Poetry & Music Project Book 23/24

Opera Omaha’s Poetry & Music Project is produced in partnership with:

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Supported by:

POETRY & MUSIC PROJECT

Now in its 7th year, the Poetry & Music Project connects student writers and their words with composers to create original scores and explore the connections between poetry and music.

In Fall 2023, Opera Omaha and the Nebraska Writers Collective invited students from Nebraska and Iowa to submit works of poetry on the theme “Discovery” focusing on the subthemes Examining Growth, Uncovering Art, Pinpointing Place, Exploring Relationships, and Finding Yourself. Throughout the fall over 470 elementary, middle, and high school students took part in NWC led Poetry & Music writing workshops focused on helping students to add musicality to their poetry.

Opera Omaha received 103 poem submissions from student poets at 45 schools in 12 counties across Nebraska and Iowa. This book includes every poem submitted to the project. The poets ranged from second graders to high school seniors, including first time poets and seasoned writers.

While there were many outstanding poems submitted to the project, in the end, project composers Amber Vistein and Sidney Marquez Boquiren selected 13 poems that inspired them and took to the task of setting these poems to original music. In Spring 2024, poets and composers along with project pianist, Opera Omaha Head of Music Josh Quinn, and Opera Omaha singers gathered for workshops to collaborate on the original pieces of music. These workshops were a magnificent inspiration for the composers and singers as they heard the students read the poems in their own voice for the first time. The students participated in the collaborative process of molding the pieces into their final form through thoughtful questions and energetic responses. These pieces premiered with a concert on April 6th, 2024, at the Omaha Conservatory of Music and via livestream. Recordings of each song are available on Opera Omaha’s website.

The book represents a nearly nine month-long labor of love with countless hours of work put in by students, educators, composers, singers, pianist, and staff from Opera Omaha and the Nebraska Writers Collective.

Opera Omaha’s Poetry & Music Project is produced in continued partnership with Nebraska Writers Collective and The American Opera Project.

This project is supported by Humanities Nebraska, Nebraska Arts Council and The Nebraska Cultural Endowment.

Contents

PAGE POEMS SELECTED TO BE SET TO MUSIC

10. “I Am A Weird Kid” by Thaddeus Horner, Hayward Elementary

10. “Finding My Story” by Emelia Howell, Inicio Academy (Homeschool)

11. “Friends” by Sylvia Kastl, Sacred Heart Elementary

12. “Laika” by Ava Larson Gallegos, Brownell Talbot

13. “A Rainy Day… Time Flies…” by Marty Minor, Lewis and Clark Middle School

14. “The Sun” by Evie Nelson, Gretna High School

15. “From Darkness To Light” by Stephany Orellana-Gomez, Benson High School

16. “A Tale of Introversion” by Norah Purcell, Central High School

17. “3-1=2” by Keelynn Reese, Titan Hill Intermediate School

17. “It Is What It Is” by Jackson Rios, Sacred Heart Elementary

18. “US” by River Sirek, Sacred Heart Elementary

18. “Don't Grow Up” by Zehla Sobansky, Kiewit Middle School

19. “Home” by Annabelle Wilson, St. Patrick School

ALL POEM SUBMISSIONS

20. “Exploring Relationships” by Braxton Anderson, Callaway Public Schools

21. “Who am I?” by Gracelynn Arbaugh, Homeschool

21. “My Family” by Summer Archer, Hayward Elementary

22. “Remember the Music” by Evelyn Ash, Sacred Heart Elementary

23. "The Years I've Grown" by Kameron Azima, Elkhorn North Ridge Middle School

24. “Untitled” by Ashlyn Bae, Elkhorn North Ridge Middle School

25. “It’s All Fine After All” by Michael Baranovskiy, Papillion Middle School

26. “Library” by Dahlia Barnes, Lewis and Clark Middle School

27. “The Darkness” by Samuel Baumert, Norfolk Catholic Elementary

28. “My Life: What Am I, What Am I, Where Am I” by Talia Bender, Logan Fontenelle Middle School

29. “Something Beautiful” by Hayden Blaney, Marian High School

29. “The Tallest Person” by Brennan Callen, Hayward Elementary

30. “Untitled” by Landen Carey, Callaway Public Schools

31. “When I Learned How to Backflip” by Carter Chaney, Hayward Elementary

31. “Unearthing” by Reeya Chundury, Brownell Talbot

32. “The Electrifying Discovery” by Rishi Chundury, Brownell Talbot

33. “From the Girl” by Ashly Denney, Callaway Public Schools

33. “Go,Go,Go” by Mateo Dominguez, Hayward Elementary

34. “I’ve Been on a Journey” by Julie Ewing, Lewis and Clark Middle School

35. “The Alone Girl” by Ivanna Felix Hincapie, Hayward Elementary

35. “The Fire” by Natalie Felix Hincapie, Hayward Elementary

36. “Silent Words” by Maren Ferguson, Springfield Platteview High School

37. “I Like Volleyball” by Journey Gillespie, Hayward Elementary

37. “My Four-Wheeler” by Jacob Griepenstroh, Hayward Elementary

38. “On The Farm” by Jaxon Guthrie, Callaway Public Schools

39. “Pollination” by Keely Halm, Sagewood Elementary

39. “The Memory” by Aspen Hansen, Homeschooled

40. “Find Yourself” by Caitlyn Hartzell, Sacred Heart Elementary

40. “Finding yourself” by Noah Hiatt, Callaway Public Schools

41. “The Seed” by Izzy Hoyt, Mt. View Elementary

41. “I Care About My Parents” by Sofia Jacinto, Hayward Elementary

42. “Old Farm House In The Middle Of Nowhere” by Shaun Johnson, Callaway Public Schools

43. “Under the Autumn Tree” by Tiersa Johnson, Callaway Public Schools

44. “Volleyball” by Harper Jones, Hayward Elementary

44. “Memories” by Alley Jorgenson, Callaway Public Schools

45. “Finding Love” by Zoey Koeller, Papillion Middle School

45. “Thanksgiving Dinner” by Lily Kraft, Hayward Elementary

46. “Things You Don't Need” by Lily Kreifels, Hayward Elementary

46. “The Faces of the Moon” by Evelyn Junod, Papillion Middle School

47. “Who am I?” by Payten Krueger, Christ Lutheran School

48. “Harmonic Views” by Lillee Lambert, Liberty Middle School

48. “Born on Christmas Eve” by Wesley Lant, Hayward Elementary

49. “A million words” by Lucie Lautenschlager, Palmer Public School

49. “My Caring Family” by Everlie L'Heureux, Hayward Elementary

50. “How I find myself fishing” by Ben Linden, Callaway Public Schools

50. “Time is Love” by Evelyn Long, Brownell Talbot

51. “Small Towns” by Ryan Lords, Callaway Public Schools

52. “Song of my Future” by Tallulah Luettger, Robin Mickel Middle School

53. “Kids Like Me” by Gabriella Marchio, Logan Fontanelle Middle School

54. “Flexible” by Estel Mayer, Hayward Elementary

55. “In Every Scene: The Tassel” by Alizabeth McDermott, Holdrege High School

56. “A love letter to Every (Beautiful) Human on this (Dirty) Planet” by Mary McGill, Central High School

57. “Remorseful Wisdom” by Lily Moghadam, Homeschool

57. “The Walk” by Harlow Molck, Hayward Elementary

58. “Questions” by Rylann Nakai, Logan Fontenelle Middle School

59. “Marriage Story” by Ziana Neal, Benson High School

60. “Soccer” by Ian Neumeister, Hayward Elementary

60. “Flaming fireworks” by Nova Nickinovich, Dundee Elementary

61. “Canada Dreams” by Oskar Nickinovich, Dundee Elementary

62. “Watch Me Fly” by Katelyn Omer, Millard North High School

63. “You Should Know By Now” by Maggie O'Neal, Moore Middle School

64. “Growth” by Charli Pandorf, Callaway Public Schools

64. “What Makes Me Sing” by Peyton Pein, Hayward Elementary

65. “Metamorphosis” by Jay Peters, Omaha South High

65. “7:30 a.m.” by Meadow Rodriguez, Hayward Elementary

66. “My Cat Tigger” by Willow Ryan, Hayward Elementary

66. “Dad's Race” by Kristlee Schebaum, Hayward Elementary

66. “Life is Joy” by Elise Schmidt, Homeschool

67. “I Won Fifteen Football Awards” by Timothy Shaw, Hayward Elementary

67. “Things That Make Me Special” by Torerik Shipley, Hayward Elementary

67. “Discovery” by Megyn Smith Elkhorn Northridge Middle School

68. “Chuck Wiggins” by Charlotte Sonntag, Logan Fontenelle Middle School

69. “I Don’t Know How To Admit This” by Arpita Srivastava, Millard North Middle School

70. “The pringles can” by Hannah Stacy, Bennington Middle School

71. “Me and My Mom Are Twins” by Kynzleigh Stradley, Hayward Elementary

71. “Friend Sharer” by Stella Stroup, Titan Hill Intermediate School

72. “Grandpas Pasture” by Addison Stump, Callaway Public Schools

73. “The Day I Played” by Brixton Tachovsky, Hayward Elementary

73. “Wind, Water, Fire!” by Lydia Taylor, Logan Fontenelle Middle School

74. “Tumbling Is Fun” by Layla Thomas, Hayward Elementary

74. “The Beach” by Maria Valquier, Hayward Elementary

75. “Caroline” by Caroline Walter, Hayward Elementary

75. “Flower” by Ella Walts, Papillion Middle School

76. “All-State” by Navaeh Welch, Hayward Elementary

76. “The Mom Cop” by Aubriee Werner, Hayward Elementary

77. “Nature” by Taytum Wiese, Callaway Public Schools

78. “Found” by Olivia Williams, Lewis and Clark Middle School

79. “I Live On A farm” by Jackson Wissler, Hayward Elementary

79. “Find yourself” by Andrea Zimmerman, La Vista Middle School

I Am A Weird Kid

By Thaddues Horner

I Am A Weird Kid

So what! People think that. I am a Weird Kid. I don’t think that.

I am a special kid. You are special too, I am a good kid You are good too.

Finding My Story

By Emelia Howell

When the clock starts to tick, As the music starts to fade, I dance through the world’s mysterious masquerade.

Can I find the meaning before my time is done? Can I write my story before the drowning of the sun?

Will the pages turn as they’re meant to be?

Or will I simply look and never see?

Days will fly, and time will pass. The words of the wise will never last.

When the story ends, I’ll find a home, Among the clouds, Where my dreams can roam.

Friends

By Sylvia Kastl

I have no friends.

I am new at my school. Everyone bullies me.

Another new kid came to school. She was quiet and doesn’t have any friends either.

I want to talk to her, but what if she rejects me?

I don’t have the courage to ask her.

One day, the teacher put the class into groups. The quiet kid was partnered with me.

We talked and we figured out that we have a lot in common. I asked if she wanted to be my friend and she said yes! Now I’m not bored at recess because I have a friend.

Laika

By Ava Larson Gallegos

Tell me, my brave cosmonaut, Taken from the streets, Now groomed and loved and caged. When hatch was closed and Final kiss placed on nose, Did your heart race as gravity disengaged?

What did you see in 3 hours of orbit?

Did the clouds turn to rabbits to chase? Or oceans turn to water bowls?

Or was the beauty too much to absorb it?

You saw cosmic sunrise, One first final time, Tell me, was there beauty

As you begin to fade away?

Or tell me, fearless Laika, Is home from your eyes now just A ball for which you cannot play?

A Rainy Day… Time Flies

By Marty Minor

They say Raindrops,

Are the tears of angels, And then I say: What could the rain be for?

A loss? Could be, Death? Maybe,

Are there a million reasons? Certainly. I lay in my bed,

Staring into the window: Wondering…

With so much curiosity…

As this day flies into the next one, In my heart I knew, What the tears were for… How fast… time flies.

The Sun

By Evie Nelson

The day the moon met the sun, they created dawn and dusk, They left the world to stare in awe at the beauty of the two, The colours painting a canvas of scattered hopes and dreams, Leaving all of those who can see, Reach for the beams,

I looked in awe at your rays, Leaving the room bright, Taking all the pain away,

I look at you, the sun, like everyone else, In awe at the happiness you bring, But I look within myself,

Not the outer shell that screams happiness and goodwill, But the inner shell that screams for help and suffers, My inner shell that I had sworn so long ago that I would never let anyone see,

Until the sun held me in its beams, Until the sun held me and told me it was okay, Until the sun gave light to me, The darkside of the moon,

And, hopefully, the sun will never leave, For me, and for you

From Darkness to Light

By Stephany Alejandra Orellana Gomez

I have been here and there, Places I try but can’t forget.

Through pain, I learned what is unfair, My life is etched with decisions I regret.

It’s not easy to talk about the past. No, because what I remember is overwhelming. Every sunset is painted with memories that last. For long years, with empty eyes, just feeling.

I didn’t realize I was trapped,

With dreams and faith, innocence unshook. I always knew that something lacked. To stay, many prayers it took.

Many people here think they know me, That what they do will hurt my heart.

They don’t understand I’m a freedom’s devotee, And that in Jesus’ mercy I had my start.

I still ask myself, why I suffered?

But something is real, today I’m stronger. Even raining, this world is colored. And every day, there’s more to discover.

A Tale of Introversion

By Norah Purcell

You laughed

Does that mean What I think it does?

Do you find me funny? Interesting? Worthy?

With every shared smile

Each mirrored reaction A stone falls

You self assurance And appreciation of my presence Plants a tiny seed

Tender roots

Watered by your kindness Reach further

Ever growing and spreading

Ever widening the cracks In my pathetic tower of fear

Growing Reaching Flourishing

Until one day, I will find

That in the place of my fortress Stands a forest

3-1=2

By Keelynn Reese

You can find friends that are jerks

I have gone through

That

Bickering

Back and forth

Back and forth

It is you

Not me

She shouted

Mhh sure

Other shouts

Blame is thrown

Ah

Ahh

Ahhhhhhhh

I explode of anger

3-1=2

It Is What It Is

By Jackson Rios

I’ve grown, I’ve changed, I’ve learned, I’ve loved, I’ve hoped, I’ve needed, I’ve discovered all the things I needed to know who I am, how I am, what I am.

By River Sirek

When I found her, I was happy. I was full. She finished my story. We were happy. And till this day we are happy.

Don’t Grow Up

By Zehla Sobansky

When people think of growing up, they think of your body changing

The one thing that people don’t mention, is that your soul changes in a way

Your once effervescent feelings change

They are replaced with dull, dreary emotions

The kind of emotions that make you wonder if you are going insane

That child like euphoria is gone

And you are sure it is never coming back

But the one thing you are sure is here to stay is this feeling of despondency, This feeling that you can’t seem to shake,

No matter how hard you try

And unlike when you were little, now you see everything for how it actually is

The people around you aren’t ethereal,

They are more like monsters,

And it seems like these monsters are trying to suffocate you with their words

They keep talking and talking until you can’t breath

And you are just there wishing you could go back to your idyllic childhood

All of these things make us feel like we are going insane,

And then we see all of these little kids,

Longing to grow older,

To be just like us

And we want to tell them all of the awful things that come with growing up, All of the reasons why we want to be little again

We want to tell them to not grow up, And to stay little forever

Home

By Annabelle Wilson

A place where you can always go

A place you can love and know

A place where you won’t be judged

A place where you can relax and unplug

A place where you fit in

A place where everyone is the same but different

A place where you’ll be loved

A place full of laughter and hugs

A place that makes you feel safe and cozy

A place where no one’s nosey

This is a home to me

But this place only exists in my dreams

Exploring Relationships

By Braxton Anderson

Twenty-twenty one

Was the year my heart was broke As my grandpa died

But I was not sad Matter of fact, I was glad Because he was home

As God took him home My world shattered to pieces Because he was gone

Thought that he was gone I was dead wrong about that He still visits me

Some nights, in my dreams

He is there watching over As I sleep soundly

I can feel him near When I’m working on his Jeep And when I’m hunting

His presence comforts

Gentle, like a summer breeze I can feel him here

Right beside my chair

As I am writing this thought Watching, lovingly

So as it may seem My grandfather is deceased I can still feel him

Who am I?

By Gracelynn Arbaugh

Who am I?

Am I the me my friends see?

Or am I the one when I’m all alone?

When am I my true self?

Am I ever really me?

Or just what others want to see?

Who am I really?

Who do I want to be?

My Family

By Summer Archer

I have a big family

My Dad has lots of sisters, like me. My family is very nice, I have uncles, grandmas, all nice.

Remember the Music

By Evelyn Ash

Music is my life

Music is my song

It calms me down

It pulls me back together

It brings people closer

It brings me happiness

And sometimes tears

Even through the sadness I can be happy

Because I will always remember the music

Music is loud, music is soft

Music is proud, music is humble

Music is low

Music is high

It is happy

It is sad

Music is many things

So there are many ways to remember it.

The Years I’ve Grown

By Kameron Azima

A lad of eleven summers, once so small and meek, Has grown in stature, strength, and wit, oh so sleek! His eyes that once were bright, now shine like stars in night, And his heart, full of hope, beats with courage and light.

He walks with grace, his steps sure and steady, His laughter echoes loud, his spirit free and ready. His mind is curious, always seeking to learn, And his kindness, pure and true, forever does concern.

In the fields he runs, with joyful delight, Chasing butterflies, dancing in the sunlight. With friends by his side, he plays without fear, Together they dream, their hearts filled with cheer.

Years have passed, and yet he remains, A constant wonder, a shining ray of sunshine and gleam. For though he’s grown, his innocence stays, A precious gift, a treasure to behold and praise.

Untitled

By Ashlyn Bae

It might have taken years of time

A war, festered for far too long

But it’ll be alright

For I’ve finally figured who I am out Finally found a place to call mine

Where the blinds are always open, The curtains askew,

And I can see exactly who I am

Every day

Look out the window and see my reflection My hopes that may or mayhaps

Not

Come true

Where I can hear the morning birds

Swoon and call and coo, uncouth but happily to and fro

Where I can reach outside

And see the cars

That know exactly where They are supposed to go

Where I can see my future unfold

Untethered to that of any others’

Free from a view

That isn’t mine

Where I know

What I see

Is exactly what I want for me

(maybe)

War no more, strife all gone

Sunlight filling the absent space

Free

It’s All Fine After All

By Michael Baranovskiy

I know a dandy place

I know it’s mine

I visit it often

It’s a small garden where it is

It’s a place that’s mine

It won’t stop growing til’ I stop

In it there’s flowers and weeds

I cherish the blooming flowers

Flowers of memories of good and harmony

And tried to resist the weeds

The knowledge of doom and misery

But you know what?

Even if my garden gets all tangled and ugly

All mushy and overgrown

If I got the flowers

The smell of fresh rain showers and delight

It’s all fine

Through the droughts and floods

It’s all fine

Through the twists and turns

It’s all fine

Through the ages and dazing

It’s all fine

Because

I know a fine place

I know it’s mine

It’s a fine land I’ll visit and learn to love

And I know that

‘Cause it’s all fine

‘Cause it’s all mine

Library

By Dahlia Barnes

Shelf to shelf

Aisle to aisle

After what seems like a long while

I stop and look at the towering books

I wonder which one shall I have took

My gaze races over the colors of the spines

And all the titles look like blurs of lines

My pupils stop and rest on one on the side

It was a book not thin nor wide

It looked like the falling of snow in winter

But it sung like the glow of flowers in spring

Dust covered it like a blanket

But the art depicted something as beautiful as a banquet

It gave me inspiration like nothing before

And in that moment as I flipped through the pages, I didn’t want anything more

The paragraphs where as deep as the ocean, creatures swimming all around

But it was as peaceful as space, as in that moment there was not a single sound

In that moment nothing matered but the stories lore

But I realized this was my story to write

It was like being in a dark tunnel and seeing the light

I can write my own story, I thought

This was the moment for years I have sought

Everything my choice, I can pave my own path

I can be a doctor, an artist, or a musician, following the notes on the staff

No one could tell me to erase my words or rip out a page

For this is my life, and no one except me should engage

A spark in my mind, something of its own kind

I remember all the other books, the titles underlined

Even if they didn’t appeal to me, this moment of inspiration might have been sparked for others by those books

I feel sorry that when searching those titles were overlooked

Those paragraphs or poemsHave only been given a drop of attention

Meanwhile the people the books were made for are left in suspension

They wait for that same spark of inspiration

But in this very moment I think, “finally,”

I’ve found my story in the library

The Darkness

By Samuel Baumert

Venturing out into the darkness

Down into the night

“Don’t go far,” he says, “The lantern isn’t bright”

Out into the forest

Up on top the mountain

Darkness is mysterious

No one knows the darkness

But one day I will

Venture into the darkness

And darkness will come to me

And I will lose all hope to live

I will truly know

Where the darkness lies

And then I will explore

And truly know the darkness

Not afraid anymore

MY LIFE

WHAT AM I, WHAT AM I, WHERE AM I

By Talia Bender

There is this one life that I own and this other life that I don’t own. Who are you?

I get that for a lot of people, who am I?

What am I, a human or a robot?

I cry myself to sleep trying to make my life better.

I need someone’s help.

I don’t know if I belong in this world.

Where are you?

Where am I?

We are lost in the world, my world, your world, our world. Who am I?

Let’s talk about who I am.

My life is hard and so is yours.

I’m in middle school, one of the hardest of your life.

All the thoughts that I keep repeating and repeating my life my life my life. Life gets faster every day, No time to think, no time to play. Hurry, chaos, lots of stress; Tension leads to.

When will all this madness cease?

Where is free time?

Where is peace?

I’m running, till I drop.

Give me buttons:

Pause

Mute STOP

Some thoughts came across in my mind then my pen start writing wanna wing my heart out to the wide open spaces wanna sing my tears out to me continue sea wanna sing my vision to the sky-night mountains

I wanna sing my song to the tree. wanna stay happy like this forever

Then suddenly some thoughts came across in my mind

The bitter sweet memories

I don’t know what to do.

Who am I ?

What am I?

Where am I?

Something Beautiful

By Hayden Blaney

I built up stone walls

So they won’t fall

Or bend or break no matter how you bang on them

I shut out the world

To avoid the hurt

But it didn’t work I only hurt myself

I lost too many fights

I lost too many nights

Of sleep because I over thought it all

I thought I was done

The broken one

But you pulled me out of my own wreck I caused

But your tore down my defenses

Made me vulnerable

And I was scared of not feeling

As invincible

But you held my hand

Led me through the dark

Somehow you mended this broken heart

And because of you I see the start

Of something beautiful

The Tallest Person

By Brennan Callen

Only six percent of kids are taller than me, I just grew like a flea, I was four feet tall at the doctor, And then I went home to play soccer.

Untitled

By Landen Carey

In the heart of the town, a sanctuary awaits, Where knowledge and stories intertwine, sealing fates. The library stands tall, a beacon of light, Inviting all seekers to explore, day or night.

Step inside, and the scent of books fills the air, Whispering tales of adventure, love, and despair. Shelves upon shelves, a labyrinth of dreams, Each book is a portal to infinite worlds it seems.

In the children’s corner, laughter dances and gleams, As young minds embark on imaginative schemes. Picture books and fairy tales, a world of delight, Igniting young hearts, sparking their inner light.

The fiction section beckons, with tales untold, Mysteries, romances, and sagas unfold. Lost in the pages, readers find solace and escape, Characters become friends, their stories take shape.

History whispers from the non-fiction rows, Unveiling the past, its triumphs and woes. Biographies and memoirs, a glimpse into lives, Inspiring and humbling, as time survives.

The reference section, a treasure trove of facts, Encyclopedias and atlases, knowledge intact. Seekers of wisdom, with questions in their eyes, Find answers and insights, as their curiosity flies.

In cozy nooks and reading chairs, minds wander free, Imagination soars, like birds on a jubilant spree. The library, a haven for the curious and wise, A place where ideas bloom, where intellect thrives.

So, let us celebrate this sacred space, Where minds are nourished, and souls find grace. The library, a sanctuary, a half-page of bliss, A testament to the power of words, a cherished abyss.

When I Learned How To Backflip

By Carter Chaney

One Day I went outside, And I saw the slide, And I saw the trampoline, I did a backflip and landed on the spring.

Unearthing

By Reeya Chundury

The world is a park with endless trails And one day we’ll share the many tales

Of how we adventured on through And discovered something new

There’s so much that one can do But so, little you’ll ever come through

You may think life’s too short to try everything But it’s long enough to try more than one thing

So, experience the beauty of life

And don’t think about your afterlife

Yes, one day everyone will die But there’s so much time before you say bye

Life’s about more than your pleasures

It’s about exploring the world’s treasures

And once the time comes for you to leave They’ll be nothing left for you to perceive

The Electrifying Discovery

By Rishi Chundury

The sudden bright blue light

The blue light took flight

And zipped around the vast room

The blue light cackled with a boom

The scientist was ecstatic

The blue light was erratic

The light was a brilliant blue

Like an electric eel

Electric…….

That’s it!

His invention would be called electricity

From the Girl

By Ashly Denney

From the girl who wanted to be a princess but who turned into a hunter.

From the girl who loved to act all pretty and to sing and dance and shine, to the girl who loves to read and write and sit amongst the stars.

From the girl who loved her old, two story house, to the girl who loves her new country home. From the girl who was born in the fire, and came out hot and bright.

From the girl who was made by her Savior, who loves her with all His might. This is her story that was made out of love and pain and blood, sweat, and tears. This is who she is; a girl who has a family made up of more than flesh and blood. This is the girl who is more loyal than a dog, who is more trustworthy than a lock and a key. This is the girl who will fight to the end, and this is her story.

Go,Go,Go

By Mateo Dominguez

I was somebody who never stopped. I could go and I hopped. I was always one who was good. I was always someone that could.

I’ve Been on a Journey

By Julie Ewing

A journey to find myself

The skies seem to change, Quickly, from blue to gray.

On those days, I bake a cake, My way

Of saying, “Everything’s great!”

On the path of my eternal journey

I sing songs

That paint portraits

Of my auditorium, my theatre

Of Galaxies

Far, far, away

The crystals act as stars, Pyrite, the sun

I dump my collections out

On the pavement

A statement

That I collect stupid things

Like bookmarks

Skipping down the sidewalk of my journey

I make poems

Out of things my friends say

I write stories

My family dreams up

I read books librarians recommendShout out to them.

I make bracelets out of bangles, baubles, and beads

I listen to songs my dad likes

And when I’m mad

I’m mad

Furious And short-tempered

My anger spikes

Spikes like the volleyball

That never hits the ground

Like the ball that never makes it

Out the park

On my journey

The road ends

But all roads end

You just have to turn another way…

The Alone Girl

By Ivanna Felix Hincapie

I was alone needing something to do, Like, I was a lot to handle, too!

All I needed was love, Some help from above,

I needed to talk or try to call I was bored and feeling small

I was making a to-do list When they brought me McDonald’s … I’m Blessed!

The Fire

By Natalie Felix Hincapie

As a child of three, I got my dad to believe I started a fire, With the pull of a wire.

My sister was being put to bed, Then my Dad saw something above his head. Dad ran to my room, but all he could see... Was a big white cloud all around me.

Silent Words

By Maren Ferguson

Do you hear the silent words?

They speak with a look

Do you see them?

They know many things we do not

Do you listen?

They plead with you to listen

They are like us

They have ears and hair and legs

But we do not believe them

We are both animals

We both love

But only one listens

They are speaking to us

But their fur and scales deafen us to what they say

Why don’t we listen?

I have listened

I have watched their expressions

I have seen the words they wish to say and the emotions humans do not see

I will never forget what they said

I will never ignore what they say

Why should anyone?

They can see our words without us speaking

To them our emotions will always speak louder than any volume

They do not speak our language but they know us

I have learned from their silence

I have listened to their purrs and growls but nothing compares to their emotions

I have cried with them

I have laughed with them because they said something funny

Did anyone else hear their joke?

Does no one else care what they said?

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A love that knows no bounds is much more effective in silence

A word never spoken aloud means so much more

A friend who knows your emotions better than you is always there for you

Listen to the silent words

Observe the emotions around you

Remember what they said

I have listened to the silent words

I will never see the world the same again

There is so much beauty in silence

And so much truth in the silence of nature

These are the things I remember

These are the people I will never forget

The silent words surround me and so do my pets

I Like Volleyball

By Journey Gillespie

I Like volleyball, as you can see.

It would be fun with you and me.

Seeing people come to my game, Makes me feel like my team’s part of fame.

My Four-Wheeler

By Jacob Griepenstroh

I have my own four-wheeler.

I love riding in the woods.

I got it from a four-wheeler dealer. They have a lot of goods.

On The Farm

By Jaxon Guthrie

This place is my favorite place

This is MY place

A place where I can do things as I choose

A place where my mind roams

Out where the corn grows

Under the hot sweltering summer sun

Going up towards the sky

This place means something to me

This place is the farm

Sounds that are familiar to me

The sound of the wind through the leaves

A faint rustle of the cattle roaming the pen

The occasional passing of a car on the gravel road

This place is my favorite place

This is my happy place

A place where I can be myself

A place where I can do things as I choose

A place where my mind roams free

Pollination

By Keely Halm

Bees buzzing

Collecting nectar for honey

Gathering pollen

Pollen sticking to the flowers

Joining to help each other

Up, up, the flower grows

Until it reaches the sky

Just like the pollen and the flower

Just like you and me

We are part of relationships

That grow, grow, and grow

We stay together

And work hard to help each other

The Memory

By Aspen Hansen

A faded memory stepped soundlessly through the warped doorway.

Once a resplendent home; now forgotten.

It slept beneath stoic bows and pliant ivy.

Nature engulfed the house slowly, for it knows when man-made things

Are left behind by the living.

A corroded sink lay in the empty home’s heart.

The memory sighed through the wind,

As her chilled hand brushed along the peeling brown walls.

Thoughts of a past life flickered across her misty eyes.

When wanderers of the living stumble by the withered structure,

They feel a heart, now silenced,

The memory’s presence,

And her resounding sorrows of moments gone forever.

Find Yourself

By Caitlyn Hartzell

Finding yourself means not being others, because we all are not like each other.

You should not be friend with people who bring you down, because then you will be on the ground.

If you feel like a slug, I will give you a hug.

If you feel like you don’t know who you are, wish upon the wishing star.

Finding yourself

By Noah Hiatt

Pinpointing place is not easy

We are all different

Some live in cities

Some live in towns

Some live in villages

Some even live on the street

Pinpointing a place is not only about finding yourself

It can be about what makes you happy

What brings you pleasure

How to find yourself

Where you are at

It is also a place where you feel alive

And what brings you joy

But pinpointing a place is a journey we all confiscate

But once we find it we don’t drift the lake

We realize where we are

And who we are

We realize why we have joy here

And who brings us joy

The end

THE SEED

By Izzy Hoyt

A short little stem

With a little flower can

Make something so big

And so beautiful

But it all starts with one seed

That falls to the ground

That seed is the start

As it grows its own small roots

That will sprout a bud

That will make a big

Beautiful thing that brings joy

But it all starts with

That one small seed

I Care About My Parents

By Sofia Bernabe Jacinto

I love my parents, They are like carrots... They are so high, Just like the sky.

OLD FARM HOUSE IN THE MIDDLE OF NOWHERE

By Shaun Johnson

It may be a dilapidated rotten box with a roof.

the lot it sits on has trees as bad as the Amazon jungle and most of them are dead or darn near it.

hot wire halfway around the border and barbed wire around the rest of it. Weeds are in more places than one and are easy to stumble in.

But it’s getting better than it was and not as much wire to pick up and lay back out again also not as much to trip over.

it seems like there is always never not always enough time to get all the trees cleared in the busy off-season. You could do it in the winter time but you wouldn’t get anything much accomplished.

especially in the dead of winter when it’s freezing cold out and it is inaccessible without pulling the hot wire down.

Summer is always a wash then add seasonal chores on top of it all. Yes, winter and spring you do not get much sleep since you are up late into the night for 6 months out of the year.

Under the Autumn Tree

By Tiersa Johnson

Out yonder where the very cool grass grows

Under that tree yet with no place to be

Holding a book so interesting now

The thrill, the chill, oh this place means something to me

This place holds my heart, my heart it will keep

Whispers of the wind the crunch of the leaves

A faint cluck, faint baa, or bark of a dog

The passing of a car on the highway

Sounds that bring me to my favorite place

This place holds my heart, my heart it will keep

This is a place a certain place for me

A place where peace and nature are present

Where my tree echoes its songs to my heart

Where the sun shines through the trees to warm me

This place holds my heart, my heart it will keep

The warmth of a blanket, the chilly wind

The feel of the tree, the crunch of the grass

The blue of the sky, the colors of the leaves

The smell of the air, the words of the book

This place holds my heart, my heart it will keep

Way out yonder the wind rustles the trees

Reading this book the smell of old pages

Whether it be the sounds or the nature

Or whispers of the tree this place calls me

This place holds my heart, my heart it will keep.

Volleyball

By Harper Jones

Volleyball is my favorite sport

Sometimes it makes me snort. I’m really good at serving, I keep the ball from curving.

Memories

By Alley Jorgenson

Growing memories,

Sharing stories.

This grows the new minds

And remembers the good times.

Growing memories keeps loved ones in the heart So one never feels to far apart.

Things get passed down

The stories keep going aroun’

Memories help the young children

It helps them learn and quicken.

They remember the facts, Faster and faster they try too better their acts.

Memories grow the minds,

They improve the current times.

Every memory shared lives forever, So gather and share stories together.

Finding Love

By Zoey Koeller

I think of you, Every day and night, And without you, Nothing feels right.

You will show me, What love’s about And how to love, Without a doubt.

I’ll love your looks, Your beautiful eyes, And your personality, Won’t compare to other guys.

Your humor and jokes, So bad it’s funny, And how you’ll blush, When I call you honey.

Thanksgiving Dinner

By Lily Kraft

At Thanksgiving dinner

We made turkey at the center We all thought the turkey was better Everyone matters.

Things You Don’t Need

By Lily Kreifels

Love or no love

Heart or no heart

Your parents will love you no matter your part!

Cash or no cash

You don’t need all that

A or B, C or D, Sor V, Tor U

Love you! Love you! Love you!

The Faces of the Moon

By Evelyn Junod

I start off with a full perspective and I know

There is nothing I’d live without I then transition to

Something I’d rather loose

Dark sliver gives away my doubt

I’m now half of what

I wish that i could be

Don't want to let this half

Take over

Me.

Oh where have these days gone

¾ the time im wrong

I'd rather go back to sleep.

See now, I've told you so.

Plunged deep in cold i hope

One day I will find the sun.

How could i let myself

End

Here

Oh look i see some light

I reach and touch the bright

And welcoming light

But i sink

How Could i Deserve something

So Beautiful

It glows brighter

How can i resist any longer

Im now half full

Not half empty

Half grown

No longer empty

Continue to grow whole

But in it all i sink

And float

And shrink

And grow

But in it all I'm still whole.

Who am I?

By Payten Krueger

Looking in the mirror, Who do I see?

I see a girl who has sinned but is forgiven, I see me.

Brown hair and hazel eyes, Standing there,

Wondering and asking herself. Who am I?

I am forgiven, God has saved me.

I am forgiven, I am washed clean. Through the rocks, And through the storms, God is with me.

I am forgiven, God has saved me.

(Refrain)

I see myself in the mirror, Sinning now and will forever be, When I am here.

I don’t have to be afraid, God will never leave me. I will with him someday, In the Holy Land The paradise called Heaven.

(Refrain)

Jesus died to save me, And to save you.

I will live without fear.

Praising God, Forever clear, God has saved my soul.

(Refrain)

Harmonic Views

By Lillee Lambert

A symphony playing in a room just big enough to fit into

A girl drawing with a tune playing in her head to the sound of a soft melody quite quick

Both sound the same

But how so, can that be?

Any intellectual could realize that its quite absurd elongated syllables with harsh undertones strike harder than a symphony?

Anything with a powerful move might seem solemn and wise while the intent might be at your demise

Harsh intentation to sound sorrowful and quick may be the trick to feeling quite sick

Only trusting the harmony that creates a positive view might turn you into the one you may pursue

Trusting the intentionally harsh may make you out as the bad guy at heart

Not only has connotation taken over our social society but also our mental intent

The harmony that our world fits into, in my view, it looks quite sick

With in and out of the social harmony no one is as quick as the downfall of the quirk of the sounds coming in and out of the fabrication of the world

Born On Christmas Eve

By Wesley Lant

I was born on Christmas Eve, My parents did believe...

That I was the greatest boy I could be. I am the greatest boy I can be.

A million words

By Lucie Lautenschlager

A million words

And a lifetime's worth of vocabulary

Yet all I say is 2 words

Maybe 4

I'm fine

Don't worry

Don't worry I'm fine

A million words to be said

Talking so long the days seem endless

Time is lost in the brokenwords

You see it slip away

Between your ragged gasps

And screams so silent

They couldn't even wake a mouse

A million words

My Caring Family

By Everlie L’Heureux

The people who gave birth

They brought me to Earth

I looked at the sky

It was so high

It was so blue

I thought it was true

I didn’t have a clue

But neither did you

My parents are so nice

I did not think twice

My parents have 5 kids

They always call dibs

Five kids, Two parents, One house

I feel like a mouse

My life is so neat

It is complete.

How I find myself fishing

By Ben Linden

When i go fish i like to be alone

I don't like people

I don't like town

I like to do stuff alone

When i'm by myself i do a lot better I like to hang out with friends

I like to be with my dog

I want to be alone most of the time

When i go fishing i like it quiet

When i fish i wait

I wait continuously for the fish

I always wait for fish

I like to test my patience

I want to try all my fishing poles

It feels rewarding when you catch a fish

To pay off for all your patience

Its rewarding to feel it biting

Its rewarding when you set the hook

When you see the bobber move

That's why i like to be alone

Time is Love

By Evelyn Long

but love takes time

Butterflies don’t get their wings overnight but when they do it’s like gettng a warm hug and letting your spirit fly

Small Towns

By Ryan Lords

We are raised in small towns.

We ride the dirt roads around us.

We speak in our own language

Sounds wrong to the people who don't know us

These words make us different

These words separate us

Our town’s filled with nothing

But people who know us

Our lives might seem boring to others

But we make it worthwhile

We live in the middle of nowhere

But still have the life of everywhere

We might live in a small town

But we have a lot in common

Our lives are still busy

And the jobs might be different

We get along with everyone

Even if they’re not liked

The whole town knows you

Even if you don’t know them

This is living in a small town

Where lives a little more united

Song of my Future

By Tallulah Luettger

Expanding arms pulling me into my future

The drums beat of the steps before me

Echos of sticky sweet memories

The pain of lost friendships

Bittersweet acceptance

Fresh flowers flowers spreading their fragrance

Running through the years

Bruises and scars

A song of new beginnings

Beginnings that end pain

Drawing in weeks of misery

Weeks that turn into years

Years of hate years of misery

Strong hands pulling my up

Cold up water dripping of skin

Warm tears flooding out

Walking away from the past

Breaking shackles i never knew i had

The humming of the future

Only to be in a prison of myself

Every broken bone has begun to heal

Banges renewed and removed

Brave souls in sweatpants

A column of strength grows more everyday

A corrupted temple losing its grip

A new sprout grows in its ruin

Fresh air

Gasping for breath

A spark of healing and hope

Tears still form rivers

Pain seems to attach itself to me

But growth is my right hand man

Keeping this plant of myself brave

Everything comes and goes

The song of my future

Kids Like Me

By Gabriella Marchio

Kids like me don't grow, we wither into smaller sizes.

Kids like me find it hard to speak of growth as it is difficult to speak of an irrational fear.

Kids like me watch their friends with raw knuckles fade away like their innocence. Kids like me are growing up on fad diets and diet pills.

Kids like me are growing up on skinny girls getting called “fat pigs”

Kids like me count so often their math grades improve, so distracted by a mirror they fall behind in English.

Kids like me watch the doctor’s computer say it can’t put in a weight because it’s gone down too much in six months and then hear their mothers tell the doctors tales of “puberty”, and the pediatricians agreement.

Kids like me watch their idols, their parents, slip away.

Kids like me, promise to be better.

Kids like me pull out clumps of hair when they step on the scale and it’s gone up 7 pounds.

Kids like me don't wear revealing clothes because we carve portraits at two a.m. that no one can ever see, it's not for attention, silly, it's our art.

Kids like me write poetry to soothe the pain but the pain comes back every time you step into a dressing room.

Kids like me faint and everybody ignores it, it's dehydration, you need to sleep. No. we're hurting ourselves. What don't you understand?

Kids like me will never grow. Kids like me will forever try to whittle down their frail bodies with everlasting hateful glares.

Kids like me will forever clench strands of our lasting innocence with tear stained faces, glass eyes, and raw. red. knuckles.

Flexible

By Estel Mayer

I was looking at a bar, I felt like a star, Everyone looked at me, like what are you doing, And I'm not moving.

I did so much more I felt like I could soar, The next day I felt the same way Then I looked up and said "It's gonna be a great day."

In Every Scene: The Tassel

By Alizabeth McDermott

As I stand alone on the balcony memories dance below

So full of longing for distant times, my eyes rediscover the past

Breaths that fill such an open room Entangled with emotion for old characters.

My roots, grown into the beads of carpet where I have stood with those I loved

And long breaths fill the lofty ceiling where words determined our future.

Cold tiles of the lobby touched moments of beauty and hurt.

To reminisce in our empty spaces no thought could withhold us;

Both the actor and the audience reveling in the reenactments of our script

In every scene, memory painted characters move through the dimmed light

With joys and regrets, and passion.

A love letter to Every (Beautiful) Human on this (Dirty) Planet

By Mary McGill

There is no human being whose beauty is not as breathtaking as drowning if I look them in their soul’s pupil.

There is not a single nose that is crafted for anything less than perfection, but I never take offense to a person poking or prodding at their parts, if they are pushed around for the right reason.

There is not a single smile I find myself unable to fall in love with, like the one the sun gives the sky at dawn, or the ones we give each other for some lousy reason (or no reason at all.)

Every mole and freckle are exactly as they are meant to be, earthly constellations connecting celestial storylines, bearing evidence that I have loved the sun and lived, for I loved her from far enough away.

If beauty does not invade my very being absolutely everywhere I go, I am not looking in the right places.

It hides itself in the dusty corners that I never pay enough attention to. I can polish it up and make it shine, but there is something about that dirty beauty that makes it human.

Remorseful Wisdom

By Lily Moghadam

With you I discovered many things

Now you dwell within my heart Lingering in the faintest melody And living, though fallen apart

You waltzed on in during my early days

And taught me things I couldn’t know

So now I painfully remember your name And recall the places we used to go

You filled my days so small and meager

Your intention I never knew

But still you showed me that I could love And then so swiftly away you flew

But now I wish I hadn’t learned

That I knew not a single thing

For the biggest lesson that you taught

Was how much sorrow love could bring

The Walk

By Harlow Molck

It was sunny

We saw a bunny…

Two minutes later it got scary

You panted, you vomited, you were warry.

Then you had a stroke, mom got her car.

The house was kind of far.

We tried everything… then… He carried you (one of the men).

Questions

By Rylann Nakai

Where are you from?

How will you overcome?

What are the steps?

Who will you become?

What is the city that you were born?

Where is the state you were found in the sun?

Where is your heart, your home, your heritage?

Where are you from.

The time has come for you to pave your road.

To clear that fallen debris.

You need to go to find your future home.

Where will you flee.

Were you ever a child?

Did you ever feel joy within?

Were you ever gleeful, grateful, happy, hateful?

Who have you been.

Do you want to be known?

To be in the game, not the referee?

Do you want the spotlight to yourself?

Who will you be.

But the question is not in the past.

It is not in the future actually.

However, it’s in the steps that we take now, That really help us to succeed.

Really think.

Are you happy?

Are you kind?

Are you empathetic and carefree?

Or are you sad, depressed, and living inside a circle of repeating anxiety?

Are you living your life the way you must?

Are you taking the steps you need to?

Or are you trapped inside a cage of what everyone else want you to do?

The question I really need you to ponder, who are you, deep down under?

Are you defined as your race?

Are you defined by your name?

Are you defined by your sex?

Or, it might just be your fame

Who do you want to be?

How can you take that first, hard, leap?

To examine yourself, And only then, you can succeed. And begin to pave your road.

And begin to find home.

And begin to fantasize about what your life might behold.

And so I’ll ask you once more, and once more I will do.

Who are you?

Marriage Story

By Ziana Neal

I have a revelation.

The reason for my eternal damnation

Back then, for you, all I felt was desperation.

The "love" you had for me is a lie. denied by your eyes.

our long red thread left in ties.

All the feelings in me rise up like bile. You’re vile, maybe senile.

Adoring young doves, delighting in the toll of church bells

At this time, I didn’t realize this would be my glass cage, my cell.

In our bunker, safe we stayed.

Under cover of darkness, love made.

Our new, perfect silk bedsheets left frayed. I didn’t realize this, but I sharpened the blade.

All there was left was for me to flee.

My peeves and yours clashed like land and sea.

Our attitudes were no longer so carefree.

Arguments arising between us; so insignificant. Our neighbors thought we were perfect; weren’t we so diligent?

The way you talked to me, as if I lacked dignity. Every day, I was left with your words, pure acidity.

We needed distance—a haven, some space. I thought this would be our chance at grace.

I remember the day I spotted you and a nymph. Her name, I believe, was Theodora Glymph. While I was some old bat, withering away like dust. There you were, gave me overwhelming disgust.

I wished for some kind of being, a high deity, to take me away. to keep all my unkempt feelings at bay.

I thought we were something new. We’d be the rare, simple few.

I thought our union would bring me glory. But in the end, it wasn’t but a corny marriage story.

Soccer

By Ian Neumeister

I am so good at soccer, I don't know why. I am so good, I jump so high. I played for two years I can strike, I also like to hike.

Flaming fireworks

By Nova Nickinovich

Flames come blasting out the sky. Igniting fireworks blow up. Rockets flying into the sky. Emergencies happen when something happens. Wicks lite on fire.

Orange fireworks are cool Red ones to Crackling fireworks. Sparklers in the night. That’s where I like to go when I am sad.

Canada Dreams

By Oskar Nickinovich

Sometimes, when I go to bed at night, it’s dark, it’s quiet and and there’s no light.

I think about:

Cold winters

Amazing Québec City

Northern lights

Adventurous mountains

Delicious foods

Alberta’s Rocky Mountains

All night. Even In my dreams I see the light.

Watch Me Fly

By Katelyn Omer

To anyone who wants to love me you cannot steal my heart because I already have I’ve stolen it back from endless quicksands and rescued it from the depths of the sea

I’ve saved it from hell and watched it swell with love I fed it myself

I’ve nourished it back to health after months of illness and numb No, no one can steal my heart because it is mine

But if you knock gently on its door I just might let you in for a time

To anyone who wants to love me you cannot own my body because I know it’s priceless

Only I have looked admiringly towards the scars on the wall I was the first one to love my curves and stretch marks so they will forever be loyal to me

No good looks or cute guys or emotional rides can pull me away from my boundaries because not everyone deserves to walk in the garden of me But if you’re willing to stay for eternity I’ll show you a gentle grace you’ve never before seen

To anyone who wants to love me, you cannot take credit for my healing Boys are not band aids

I will ever rely on to fix me

It is I who has fought blood and knife to still be alive, and after a while, I thrive Do you see me thrive?

I cannot afford to lose the pride I have in my progress but if you applaud it I will let you stay long enough to see how I always turn my ashes to beauty

To anyone who doesn’t want to love me

I don’t need you to and I don’t say that to offend you

I sing those words because they ring of freedom Waiting for others’ approval is a crutch

I’m finally leaving in the dust

Watch me fly for the first time

It’s a long road that leads here but if you follow it, growing it in self love, you will reach above, above… to freedom

You Should Know By Now

By Maggie O'Neal

As I face the world, Anxiety brews in my gut.

I am left to find my path, To sculpt my own future.

I should have it figured out, Should know what I am, Who I am, Why I am, How I am.

I am the sun before the dawn, I am the provoker of thought, I am the survivor of my own mind, I am unwavering, I will persevere.

Through mental trial, Cutting through the fog, Away from those who scorn me, Towards even more disdain, Those who seek to make a mockery of my honesty.

I am the one who I couldn’t kill.

Growth

By Charli Pandorf

Most people don’t realize it but growth is always happening

Growth is something that comes in many forms but observing your own growth is one of the most important ways of realizing how far you’ve come.

This is the type of growth that comes from within. Only when you take a step back can you truly understand that you have made progress

Once you have seen that you can grow on the inside this will help you have the motivation to push through and grow on the outside too

In some ways growth can make you want to be even better It can make you realize That improvement is in your grasp. That if you work hard you can make it and make yourself better in the process.

What Makes Me Sing

By Peyton Pein

I got nominated for all state. I listen to music early 'til late. My favorite song is "Grow Little Tree" We all did nicely.

METAMORPHOSIS

By Jay Peters

Beautiful beast birthed from the leaves, you know what you are

Chew up and spit out the vivid green vines when you’re done

Grow off the home left for you by a lost and faraway star

A parasite on the back of a willing host in the sun

You’ve grown into an approximation of true sentience

Mature as one can be in such an immature place

So you wrap yourself in thread, fiber, and common sense

You hang from a tree, deprive the world of your face

Nested neatly in your cocoon, you let yourself hang

Feel yourself melt into nothing and be remade anew

You’ve heard it said that to be loved is to be changed

So you return to your roots, the primordial stew

Two weeks of your reformation have come and gone

Your body torn asunder and pieced back together

As you breach the walls for the first time at dawn

You discover the world on wings light as a feather

Oh, britle sweetheart, you’re a beauty on blue skies

Spread your wings

Gather your things

Be the one to convince the sun to rise

7:30 a.m.

By Meadow Rodriguez

A little girl was asleep

With her sheep

When her dad got arrested...

She cried and cried, then rested.

My Cat Tigger

By Willow Ryan

I have a cat named Tigger, He is a Digger,

When he is comfortable, he's so cute He wears a little suit.

Dad’s Race

By Kristlee Schebaum

My Dad raced

He won first place

He went on a date

He’s happy with his fate.

Life is Joy

By Elise Schmidt

There once were two children

Both given a gift

It made one live forever

The other deathly sick

They were given a blessing

needing neither sleep nor food, They would live off of joy, or at least they could

One child was cheerful

Always finding the light

And lived happily ever after

Even after far past her time

Buther poor sour sister, died the next day

For she could not find it in her to smile that way.

I Won Fifteen Football Awards

By Timothy Shaw

One day I have a lot of events, I play offense and defense.

I even have trophies too,

My medals for football are new.

Things That Make Me Special

By Torerik Shipley

I can do a back flip…

My brother's name is "Trip"

I'm a very good singer

I'm a beatbox ringer.

Discovery

By Megyn Smith

Life is full of discovery to find yourself.

You have to go into the unknown not knowing whether you will fail or succeed .

You have to have the motivation to try new things ,to take a giant dive into the pit of the unknown.

It is hard. It is hard to jump into the unknown knowing you could fail ,but if you never jump into the pit of the unknown you never know what would've happened if you did jump .

You never know the new challenges you would've conquered to find your true passion. So jump! Jump into the pit of the unknown to discover who you are. Try something new, learn more about yourself,find your true passions, believe in yourself! When you remember your past accomplishments it gives you the drive to keep on going, keep on discovering yourself and never give up! Dream big,and find yourself through the process. Even if you did not succeed in the end, the most important thing is you took a leap of faith into that pit to find yourself. And that's truly all that matters. Keep on leaping, keep on dreaming, the sky's the limit! Shoot for the stars!

Chuck Wiggins

By Charlotte Sonntag

Born of dispute,

Dad a man of repute

He tries to refute

That i was unwanted.

What was i, then?

Def’nly not a plan.

What am i, now?

Feminine form of Charles, Seems like all i’ll ever be it means also “free man”

But maybe

Event’ally

That’ll be me

Stuck in Charlie’s shadow i’m stooped; short

Wallowing unsure, shin-deep in self-doubt

Knowing i’ll never be up-to-snuff

“Nah.” He says.

“You’re enough.”

He steps aside to let me see the sunset. The sky is sensational.

It’s then I learned I could stand all along. I could stretch!

I was capable, simply scared, Of moving myself from the dark.

I’m learning how to shine my light

Make my way myself.

Let me make my mark on mankind! And I’ll make sure I don’t cast a shadow.

Charlotte.

I Don’t Know How To Admit This

By Arpita Srivastava

Whenever I see you, my heart skips a beat

Your presence makes my world complete

From your voice to the way you stare

I’m still waiting, standing there

I blush every time you’re around

But try not to make a sound

My friends tell me that you’re a nice guy

But I guess my hands are tied

Anytime I think of you

In the shower, before bed

It makes me feel new

Even at the times I’m feeling blue

The feeling makes me feel alive

I don’t know if I can survive

I close my eyes, and dream about you

Hoping that you do too

So if you’re listening

While the rain is drizzling

I love you with all my heart

Like a piece of art

The pringles can

By Hannah Eleanor Stacy

I just wanted that last chip

Just one chip

And it caused all this trouble

When I was six

I reached my left arm into the can

I secure the chip

I attempt to remove the arm

It doesn’t budge

I was stuck

Were they smarter answers to the problem

Definitely

Did I think of them

Heck no

I tried to bite it

It wouldn't work

I lost a tooth to that can

I tried stabbing a pencil in it.

I missed and hit my hand

It hurt

I was stuck

Along with the tooth

I walked into my living room

My mother came in

I told her I was stuck

She tried using scissors

They got stuck too

Along with the tooth

My dad walked in

And he tried a knife

That got stuck to

Along with the scissors and the tooth

And the pencil

Then uncle fred came

He tried a chainsaw

It also got stuck

Along with the scissors

And the knife

And the pencil

And the tooth

My little sister came in

With her toy horse

She claimed puffles would save the day

And the horse got stuck to

Along with the scissors

And the chainsaw

And the knife

And the pencil

And the tooth

Then aunt linda came in

And tried the hair curlers

Which of course

Got stuck

Along with the scissors

And the chainsaw

And the knife

And the pencil

And the tooth

And the toy horse

My grandmother came next

She tried a cane

I don't know why we though it would work

Cause it didn't

And got stuck

Along with the scissors

And the chainsaw

And the knife

And the pencil

And the tooth

And the toy horse

And the hair curlers

We all agreed it was stuck

So that is how I am now 12 years old

6 years sense that pringles can

And I have lived life

With a pringles can on my left hand

Me and My Mom Are Twins

By Kynzleigh Stradley

My Mom has a twin, She has lots of kin, But she looks just like me. For all her life, she will look like me.

Friend Sharer

By Stella Stroup

I want to be a friend sharer. But she makes it impossible. Concerning one friend at a time. Leaving me in the dustThe forgotten one.

Just when you think their your friend They become a foe. New friend, no friend It's a deadly cycle. I wouldn't wish this pain on anyone.

I want to be a friend sharer.

Grandpas pasture

By Addison Stump

Oh how I love that place

The way it has helped me grow

The way I am attached

The way the grass flows everywhere

Thy way it's like my home

The way I spend every second there

The way the breeze flows

The way the cattle run on the open lands

The way the cedar trees grow

The way I love the green grass lengthen

The way the hills roar

The way the deer settle down and slumber

The way I chase the calfs

The way I go out every weekend to take it in

The way I watch the sunsets

The way the sunrise shines on the hills tops

The way I have fallen in love there

The way I spent every day and night looking in the air

The way my siblings and I grow up there

The way the horses roam

The way I can talk to God by myself out there

The way the crops grow

The way my family has pictures out there

The way I hunt deer on that land

The way I would give anything up to keep it forever

The way I love how it glows

The way I have grown up in that pasture the past 15 years

Oh how I love that place

The Day I Played

By Brixton Tachovsky

When I played football

It was a dream, and I punted the ball.

It seemed like I lost, But I decided to win at all cost.

Wind, Water, Fire!

By Lydia Taylor

My home

My home to be moved and shoved into a piece

My home to be argued and let on fire

My home defeat

From grave to grave

What am I meant to be

Me to be broken and called names I can't repeat

But to be wind, water, and fire

Such a liar

Beat and beat can't get up on my feet

But brought hire and hire

Brought up apon group and group

To be called fire

To escape would be a liar

To say to push thru and threw

I found myself lower and lower

But to get so much hire

I find myself stuck in tires

That go round and round with no push

I let go of each tire I find myself

Happier, bright, lighter, free to express myself without a liar

The wind and water put out the fire!

Tumbling Is Fun

By Layla Thomas

When I was four I loved to tumble, I always danced, but I would always fumble.

It wasn't very easy as you see, But I bet you will love it just like me.

I dance and twirl

And I love to make swirls!

Tumbling is very fun

And I love to run

After I tumble I get very sleepy, But I still have energy for leaping.

The Beach

By Maria Valquier

Come to the beach

Where the sea is blue And little blue waves

Come running to you.

A wave comes splashing

Over your toes. You just stand still and away it goes. We'll build a castle

Down by the sea, And look for seashells If you'll come with me.

Caroline

By Caroline Walter

There are two songs named after me. "Sweet Caroline" is one you see, The other one is just sublime "Caroline, You Keep Me Running All The Time".

Flower

By Ella Walts

The sun is hot, cutting through the trees

It is bright, overpowering

I cover my head in fear

Then I turn to look at the wilting flowers beside me

The beautiful, broken buds

I think of how they used to stand tall

Protected by the trees

Protected by the innocence of life

I look at how they are now bent, contorted

The pain, power, purity I see in them

I think of how they covered me, when the sun was burning I bend over, stretching and yearning

Covering the wilting petals with my own

Then watch how they carefully come to life again

How they grow strong enough to face the sun, Then turn their strong petals to cover my weak ones

All-State

By Navaeh Welch

I got nominated for All-State I normally sing in the late. We practice and practice until we are ready, Now we are good and sing steady.

The Mom Cop

By Aubriee Werner

My Mom was a cop. She did good, She never stopped. She never would.

I guess that was a lie, Cuz she retired.

I don't know why, Or how she got hired.

But that is a story for another time… Now I'm tired.

Nature

By Taytum Wiese

Out over the tall hills and trees

There is a slight breeze rushing past them

Animals walking, birds chirping

Because there is no where else to be

Here I am once again

Waiting for the calm sound of the breeze

A car rushing by on the highway

This is my home,my happy place to be

This is a place where nature and peace is present

A place where I need to be

The feel of the breeze,the crunch of the leaves

This is the place to be

If you’re sad, mad, this is where you want to be

The rush of the wind makes me calm

The sound of the squirrels make me happy

The singing of the birds makes me want to sing with them

This is nature,

The most lovely place to be.

Found

By Olivia Williams

I look into the mirror, Then I smash it on the ground, 7 years of bad luck, Can not compare to the despair that comes, It’s not upsetting or hard for me to look upon, It is just difficult to see the me that everyone else sees, but that is not the real me, No the real me is lost and wants to be found, A search party far and wide, I sometimes get really close, but no cigar was handed out, There are no prizes or a participation trophy, When you don’t even know what you’re participating in, With an award of discovery, the reward being living your life to the fullest, there’s a lot to lose.

But as I go on, as I mature, as I nurture the brain of mine, to help me in the future,

I am able to make discoveries of the future present and past, I am able to make findings that I know will last at last, I know that this wound will heal in its cast, the cast of my play where I am the main inside characters, the part I play in the world, the character development that we’ve been waiting to see, has been right here in front of me waiting to be found, One second discoveries can somehow last a lifetime, and I have found in this life to take it one step at a time,

I Live On A Farm

By Jackson Wissler

I live on a farm, it's kind of hard I have goats, chickens, and pigs that smile. We bought our animals with a debit card, I also have a nice dog his name is Kyle

Find yourself

By Andrea Zimmerman

From the little girl all sweet and funny

Who played with pennies and ate cherries

To the girl so bitter and cold

And disobeyed everything she was told

Why did so much change they say

“You never seemed to be this way”

Maybe it’s cuz you were glued to the phone

Or maybe you needed something to boost a light deep inside of you

Whatever the cause is all is well

Just rest your head my dear

Take some breaths and count to three

And find yourself a melody

What brings you passion?

What brings you joy?

Look for theat in jollytown

Whatever is might so be

It’s all just perfect for you and me.

Opera Omaha

Opera Omaha is a growth-minded, high energy, and innovative company with a demanding mission: producing opera performances in multiple formats and styles and co-creating artist-led programs for a variety of community service organizations. We believe the power of opera is transformational, and as a result supports the creation of an inventive, creative, empathetic, and inclusive community that inspires joy, selfdiscovery, kinder discourse, and opportunity for all.

Visit operaomaha.org for more information.

Nebraska Writers Collective

Founded in 2008, the Nebraska Writers Collective (NWC) is an Omahabased 501(c)3 non-profit organization that fosters self-empowerment and community-building through creative writing and performance poetry. The NWC facilitates interactive workshop-based programming throughout the Midwest at schools, businesses, and correctional facilities, and provides paying work for more than 50 local writers and poets each year.

The NWC helped identify themes and created prompts for the Poetry & Music Project, and NWC Teaching Artists designed and facilitated poetry workshops for over 470 elementary, middle, and high schoolers across Nebraska and Iowa.

Visit newriters.org for more information.

The American Opera Project

The American Opera Project’s mission is to develop and present new and innovative works of lyric theater, provide a creative home to emerging and established artists, and engage contemporary communities in a transformative operatic experience.

AOP has been at the forefront of the contemporary opera movement for over thirty years through the commissioning, developing, and producing of opera and music-theatre projects, training programs for student and emerging composers and librettists, and community engagement.

AOP helped identify Poetry & Music Project composers Sidney Marquez

Boquiren and Amber Vistein, who are alumni of AOP’s Composers & the Voice opera writing fellowship program.

Visit aopopera.org for more information.

Themes for Poetry Submissions

DISCOVERY

Finding Yourself

Exploring Relationships

Pinpointing Place

Uncovering Art

Examining Growth

Suggested Writing Prompts

Finding Yourself

One of the most important discoveries we make is finding out who we are, what we’ve grown into, and what we want to become. Explore this poem, “Remember” by Joy Harjo. The poet constantly reminds us to remember where we came from as a way of shaping where we are going. Make a list of all the things about yourself that make you unique, all the things you’ve discovered about yourself in your journey. Now use that list to write a poem highlighting all the times you learned something important (good or bad) about yourself and what it was that helped teach you that lesson.

Exploring Relationships

The people in our lives shape who we become. We impact others in every interaction we have with them. These relationships take many forms: family, friends, crushes, first loves, pets, enemies, mentors. Consider this poem, “our happiness” by Eileen Myles. In the poem the poet talks about very specific details that are highlights of their relationship. Poems are often more powerful when they reveal these small details to us. Write a love poem to someone or something that includes these small details. Really think about the relationship and discover the things you hadn’t noticed before or that are often overlooked.

Pinpointing Place

Some of the best discoveries we make are the places we like to call our own. Maybe it’s a quiet corner of a coffee shop, or a spot in the park you sit and relax, or maybe it’s a family trip that takes you somewhere new. Read this poem “The Cities Inside Us” by Alberto Rios, consider the first stanza “We live in secret cities and travel unmapped roads”. Now try to write a poem that is a map to your favorite spot. How did you first find this place? What are some of the obstacles to getting there? What about this place draws you to it? What treasures does it hold?

Uncovering Art

The creation of art is a discovery, sometimes we don’t know what we are sitting down to make until its done. Sometimes we don’t know where our inspiration comes from until it reveals itself to us. Check out this poem “Two Monkeys by Breughel” by Wislawa Szymborska and the painting that inspired it. See how the poet mixes their own thoughts with what is happening in the painting to try and explain it? Examine these self-portraits from Frida Kahlo and try to write a poem about the painting. You can put yourself in painting (maybe you are one of the parrots) or try to explain the painting (what was the artist trying to show?), or simply describe what emotions the painting brings out in you. You can try this with any piece of art that inspires you!

Examining Growth

As we grow, we discover what is important to us and to others and how those things change. Listen to this poem, “Coming of Age” by Taylor Lauren Davis and consider lines like “attempting to grow into myself without stretching out my skin” and “just enough space to hold all the galaxies inside myself”. The poet talks about growing not only in the physical sense but also expanding emotionally and intellectually. Write a poem about how you have grown, you can share a specific story or chronicle your journey up until now.

OPERAOMAHA.ORG/POETRY