By: Madeline
My eyes wander the open scene,
There was one soul to be found
And that was me.
To hear the sound of nothing
Wasn’t blank at all
But the sight of nothing,
Grew to a fear above all.
I look up to see
shiny dreams,
And wonder
Where am I might be?
I study around, like a fox at night
Until I gazed upon
This empty box
and…
BAM!
I was in my dream.
Thousands of my dreams
vanished here,
and I finally caught one.
“Hey you guys should go down the river.” my uncle said
“Can we?” my dad replied
“I did, you don’t even need a permit.”
“We’re still going to check. Do you want to try it?” my dad said talking to my family
That’s when we decided to go tubing down the Niagara River. So the first thing we did is go to the info station and asked is there a way we can talk to the Niagara water Marshall. My dad and mom went there and came back and said we can without a permit. When the next day came we go out and buy things we need. We needed a whistle to make sound if we need help, a water gun that will show boats that we were there and tubes. We got everything set and went down to the river we got a little floater for a cooler with snacks and rope to tie each other together.
I was so excited until I saw the water it was dark couldn’t see anything. I started second guessing it. But I couldn’t let my family down so jumped in my tube and I kept my feet and hands out of the water. Once I hit the water all you heard was SPLASH! After 5 minutes or so it was relaxing. Until a boat came by we had to grab our water gun and shoot it up in the air even though it was in the morning.
The shocking part is the water was as cold as ice. But after a little you got use to it. We went down the river we ate some snacks and put the wrappers back in the coolers so we didn’t litter. But one of the scariest parts was when my dad wanted to lay in his tube so he struggled around then he said he just touched something with his foot. I don’t know if he was lying or not but I still got scared.
Once we came up to our drop off there were parked boats everywhere and since I was the smallest I wasn’t the strongest. I tried and tried to swim to the dock, but I couldn’t I started getting nervous. But then my mom came to my rescue and grabbed a hold of me and helped me to the docks. Once we got up we headed to the car and I thanked my mom for helping me. That’s my courage story of me coming over my fear of the dark water where you can’t see anything.
If you have no fear of talking in front out a large crowd without preparation or improvising a solo because you forgot it; props to you. Stepping out of my comfort zone, especially in public is always a struggle for me to get past. People try and give me strategies for going up in front of a group of people, like imagine everyone’s in their underwear or stare at one spot in the room. It’s not that I’m scared of the people watching me it’s what they think about me, when they’re judging me. I try to play but only a squeak of my instrument comes out along with my face bursting out into a lavish red and sweating profusely. I put some of my hardest work into my tone and solos but when it’s time I break under the pressure. Grades and all of these numbers that rate me and are supposed to the reason I do well or fail in life. Why do I even try?
Music has been a necessity since I first touched a trumpet in 4th grade then it grew to two instruments and approaching three. It would be a vent for me if I was mad, sad or depressed in anyway. It’s a counselor you don’t need an appointment for. Most days after school instead of eating, sleeping or homework, I would go and play music; much to my family’s dismay. If was happening to feel stressed in any way or form the words woven by the music would pull the pressure of my shoulders.
Then when I get in front of people that all changes. My head’s a mess of thoughts and my face is twisted in concentration. “Am I playing the right notes?”, “when am I supposed to stop?”, “is it good enough?” The notes flow out without me even thinking about it, years of practice assure that I know the notes. I only wanted the solo because I was the only who practiced it, but I was still way too afraid to mess up. Then a thought hit me like a rock, “If my teacher allowed me to do this why can’t I?” He had enough faith in me so why don’t I?
Music will always be a home to me and it will carry me through the hard times. It speaks to me better than anyone. The fear is just like a spit valve I need to clear and clean.
souls of helpless people
scrambling to survive
like an ant scrambling from a psychotic fly
some do not make it
the lightning strikes
big and scary
The gust of air
scratching my face
I taste the dust
so bitter yet sweet
last glimpse of sunlight
my heart begins to beat
lost spirits
now float about
hesitant hands hopeless
on grabbing
anything
to save
this poor man
The smell of nothing
it seems
my nose so numb
blood rushing now to the tip of my tongue
But somehow my mind
not rotten but broken
the clinking of string
Maybe a pure being
Alas, a parachute
Saved so sweet
to save I must
jump out:
swift feet
I see the plane
SPLASH!
Sinking in the belly of the beast
The worst way
of death it seems
but now i see
there is not another
pure being here
but me
A storm starts brewing in your soul’s once peaceful sea;
Welled up tears,
Anger,
Fears,
Collected in one giant hurricane of “Oh, poor me!”
It comes crashing,
Bashing, down upon you;
Maimed,
In pain,
Crying.
The torrents of tears burn the skin,
Asking questions you’ve hidden within;
The Why?’s
The What?’s
How did you let this happen?
Every second ticks loud and fast,
You take look in the past;
Times of tears,
Don’ts and didn’ts.
There’s no room for comforts here.
Like the monster hidden underneath your bed,
Eyes wish not to behold, much rather it be dead;
A writhing,
Screaming,
Child of pain and tormented tears.
Children beware;
Demons and monsters
Crawl and creep.
Picking at your soul while you sleep.
You may survive for a while, but soon enough…
With the storms of roiling, boiling, sadness and confusion,
A girl of joy,
Never tears,
Will find herself
A roiling ball of agony.
By: Julie
Water as cold as ice
My foot slips in.
As the sun fades,
The moon’s light
dances across the ocean surface.
Wading in
Deeper
And deeper.
Until my feet are barely touching
The sandy bottom.
Suddenly
splash!
The waves drag me under.
I struggle for breath,
As my back slides
Across the ocean floor.
My feet kicking desperately
As I reach for the surface.
Tiny fish
As slippery as mud,
Make their way
Through my flailing arms.
Salt water
Shoved down my throat,
My body recklessly pushed through
the enormous waves
Until I can’t
Move
Anymore….
I am afraid
Afraid of Fear
He swoops in with no resistance
into my brain, my heart
It gives me a reason to be afraid
Reactions, thoughts shoot across my
consciousness like bullets across a dead sky
This is where Fear comes from
This why I am afraid
Pulling, tugging me into oblivion
They say Fear is always good
They are wrong
Giving into fear is giving up
On anything that was good about life
Don’t give up
Don’t be afraid
They, the people are out to get me
Teasing, yelling, hitting, hating
They are his servants
Waiting for me to show weakness
I will not give up
Not to them
Not to Fear
They will never see me crumble
To his will
Fear is a part of me
I do not like me
But I will not give in
I will not give up
I am strong
I am not afraid
The Other Side
Ethan
“What’s out there?” my eight-year old brother asked. He pointed up at the fifteen-foot concrete barrier that surrounded our village. The wall protected us, like a cage. The village was an acre wide, surrounded by the wall. No one had gone outside in decades. Those who did never returned.
“No one knows,” I replied. “Personally, I never want to find out. I would rather live in ignorance than be killed by whatever’s out there.” My brother frowned. The leaves danced, with a gust of wind.
“We have to get going soon. A storm is coming.” My brother stopped walking.
“Come on,” I told him, but he didn’t budge.
“How do you know that there’s something bad out there? You’re afraid for no reason. Maybe the reason everyone who’s ever left never came back was because it’s so great.” My brother wasn’t like anyone else. He never fit in with the other kids, and always talked about this nonsense. Boom! A thunderclap filled my ears.
“We have to go right now,” I told him.
“Fine,” he replied. I began walking toward the village. After a few seconds, my brother started swiftly stomping after me.
Soon, we arrived at the circle of small houses that made up the village and entered ours. My mom was sitting on the couch reading. “Hi mom,” I said.
“Hello Caden,” she responded. “Where’s Ryan? I thought he was with you.” She looked worried.
“Yeah. He’s right behind me.” I turned around, but my brother wasn’t there. Where did he go? I thought. How could he have disappeared without me noticing? My mother stood up and hurried out the door. “Wait!” I called. “You can’t go outside! There’s a storm!” She didn’t hear me, so I followed her out.
The heavy rain was so thick that I couldn’t see more than a few feet in front of me, so I waited outside of our house. After a few minutes my mother returned. She was soaked with rainwater and looked like she had just ran a mile.
“I told the elders,” she whispered. “They’ve gathered some men and are beginning a search.”
“I can help look,” I offered. She sighed. The look of disapproval on her face told me the answer before she even spoke.
“No. You can’t. You might get hurt,” she said.
“He’s my brother! It’s my fault he got lost and I’m responsible for what happens to him!” I ran off into the rain before she could say anything else.
“Caden! Come back here this instant!” she yelled, but I ignored her. I looked through the whole village. There was no sign of him. Where could he have gone? I thought. Why would he run off like that? Suddenly I remembered what happened in the woods. No. He wouldn’t. He’s not that stupid. No one even knows what’s out there. The wall was a guardian; it kept us safe. We had no reason to leave.
I arrived at the clearing where we had walked. I looked around. He wasn’t here. Then, out of the corner of my eye, I noticed something. A patch of ripped cloth, flapping back and forth in the wind. It was the same blue as the shirt my brother wore this morning. The cloth was stuck to the barbed wire that lined the top of the wall. My mind raced.
He went over the wall, when all of us were afraid not to. Why wasn’t he afraid? Fear is meant to protect us, just like the wall. What we don’t know or understand can be dangerous. Yet, we are still curious about the unknown while being afraid of it at the same time. They should cancel each other out, but they don’t. Some people are more curious than others, and some are more fearful. It’s just the way we are. But the way we are can get us killed. My brother overcame our fear of the unknown without even understanding that he did. He has the most courage out of all of us. He probably was afraid when he went over the wall. Courage isn’t not having any fear. It’s overcoming fear for a greater purpose. My brother was courageous because he overcame his fear for curiosity.
I grabbed a branch of the tree closest to the wall and pulled myself up. I climbed and climbed until I was able to scramble up onto the wall. I stepped over the barbed wire and looked up.
There were no trees on the other side of the wall. As far as you could see, the ground was black. I closed my eyes and jumped down. I didn’t expect a soft landing, but I got one. When I got up, I realized that the ground covered with a thick layer of ash. I saw remnants of concrete structures poking out from under the soot. They looked like they were drowning in the endless sea of blackness.
I knew my brother was out there. I can have courage too. I thought. I will find him. I gazed across the sea of ash, and took my first step into the rest of the world.
The boy sighed his last peaceful breath.
Gentle breeze of thought dissipates,
No future, no death.
Appearing again as a raging storm,
remembering all he had to mourn.
The battle is now in the heart of France,
The world twirling in a furious dance.
Too join the resistance for country and all,
to face a future to lose
as the earth crumbles and falls.
Or
Protect the heart from events to come.
To safeguard their dread,
Children, wife, home as one.
Decision is the Fates torture.
The dead weight of a crossroad.
The undying agony of or.
A catch 22,
with so much to lose.
Too either I can devote.
Not thinking, just doing,
near or remote.
The terror that paralyzes every bone.
It’s all on you,
The conclusion is on you alone.
Flames red and gold,
Roar as the lions of old.
The depths of hades is in front,
the lives to save inside.
I push the hose aside and leap after the need.
The burnt wood is crying as it breaks.
I see a family in despair,
but a few heartbreaking children over there.
I can only save one.
Family is shouting for help,
Crying comfort to each.
Their lives as one in my hands,
Their lives I might drop.
Or
Children silent, pale in the overwhelming light.
Still to grow into the skin that they own and
the mind they may lose.
Decision is the Fates torture.
The dead weight of a crossroad.
The undying agony of or.
A catch 22,
with so much to lose.
Too either I can devote.
Not thinking, just doing,
near or remote.
The terror that paralyzes every bone.
It’s all on you,
The conclusion is on you alone.
Seeing the full plate,
destined for the trash.
It is consuming her,
Bones are stark through the stretched skin.
Smaller, angrier, quieter, thin.
Realizing that I see,
Deathly silence beginning,
Worst of words uttered.
“I promise.”
Friendship, a ray of shine through the cloud.
No interference, just time and me, to heal.
It could not.
A life not worth living,
stolen under a protective grasp.
Or
Help, health, a guarantee.
To open her mind
Forced, but future she will find.
But me she will blame,
Me pushed away in forever jab.
I would break my promise.
Decision is the Fates torture.
The dead weight of a crossroad.
The undying agony of or.
A catch 22,
with so much to lose.
Too either I can devote.
Not thinking, just doing,
near or remote.
The terror that paralyzes every bone.
It’s all on you,
The conclusion is on you alone.
The decision is the scare,
The choice is the agony.
Before is confusion,
After is instinct.
Time stands still,
Every ripple in the black swamp of terror,
Every thought, every second of indecision,
is another world on your back.
The weight suffocates you,
Questioning yourself on how you will survive
Until the choice is made and the path illuminated before you.
Rylie
Period 3 Chintha
June 8, 2015
I Will Succeed
Eye on the prize
Mind on the goal
If I screw up my heart will nearly explode
Depression if I fail
Fulfillment if I succeed
Overwhelming courage is all I need
The passion of a dancer
The drive of a runner
Inching towards the top
But the winning never stops not even as I grow older
I know I fret shortcoming
Aswell as all imperfections
But I continue to give my all
Sometimes without even knowing
I’ve got the soul of a champion
The regret of a loser
And the serenity of a dove
But most important of all…
I’ve got my eye on the prize
Mind set on the goal
If I ever screw up my heart will nearly explode
Eye on the prize
Mind on the goal
If I screw up my heart will nearly explode
Depression if I fail
Fulfillment if I succeed
Overwhelming courage is all I need
The passion of a dancer
The drive of a runner
Inching towards the top
But the winning never stops not even as I grow older
I know I fret shortcoming
As well as all imperfections
But I continue to give my all
Sometimes without even knowing
I’ve got the soul of a champion
The regret of a loser
And the serenity of a dove
But most important of all…
I’ve got my eye on the prize
Mind set on the goal
If I ever screw up my heart will nearly explode