2016 Submissions
Differences
By ShaneaRae Cordova
The silence
It consumes my soul.
I can’t help but reflect
Reflect about you.
What keeps your lips stitched?
They say
I can live without knowing.
Nevertheless, thoughts stay.
Becoming harder for me to accept
The enduring pain.
You learned
Everyway of my nature.
Yet you can’t share
The affair that took place.
I may want to loathe you,
But the green eyed monster stays.
I’ll stay here,
Here for you.
Hopefully your breath won’t fall.
By ShaneaRae Cordova
The silence
It consumes my soul.
I can’t help but reflect
Reflect about you.
What keeps your lips stitched?
They say
I can live without knowing.
Nevertheless, thoughts stay.
Becoming harder for me to accept
The enduring pain.
You learned
Everyway of my nature.
Yet you can’t share
The affair that took place.
I may want to loathe you,
But the green eyed monster stays.
I’ll stay here,
Here for you.
Hopefully your breath won’t fall.
The Problem Was
By Mariah Gomez
The problem was she had too many freckles.
The problem was that her voice was too quiet.
The problem was the ugly spectacles.
The problem was, “She should go on a diet.”
The problem was she spent hundreds on makeup.
The problem was she was too afraid to speak up.
The problem was she didn’t like asking her hardworking mother for much, so she stuck with those ugly glasses.
The problem was she threw up everything she’d ever eat because of the daily harasses.
The problem was she smiled too much but not enough.
The problem was that kids were rough.
By Mariah Gomez
The problem was she had too many freckles.
The problem was that her voice was too quiet.
The problem was the ugly spectacles.
The problem was, “She should go on a diet.”
The problem was she spent hundreds on makeup.
The problem was she was too afraid to speak up.
The problem was she didn’t like asking her hardworking mother for much, so she stuck with those ugly glasses.
The problem was she threw up everything she’d ever eat because of the daily harasses.
The problem was she smiled too much but not enough.
The problem was that kids were rough.
ABC Tennis
By Mayra Arreola
Always having fun
Being ready to play
Caring for your teammates
Doing what you’re suppose to
Everybody participates
Feet ready to coordinate
Getting home all sweaty
Heading to the matches
Inspiration from my sport
Jacking around is done sometimes
Keeping up
Learning more and more
Meeting new people
Never giving up
On time to matches
Playing with joy
Quitting is never an option
Running to warm up
Staying in shape
Trying your very best
Very intense
Windy kind of weather
X is the spot
You sometimes lose
Zigzagging through the court
By Mayra Arreola
Always having fun
Being ready to play
Caring for your teammates
Doing what you’re suppose to
Everybody participates
Feet ready to coordinate
Getting home all sweaty
Heading to the matches
Inspiration from my sport
Jacking around is done sometimes
Keeping up
Learning more and more
Meeting new people
Never giving up
On time to matches
Playing with joy
Quitting is never an option
Running to warm up
Staying in shape
Trying your very best
Very intense
Windy kind of weather
X is the spot
You sometimes lose
Zigzagging through the court
My Home
By Cristina Gomez
Mexico the sweet home of many
La casa to my mother and father
Where the mornings are cold and afternoons warm
Fill with bright, vibrant colors
Brilliant people found in every corner
Where tourist come from all over the world to see mi casa
Tenochtitlan the heart of the Aztec Pyramids
Oh home such a majestic place
Famous for the flavorful, tasty Tacos and Tamales
Carrying the recipes passed from generation to generation
Values of food that bring laughs, memories, and tears
Where the festivals give you the love for my kitchen
Known for the surrounding water waves that are blue and clear as the sky
Where Puerto Vallarta brings friends from all over the world
Where the waves take you deep down into the heart of the ocean
Oh Mexico just a friendly and warm home
Always with the hands open to welcome anyone
My home a place that well always warm me up
Never forgetting the roots of the tree I swing from
Because mi Mexico will always be yours too
By Cristina Gomez
Mexico the sweet home of many
La casa to my mother and father
Where the mornings are cold and afternoons warm
Fill with bright, vibrant colors
Brilliant people found in every corner
Where tourist come from all over the world to see mi casa
Tenochtitlan the heart of the Aztec Pyramids
Oh home such a majestic place
Famous for the flavorful, tasty Tacos and Tamales
Carrying the recipes passed from generation to generation
Values of food that bring laughs, memories, and tears
Where the festivals give you the love for my kitchen
Known for the surrounding water waves that are blue and clear as the sky
Where Puerto Vallarta brings friends from all over the world
Where the waves take you deep down into the heart of the ocean
Oh Mexico just a friendly and warm home
Always with the hands open to welcome anyone
My home a place that well always warm me up
Never forgetting the roots of the tree I swing from
Because mi Mexico will always be yours too
Freedom is a Lie
By Brenda Rodriguez Deherrera
Freedom is a lie,
One we’re told
Our whole lives.
There are always
Chains that bind
Us.
People who use the
Word “freedom” as a
Way to manipulate
You.
When we try to
Fly fly, we are either,
Shot down or we
Fly too close to the
Sun.
We dream, so many wonderful
Dreams,
But these chains make
Those dreams too far
To reach.
Our chains are
Oh so long.
We drown in bitterness
And sorrow, pulling a
Smile when needed.
Where is this free
We were promised?
Where is the truth
When we need it?
Where is the love when
We want peace?
How do people as
Broken as us,
Become free?
When does the world
Fight to free itself of its
Chains and shackles?
Will this pointless fighting
Stop?
Will people open their eyes
And notice we’re all the same?
Outside we are different
But each with our own beauty.
Inside is the same, we breath
And bleed the same.
Hatred, jealousy ,racism,
Sexisim, and many more are
These dreadful chains.
It’s a shame that
These are our chains,
Keeping freedom at
Arms length.
This world is ugly,
Yet once was beautiful.
Once our world was free.
But now it’s cold and
Empty.
Lies creating fear of
Not fitting and being
Perfect.
Have entered the heart of society.
Judgement is passed to
Tear a person down.
Binding their chains,
Forcing freedom even
Farther away.
Forcing the strong
To be weak,
And the weak to be strong.
True freedom cannot be
Achieved as long as there
Is bitterness in the heart
Of society.
A person cannot be free
As long as they’re bound
By endless chains.
The world won’t stop
Crying, our hearts will always
Whimper.
Our humanity will always
Wonder, our souls will
Weep.
You see, freedom is a
Lie, one we’ve simply
Been told our whole
Entire lonely lives.
The Runner
By Ariel Brescia
As I walk to the starting line
I see parents wave and smile anxiously.
On your mark, set
Go!
Breathing heavily into the first step I take off.
Nothing but the sound of the wind against my ears
And feel my strides gradually getting
Faster.
Soon I cross the finish line happily.
Looking into the crowd
With the taste of sweet sweet
Victory.
And with the smell of food we end the night.
By Ariel Brescia
As I walk to the starting line
I see parents wave and smile anxiously.
On your mark, set
Go!
Breathing heavily into the first step I take off.
Nothing but the sound of the wind against my ears
And feel my strides gradually getting
Faster.
Soon I cross the finish line happily.
Looking into the crowd
With the taste of sweet sweet
Victory.
And with the smell of food we end the night.
The One
By Luke Beale
As he walked the halls of his life looking
Every door a memory that brought pain
Looking searching for the one door after door
Memory to memory looking for the one happy moment
He walked until he looked through a door
Finally he the one right there tears rolled down
After a long search he could now be happy again
Memory after memory disappeared as he walked
He walked through the door then sat down next to her
The one was there reading a book he looked over
She smiled then said hi he smiled as tears rolled down
She ask why the tears he looked over happy to be with her
After his long journey he can be with her one last time
He though finally he found his one his love
They got up together and walked away for
His journey has now just begun
As he looked back to the door
He saw the hall of his life light back up
For his life is full of joy once again
They got to his house after dinner
There laid flat on its front a picture
This picture sat there for some time
He lifted it up to her surprise she was the one
The picture was old and torn a picture of her
He laid it back down looked up and said
Thank you for this one last moment
She started to cry as she realized
There in front of her was the man she dated
He died in a fire long ago she couldn’t stop
For the man she loved stood in front of her
As he started to disappear he hugged her
And said life is too short smile and keep walking forward
By Luke Beale
As he walked the halls of his life looking
Every door a memory that brought pain
Looking searching for the one door after door
Memory to memory looking for the one happy moment
He walked until he looked through a door
Finally he the one right there tears rolled down
After a long search he could now be happy again
Memory after memory disappeared as he walked
He walked through the door then sat down next to her
The one was there reading a book he looked over
She smiled then said hi he smiled as tears rolled down
She ask why the tears he looked over happy to be with her
After his long journey he can be with her one last time
He though finally he found his one his love
They got up together and walked away for
His journey has now just begun
As he looked back to the door
He saw the hall of his life light back up
For his life is full of joy once again
They got to his house after dinner
There laid flat on its front a picture
This picture sat there for some time
He lifted it up to her surprise she was the one
The picture was old and torn a picture of her
He laid it back down looked up and said
Thank you for this one last moment
She started to cry as she realized
There in front of her was the man she dated
He died in a fire long ago she couldn’t stop
For the man she loved stood in front of her
As he started to disappear he hugged her
And said life is too short smile and keep walking forward
Major League
By Garrett Jones
Major League
The roar of the crowd
The shaking of the stadium
The fans wanting to meet you and talk to you
The hard work and dedication
The long hours of work
The sweat and the tears
The pain and the failure
The success
The times you make great plays
The love of the game
The love of your fans
The decisions
The fame and the fortune
A New Chapter in Life
By Anyssia Montoya
A New Chapter in Life
College move in day has come
People all over, parents, students are franticly worrying
Boxes, Clothes, refrigerators
All the necessities
A jungle of emotions all around
Happy, sad, excited, nervous
Animals roaming a new territory
Who will be the Queen and King of the jungle
A New Chapter in Life
By Anyssia Montoya
A New Chapter in Life
College move in day has come
People all over, parents, students are franticly worrying
Boxes, Clothes, refrigerators
All the necessities
A jungle of emotions all around
Happy, sad, excited, nervous
Animals roaming a new territory
Who will be the Queen and King of the jungle
A New Chapter in Life
Eccedentesiast
By Rory Wilson
Sitting in the darkness of my mind
Is a shadow of great influence.
It does not take shape of a human,
Nor does it look like an animal.
It is nothing but a monster,
Creeping in the back of my mind.
Every now and then it tugs on my heart,
And squeezes the air out of my body.
It’s not like it hurts.
First this demon that’s inside of me numbs my nerves
And erases what’s left of my emotions.
It whips a rope around the blood red organ
And he pulls it tight as though he’s hanging off a cliff.
My lungs stop breathing
And my mind stops thinking.
There’s nothing left for me to do
Except let the shadow take control of me.
He takes my soul
And he traps it in a cage.
There’s nowhere left for me to go
And there’s nothing left that I can do
Except sit in the locked cage until the end of time.
No sounds,
No feelings,
Nothing is left in the mind that is now out of control.
This demon is known by many
But seen by none.
It walks through the hallways
And it sits at the ball games.
You see it smiling at lunch
And you hear it laughing on the weekends.
Just think of the stars…
They shimmer in the night sky,
But you never see them during the day.
They look so beautiful from far away,
But you never know if they’re truly there.
Maybe it’s just an illusion.
Maybe the universe is a lie.
Maybe all beautiful things are never actually there.
Maybe it’s just a scene that it puts on for others to be entertained by.
By Rory Wilson
Sitting in the darkness of my mind
Is a shadow of great influence.
It does not take shape of a human,
Nor does it look like an animal.
It is nothing but a monster,
Creeping in the back of my mind.
Every now and then it tugs on my heart,
And squeezes the air out of my body.
It’s not like it hurts.
First this demon that’s inside of me numbs my nerves
And erases what’s left of my emotions.
It whips a rope around the blood red organ
And he pulls it tight as though he’s hanging off a cliff.
My lungs stop breathing
And my mind stops thinking.
There’s nothing left for me to do
Except let the shadow take control of me.
He takes my soul
And he traps it in a cage.
There’s nowhere left for me to go
And there’s nothing left that I can do
Except sit in the locked cage until the end of time.
No sounds,
No feelings,
Nothing is left in the mind that is now out of control.
This demon is known by many
But seen by none.
It walks through the hallways
And it sits at the ball games.
You see it smiling at lunch
And you hear it laughing on the weekends.
Just think of the stars…
They shimmer in the night sky,
But you never see them during the day.
They look so beautiful from far away,
But you never know if they’re truly there.
Maybe it’s just an illusion.
Maybe the universe is a lie.
Maybe all beautiful things are never actually there.
Maybe it’s just a scene that it puts on for others to be entertained by.
Chains
By Hope Archuletta
Feeling chains running down my body,
Locked in a delusion of unknown thoughts.
Pains locked inside my head,
Everything is better left unsaid.
Thoughts full of unwanted hate and regret,
You are all I am set.
Smashing my head on the white wall,
When all I had to do is avoid the fall.
Crashing into sorrow and pain,
With nothing to gain.
Love is not something to be toyed around with,
Sometimes you question if it’s a myth.
Stabbing the wound over and over again,
Why am I not using my brain?
You only make the pain worse,
You’re my living curse.
By Hope Archuletta
Feeling chains running down my body,
Locked in a delusion of unknown thoughts.
Pains locked inside my head,
Everything is better left unsaid.
Thoughts full of unwanted hate and regret,
You are all I am set.
Smashing my head on the white wall,
When all I had to do is avoid the fall.
Crashing into sorrow and pain,
With nothing to gain.
Love is not something to be toyed around with,
Sometimes you question if it’s a myth.
Stabbing the wound over and over again,
Why am I not using my brain?
You only make the pain worse,
You’re my living curse.
I Am
By Kaitlen Bennett
I am from soil
From fertilizer and seeds
I am from the sweat in my father’s gloves
Either from hockey
Or work
I am from the darkness
Where the ultrasound booms
From the black and white mass
Of unborn children
I am from the cinnamon
That is powdering the sweet bread
I am from the ladybugs
The cats and
The dogs
I’m from the white
Of the unpainted walls
Lining the apartment
I am from the cancer
That consumed my mother’s neck
From the scars that spot
My father’s tanned arms
and the buried pets
I keep an old picture
Of us all together
Now we are all split
Spread over the state
I am from the unity
And happiness
That has gone away
By Kaitlen Bennett
I am from soil
From fertilizer and seeds
I am from the sweat in my father’s gloves
Either from hockey
Or work
I am from the darkness
Where the ultrasound booms
From the black and white mass
Of unborn children
I am from the cinnamon
That is powdering the sweet bread
I am from the ladybugs
The cats and
The dogs
I’m from the white
Of the unpainted walls
Lining the apartment
I am from the cancer
That consumed my mother’s neck
From the scars that spot
My father’s tanned arms
and the buried pets
I keep an old picture
Of us all together
Now we are all split
Spread over the state
I am from the unity
And happiness
That has gone away
2015 Submissions
Stress
By Amelia Rose
Stress is a part of my life now
Stress has killed me somehow
Stress is why my head is down
Stress has me under a raincloud
Stress is my new black crown
Stress is a part of my life now
By Amelia Rose
Stress is a part of my life now
Stress has killed me somehow
Stress is why my head is down
Stress has me under a raincloud
Stress is my new black crown
Stress is a part of my life now
This is where the beautiful things hide
By Harutek K.
This is where you hide
This is where I hide
This is where the world hides
When it has been scarred
That is where beauty hides
When the dark encroaches
That is where kindness hides
When the bad comes knocking
Kindness and beauty are the softest
Are the most precious
Are the hardest to keep
In a world full of bad
Intelligence is nothing
Without generosity
Bravery isn’t real
Without kindness
Anger is reasonable
Madness is understandable
Sadness common
And beauty is the hardest to achieve
Generosity
Beauty
Kindness
Safety
I strive for all
I deny the dark
The bad
And the scary
They don’t hold
Power over me
They don’t hold
Power over us.
By Harutek K.
This is where you hide
This is where I hide
This is where the world hides
When it has been scarred
That is where beauty hides
When the dark encroaches
That is where kindness hides
When the bad comes knocking
Kindness and beauty are the softest
Are the most precious
Are the hardest to keep
In a world full of bad
Intelligence is nothing
Without generosity
Bravery isn’t real
Without kindness
Anger is reasonable
Madness is understandable
Sadness common
And beauty is the hardest to achieve
Generosity
Beauty
Kindness
Safety
I strive for all
I deny the dark
The bad
And the scary
They don’t hold
Power over me
They don’t hold
Power over us.
The Call
By Hope Archuleta
Meaning to disappear,
So no one can hear.
A million hearts are broken,
Every second to be awoken.
The smearing remains,
Hating the love games.
Night gets darker,
While hitting your son or daughter.
Flying to another land,
Disintegrating into sand.
Feeling a loud boom,
Grieving at the tomb.
Cuts on the arm,
Stabbing the alarm.
The rose drops,
The call stops.
By Hope Archuleta
Meaning to disappear,
So no one can hear.
A million hearts are broken,
Every second to be awoken.
The smearing remains,
Hating the love games.
Night gets darker,
While hitting your son or daughter.
Flying to another land,
Disintegrating into sand.
Feeling a loud boom,
Grieving at the tomb.
Cuts on the arm,
Stabbing the alarm.
The rose drops,
The call stops.
Sad Songs
By Jamie Joseph
Sad songs remind me of you
Of the pain that never ends
Of my sorrow and pity
Of my hopefulness of the ending...
It will come...
Come with joy, love and care
But for now I am stuck in the shadows...
In the pit of darkness and hatefulness...
Pain creeps up on me
And when it’s time it attacks
Attacks for the kill...
Not once looking back
It never forgives
Never joyous
It will never come...
By Jamie Joseph
Sad songs remind me of you
Of the pain that never ends
Of my sorrow and pity
Of my hopefulness of the ending...
It will come...
Come with joy, love and care
But for now I am stuck in the shadows...
In the pit of darkness and hatefulness...
Pain creeps up on me
And when it’s time it attacks
Attacks for the kill...
Not once looking back
It never forgives
Never joyous
It will never come...
We Are All Just A story
By Morgan Darbe
We are all stories in the end.
Let's make it a good one, you and me.
Take my hand and jump through the stars.
Nothing to stop us.
The only thing that can change it for good or bad is you and I.
Don’t let me fall. Let's hold on tight.
Dance through the nights.
Stop for a while and make our moments.
Our stories had a different beginning,
But now they're intertwined
Stop for a second and look at the stars with me
Hold my hand and let's keep our story going.
For the start of our chapter where we met,
To the end of our book,
Till we take our last breath.
So much to do with that time.
The Good,
The Bad
But no matter what it is,
There will be love
Our books started in different places
At different times
But our stories are now intertwined,
Let's make it a good one
for no one else but you and me
Our own special romance,
That grand adventure.
Action packed fun
that family movie
Only you and I know our full story
Only you and I can control the end
Together?
Here's my hand
Take it and lets hold on tight
Our story has just begun.
By Morgan Darbe
We are all stories in the end.
Let's make it a good one, you and me.
Take my hand and jump through the stars.
Nothing to stop us.
The only thing that can change it for good or bad is you and I.
Don’t let me fall. Let's hold on tight.
Dance through the nights.
Stop for a while and make our moments.
Our stories had a different beginning,
But now they're intertwined
Stop for a second and look at the stars with me
Hold my hand and let's keep our story going.
For the start of our chapter where we met,
To the end of our book,
Till we take our last breath.
So much to do with that time.
The Good,
The Bad
But no matter what it is,
There will be love
Our books started in different places
At different times
But our stories are now intertwined,
Let's make it a good one
for no one else but you and me
Our own special romance,
That grand adventure.
Action packed fun
that family movie
Only you and I know our full story
Only you and I can control the end
Together?
Here's my hand
Take it and lets hold on tight
Our story has just begun.
I said to him I love you more and meant it.
By Sara Minarik
I said to him I love you more and meant it.
The specifics of that sentence don't really matter,
not to anyone but me -
I love you more than you love me,
I love you more than I ever loved him,
I love you more and more with every passing day.
As I said, the specifics don't matter.
What matters is that I said I love you more
and meant it down to the marrow in my bones.
He pressed his mouth against my hair
and traced the outline of my cheekbones
with gentle, work-worn fingertips,
and he smelled like leather and gunpowder and I thought
nobody will ever love you as much as I do.
When I met you I smelled like chlorine
and my hair was sticking to my cheeks,
and you smiled at me and I thought
oh, crap, wow.
I said to him I love you more and meant it.
By Sara Minarik
I said to him I love you more and meant it.
The specifics of that sentence don't really matter,
not to anyone but me -
I love you more than you love me,
I love you more than I ever loved him,
I love you more and more with every passing day.
As I said, the specifics don't matter.
What matters is that I said I love you more
and meant it down to the marrow in my bones.
He pressed his mouth against my hair
and traced the outline of my cheekbones
with gentle, work-worn fingertips,
and he smelled like leather and gunpowder and I thought
nobody will ever love you as much as I do.
When I met you I smelled like chlorine
and my hair was sticking to my cheeks,
and you smiled at me and I thought
oh, crap, wow.
I said to him I love you more and meant it.
Repetition:
By ShaneaRae Cordova
You showed up,
out of nowhere.
What am I to do...
the longer I wait
the further you go.
Then we spoke
it erupted...
completely gone.
We only look now.
Lonely.
A knock on our doors...
shall we open up?
What if I don't and...
you do?
I'll be left behind...
just another memory.
Or maybe I'll show you,
show you this.
Somehow,
we'll keep it together.
By ShaneaRae Cordova
You showed up,
out of nowhere.
What am I to do...
the longer I wait
the further you go.
Then we spoke
it erupted...
completely gone.
We only look now.
Lonely.
A knock on our doors...
shall we open up?
What if I don't and...
you do?
I'll be left behind...
just another memory.
Or maybe I'll show you,
show you this.
Somehow,
we'll keep it together.
What kills.
By A. Roberts
The darkness pulls her deeper into itself
Bathing her in shadows and ghosts.
Taunting her to fall further and further.
And she does. She sinks. And he drowns her.
By A. Roberts
The darkness pulls her deeper into itself
Bathing her in shadows and ghosts.
Taunting her to fall further and further.
And she does. She sinks. And he drowns her.