Category: 2016-17 Submissions

Its majesty brushed

with browns and reds.
Towering saguaro piercing
the land. Visited by screeching;
bats in search

of the insects illuminated
by the moon.
Sonoran paradise.
A wasteland: sweltering
with hazy apparitions by day,

frozen over by relentless
cold at night. Summer air invites
a silent killer.
It begins as avid wind-
agitating the dry crust
on the blushing rocks.

The devils begin to stir.
Survivors vanish-
into the cracked clay.

The horizon. The suns
resting place, enlightened
twice; now a darkened cloak.
Consuming everything,
everywhere.

Sand slices like shards of glass.
Wind shrouds the rocks,
dulling their glow. Overwhelms
the snakes and owls.

An eternity of rolling
dust encases everything,
everywhere.

Wind chimes batter
one another
in a futile attempt to escape
Their relentless
keening

A fire alarm goes off
For no discernible reason
Everyone scatters

When I pretend
to be asleep
I am exposed
Every time

Everyday something trivial
Will clatter
to the ground
And make someone
trivial jump

I can’t sing
in front of people
My voice comes
Out
but it wavers

All night
And all day
A bird is bawling

Did you know
Rattlesnakes have discarded
their rattles
They will issue
no more warnings

Yesterday in line
A baby stared and stared
at me
Squalling
the whole time

I fold inward on myself
Back arching
like a
Fierce, frightened cat

 

 

It’s hard for your thoughts to be spoken
When deep inside you’re still broken
And you can’t put the pieces together

You just want to lock all the doors
You just can’t take it no more
You just want something better

Why should I be sorry for simple mistakes
There still rolling out of place
I don’t need no worries,
All they do is run away
Just like the things you promised me

And now I’m just thinking all these things
and my same past mistakes
I can’t hold it in for long

Why should I be sorry for simple mistakes
There still rolling out of place
I don’t need no worries,
All they do is run away
Just like the things you promised me

 

 

Maybe this storm will cry
Maybe the stars will tell the moon goodbye
Maybe there is still a place in the universe
For the world to cover up its lies
But time does not stand still
And life just feels so real
Putting your feet off the ground
Hoping someday this world will turn around
So as I watch these days pass by
I can’t help but look up
And get lost in the sky
Maybe this place will find its heart
Or maybe I’ll find myself through these empty scars

Covington Middle School

8

I can’t stop playing video games today
It Is all I ever want to play
The graphics are outstanding
But my mom is so demanding
“Stop playing these video games”
Is what my mom angrily exclaims

Computer, box, things that you wear
Whatever console it is I don’t care
Lunchtime, but I cannot eat
This level is one I shall beat
It is when I die the most
The last level versus Blinky The Ghost

Halo, Galaga, Kingdom Rush
Any enemy I will crush
Against the aliens, I have a gun
Playing this is really fun.
I now have a ship, in a small dogfight
I shall play all through the night.

I am but one lonely plumber
I explore the sewers with my brother
Now I am surrounded by a world of blocks
With tons of animals, and not a single one of them talks

My hands are molded into remotes
When I win I use emotes
Just to Taunt I mean no harm
It cost Ponda Baba an arm

I shall stop when this day ends
That is what my mom recommends
I look at my time the numbers aglow
Wait, It’s already TOMORROW?

 

It’s drifting through the water
Through the Ocean blue
You never see it coming
Although it’s right in front of you
It blends into the sand
A deep, rich tan
When you see it
It’s always too late
I see my reflection in the water
Distorted as I break through it
The shark swimming faster and faster away
Desperate to get away from this, monster
As I run, I am oblivious to the world around me
The shark is my only goal
I see nothing but the shark
I hear nothing but the waves
I smell nothing but the breeze
I lunge and miss
The shark is heading for deeper water now
This is my last chance
I look down and see something
Spiky, and purple
I know it’s a Sea Urchin but it doesn’t matter
Only the shark does
I trip, I stumble
I watch the shark glide back
Farther and farther away
Into the safeties of the deep
I watch it sail smoothly away
I feel lonely far away
Until I hear someone calling my name
I slowly trudge back to the beach
Noticing things I didn’t notice before
When I walk, sand swirls up, almo

 

The smell of food, so good, so sweet
Golden Corral is where I eat
tastes as good as cake
I’ll gobble it up, like a snake
I touch my fork, so shiny, so smooth
The perfect mix, for me a youth
I taste some donuts, so great, so divine
Golden Corral is the place I dine
Eating there is a piece of cake
If you don’t eat it all, you’re food I’ll take
The rush of something, in a fountain I hear
A chocolate fountain begging me to come near
I see so much, so much food
Golden Corral’s the best place, I conclude
The table is soft the chairs are clouds
Golden corral attracts many crowds
I would not leave, I want to stay
Golden Corral I’ll stay all day.
Leaving here, I dread with sorrow
Is there a chance we could come back, Tomorrow?

 

Let me drop some sense in you about life.

Well, it’s pretty short and sometimes not right.

I guarantee you won’t smile every day.

 

“Friends.” What’s that?!

They smile to your face

Yet are quick to talk behind your back.

Man, what do you call that?

 

Who said life was easy?

Whoever caused you your pain

Aint worth crying for in vain!

Just get through and move on.

 

You cared for them!

Worried for them!

You want the best for them!

But think about it…Are they worth caring for?

 

What hurts me the most is I thought we

were “so close.”

I told my mom about you, but as soon as she

got to know you, she saw the real you!

I’m done playing the “forgive me” game.

I gave you so many chances.

You deserved not one!

 

You gave me all those “sorrys” and “please

forgive mes” and guess what?

My stupid self fell for it!

I was such a good friend to you,

And don’t you deny it

Cause all those times you begged for

forgiveness-I did.

You were never a good friend to me.

I knew it all along.

I just didn’t want to leave you.

You know you needed me-I kept you out of trouble.

Well at least I tried.

Of course there was a point I loved you.

A lot.

 

But now you can forget about it

You’re so gone.