A Cry for Help

I heard a cry, a call for help.
Running into the woods
I saw no one.
I heard it again, “Someone help me!”
Anxious to find out what was going on,
I took off running.
Behind thorn bushes and through the trees,
I came upon a path.
I followed the path, running, my brain swarming with thoughts.
I had to keep going.
Something felt unusual.
“Help me!” I heard again.
I stopped.
I spun around, my eyes exploring, but there was nothing to see.
I was alone in the dark on an ended path and it was just me.
Am I going crazy? Is there something wrong?
I still faintly heard the voice.
It sounded like it was coming from behind me, I turned,
But nothing there.
Suddenly I realized that I was the one crying for help.
This was the voice in my head.
The person calling for help was me.


St. Mark Lutheran School

8

An Elegy for Nicky Keller

I remember how the booming,
bright, and brilliant bursts

of color hurt your eyes. We layed
in the prickly grass of the

crowded park, looking at the sky.
I remember how you didn’t

know of the growing death in
your body, and life was

like a flower in a sunny meadow.
I remember your bright, yellow

petals, never falling in the cold
of winter, and your glowing

leaves in the warmth of day.

I remember the first day your
petals fell. After the color

left the sky, and before the branches
became clean and bare.

Your leaves drooped, and the warmth
was sucked out of your

thriving heart. I still watch the
erupting purples, and

yellows in the night sky, and I
will forever feel the

grass of the meadow on my skin.


Bowie High School

12

Farm Life

I live on a farm, and I have something to say.
Something sad happened, even though I live so far away
From construction, Coyotes, Raccoons, rabbits,and birds too,
they all lose their homes, and come running to you,
My poor 8 year old dog was wandering away
To the back of our yard, 2 acres away
His favorite thing is food; he really likes to eat
We called him inside; he usually listens
But he never came inside, or even pawed at the door
My mom had a feeling that something wasn’t right
She shook some food, thought he’d come racing, almost breaking
through the floor; but we heard and saw nothing
But blank empty air “Look mommy it’s not bright no more” my sister
Says. My father went outside with his flashlight,
Looking for some hair, or something
To show my dog was there
He went into the back of the yard,
And out comes my dog, looking for a guard
My dad took him back to the deck
My mom started inspecting his neck
They said there was lots of blood,
My sister asked, did he slip in the mud?
No. My mom said. Papa’s taking him to the Emergency Vet!
My sister and me cried
We’ve had that dog so long
Yeah, and this is not the first time he’s gone to the Emergency Room
We hardly slept that night, scared to death
I trembled in bed waiting to hear back
My mom came in and sat
She said I shouldn’t worry too much, and she had to clean off the mat
She said it was most likely a raccoon
That we’d go pick him up tomorrow afternoon
Little bit later, we got a call from the vet
Said that it was probably a coyote,
The doc was even willing to bet
But coyotes aren’t BAD, and farm life isn’t MISERABLE
In fact, I have just 1 more thing to say, well, actually 1 more story to tell
One night, we went out to run some errands.
We were getting home late; we had no tight schedule
We hadn’t fed the goats or horse,either
But the Goats always find a way
They were hungry, so…
Anyway, we stopped to check the mail
Maaaaaa! Maaaaaaaaaa!
Wow the goats sure are hungry; you can hear them from here
Yeah,WAIT!!!!!!! THE GOATS ARE OUT!!!!!!!!!!
We jumped out of the car,
I grab 1 of the goats; my dad grabs the other
We run, lock them up on the deck,
Fix their pen, bring them back to it
THIS is my farm life!


Austin Jewish Academy

5

happy moments and chips and queso

The moment the queso touches my lips
I feel happy
eating chips and queso with my family
it brings us together.
My favorite chips and queso place
Polvos.
I LOVE polvos
the chips are always hot,
right out of the oven
the cheese is always so gooey and delicious.
Shoo
the steam rising from the hot cheese placed right in front of me.
A moment of joy is going to ACL.
We felt the inspiration of saul paul
that inspired me to rise up and shine.
Sounds boomed through the air while me and my mom danced our bodies out. I was so excited that he was performing at our own poetry slam. Happiness is going to the movies with my uncle. The theaters were packed. Step,step everyone was trying to find the seats they were assigned. We finally found our seats and sat down. The trailers for other movies went on FOREVER but the movie FINALLY started. The movie went on for two hours. It started off a little scary but then it got to the real good stuff. The best scene was a car chase. It was a really good movie. I don’t see my uncle that much so it was a really good time for us both. Happiness to me is: chips and queso, ACL dancing with my mom, and movies with my uncle. Happiness to me…


Austin Jewish Academy

5

Planes

Planes are insane .
Whenever I think of being in the air, I jump on my feet,
ecstatic.
Ready to start the journey.
I love flying.
Being on a plane, I am a bird flying to its home.
it makes me feel like I’m in paradise.
I’m on the plane,
I push my chest up so I can see as much as possible.
I grip my hands to the armrests,
hold on tight.
We’re in the air!
All I can see is corn fields
dancing to the song playing in in my head.
Da da da da da da da da da da da da da denaaa.
39,600.
39,600 seconds till we arrive.
Ahhhh.
My mom taps me on the shoulder …
I’m trying to sleep… she says.
sorry and I try to get some sleep.
she taps me again.
Look,
I look out the window
I see the most beautiful sunrise in the world.
It looks like a red, orange and yellow blend of joy…

then I fall asleep.
Later…
I wake up and hear the intercom

we’re preparing our landing.please fasten your seatbelts and raise seats back and tray tables to the upright positions.

This is my favorite part.

I feel like I’m in a tall skyscraper looking down out of a window.

I know EVerything about landing.

I know the flaps,slats,ailerons,rudder,altimedor,flight director,speed

brakes,brakes,spoilers,yoke,throttle,And the autopilot,heading,

Speed,altitude,navigation.

I know the lights,

the landing lights, strobe lights, taxi lights, and navigation lights.

Again

I know Everything about planes.

TO me planes are the best thing in world.


Austin Jewish Academy

5

Springrolls and Strikeouts

I HIT the ball.. I launch it… I see it swimming through the AIR…OUT
I’m frustrated… I could scream…I suppress my feelings and say to myself…I’ll get’ em next time…At night I watch baseball with my dad I watch the batters stance and catchers stance and take into my stance.

I put away my baseball in my drawer and save it for later…

During family time at my favorite restaurant the waiters are family, like baseball I’m home.

When I am on the field people on the other team bragging saying they’ll win…no I don’t say nothin’…
I let my GAME SPEAK for me…people don’t need to like baseball…it is mine…

I AM A PLAYER, I AM A HITTER, I AM A CATCHER.
When you are playing catcher the pitcher leaves the ball… releases it towards me … bases loaded … palms sweaty… he HITS it high in the air…Foul towards me… I eye the ball about to catch it JUST like I eye my dish of food at Elizabeth St…ready to attack.
REACHING… REACHING… REACHING… got it…out…YES I exclaim to myself YES…
I love baseball… it fills me, like the plates of my favorite family spots,with love, with
passion, with excitement of the unknown. Baseball…good food…family…
THAT is the key to my life and will always be the keys to my life. —


Austin Jewish Academy

5

Sixth Sense

Everybody knows their basic 5 senses
But I have a sixth sense
I have something special
I have something rare
I have something unique
I have siblings
My siblings are different, though
They’re all younger, but the youngest is 1
Then there’s my 4 year old sibling
And there’s my 8 year old sibling
And guess what?
They’re all GIRLS!!!
They are my sixth sense
They know me better than I know myself
I know my sisters better than they know themselves
We are close in age
Whenever I am upset with one sister,
I have the other 2
Always someone to play with
It’s never boring….It’s never quiet ….
We’re always there for each other …that’s how sisters are…


Austin Jewish Academy

5

Why I Love Soccer

WHY I LOVE SOCCER

We are in Houston

It is the final game of our soccer tournament we WANT to win

The other team looks tough

now its kickoff time

they are dribbling, passing and take a great shot into the top corner

I leap thru the air hands extended I catch it

Nice job I say to myself Stay focused

The first half comes to an end Tied 0-0

Second half starts

They get an early goal

We don’t give up We keep fighting

We have the ball, we move up the field

we set up a perfect cross and then the shot GOAL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Tie Game 1-1

We hear the ref blow the whistle Game over Now it is time for penalty kicks

First PK a miss then a goal next shot annndddd it is a miss,

It’s our last shot and GOALLLL!!!!!!!!!!
All we have to do is block their last shot and we will win,

we see the shot then we see the keeper jump for the ball anddddddd his fingers knock it out, WE WIN WE WIN everybody is going is so happy we all celebrate like crazy but then we have to drive back to Austin because school starts tomorrow.

Soccer to me is like playing with my mom
I love soccer because it is back and forth and fast pace like when I make my mom laugh. I love soccer because it helps to make friends and it challenges me

that’s why I love soccer


Austin Jewish Academy

5