Author: Landon F.

Trapped in a mirror

Trapped

The darkness around me fills my senses
With thoughts of freedom hope and ambition
My cold hand quickly turns pale and tenses
I still do know that this is my mission

My long slender limbs, I know will not last
Every second feels like decades pass by
Drops of energy evaporate fast
Standing by myself on the other side

My friends look at me with disappointment
Their judging expression burns up my heart
Forced as an introvert with no ointment
wistfully nothing will tear us apart

Trapped as a reflection in your mirror
I am at no time present in your heart

Paragon Prep School

7

Where I’m From

I am from the heat
From the warm and hot days of summer
I am from staying Indoors all day
(fan on max speed
Trying to stay cool)
I am from good cooks
And food
With smells that fill the whole house
And waiting till it’s put on my plate.

* I am from hot wings and smoked ribs
From cookies and cake
I am from the “you’re so smart”
And the “my little book worm”
From be quiet and speak up
I’m from the family who laughs,
has a good time,
And smiles when we are together

I’m from New York and California
Pizza and BBQ
From the fur of the rabbit
Who I won at the county fair
From the grip of shiny metal
From the last call of my grandpa
As my dad flew to New York.
These are the thing of
Where I’m from

inspired by George Ella Lyon’s “where I’m from”

Small Middle School

8

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