your thoughts are like a fire that keeps growing inside that is almost never let out.

It takes courage to stand up for what you believe in, Because if you don’t you will never find the truth

Your heart’s feelings want to be like that bucket of water ready to put out those flames.

Or you will never accomplish anything.

It’s the only way to get your dreams.

When your head tells you to not let this anger go But when your heart wants to forgive and move on

It takes courage to believe!

Courage is there when you need it.

When your head wants to think But your heart wants to feel

Don’t let others change you opinion, Because it’s yours!

When your head thinks it’s right But your heart knows your wrong

Keep moving forward, And don’t be afraid.

When your head tells you to walk away But your heart knows to stay

Remember to be brave, Because you will accomplish more

When your head thinks of what you know But your heart thinks of what you don’t know

Have strength to fight, Even if your alone

When your head says get a grip But your heart says to keep pushing on

Courage can be dangerous, And you might get hurt

When your heads thinks of what you could of done But your heart knows what you can do now

But in the end you’ll know, Whether it was right or not

When your head says to hate But your heart knows to love

Courage will grow!

Actions are like ships That sail to the destination of your choice, The decisions you make Matter a lot, Think twice before you choose to act.

And make sure it’s a fact, Don’t judge a book by its cover, It may surprise you with a quite a wonder.

Don’t make assumptions, That are false.

The consequences may dance around you, Doing a waltz, As a matter of fact Think twice before you act.

People can change if you didn’t notice, They aren’t going to always be ferocious.

Before you make an action that you fret, Think, so you won’t regret.

Actions are lions that take charge, If you don’t think they may enlarge.

They soon would cause problems, That can’t be fixed, And that is why, You should think twice before you act.

When your head keeps making the answers unclear But you heart knows how clear the answer is

Adire and Metalwork

by Harrison Fuller

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Courage in The Face of Trust

Courage to Stand Up

Be Kind to Others

Friends Always Help

By Lucy Bashara

By Mackenzie Woodson

By Malachi Love

Put kindness before yourself You should be kind to someone when they need your help

If friends help each other, They will stay together.

If you help, They can too.

They will cheer you up when blue.

When you’re in trouble They’ll get you out And if they do that You won’t pout.

You might get mad At each other But they’ll treat you like a good brother Friends are like sticky glue They stay together through and through Friends are also like Defenders They keep each other safe through benders.

They don’t persecute or judge But when you’re confronted they don’t budge They’re the friends you need most They’re the friends that are close.

By Lilly Banks Courage is the timepiece that always back tracks, Trust is the beast that will never let you down.

You’ll know when something isn’t right, Because you’ll get that feeling.

It takes courage to be different, It takes trust to see the good in others.

It’s like being with your friends, But you feel alone.

It takes courage to stop what is wrong, It takes trust to love deeply.

You’ll know when something has to be done, Because you’ll hear it in your head.

Don’t trick and deceive people Because you will lose people’s trust in the snap of a finger

It takes courage to let go of things, It takes trust to believe in yourself.

It’s like the radio being on all the time, Playing the same song over and over.

Be friendly and helpful to others Just like a mother

It takes courage to to tell the the truth, It takes trust to move on from a lie.

You’ll know when you need to stand up, Because you’ve heard people talking.

When you do something kind You feel like an eagle spreading its wings flying high

It takes courage to put others before you, It takes trust to keep secrets.

It’s like being outside and hearing the wind, You know it’s there, but you can’t see it.

When your kind to someone It feels like a new sunrise, a new day

It takes courage to let yourself fall, It takes trust to pick yourself back up.

You’ll know when nothing is the way it used to be, Because now you know what’s wrong and right,

When you trick someone into trusting you Trust is broken and it’s hard to get back

It takes courage to admit your wrong, It takes trust to keep a promise.

It’s like living your whole life normally, Only to find out it was all a lie.

It takes courage to stand alone, It takes trust to create a bond.

You’ll know when you did the right thing, Because you defended what you know.

Never trick a friend Because you will regret the choices you made when that friend is lost

It takes courage to move past regret, It takes trust to forgive.

It’s having the courage to stand up, When it’s over, you feel relieved.

It takes courage to face your fears, It takes trust to make others feel safe.

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Be kind to people you don’t even know Because you never know what they go through

Kindness means to be nice and respectful Like being a friend to a lonely soul Just remember your loved ones will always be there for you To help you and to care for you

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The Difference Between Betrayal

By Peyton Hamilton the Truth and a Lie

By Marah Gordon There is a theft and flash and a bang.

A man found dead on the floor what a shame.

A hasty and short investigation.

This suspicious man is surly to blame.

There is an odd string of deaths.

No cuts,bruises,or stabs to be seen.

A glimpse at the bodies and some quick questions to the family.

A brand new deadly disease is surly to blame.

There is a slum and a rich girl.

The rich girl thinks that boy is dirty and rugged and probably stupid.

A swift judgment and barely a word.

The fact that he is a street rat is surly to blame.

There is a street boy with many enemies who meets a new friend.

She’s almost too extraordinary to be just another random person.

A brisk chance to get to know her and some rapidly earned admiration.

The fact that the streets have made her tougher is surly to blame.

Now there is an innocent man in jail, a poisoner aloof, two best friends to never meet, and a betrayal of trust.

Because they missed a lesson that they may now never learn.

In life you have to be a detective with eyes like microscopes and ears like stethoscopes.

So evaluate your situation before you come to a conclusion.

Because the difference between the truth and a lie, is weather or not you find out.

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Betrayal what is.

Is it sweet, Is it good to do, What is it, Does it hurt you, Who does it effect, Is it like the ocean, Like how the ocean, Dances in the wind, Why do we do it, Who can we trust that does it, Does the person that does it pay a price.

Everything comes with a price.

What does it cost, Do you loose or gain something from it.

How do we know who is doing it.

How can we trust anyone, When betrayal is right in front of you.

Think for a moment, Has someone betrayed you, Have you betrayed someone else.

Trust

By Reilly Gallagher Be careful who you trust They’re not always who they seem You might think a persons nice But deep inside they’re mean Be careful who you trust They’re not always who they seem You can tell them a secret to keep And they could blabber it away Be careful who you trust They’re not always who they seem One might be acting as your friend While in reality they’re not Be careful who you trust They’re not always who they seem Your friend might tell you lies While you think it’s true Be careful who you trust They’re not always who they seem A true friend is like the wind You may not see them, but you will always feel their presence

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Grade 7

Pointillism by Ellie Smith

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As You Grow Old

By Emma Kalingking

As you grow up you can go blind or see the world in colors.

When I was 2 years old, all I saw was a person for who they were, I knew they were nice, oh of that I was sure.

I didn’t care about the shade I saw upon their skin, I still saw them as my own kin.

As you grow up you can go blind or see the world in colors.

When I was 9 years old I worried about the monsters under my bed, But it would take years to realize that the biggest monsters were in my head.

I was slowly taught that if you weren’t like me, that the adults would tear you down and make you see.

As you grow up you can go blind or see the world in colors.

When I was 13 years old I saw that people weren’t real, And adults only ever just wanted to make a bargain deal.

I saw people had a roar like a lion, But weren’t going to use it unless they were dying.

As you grow up you can go blind or see the world in colors.

When I was 17 years old I learned people don’t mean what they say, And your father meant for you to hear those words he said that day.

Relationships break when they can’t break you, But luckily in the end it’s all up to you.

46

As you grow up you can go blind or see the world in color, I’m on my death bed ready to go, I fought through society and never went blind I always said no, I look back and see I had moments of black and white, But I’ll always remember that colorful kite.

Growing Up Ain’t Easy

I defended Tom because he’s more of a man Than Bob Ewell will ever be.

You see Scout, to you and me, Skin color is no reason to judge or ban.

Innocent he was, He blamed for a crime.

Knowing who he was, Bob stood and watched.

Hatred and prejudice will never win.

Keep your heart clear And ignore what you hear.

Tough choices are where changes begin.

Denying the questions, That were asked by Atticus.

The man went to jail, Shot 18 times trying to escape.

One Shot Finch

Ewell grew hate, Trying to get back, At the people who, Did him wrong

By Gabe Rahn

By Abby McMonagle

Growing up comes with more obligations.

These are not always child’s play.

But if they were, we wouldn’t need innovations.

And we wouldn’t grow each day!

As your dad Scout, I’ve seen you grow, And transform, And confront the hard issues we adults know.

What is the new norm?

Issues like racism, Hypocrisy, Prejudice, and Bigotry.

Oh this life, it’s like a race, But it’s more of a marathon than a dash.

Scout, you might want the quick and easy answer now, But you have to learn to halt.

Know that if you’re sincere, then somehow It’ll work out without fault.

When I was a kid, I could shoot a bird.

Out of mid-air, With a single shot.

As I grew old, My eyesight grew as well.

I had a few children, At about 43 years of age.

The children grew, Growing more curious.

Asking more questions, Growing more curious.

I got an assignment, To defend a black.

Some people are against me, Some people are with me.

By my side, Stood Mr. Heck Tate.

Me defending the black, Grew some hate.

Pointillism by Caroline James

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I’ve been giving them gifts Which makes them want to see me more They’ve been waiting for eternity But yet I’m still hiding Time is a very valuable item It is something I don’t want to waste So I need to face my fear And show myself to the world I have yet to experience again

Three Children

By Kaylee Bejarano

Painting by Ava Knox

Waiting

By Ander Crenshaw

I’m running out of time They’re getting older They’re getting more curious They’re asking questions that I have yet to answer I have to show myself Be one with myself Face my fear Call upon the light And step out of the shadows They’ve been giving me entertainment Which makes me want to see them more I’ve been waiting for the right time But yet I’m still hiding 48

There once were three children, Two of them were siblings, The third one went back and forth, To Maycomb every summer, They played all day until the sun went down, Not aware of the role they played, Of giving one man entertainment, While he sat and watched them grow, The three of them grew up together, They experienced the same experiences, They went on the same adventures, And they learned the same things, They learned about racism, By watching one man’s court case, They knew that he was innocent, But learned why the jury said guilty, The three of them would be best friends, Watching the days go by, As they grew up remembering, Never forgetting their friendship.

Never Come Out

By Russell Solomon

He never came out No one ever cared No one knows if he exists No one ever wondered What he looks like For more than 30 years Boo never showed his face People sometimes tried to get a peek At a man they have never seen And never will be A shut in Who people thought died But they know he didn’t Because he was never carried out And people never will look

Welcome to America

By Skylar Anne Foster

Welcome to America, I hope you enjoy your stay, And please feel free to be yourself, As long as it’s in the correct way, Make sure to love your body, But not too much or I’ll shoot you down, I’ll bully you for smiling, And laugh when you frown, I’ll tell you that you’re worthless, That you shouldn’t make a sound, And then I’ll cry with all the others, When you’re buried in the ground, You can fall in love with anyone,

As long as they’re who I choose, You can have your own opinions, As long as they follow my views, Welcome to America, You want me to change my ways?

Come on, Now don’t be silly or I’ll throw you away.

The Story Of Tom Robinson

By Caroline James

A Maycomb County man That had a plan To help a “friend” And that was the end Dad walks in With no attractive grin Deciding to cover up the real story But it was no glory Tom soon being accused For something he did not do The trial went downhill Atticus became ill Tom had been put in jail Everything seemed like it turned out to be a fail Days had passed They did not go by fast Atticus got the news As he looked at his shoes He said Tom was dead And that was the last thread He was as brave as a lion And as calm as a mockingbird Atticus was sad But he was not mad It was just like Falling through the trapdoor of depression 49

Painting by Taylor O’Neal

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Pointillism by Bronte Unrein

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Black Bird

By Caden Obermeyer

Sizzle sizzle The cook was making chicken Bang bang The dog has awaken A tall lawyer was knocking on the door One hand in his pocket with the smell of liquor He had won many cases But this one was different You could see an African man Standing in the distance They called him a mockingbird An innocent being Who had nothing on his record Not one single thing He was being mocked and criticized For something he had not done The lawyer took him anyway Knowing he would not be the man who won

Pointillism by Gina Leanzo

Even though by the end The evidence was clear But the all white jury Would not appear Until it was dark They came back in But just as the lawyer predicted They did not win

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What Did They Ever do to Us?

By Harrison Williams

What do they do to us?

There are unfair things, That sometimes you cannot control, Like Rosa Parks sitting in the front of the bus, What did she ever do to us?

Small things, big things In this world, There is freedom, Freedom is something you have to earn, Don’t sit there and watch it burn.

You can be under all this pressure and heat, While some kids out there have nothing to eat, Life is a game, Don’t put other people under flames, Because what did they ever do to us?

Jackie Robinson, Martin Luther King Jr., Abraham Lincoln, Lincoln abolishing slavery, MLK and his bravery, What did they ever do to us?

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Growing up From Jem’s POV

By Jimmy Bugg

I always thought there was little to no evil I believed that everyone was good Except Boo Radley I believed that Boo Radley was the only evil He stayed inside all day He had hurt his parents He was the opposite of good Boo Radley was as quiet as a hermit

Innocent or Not

By Max Swartz

Innocent or not I will tell you the story of Tom Robinson, an innocent man who was convicted Atticus was the defendant that knew he wasn’t going to win, but it was predicted A girl named Mayella Ewell needed help with a small job So she asked Tom if he would fix the door knob Tom was a nice man so he did it for free But was just doing a good deed

I soon began to realize From a court case That there is a lot of evil I had walked through a door to evil And entered a new reality

Mayella would ask Tom to do something almost everyday Tom would always do what she asked even if it was out of his way Mayella had a little crush on Tom Tom knew so he just stayed calm

Where nobody is innocent Where people aren’t what they seem Where there is racism Where there is judgment Where there is criticism

When Bob Ewell, Mayella’s dad, found out Mayella knew she was going to get hurt no doubt Bob beat his own child for liking an African American male Mayella could not overpower her dad

I was no longer an innocent boy I view things differently Now that I’m grown up

Bob couldn’t take the blame So he decided to frame Guess who?

Tom Robinson, which wasn’t true

Tom had a solid alibi It didn’t matter so Tom thought he would be found guilty Tom Robinson was convicted But all knew, including Atticus, because it was predicted In this case it was a white man’s word against a black man’s word So the all white jury was blurred Tom was sent to prison and tried to hop the fence He died doing this, But what other choice did he have beside a death sentence?

You decide is Tom Robinson innocent, or not?

Give me Justice

By Ava Georgo

Give me justice When prejudice strikes.

And accuses me of something I didn’t do, knowing that it isn’t even true.

Give me justice Regardless if I am are black or white.

Justice should not be determined By the color of my skin, giving everyone a chance to win.

Give me justice and don’t judge me by my appearance, my race, or the color of my face.

Give me justice.

As Thomas Jefferson once stated, “Every man is created equal,” yet blacks are still segregated.

Give me justice.

The world is unfriendly and an ugly place set me free, regardless of my race.

The case went to court and a man named Atticus was the defendant

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Equality

Screen

By Nash Claywell

By Emily Skroch

The whole town was responsible for his death The case is simple as black and white Which gentlemen, we know is a lie A lie as black as Tom Robinson’s skin The whole truth applies to the human race But to no specific race of men You should never consume yourself with hate Never hate someone because they are different Pain makes others hurt Tom was a mockingbird Everybody had evil assumptions of you because you were different you are bad Everybody has hope that there will be equality in the world We should feel no hatred towards others People were judge for their race Others were killed for it They wear a mask that grins and inside they are dying Atticus, he was real nice Most people are When you finally see them for who they are

Painting by Emily Skrock

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Staring through a screen may seem strange to you, but not to me.

I find it makes me feel safe, staring through a screen.

It’s easier to understand what happens to the others when I don’t have to worry about the racists and the gossips.

They say I’m crazy, they say I’m a maniac.

They say I’m a monster, they say I’m a lunatic.

I really don’t care.

I’m drawn to my window, like a moth drawn to a flame.

The window just seems to call my name.

I don’t miss the outside world, but I sure love to watch it.

No one can hurt me when I’m staring through a screen.

I’m inside and dry, happy as can be.

All because I’m fine with staring through a screen.

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Someone Else’s Eyes

To Kill a Mockingbird

By Ellie Smith

By Amelia Berz

When you look into someone else’s eyes, What do you see?

You can see love, hatred, peace, sadness, or laughter, Yet, all that is there, is an eye.

You can see someone’s past, present, and future, Yet, all that is there, is an eye.

You can see their deepest darkest secrets and problems, Yet, all that is there, is an eye.

You can see what brings one joy and happiness, Yet, all that is there, is an eye.

When you look into someone else’s eyes, What do you see?

People choose to see what they wish to see.

It is impossible to see what is truly there, For you are blinded by what you think is there.

Eyes are like a clear, locked, door.

You can see right through them just like the transparent door, Yet, you are blinded by the lock.

When people look into your eyes, What do they see?

He is the mystery man Feared by most Unknown to all A personality locked in the dark Away from the public Away from the light He is the mystery man They say he creeps about at night Like a creature of the dark The children never come near his house Instead, they run past like frightened squirrels He is the mystery man The neighbors don’t stop to talk Nor do they leave gifts They just briskly walk by and try not to stare He is the mystery man Shut off from the town But he is all they ever talk about The gossips tell their friends stories And their friends pass them on He is the mystery man The parents warn their children Away from his home So the children make up stories To fill the gaps in their knowledge He is the mystery man Looking through the shutters like an owl from a tree Watching the children run by his home Seeing them frolic like deer Getting to know their personalities

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He is the mystery man Finding a knot hole in a tree And leaving them gifts Watching the children take them And run back home He is the mystery man Only until he is needed not to be He then shows his face And comes into the light And saves the children he has watched for years Finally meeting them He is the mystery man no more.

Mask Inspired by Famous Work of Art

by Russell Solomon

You Do You

By Sidney Jordan

Tomboy or lady, trying to change will make you crazy.

Wear overalls if you please, not what puts your demonic aunt at ease.

Do what you think is best, there is no need to be as fancy as a princess.

Drama will follow you around, it’s okay to stay out of town.

Who cares if they think you’re an antisocial lunatic when you know that you’re just eccentric.

Don’t conform to society if prejudice gives you anxiety.

Stick with your values, and all will turn out for you.

Most don’t like those who are strange, but secretly respect people who aren’t pressured into change.

The last thing I have to say might not be new, but you do you.

When you do what you know is right, ignore others who put up a fight.

Others will pressure you into doing wrong, you are a block of steel, immovable and strong.

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The Word of the White Woman

By AJ Galiotos

I look out the window watching and waiting I did nothing wrong Not even touching the lady Atticus tried to save me But the jury decided That a black man like me Does not deserve to be set free For the word of a white woman Overrules the word of a black man With the town watching they told the court That I was not innocent of the crime Now I await in this small cell my death I will be executed because The word of a white woman Is superior to a black man I will not go out quietly I will not let them execute me I must escape I will survive I leave my cell And run to the fence I feel a sting of a bee on my back But I must keep running I feel the same sting 16 times over Until I feel no more

Equality

To Kill a Mockingbird

By Annie Livingood

By Ashton Hall

When I see a person, I see a whole being.

When I see a racist, I see someone kneeling.

Why should we judge?

Based on the pigment of skin?

All we need is a little nudge, Toward the equality of men.

The strong and the weak Can join together.

They can make a whole, And save whoever.

Our bodies are just bodies, But, However Our brains represent power.

When I see a person, I see a mother or father Not just another The way you treat them Will determine what type of person you are Whether you’re evil or beautiful We need equality No matter how hard

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Two young men One black one white One thinks equal One thinks they are like day and night They live close to one another Both have family like the other One works hard to provide One drinks and lies One does the most a black man can One does not take advantage of his skin And he drinks and he has no job So he hunts like a bad sport you can say Because he hunts in May The black one felt sad and sorry For the white man’s’ oldest because she is so lonely Because of this she wants him to kiss her But you know that her father wouldn’t allow for her to touch him When she tries to show him love He turns-tail and runs Because of her attempts her father beats her to a pulp And makes her say “that the black man took advantage of me”

Many more times he was proven innocent But people can’t change over one small incident What sealed the case was when he says he felt sorry Because of her father and his drinking issue He started to run when he thought all was lost The cop killed him with his first shot Because he was killed with four to spare This ended the life of a fair, honest man Who did not harm, but was just there The white one died when going after the lawyers two worlds When old Boo Radley heard the screams for help He ran like the flash to protect the lawyers lass and lad As said by the sheriff, Heck Tate “Let the dead bury the dead” --Inspired by the novel, To Kill a Mockingbird

Now the court is in session And we all know who is testing Because of how everyone felt about a black man We all know who will win But the father of two steps up and proves his innocence by tossing a cup For his left hand is fractured from a cotton gin 61

The One You Never See Shoes

The darkness

Power

By Ava Knox

By Gabe Foleck

By Gina Leanzo

By Finley Connors

I am the one you never see But is always there I am the one made fun of for being lonely No one knows I am lonely by choice

In a small town in the Deep South, There lives different kinds of shoes.

You have to be careful not to label these shoes, Until you have walked around in them.

As loneliness consumes me, Darkness makes me weak, Everyone is not near, And people think I’m a freak.

I am the one you never see The one hiding in the dark But will be there for you when you need it most I am the one who sees everything Just from my downstairs window

Some of these shoes look as scary as monsters, And have been rumored to be bad.

But once you get the chance to wear them on a ponder, You will figure out they are very nice and soft and they will make you glad.

I don’t like attention, But people always ask, Where has he gone, Does he come out in a mask.

I am the one you never see Afraid of the outside world teeming with people My story is well known From being locked away as a child to living in solitude By choice, with nobody to keep me company I am the one you never see No one to call friend, no family by my side All that’s left to do now is hide I am the one you never see Nobody expects me to do anything Nobody knows what I am capable of Who knows, I could be the one to save your life.

--Inspired by the novel, To Kill a Mockingbird

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But other times these shoes that look like ghosts, End up being rough and uncomfortable.

These are the shoes you want to avoid the most.

Some of these shoes look very welcoming and nice in any weather.

People still wear these shoes, Even though the ruin your feet because they are poorly put together.

You need to stay away from these shoes.

Luckily, some shoes look really nice and crisp , And that is because they are.

These shoes are well made, And you need to cherish these shoes because not all shoes made like this This lesson will take you far.

I still want friends, So I look out the window, I see kids on the street, And I hide in the meadow, I give them gifts, I make them smile, But the darkness consumed me, So I hide for a little while.

They always come back, So I see them a lot, I finally want to come out, But I won’t, I will rot.

As I finally have courage, I finally leave, But then I get scared, Darkness consumed me.

There is nothing more dangerous than power Using it in an evil way Using it to get your way There is nothing more dangerous than power.

Using your skin color for supremacy, Or using it just to see.

There is nothing more dangerous than power.

You can wash away all the words you say, But you will eventually have to pay.

And to the person you say those awful words to, Those words hurt like fire to ice.

They burn like tears coming to your eyes.

There is nothing more dangerous than power.

Not being able to trust the next white man on the block, Ready to take his next words as a shot.

I wish we could turn back the clock and reverse the pain that was caused.

There is nothing more dangerous than power Except the truth.

But even the truth is hidden in plain sight.

What goes around comes around, If you mess with fire you get burnt.

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Nobody Really Knows Who I Am

By Ava Link

Nobody really knows who I am...

They only think they do...

My creepiness defines me to them.

I’m a very scary guy in their imaginations.

They see me as a monster.

They think I will catch them and murder them and eat them for my dinner!

What they don’t know until later, is that I am a nice man...

Not like the man they imagined.

My heart is good.

I leave little presents for Scout and Jem to show them I care.

I hardly ever leave my house...

Unless, there is a very good reason, And helping Scout and Jem is a very good reason.

My life has not been easy.

I lived with a mean, mad man, Who locked me up for being with the wrong crowd.

I was never heard from again, and Jem was right...

“There were other ways of making people into ghosts.”

I felt like I had been in my house for a thousand years, Until Jem and Scout came along.

I watched their foolish games through the window, And then one day my laughter was heard.

After that my connections with them were cut off.

The oak tree was cemented and no more gifts were left for Jem or Scout, And once again I became a ghost.

Nobody really knows who I am.

--Inspired by the novel, To Kill a Mockingbird 64

Courage

Beyond the Cover

By Bronte Unrein

By CJ Lockard

Sweat beading above a furrowed brow Strained eyes peer through a scope Targets like tiny black ants Courage Clammy hands gripping a bed sheet An emotionless face with distant, cloudy eyes Sudden shuddering, shaking, spasms Courage A clean, crisp suit, not a hair out of place Gazing at the judge through wire-rimmed glasses A new case, an innocent voice, a lost cause Courage Dirt covered fingers hover over a trigger They hesitate, stirring the dusty air A troubled mind, hardened, but still human Courage

Beauty by Emma Marin

A bird in a cage, hoping for freedom Know the odds it still throws itself against the bars Struggling to escape her captor, to break her addiction Courage People he knew all his life, grew up with, Trusted, peaceful folk he knew would turn away To take the case, or walk the simpler path Courage

Growing up, I never did as I was told.

It seemed my brother and I were two youths, among a neighborhood of old.

My brother and I bursted with energy like a full glass of water, Which made my Auntie lecture me, Saying I was a horrible daughter.

My brother and I thought Ms. Dubose had the temper of a bull, But upon her death, I found, with guilt, my heart was full.

My next surprise was not a lady, But a man whom most viewed as shady, Mr. Dolphus Raymond was his name, He had many mixed chillum, Which, to the public, was a shame.

But upon introduction, I learned quickly these were lies, I realized that he was someone whom I had no reason to despise.

For he was not a drunkard, And Ms. Dubose’s heart was not made of stone, But what shocked me the most Was that I figured all of this out on my own.

“When you know you’re licked before you begin but you begin anyway,” (pg 149).

Courage --Inspired by the novel, To Kill a Mockingbird 65

Real Courage

Equality

Where is the Battle?

Power

By Dana Connor

By Dylan Rowell

By Ellie Robertson

By Ennass Alfahd

Real courage It is not running from your fears, But standing up to them, It is not the kind you win a medal for, As painful as thorns, but as strong as the wind But the courage you show, even when no one is watching Real courage The ability to do something one fears Strength in the face of pain or grief The quality of mind or spirit, that enables a person to face difficulty The heart as a source of strenght Real courage “It is not a man with a gun in his hand It is when you know you’re licked before you begin, but you begin anyway, And you see it through no matter what You rarely win, But sometimes you do” Real courage

Before I saw the light and everything was clear it was all great I never shed a tear I didn’t see a color people were who the were it was all a blur Now in the light everything is clear people are just people no color needed some don’t accept that so they have seceded everyone is the same no gender or color we are equal thats a guarantee Be who you are Not who people want you to be

Everything in life is futile.

Everything comes to an end.

My battle was futile all because a white woman yelled, “Love me!”

Everything in life is futile.

The power in me is low, but it’s there.

I live everyday thinking I have no power, but everyone has some power in them.

Once I found mine, I used it for bad.

Everything in life is futile.

The mirror gave me my fortune From the day I was born.

My destiny was set in stone.

Everything in life is futile.

The power in me is low, but it’s there.

I used it for bad, but it felt good just knowing I had power.

I always knew that no man darker than me, had the power over me.

Everything in life is futile.

Though many tried to make me equal, I am still judged by the color of my skin.

I have my rights and so do they, But I am still treated like I am inferior.

Everything in life is futile.

Everything in life is futile.

Like a bird Flying into a hurricane, Everything in life is futile.

The power in me is low, but it’s there.

You can look at me and laugh, or think badly of me.

But I have my power, I can hurt someone you love.

The power in me is low, but I just know it’s there.

-Inspired by the novel To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee

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Mockingbirds

Through the Window

By Jessica Magee

By Josh Yates

They sing their sweet song everyday Oh so innocent

Through the window I see all I see the kids when they fall I don’t have access to the world Through the window I see all

Can’t you hear them?

Oh so sweet They are as pretty as a flower Even when they wither They’ve done nothing wrong Even when they run They sing their hearts out Waiting on us hand and foot The world is a cruel place It’s what you do to change it that matters

They think I am a monster Like the mad dog I just see injustice And society fog Through the window I see all

Can’t you see it?

Oh so kind

But when I was needed I Had not a doubt What I had seen before me Drove me out

They give you so much What have you done for them?

Evil shatters their world And leaves them to pick up the pieces People will never understand Until you stand in their shoes

It took me awhile to come out As a mockingbird I showed no doubt People are people with a clouded thought I was protected from societies fraught

Through the window I see all.

Can’t you hear their cries?

They need a miracle in this world Pointillism by Ava Georgio

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They give us everything Oh so gracious As the seasons pass The trees reach for their presence They may be remembered forever Or for minutes But when you sin It will cost them

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In Their Shoes

By Logan Gaskin

You can never know someone unless you walk in their shoes.

Behind a smiling face may be a frown.

If you may find that frown try turning it upside down.

You can never know someone unless you walk in their shoes.

I Demand to Understand

By Max Edwards

For someone to be a friend They have to be there for you until the end You’ll never know if they can Unless you take a moment to understand

You can never know someone unless you walk in their shoes.

As people walk day and night, They will only know if they are happy or have fright.

As people walk here and there, No one wants to show their feelings and share.

You can never know someone unless you walk in their shoes.

The struggles they face and what they’ve been through And the person they were before they met you

You can never know someone unless you walk in their shoes.

The whole world has a thing they’re hiding or two, But always try to seek their angle of view.

The one thing that can show you best is a mirror.

Why, a mirror is able to show your feelings clearer.

You can never know someone unless you walk in their shoes.

You need to understand why each day they wake up Before you try to understand their genetic make up

You can never know someone unless you walk in their shoes.

As some may say, do you hide feelings too?

Well, yes as I am just as human as you.

As people are beaten and misused.

You can never know someone unless you walk in their shoes.

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You need to know they emotions they feel Even if to you they seem unreal You need to see the world through their eyes To understand what in their heart lies

You need to know who they want to be And help them learn that can be a reality And if you’re in a public place And they try to wear another face Remind them of who they really are And make sure they know that they’re a star Because everyone must learn to understand For the world to stand hand in hand

Candle Light

Tom Robinson

By Riley Cunningham

By Ryan Williams

As I watched the candle’s bright light, I saw it burn down in the night.

Much the same as any mockingbird might.

Tom Robinson, for one, who is good, innocent and right As the candle slowly burns Down and down, Upon my face I wear a frown.

Thoughts of the people, We have lost through time Killed only for the sin Of having skin that is brown.

The extinguishing of the light is innocence lost.

We’ve taken away what is rightfully their’s, All the while not realizing It’s at our own cost.

There he is standing in front of the keepers of his fate He tells my testimony, but it is too late His chance had ended His life expended He made a mistake One that has consequences that he has no choice but to take This one flaw is bigger than anyone had ever seen The opposition was so very keen The hate was so thick It made those who opposed it sick Not too many people respected them But some did, including Atticus, Scout and Jem Now they lead him out His fate reveals no doubt They move him to prison He sees the gate He bursts to get away But he is gunned down to end his last day He can now see He is now eternally free As free as the mountain air

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Injustice

I Told a Lie

By Sebastian Portillo

By Taylor O’Neal

I am an innocent man With a ruined left hand Not possible of the crime Even with a working right hand

I told a lie I lost a life like the sharp cut of a knife I crossed a line He paid the price

I am an innocent man Who was just trying To assist a lady in need But then she decided to attack I tried to run away That’s when she began screaming Like a maniac

I told a lie Because of fear Now he isn’t here

I am an innocent man On trial for a crime, And I am surrounded By racism and hate

I told a lie To get by I see the error of my ways It haunts me everyday

I am an innocent man Who was given a chance By a white man He proved my innocence But all of his work Went straight into the trash can

I told a lie Because of society He could not be my priority

I am an innocent man Who deserved to live But died trying to escape I am an innocent man Who hopes there will be a day For my children to see Racism and hatred Finally go away

I told a lie They all believed No one even bothered to grieve

I told a lie On a whim Now the circumstances are grim I told a lie It was wrong Now I have to be strong I told a lie I have to pay Forever my friend in a day

Collage by Sydney Jordan

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It’s a Sin I Kill a Mockingbird

By Thomas Walden

It’s a sin to kill a mockingbird Like an innocent man in jail Waiting, and thinking about his innocence Was accused of crime and serves an amount of time No good person should serve It’s a sin to kill a mockingbird Like a spider on your floor Not doing any harm but awaits it’s death Crawling along, then swatted with a shoe Its a sin to kill a mockingbird Like a dog in a shelter Abused and uncared for, but locked in a cage Restless and only wants to be set free It’s a sin to kill a mockingbird For a mockingbird brings only joy, Singing beautiful melodies for all to hear High up in a leafy tree, watching you, watching me In all its beauty, it harms nothing Asks for nothing in return, but to live its life unharmed And as a wise man once said “Kill all the blue jays you want, but never kill a mockingbird” --Inspired by the novel, To Kill a Mockingbird

Look and Realize

By Veronica Gross

You don’t understand until you take a new perspective, and consider what they’re going through.

One day they questioned me.

So I told them these sacred words “Stand in their shoes,” “See if you can understand.”

I didn’t know if they truly understood until that fateful night the old porch floorboards groaned she realized what he had felt she understood my words.

Now the message must be spread in order to avoid ‘the usual disease’ And the prejudice, the hatred, the hostility, will meet its awaited demise.

When we take a new perspective and consider what they’re going through, The world comes together in realization.

And the realization can free you like a soaring bird it can give you knowledge or wisdom But too often it hurts like a stinging pain.

Collage by Dana Conner

--Inspired by the novel, To Kill a Mockingbird

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Grade 8 Toucan by River Smith

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77

The Ground You Walk On

By River Smith

I am the ground You walk on me Tearing my blades of grass, Talk about my dirt and weed, Rip and dig and break me down To get the perfect land.

Yet I hold you up and Make you stand straight and tall You break my surface To see what’s deep beneath me.

In search of something greater.

In search to see more than just dirt and grass.

And what you seek is more than what you think.

You find more than just gold And diamonds, You find more than just Minerals and rocks.

You find a place to live and grow.

You find a place to read and write.

You find art and wisdom In various shapes and sizes.

You find so much more than you can think to seek.

You find inspiration and clarity, And you find peace and war.

I restrain the harmony and destruction In your world You treat me like simple ground you walk on.

But I am so much more than what you think I am.

I am the ground and I control the world around you.

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The Power of Chicken

Ocean

By Abe Musselmani

By Madalina Siliano

It was a warm sunny day It was a great day to play But then rain came And I shook my head in dismay Rain rain go away Come back another day The dark mood made me cry And crying makes me hungry So I go to KFC Chicken always cheers me up Once I got my chicken I take a nice fat juicy piece Taking a large bite Nice and crispy The rain just suddenly goes away People a lot of times underestimate chicken But really it is a magical creature That can change someone’s life Into a happy day

I am an ocean My tides rise and fall depending on the time of day.

People look at me in disgust, or as if I am the most beautiful thing they’ve ever seen.

I house monsters in me, they bite and hurt.

People’s voices are drowned out by my waves, No one can hear them.

If I get angry, people leave, They are scared.

People leave their trash all around me, Contaminate me.

The sky and I reflect each other, My only true friend.

I’m cold. I’m numb.

I’m also hot, boiling hot.

My sand burns your calloused feet I freeze you up, you shiver so much.

Oh, The Irony

By Jesse Mirman

(Tumbleweeds are a well known and popular symbol for the unknown and lonely, therefore contradicting itself) I finally felt free.

Free to wander Free to drift.

It felt nice, The breeze, As I drifted like a tumbleweed.

As I ventured Deeper and deeper Into the empty space,

I became restless.

I didn’t know my way home, So put my trust in the wind and drifted.

I had been out there a while A couple months.

Completely and utterly Alone.

I feel so frail Like I could break at any minute.

I hear the vultures’ cry as they circle me Like a pack of wolves approaching its’ prey.

But still, I drift.

Away from the vultures, I sit and observe.

I observe the minuscule world in which the ants live.

They are happy.

Their world may be unnoticed by many, But it is everything to them.

As I pursue my path to nowhere I remember that initial rush of freedom.

Oh, how I missed it.

Now I feel nothing.

Feelings are temporary.

Maybe what I thought I desired all of those years, Is not what I desire at all.

Beware.

If you run away In search of who you really are, You will find yourself, And it may not be what you were looking for.

My only true friend.

I’m cold. I’m numb.

I’m also hot, boiling hot.

My sand burns your calloused feet I freeze you up, you shiver so much.

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Choosing the Choice That Must be Made

By Marlin Adams

Death and life can sometimes be a very thin line Having someone else’s life in their hands and there’s in mine It might not always come to that but history is not on anyone’s side So the choice you make, you may find yourself on a ride A ride which was caused by your actions, that can be too much for you to handle But in the moment it was quick, like blowing out a candle For the act of revenge a bomb was dropped without a second thought The bomb was dropped because of a battle we’ve already fought People died in that time, people we loved So dropping the bomb more than twice it was thought of The bomb hit the ground and let out a crying scream that could drive one insane But it couldn’t compare to the amount of hurt that would come later, all that pain History is filled with many examples like this Where someone else held someone else’s life in hands Sometimes people cause the suffering other times we end it But is it really our call Just because you think something is better for someone doesn’t mean you know better

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Life always has ups and downs But most of the time we will be safe and sound But what happens if we’re not In life you are hurt but the wound will clot And sometimes things will hit you Like a gunshot

Dusk till Dawn Sunrise till Sunset

By Michael Harvey

Every morning I rise from my rest Welcoming the days for a new quest.

Each morning I rise seeing old and new things, Cherishing the thoughts that this wonderful world brings.

As the world rotates I share my shine Showing new faces and people the right line.

As I fall, I come down Bringing darkness all throughout towns But my closest friend, the moon Puts an end to this negative platoon.

To prevent corruption and madness He glows brightly lighting up the canvas.

The luminosity of the moon gives Them hope in their dreams and ideas; Throwing out the old and the new ones, To come up with more inspirational ones.

The Forest of Green

Dreams

By Jon Krueger

By Monroe Forehand

Two men in a forest of green, One man sharp, the other man lean.

One was smart; you will come to see, The other was not, it was a duo meant to be.

Always in trouble, moving from town to town, And returning at night for a place to lie down.

They dreamed a dream, while they played in the sand They would have their own place, and live off the “Fat of the land” The duo moved to a ranch, to look for better pay They would work in the field, from day to day.

They needed each other, like bread and butter, They couldn’t live without the other There was a town girl living on the farm, She was no good, and meant only harm.

She got close to one, “to play a game” But poor Lennie soon found, he was to be framed, Her neck was snapped, and her body flinched, The girl’s husband wanted Lennie lynched.

The two men ran back, to the forest of green, For the ending of Lennie was unfortunately for seen.

The end was tragic, yet not a single scream, And the trigger was pulled, while living the dream.

Some dreams are good And some are filled with sorrow Some come true And some wait till tomorrow I have them both And both can be good But best ones are the things that I should do They give me visions of good and bad And some make me feel very sad But some are good And some are great One time I had one about people who take Things from other without asking But then they were stopped by the good people These dreams tell me what to do They know what’s good and what is bad But most of all they always make me think twice

When he runs out of time we swap roles.

I become the leader and he becomes the reader.

We both write the tale and we both read the tale.

Whether we are known as dusk and dawn The sun and the moon I know that together We can change the tune.

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Lies

By Perry McKay

Friends are fickle They are the strings that tie us together And the knives that tear us apart We can be so alike and so different at the same time Love and hate Light and dark Moon and sun So close but so far away To trust a “friend” is a gamble They can betray you Or not Like a snake in the grass Not knowing when they will strike Not knowing what they will say Not knowing who they will tell They hold the power to kill Or not

Friend or Foe

By Brandon Pettrey

Friend or foe how would you know?

Friends are the ones we trust Friends are the ones we love Fiends are the ones who will free our shoulders from the dust Friends are the ones who protect us like a glove Friends are the amp to the guitar The drum sticks to the drum The wheels to the car But be careful some friends aren’t what you think They just want to take everything that you can give 82

Don’t be friends with these people, they really stink All the desire you have to live They act like they are your friend Until they realize you don’t have much Then your friendship will come to a dead end They will shoot you in the back of the head Make you feel like you are nothing but a potato sack They will fill your shoes with lead They will stab you in the back Most friends are good But you got to be careful for those who are bad So take off your hood And meet some of those great people who are good

Stubborn Ivy

By Sylvia Mack

I am ivy on an old brick house.

I’m stubborn, clingy, and hard to get rid of.

You try and get rid of me but I’ll never quite be gone.

Some may describe my attitude as poisonous, Like the ivy that’ll infect you for weeks.

But, I’m not always poisonous.

Maybe a nuisance, but if you let me stay I’ll never leave.

I’ll be loyal staying there and hardly leaving.

I seem to insert myself everywhere On the bricks, on the windows, on the trees.

If you don’t want me around I can’t take a hint, Try weed killer or maybe ripping me out.

Although I can be poisonous or a nuisance, You might eventually look back at how I changed your life.

I made the house look regal and historic, I made the trees covered with some color in the winter.

You see, I’m always here trying to be loyal, Trying to be there despite my poisonous attitude Or stubbornness.

And I’ll always try to fix or help something for good or bad.

You Gotta Trim The Flowers

By Victoria Jones

You gotta do what you gotta do, You sometimes have to put a pet down.

Or trim the flowers in the winter, You hate to see their beauty go, But you gotta do what you gotta do.

You might need to walk away from someone you love.

You gotta do what you gotta do, To keep yourself first in your heart.

To keep yourself to your standards.

Maybe you have to move from your family, To reach a goal for yourself This world will throw stuff at you, You have to be ready to throw back.

You might do things that people aren’t happy with Maybe they end up being bad decisions, But you gotta do what you gotta do.

You gotta make really hard decisions Think them over, plan it out.

Maybe even sometimes you gotta shoot your best friend.

Lennie, I am so sorry I betrayed you So Sorry.

The Mice Of The Men

By Ashley Stack

W henever the men go out we get left behind.

E veryone calls us hopeless, weak, and useless.

A nyone you talk to will tell you that we aren’t tough.

R eality sets in and we see the truth; E ven though we work with the strong guys, we ourselves are weak.

T rying to fit in is hard.

H ealthy men work in the fields while we work in the dorms.

E ven though we sweep the dirt and dust the shelves, we aren’t doing anything useful.

M aybe we should stay behind the scenes and stay unseen.

I t’s like we are considered mice and they are the men; C areful and skilled, while we are small and weak.

E very day we hear the words, “What’s a guy like you doin’ here anyways?”

O f course, mice are just rodents; F orever hidden behind the walls.

T oday just might be the day.

H appy as ever, we walk up to the guys and ask them if we could have jobs like them.

E veryone laughed; even the mice between the walls.

M aybe we were dreaming of something that we knew we can never have, E veryday, wanting nothing more than just a bit of respect.

N ow we know that we are the mice of the men...

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When I leave

By Victoria Hargrove

When I Leave Where will I be?

Will I be on the streets Or will I be opening my new house with a shiny new key Will I be gloomy and looking for work Or will I just be sitting in dusty dirt What will my future bring Will it bring good things Will it bring me to meet my king Who knows where I’ll be going Who knows what I will be showing Will I succeed in life Or will everything go back to just being alright Will I have a good education So I can make a great representation Will I try my best Or will I just be lazy and rest Will my mom and dad be with me Because when I leave I won’t be back till Christmas Eve

Realizing Everything is a Reality

By Bren Coakley

POP! My life has begun.

Everything is so easy.

Wait maybe it’s not.

Being fed by my mom and changed by my dad, Life is good!

Wait I’m changing?

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I’m getting stronger?

I’m getting taller and wider?

All of the sudden I’m talking??

How does this happen?

How am I changing?

Pre-K Middle school High school COLLEGE??

Living by myself ?

Providing for myself ?

All I want is to be a child again.

Mom? Dad? Where did they all go?

Life is so...

Friendship

By Will Frankenberry

Friendship, It can create a second family, One of choice not obligation.

Friendship, Caring for someone like a brother, Putting the other before yourself.

Friendship, Protecting one another from trouble, Taking risks for each other.

Friendship, Sometimes doing something you hate, Just to keep the other safe from harm.

Friendship, Where true friends stay together, No matter what.

Friendship, Where both friends need each other equally, And find it hard to live without each other.

Friendship, Never abandoning each other, Ever.

Ketchup

By Kai Bartol

We got each other We’re two best friends We show real emotions and we don’t pretend We got each other Two peas in a pod Those other guys don’t know what we’ve got We got each other We ain’t lonely They respect us Even if it’s not mandatory We got each other Our friendship is strong We’re all running around Singing our song We got each other We’re what we’ve got This kind of friendship Can’t be taught We got each other Why can’t they see I wouldn’t harm you And you wouldn’t harm me.

What People Always Say

By Antonio Gao

People always say, If you love something Let it go However, they Have never seen the face of letting something go The face of fear It brings tears to your eyes with every decision you make You want to run away Your heart feels like it’s about to shatter into a million pieces You can’t think about letting the thing you love go The fighting spirit in you fights But sadly it loses out to the beast that is your fear Your spirit is the gentle gazelle while your fear is the tiger, waiting to strike When fear does strike, it strikes hard You feel heavy from the sadness You wish it hurts less But you know you’re a mess You go and lay down in sorrow You cry for days and nights hoping this was all just some terrible dream There’s one thing though One thing people will regret if they don’t do And that’s letting them go when they needed to be let go

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Our Last Adventure

By Coral Bowman

Oh, the adventures we’ve gone on, Oh, the people we’ve seen.

It’s been wonderful.

And I’ve been lucky enough, To experience it all, With you.

Although we’ve passed now, Our footprints still lay there, On the path through the willows and among the sycamores, On the path of our last adventure.

An adventure so great, The stars above looked down, And smiled.

They smiled for you and your heart of gold.

I’m sorry, I’m so, so sorry, But I suppose it had to end sometime.

But don’t worry!

We’ll have plenty more time, For more adventures, And we can finally be together, It may seem harsh, To do this to myself, But really, It’s just because I want to be with you.

Because after all this time, I still remember you.

I mean, how could I forget?

You were my laugh, my love, my everything.

But don’t you worry, Because we’re going to be together once more.

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At the end of this sentence, We will be together, Again.

All Alone

By Sam Janovitz

In the corner In the dark With no one to talk to Well, no one wanting to talk to you Day by day Night by night Spending every waking minute Wishing for a friend You grow older Wondering what it is, The thing that makes you different You look outside Into the light Everyone else has their own someone else Someone else they can call their own You turn around to the corner And wait for someone of your own.

With no one to talk to In the corner In the dark All alone.

The Pain of a Tree

Ugly Soul

By Dylan McCavitt

By Binal Patel

I am a tree to put this simply I bend but don’t break And I try not to serve me I serve all the others Even if it hurts me I’ll give them everything I have And when it’s all gone I’d do it again I hurt myself for others it’s just who I am Why, you ask?

Well to put this quite simply, I hurt myself for others because no one else can

Just a Dream

By Joey McDaniel

I dream that I hadn’t moved From Mississippi to Rhode Island to Florida to Tennessee to California To Virginia and multiple counties But it was just a dream I dreamed that I hadn’t moved away from the people I was close to.

I dreamed that I didn’t have To make new friends Everywhere I go I dreamed that I didn’t have to try And impress people to earn their friendship I dreamed that I didn’t have To go to new schools Every time I move I dreamed that I didn’t have to meet New teachers hoping That they don’t think badly of me And know that I try hard in my work I dreamed that I could just stay in one place But it was all just a dream

A thin Brown haired Brown eyed guy With a tightly wound head of curls Will always try to be the pearl A big ego is what he’s got Always trying to prove his thought To beat him, you got to take a shot But you don’t have a chance Cause he’s Curley Cowardice is what he’s full of Picking on Older men Taller men Stronger men An unfair fight Meanness is what he is all about Bullying people lower than his level Making them feel Unwanted He may look good on the outside But really has a pretty ugly Heartless Soul.

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All The Good Ones Go

One

Two to One

In Their Shoes

By John Livingood

By Archana Menawat

By Evelyn Marie Gardner

By Tabitha Thornton

All the good ones leave Contrary to what people believe They come and they go Like rain and like snow Their intentions are great We love them, no debate But when you look to and fro You can clearly see all the good ones go Their hope is like rain, falling from the sky They put you on wings, making you fly Their love comes swiftly, never too late They let you in their arms, opening their gates Yet fate knocks them down row by row For everyone assumes, all the good ones go Now the world is dark, you won’t hear a sound No good ones are left, not in cities, not in towns They leave to heaven, Angels welcoming them in But the world is left alone, full of sin The world is cold, but it still has a spark But that is put out and it’s back to the dark You can search for them, high and low But everyone knows all the good ones go.

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There’s always one.

One who is left out, One who cannot talk, One who can’t leave.

There’s always one.

One who always bleeds, One who can’t pick the weeds, One who is honored, One who is ignored.

There’s always one.

One pair can never broken, In both life and death.

One pair is of man and dog, That lives in regret.

One pair is of legal bonds, Who are always looking for each other.

There’s always one.

One ranch holds all the lonely, One club holds all the wealthy.

One gun holds regret, One gun holds separation.

There’s always one.

Two Never alone Like the moon and stars Seen together And their light shines bright The light, though, can drip It can drip down like blood from a wound With the blood The joy Goes away And the sky is darker Darker than before Only together will they shine the brightest If one realizes That they need the other source of light Blood may drip down again And forever more The waning and waxing moon Together with the zodiac constellations Will be together As one

You think you know, know what someone’s going through, but do you really?

Because they could be missing, or lonely, and walking around with a huge burden on their back, but you think they’re fine, or okay, but are they really?

Just always remember, to put yourself in their shoes, and walk around a little.

Because everyone is different, and you will never truly know how another person’s shoes Will fit on You.

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Two Pieces of A Puzzle

By Skylar Tessler

What makes a dream a dream?

The smile you get when you sleep The feeling you get of the warm fuzzy bed The thought that a day wasted, is actually well spent Or is it the vision you see?

To be the only one to view it, to lose it, to dream It seems real, Tastes real, looks real, smells real But what you reach for You get the feeling of air But you couldn’t care Cause it’s a dream But when your dream goes away And the blackness stays A nightmare is coming your way What makes a nightmare a nightmare?

The clench of your eyes The terror in your grasp Overall passing of black Your worst fears run by One, two, then three Taken over, frozen still And when it’s over it’s over You can’t control your will And when you wake up it’s a relief So you can go back to your dream But then you realize you’re awake Fully awake, with the eyes of the world in your face Then you look back and think to your dream And then you dread looking into your nightmare And see similarities of both in the air 90

You realize the world is both, a mix match, evenly put To drive you to your goals, or make you stay put.

Nightmares hold you back cause sometimes it’s not your time Dreams push you forward so you can fly high Both work like two pieces of a puzzle But too much or too little, Can befuddle So next time take a pinch or two And you’ll have the perfect brew.

It can be hard to do the right thing In a world where the nice guy doesn’t always come up on top You might succumb to revenge, anger, and cruelty In a world with media filled with tragedy Where you have to think like a lion to survive “You hadda George, I swear you hadda” And you can’t be consumed by regret I’m sorry Lennie But doing the right thing is always the hardest I know you probably don’t believe me now but always remember In life and in death I have you and you have me

JUST DO IT

By Logan Mercedes White

I once had a dream within a dream I was taught a lesson that night My teacher was my grandmother The one I never met who died before my birth I once had dream within a dream She held my hand and told me that the world is harsh She said that someone is constantly waiting to see me fall I once had dream within a dream There was a pause And within that pause I looked into her eyes Her eyes looked at me like they were looking into my soul like tiny microscopes

By Emily Scott

You were always told To always be kind To always help others To always listen To always be polite But it’s not always that easy

I once had a dream within a dream She showed me all the things that I had dreamt of She told me that was possible I once had a dream within a dream She told me the three rules about dreams One, never give up on them Two, if you can dream it, then it’s possible And three, dreams are roadmaps to your future

“You hadda George, I swear you hadda” Words echoing in my head It’s hard to be kind when others are mean It’s hard to help others if they aren’t willing to help you It’s hard to listen when you don’t believe what you are hearing It’s hard to be polite in a world of rude people

I once had a dream within a dream And with that she gave me a kiss on the check Tears were running down because I knew she was about to leave She tapped my heart and said I’m always in there She flapped her wings and flew into the light I woke up

“You hadda George, I swear you hadda” I begin to wonder if I did have to In a world of death, hunger, and war

The Truth About Dreams

Name Sculpture by Rachel Cooke

I once had a dream within a dream 91

Masks Inspired by Famous Works of Art (mix of Seventh and Eighth Graders) Top Row: Perry McKay, Max Swartz, Coral Bowman, Raymond Tahhan Middle Row: Skylar Tessler, Chapman Holt, Brooke Rogers, Archana Menawat Bottoem Row: Jimmy Bugg, Monroe Forehand, Evelyn Gardner, Jaden Bullock

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Don’t Let The Distance Slow You Down

The moon only comes out when you dare, but that means it’s just a dream.

We always ask ourselves what does it mean?

By Isaiah Boyd

Everyone has a dream.

Because when we have no purpose, we dream.

They all sound too good to be true, because it all begins with you.

We all worship the moon.

Don’t let the distance slow you down You need to focus The distance is long, the distance is great The miles are long, no more mistake The people will judge, they may hound you You may feel sluggish, with all the voices around you But don’t let it slow you down Be excited and energetic You will feel good when you succeed Don’t let the haters lead You into a trap Or you might get slapped from your dream It might feel like it will take 1000 years Your objective is like your dream you just have to believe You can succeed Just don’t fail Focus on your dream Don’t let the distance slow you down.

The Moon Shines Brighter than the Sun

By Alex Thibodeau

The American Dream, what does it mean?

Is it even reality?

To some it is real, others press no deal.

The sun shines bright on their hearts, like a glare from a pane of glass.

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If the moon is out, your dream is a reality, so make it happen.

Because the moon only talks when it is happy.

And the wolf only howls at night.

Even when the sun comes out, it doesn’t mean that our dream is done, because the moon will come again.

The Ride Home

By Tyler Huckaby

On the way home you see many things People, buildings, grass, and the list goes on.

But what you don’t see are their dreams, They are all different, But still the same.

Most just come and go like the ocean tides, Others just stay.

Some are fiction and others are real, But everyone has a different dream.

The one that stays could be called the American dream Everyone has one, But some haven’t realized it yet.

Just live life as you would, Because it is too short to waste.

If it is simple or complex,

Just do your best to get there.

Don’t forget that people have feelings, So choose your words wisely If asking about someone’s dream.

Life is too short to waste, So live it how you want and let your dreams become a reality.

The Dream Was Just a Dream

By Elliot Baccanari

People are special People are great They dream of love They dream of hate People have many dreams Of blue skies And swift streams It’s time for you to rise The hardest part It’s time to start Get ready for the new day When works is done Get out of the sun Resume your dream As you ranchers never teem Break is done Go back into the sun Till night falls Or when dinner calls

Count some sheep Ranching ain’t cheap Go to your bed Or sleep in the shed It’s time to rise Awake and you’d be wise I will hit you with a beam The dream is just a dream

Still Water

By Peter Francis

I am a lake Cool and calm I move with the gentle breeze People swim in me But I don’t mind People boat and fish But I don’t mind And then it happens The gentle breeze turns into wind And the wind turns into a storm I try to stay calm I try to stay still But the storm is too much I stop resisting and unleash My small ripples turn to waves And the waves turn to tsunamis People get hurt The ones playing must flee The storm persists until it is over I simmer down after the storm People wait before coming near me A lake can only take so much

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In and Out

By Anna Flynn

She is never fully here She is always in and out She is always thinking about her dreams And how to figure them out She thinks and thinks While looking upon a star Then thinks are her dreams really all that far?

She searches and searches For ways to make her dreams to come true But she always returns blue Once she started to figure it out Everything changed And the world turned upside down The world told her to “figure it out” So she flipped her world back around Her dreams were laying right there to be found Because the world was good to her She is no longer in and out

I say I’ll do better but I can’t seem to change Sometimes I feel as if we’re in the shooting range For there is no absolute or definite in this world There is only hope and faith To me the world is early and I am late But as someone wise once said You cannot change who you are, only hope to get better Here I stand next to my friend Even though I have nothing to lend Why is he even a friend?

I am the only one who depends 5,000 miles I would walk To let my friend live his dream In a straight and easy path like a beam Our loyalty may never die “Cause I got you and you got me and that’s why”

Where Dreams Go The Bird That Never Flew

By Kendall Harper

My friend I follow My leadership I swallow A bunny I pet Ketchup I get My loyalty has made a dent To me he is more than a friend, and the relationship cannot be bent I cannot deny To him I’m like a bothersome fly Like a rose to perfume the additional scent is not needed 96

By Joshua Reed

It’s happened before, this must be understood The happenings that happen, that aren’t too good A man is judged By size and strength But not of heart Because the bigger he is The harder he falls Such was the tale of Lennie Smalls.

He had a friend named George Which was key you see, Because sometimes a friend is all you need Sadly in the end he was the one to do the deed They both had a dream

In their eyes was a gleam For they had it planned They were “gonna live off the fat of the land” But Lennie made a mistake And got put to the stake Because plans go awry Avert your eyes to the sky Because that’s where dreams go after they die

If One Goes We All Go

By Emmett Jefferson

Life is a struggle I have no family, cause I killed my only friend I now live on the ranch With Slim, Curley, Carlson and Crooks Sadly candy died a few months later It’s so sad on the ranch now mostly everyone dead It was a tragic day That day in the shed Where Lennie killed Curley’s Wife Then he ran off to the shrub Where I later killed him That was a sad day That was a terrible day I think I can’t live

By Your Side

By Annabeth Cary

Til’ the end of time, I’ll be by your side.

If we’re separated by distance, We’ll be connected by the winding path in between.

I’ll never leave you stranded with no hope, “Why? Because… because I got you to look after me, And you got me to look after you, and that’s why.”

My faith in you will never end, And that is why you’re my closest friend.

Life isn’t about what you have, It’s about staying true to your heart And loving the people in it.

The true loyalty of friendship is Something you earn, Someone’s trust in you is an action you Need to return.

Appreciate your friends, and expect no less, Because the bond between souls is Completely priceless.

In loving memory George Click click bang As I take my last breathe

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Have Fun While You Still Can

Catching a Ride on the Train

By Jake Reaghard

By Raymond Tahhan

Being taken care of and not a worry in the world Those are the best moments of life No stress, no work, just sleep and eat But that all ends at some point You start doing things on your own You start meeting new people and going to school You’re scared about losing friends But still no stress and little work Changes are starting to be made to you You are stressed out and start worrying You are scared about a lot of potential things that can happen It’s hard to get a grip on life You forget your childhood like people forget their dreams You are almost taking care of yourself at this point You worry about being different but it’s ok to be unique You are the goldfish in the pond full of koi

The odd thing is Sleeping makes me feel more alive than being awake The roaring silence Nothing to think or worry about As dreams come and go Like a train stops and leaves But dreams don’t make me feel alive The silence and the darkness do As people I thought loved me Walk by without batting an eye As two doors slowly close Everything seems so focused Sometimes I wish I didn’t wake up The sunny, happy, world, seems to buzz by It feels unreal As sleep dawns upon different people Different things happen Some fight it off Others let it be But for me I say goodbye to the smiling blue skies And catch a ride on the train

Dreams

By Spencer King

A dream is but a crazy thing It’s drives men crazy from its ring It makes them quit something good When stay with it Is what they should.

With the thought of many dreams overcomes that many with greed.

And with the blinded vision produced by their dreams Portray their life as if They are trapped under beams.

But with the power of a rope they can end their sorrow and be where they’ve hoped. for those few men in their darkest hour They are so engulfed in their dreams to even cower.

But when they take their final breath When they bask at the thought of death paradise is what they see where dreams become reality and reality becomes dreams

Dreams Don’t Always Work Out

By Jaden Bullock

Darling had one dream That is to make the game winning shot Later in life Darling went to sleep And his dream went like this: Darling was at half court He saw the score board Coach looked at him And said run more He had been preparing for this all season Every time coach said to He complained with no rhyme or reason We believed in him And he believed in himself So he said out loud it’s my moment We knew he is going to own it He shoots and it hit rim, then the floor Coach said “Darling run some more” Darling was about to Then he hit the door Thinking to himself “dream don’t always work out”

Childhood was fun but it’s all over now Life starts taking over and you are on your own It’s life, you can’t run away from it, you just have to embrace it Live like you will die tomorrow and don’t let life take control of you

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Hope’s Image

By Austin Doyle

Is Hope wild or caged?

Is Hope happy or is it sad?

Is Hope a leader or is it a follower?

No, Hope is what you assume it to be Hope is determined by what you think it is Hope is something that you can see Hope is not something that you can just become Hope is something that takes dedication Hope is like a moment, were everything is still Only in a dream does the moment appear Hope is supposed to inspire people Make them believe for the best and not the worst Obstacles will sometimes purposely try to block you But you can get past them if you have Hope Hope is something that you can see Hope is not something that you can just become Hope is a power that guides you Hope may get up and run away But it is up to your perseverance to find it

Dreams Aren’t Reality

By Jonathan Peck

A dream is a figure of imagination You can dream you’re a leader of a great nation You can dream in the day or at night You can dream you’re in a hockey fight When you wake up you come to see 100

That you don’t have to pay the doctor fee You wipe your brow for relief That you still have all your teeth You wake up in the middle of the night and scream Then sigh that it’s just a dream You get scared from the nightmare Then thank god you still have all your hair You can have a good or bad dream One makes you smile, one makes you scream You crawl into bed with mom and dad Because of the dream that made you sad You keep a journal of all your dreams The other kids see it and make fun of it because they are mean You have a nightmare about your fatality But then you realize that dreams aren’t reality

Friendship

By Jordan Familant

It comes in different forms It can be strong Like a tree That plants its feet deep in the ground It can be weak Like a little flower That’s struggling to carry the others weight However it can have its highs Like completing a task together Or just dreaming big And hoping it will all come together All friendships have lows Like failing a task Or forgetting that big dream But at least you both want this together As best friends forever

Always and Forever

By Emily Hastings

You and me Me and you Never known as individuals, Always together Always and forever.

We are never apart, Because then Our worlds Would fall apart.

I can’t remember A time when you Weren’t There For me, Because I have You And you have Me. We will Always Be together Always And forever

A Leaf in the Wind

By Andrew Hair

I am a leaf, Floating in the wind I could be floating high Or on the ground Floating through the city, Or in the forest I don’t know where I’m going, Or where I’ll end up next

But the one thing I do know, I’ll never stop I’ll always be going somewhere I don’t know where, And I don’t care I’ll just go where the wind takes me And never stop If I ever do stop somewhere I will try my best to return to the air As long as I am moving forward Through ups and downs, high and low As long as I am moving with the flow

Fading Away

By Brooke Rogers

Over time, Dreams can fade away.

Dreaming of a safe haven, then, dead.

The dream was real, until death took over and it ran away.

A dream is simply a dream, nothing more.

For children, dreams are surreal and they get lost between dreams and reality.

For adults, dreams are just a distraction, a distraction from reality and the border between them is clear.

As the mind grows, dreams fade.

Dreams are like sand.

You need to hold on tight before it slips through your fingers.

Grain by grain it falls.

Falls and fades away.

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She Dreamed

Her dream would never again be a reality.

By Rachel Cooke

She dreamed of the sound of the powerful waves crashing against the sodden ocean shore.

She dreamed of the feel of the coarse sand migrating between her toes with every step.

She dreamed of the smell of the salty ocean air blowing and tickling her nose.

She dreamed of the taste of the sacchariferous mint chocolate chip ice cream after she swirled it around with her spoon, melting it to the perfect, mildly thawed consistency.

She dreamed of the sight of the boy’s captivating blue eyes contrasting consummately against the warm summer sunset.

She dreamed of the time when home was not a place, but on the contrary, a person.

She dreamed of the twinkling stars dancing in the night’s sky, leaving a cloak of sparkling light over the whole town.

The Horizon

By Nolwen André

Sitting out by the window looking over the horizon.

Trees, streams, and dreams all before you.

Looking, but never reaching.

Looking, looking, looking, whatever you try, there’s a pane of glass in front.

You stand there helpless, looking over the horizon.

Trees, streams and dreams all before you yet no hope to break that window.

The horizon awaits, the trees and streams start to fade, only leaving the dreams in the shade, the shade of the window frame.

Desperately, you attempt to shatter the window.

Suddenly, a crack!

You push and push and push, and the window shatters.

Looking over the horizon, no trees, no streams, only dreams all before you.

Looking, looking, looking, and finally reaching.

The horizon awaits.

Oh Deer!

Good Friends

By Olivia Petty

By Ella Bashara

I am a deer, caught in the headlights, Not sure how to react to anything.

Not knowing whether I should be shocked, or confused, or scared, or all of them together.

I absolutely hate being put on the spot.

When I’m in this situation, I can’t help but look afraid.

But I’m not afraid, I don’t know what I feel.

I stand there, looking at the car in front of me, Knowing that I need to make a decision.

If I move I’ll be okay, but if I don’t I won’t be.

Everything depends on my decisions, I know I need to make good ones.

Not for anyone else, but for myself.

Therefore I need to move out of the way, In order to move on.

A few miles of Soledad Two friends walk a path A path beaten hard by boys coming down from the ranches Like horses they ran.

Two friends fled a town called Weed Because one friend committed a crime Friends always have each other’s backs So George covered, for Lenny, As they ran from their hometown.

Let’s have different color rabbits George, Lenny begged one afternoon Whatever you want said George Causes friends like to make each other happy too.

Like a parrot who learned to say but one word, Lenny repeated his request to George.

Until one day when George finally made it so that Lenny got his colored rabbits George shot Lenny And Lenny didn’t even know it But he got his colored rabbits Because friends keep promises to other friends No matter what it takes.

George had saved Lenny Yet again And Lenny didn’t even known it Because good friends do the right thing Even when times are hard.

Suddenly, the girl woke up.

A smile was beautifully crafted across her tanned face, until she looked around her and realized; 102

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Clay Masks

by Chas LeHew, Will Frankenberry, and Elizabeth Hughes Name Sculpture by Ella Bashara

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You’re Gonna Be Okay

By Hailey Hux

It’s hard to lose someone you love, It puts you into a depression that is hard to be talked out of.

People try to brighten up your day, Saying little things like, “You’re going to be okay.”

They don’t understand the frustration and stress, All the guilt that’s put on you and having a heavy feeling in my chest.

Some days just wanting to explode, With so many emotions and hate trying to be controlled.

You don’t know how lucky you are to have someone, until they are gone, And when all you have left is memories of the times you had fun, all of these fun times are gone.

Happy times, sad times, these never matter as long as they’re memories.

Saint Jude’s Blue Cheaters

By Mary Pembroke Kahler

She’s smart and she’s quick I love her to bits She loves biking and gardening Natures her friend But she’s strong And she’s happy Her dad’s name is Pappy I love her I hate her But she couldn’t be greater She’s funny when she’s drunk She’s got that 80s spunk Her heart is made of gold And her hands are always cold But she’s got things under control She’s always thinking ahead She really wants a shed Snoopy was her first crush She’s always feeling rushed Even though she’s really loud I’m still really proud Of my blue cheater wearing, Always caring, Yes ma’am-ing, Overbearing, Twin of a Momma

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Who Am I

By Zack Stack

My name...

I don’t know but I do know that..

I love rabbits I like Dogs, birds too I really love soft things Some think I’m weird Some think I’m nice Sometimes we move Sometimes we work on ranches I like our new job I like our new coworkers I think I know...

I know who I am I am ME I am Lennie.

Collage by Josh Reed

Empty Machines

By Inma Marin

Tell me, I said.

“Tell me ‘bout the other guys an’ about us.”

Tell me ‘bout the dreams that we both see, And how I lay at night and smile, ‘Bout what our lives could be.

“Tell me ‘bout us now,” “Tell me how it’s gonna be.”

“Tell me ‘bout the rabbits,” And how our faces will be full of glee, As we finally are calm and carefree.

Tell me how our days will be filled with joy, When I’m no longer just a poor boy.

Who lives in fear of sadness and discontent,

Like a man when all of his hope has been spent.

Tell me as I look off into the future, As our trust and bonds grow looser.

For the man who I have trusted most, I now stare down on as a ghost.

For he has killed not only my hopes and my dreams, But he has become one of those empty machines.

Who live just to be alive, With no other reason to survive.

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A Visit

By Chapman Holt

“I should visit her” An old man thinks to himself He hasn’t seen his wife in months He gets in his car He looks on a small note That tells him where to go “1. The flower shop” He starts driving to get flowers Once he gets flowers And a card He looks at his note “2. The cemetery” He starts to drive For hours it seems Finally he pulls up in his car He starts to walk over He kneels down And starts to weep As he sets the flowers and the card down On top of his wife’s gravestone

The Monster Inside

By Elizabeth Hughes

I can’t do it anymore.

I’m going to kill myself.

Something is inside me.

Making me do insane things.

It is making me choke myself.

Almost to death.

But it wants to have some fun and torture me.

It made me eat a spider.

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A poisonous one.

But I didn’t die because it fed on the spider.

It made me cut myself.

Until I was so deep I could touch my bones with the knife.

Blood was everywhere.

I passed out.

And finally, worst of all, it made me a killer.

It made me kill my friends.

I slit their stomachs.

I pulled their intestines out.

And I ate them.

Or rather it did.

Whatever it is.

A demon?

I don’t know.

But whatever it is.

I can’t do it anymore.

I can’t live this way.

This isn’t even living.

I am being controlled.

I have no soul.

Living this way is like you are being stabbed in the heart ten times repeatedly.

It is absolutely terrifying.

I don’t know what’s going to happen next.

I have to end it.

I have to end this...this monster.

Or it will be the end of me.

First Place in the Elie Wiesel Junior Mulitmedia Poetry Division

You Are Enough

By Jesse Mirman

It’s not what you do It’s why you do it.

Because courage is not the absence of fear, But the ability to move beyond fear.

No one is born courageous, Everyone has been left in the dark, But when you’re alone in the dark is when you have time to think.

Think about the world, and everything that you’d like to change about it Because stars cannot shine without darkness.

Irene Gut Opdyke once said “I knew it was a drop in the ocean, but I could not do nothing” She shows that even the smallest action can become so much more.

A small act of kindness may not change the world instantly, But it will change somebody’s world.

Years of love have been forgotten In the hatred of a minute Because of differences that no one can control, But without differences no one would even dream about changing the world.

Everything seems to be connected somehow, Things get around quickly.

This is why a single person can change the world.

Nothing can replace the feeling I got when I helped someone who I don’t know at all.

I helped them out of a situation where they felt stranded and helpless I even gained a new friend.

Never let anyone hold you back.

If someone calls you crazy, say thank you “Because the people crazy enough to think that they can change the world, are the ones who do.”

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Sweet Dreams

Deadaway

By Emily McDaniel

By Tyler Hamlin

He’s everywhere. Behind you, in front of you, you’ll never know. Once He’s seen you, no matter how fast you run or how well you hide, He will always be there. I used to think He was a myth, a funny one as a matter of fact. But that was until I saw Him. I knew He saw me. It was around dinner time.

I went to go take my dog on a walk and she wouldn’t stop barking into the woods. After looking for several minutes, I saw Him. A tall slender figure. One thing I couldn’t see was His face, but as He got closer, I realized He didn’t have one. I froze. I couldn’t speak or move. I wanted to, but I couldn’t.

He kept coming closer and closer. I stood there hopeless. Cali kept whimpering, and a small ringing came to my ears. I ran as fast as I could back to my house, slamming the door and locking it. I went to bed frightened, not knowing what was going to happen to me. It was around twelve, and I woke up to the ringing. When I sat up, He was there, staring at me at the end of my bed. He started scratching me, then ripping at my flesh. He threw me onto the floor, and I lay in a puddle of blood. He grasped his hands around my neck and I started to hear the ringing. I shot up out of bed, sweating, my hands grasping my neck. The ringing still didn’t leave and Cali was whimpering. Just like they said, He’s your worst nightmare.

June 23, 2015 It was a bright sunny day, a perfect day in fact. So I did what any boat owner would do, go for a ride.

I packed my provisions which included a paddle, a few water bottles, my favorite boaters knife and this voice recorder. I was headed on a straight path to an island off the coast of Honolulu, but when nearing the island I spotted a figure on the shore and all of a sudden it got stormy and huge swells started to form right in front of me. I went below deck to get a life vest and a rain poncho but got something much different, my boats anchor to the head. When I woke up I was on top for what was left of my boat and to my astonishment, learned I was beached on an island not even on the map. I decided to make a little shelter out of the rest of my boat and lots of leaves to wait out the night.

June 24, 2015 Surrounding my island I’ve counted at least five million sharks as I built a raft. On the other side of my island I’ve spotted some sort of wreck so I decided to go search it. It was a good thing I did because I found a bottle of water and a flare gun. Then the temperature dropped to almost freezing point so I ran back to camp and tried to start a fire. When I finally got a spark and some smoke I turned to celebrate and some creature or animal ran by and blew it out. I couldn’t sleep that night knowing that there was something else on the island with me.

June 25, 2015 I decided to go back to the wreck in the morning today while it was still cool and I found a lighter.

That made making fires so much easier so I ran back to camp and made a fire with my lighter. I tried my flare gun later that night but of course it didn’t work because it was broken beyond repair and I had no flares. I also finished my shelter with a few of my friends Nutty, Fruity, and Roxie I put my cozy little fire in front and then cooked a few crabs. They tasted like a nice long cool drink of water after running for a few hours. Then I spotted the creature in front of me, it was huge with bloody fangs, claws like the blades of a katana running right at me I quickly grabbed for my knife and.....

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Alone in the Dark

By Dylan Pausch

He ran down the lightless tunnel, not looking back. Hunger gnawed at his belly like a thousand angry serpents, yet he still went on. He came to a place where the path split and instinctively went left. The tunnel divided again, and again, and again until he had entered a labyrinth of rock. Behind him, he heard a distant screech, bouncing off the cavern walls. Just like two days ago, when monsters stayed under the bed. He hurried on.

Midway through the cavern, he heard the sound of claws on rock Click---click---click---click The monster was further down the labyrinth, coming closer Click-click---click-click---click-click It knew where he was Click-click-click-click-click-click It was running now. He looked around to try to spot the monster ClickclickclickclickclickclickclackThe footsteps had stopped. The creature had stopped. He took a step forward And ducked just as a white blur sailed over his head, hissing, off into the cave He continued through the caves He wondered if anyone was still alive. Surely not everyone had perished in the initial attack, when the seam they were following broke through into a cave that had been sealed off for generations. When the first of the ghouls attacked When a ghoul killed someone, however, it didn’t take them out of the fight. The body fell, but the soul was dragged down into the darkness, and clothed with new flesh. And fangs. And claws. And then they came again, to rend and tear what were once their friends. As he runs through the tunnels, he trips on something. He turned back, and realized he’d found the body of Daniel Cooper. He smiled, remembering the gruff old miner. He was one of the first through the gap, to face the monsters. He smiled and bent down, his claws clicking on the stone floor as he took a bite out of his own corpse.

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Collage by Peter Francis

Collage by Anna Flynn

Thank you!