The Lonely Island

The lonely island waded in the ocean
Drowned in knobbly sand
Dressed only in broken bottles and rusted treasures
The sun looked wrong on his weary body
No glow
No shine
Just there

A traveler at heart
But with no weight to carry him
He was immovable
A lazy blob on a lazy planet
No feet to walk him
No wings to fly him
Nobody to help him

Everyday though
Pure white birds would fly above him
Almost like angels they looked
He begged for them to stay
To dance in his no longer shiny jewels
And tell him about the world he could never see
They left

Then one stormy day
When not even the island could hear his own pleas of sadness
A ragged bird soared by with feathers the color of dirt
Almost matching the wreckage on the island’s shore
Startled by the noises of the clouds
It dropped something and the island called for it to come back but again nobody heard
It left

The “something” only grew from then on
It became so tall that the island thought it was attached to the sky
A palm tree
Birds came from everywhere to marvel at it
The island became a popular pitstop for them
They would rest in its leaves and chat about foreign lands
They stayed


Bailey Middle School

8th Grade

Dirty Room

“Clean clean clean!”
I keep hearing
but that’s not my wish
Everything’s in its place
Right where it fits

“It’s not that bad!”
I say
I know where everything’s at
from that yo-yo from 3rd grade
to my darling indigo hat

Sure it’s not that organized
and a bit mismatched
but it fits me and my mind
It’s pretty simple actually
Some things are not meant for others to find


Bailey Middle School

8th Grade

Boom

BOOM

I’m big I’m rough
I could be slim or buff
Or maybe even be nothing.

I can do big damage or
Make small cuts and burns and much more.

So be warned I can leave scars
And you better run because if I’m near you
Won’t see the star’s.

No more will be left.


Gorzycki Middle School

7th

I am

I am like a fire
Burning bright
I illuminate wild eyes
Like an animal
Ready to strike
A glint of madness
In my flames
I am like the calm before the storm
Quite until I strike
I am the insanity of the flame
Consuming all I touch
Every thought
Every action
I am like the smoke of a fire
Dark and pungent
Killing those who stay
Slowly chocking the life away
As I burn the wood
All other thoughts leave me
All I know is fleeing my fire grasp
I am the embers of the fire
What’s leftover
I am all that’s left
After the insanity strikes
I am like the smell of a burnt out fire
The only thing that tells you
I was here
I’ve destroyed all else
I am a fire
I burn and destroy all in my path
Nothing can reach me
For none can touch me
I am eternal
eternal and alone


Bowie High School

9

Light and Shadow

Light defends against shadow

But it creates shadows as well

Light keeps the shadows at bay

But it also conceals them

Light gives you hope

But shadows inspire you

Light warms you

But shadows ensure

That you are never alone

Light wards away monsters

But shadows make them disappear


Ann Richards School for Young Woman Leaders

6

The Best Thanksgiving

As we rushed out the door this late Thanksgiving night
To eat a big feast that is hot and nice
We just said our ‘thanks’ and I decided to ask,
“Can we please have a bite to feast on?”
My parents said yes
So I ate and ate
And I would have to say
it was The Best Thanksgiving ever.


Baranoff Elementary

3

Mountaintop

Up
High above
There is a place which many dream
And few know
It is graceful and elegant
Like the stars
From there you can touch
The gentle mist that surrounds
But doesn’t cloud
It frees and flows
Like a river
Down
A mountaintop


Bailey Middle School

7th

Space

A mysterious place to be
Filled with wonders not to be uncovered
Its possibilities are limitless
Infinite

A magical place to hold your dreams
It never screams, never whispers any of your secrets
It keeps them safe and takes them to another place

No matter your age,
It lets your spirit run free
You are peace
You are love
Nothing can break you


Baldwin

4th

Light and Shadow

Light defends against shadow
But it creates shadows as well

Light keeps the shadows at bay
But it also conceals them

Light gives you hope
But shadows inspire you

Light warms you
But shadows ensure
That you are never alone

Light wards away monsters
But shadows make them disappear

Shadows may scare you
But light can show you far worse truths


Ann Richards School for Young Women Leaders

6th

Photograph

Clear waters and
white sands,
under a blanket of clouds.
Laughter that makes music,
drifting higher,
and higher,
up into the warm breeze.
Smiles on all our faces,
my eyes squinted as if to say,
HELP,
as my brother tries to escape
my grip.
It is the moments like this,
the memories,
that we keep in a photograph.
Each one has a story,
a memory
and each memory
holds emotions.
So many beautiful things
we keep in a photograph.
So many amazing things we keep
in our memories.
Clear waters and
white sands,
under a blanket of clouds.


Ann Richard School for Young Women Leaders

7th