Category: 2018-19 Submissions

The most twinkly night sky,
It’s like hundreds of fireflies up high.

Yet I feel lonely,
when I look at you closely.

You consist of all the things I can imagine,
The sky is never dark but it is always shimmering.

They form constellations and all sorts of patterns,
The most beautiful planet in the solar system is Saturn.

Everything in the sky is magical and mysterious,
Like the question of the life other than us.

Then when it’s Christmas the sky gives me a merry feeling,
The snowflakes falling from the sky landing on the ceiling.

The sky’s truth is not yet discovered,
How is the sky so pretty,
I always wondered.

The sky’s color always changes,
The sky is pretty from all the places.

---

Pearson Ranch Middle School

6

The butterflies couldn’t seem to go away,
anytime during the day.

As I’m lying awake so many nights,
trying to recognize the passion,
my wishes hide in my open mind.

Their gentle wings keep them afloat
in my constant overflowing emotions;
washing my worries away in a sea of aspiration.

The painful sting of waiting.
The irresistible burn of wanting something you have,
that some how still seems out of
reach.
And the uncomfortable ache of my
vulnerable heart
let loose to a firing range.

But the overwhelming reminder from my butterflies;
they always seem to be a good sign.

Their wings push and pull on my breath
until it feels as if I can’t
breathe at all.

The air seemingly stomped from my chest
like the match,
thought to have been smothered from existence,
but not before its spark
lit ablaze in the depths of my
heart.

My some how effortless desire,
playing me like a fiddle,
and the endless sight of complication;
forming countless paths in
our maze.

Their natural beauty beyond belief.
Their pure, innocent, representation of
the most longed for, feared emotion, sometimes known as
love.

The fire.
The flame.
It is all the same.
My prayer for a simple attraction.

So listen to the cry of my butterflies;
the lullaby rocking me to sleep at night.
The quiet but fierce whisper from my butterflies
reminding you they’re still
here.

---

The Ann Richards School for Young Women Leaders

7

Why?
Why are we looked at this way?
Why are we broken by what people say?

The horrible ache
each time we long to please them.
Each comment taking a toll
on all of our once
confident souls.

Each tear,
finally spilling the deep emotions
we’ve hidden away
for to long.

Each tear,
as it falls,
washing a piece of us
away.

The mirror reflects a broken
hurt girl,
every minute wishing to be
someone else;
every second wanting to be something else.

The mirror reflects a girls
ruined confidence,
her crushed self esteem,
and her broken heart;
all torn apart by all of the
harsh critics,
her real life super villains,
the stereotypes,
the world.

But really it is all
fake.
The image.
The reflection.
The thought of her has been
distorted.

She isn’t fat.
She isn’t ugly.
She isn’t weak.
She isn’t stupid.

She is unique.
She is strong.
She is smart.
She is beautiful.
She is perfectly
imperfect.

The mirror reflects a girl.
Just a girl.
A girl who may not be
what the world “wants” to see,
but a girl who is who
she wants to
be.

---

The Ann Richards School for young Women Leaders

7

Let’s raise our glass
To another awesome year
A year full of laughter
And even a few tears.

We’ve accomplished so many things
At home or maybe in school we bring
Good knowledge, information
Respect, and discipline.

Sharing what we know and have
To the less unfortunate
Made our lives lighter and happier
While others survive and do not suffer.

So cheers to 2019
With a new hope and a new beginning
May all be blessed with peace and good health,
And love, joy, and prosperity be held!

---

Gorzycki

8

When something’s different from before
Simple, yet hard

When present becomes just a memory
Simple, yet hard

When something goes from being to unbeing
Simple, yet hard

What makes tears become an ocean
Hard for me,
Tough,

Difficult,

but more.

Swallowing up the love
Things that are loved,
Loved by me.
Replaced by something that doesn’t stand quite as tall,
Leaving the space feeling

Empty.

---

Brentwood Elementary

5

The stares I get in the hallway
are nothing but cruel
their dragon like presence
is enough to shatter my heart
into a million pieces
as I watch them fall to a clunk

---

Round Rock High School

10

My mom thinks my name means “a loving child who brings home good grades.” My brother thinks my name means “Atheletic brother who is full of energy.” My best friend thinks my name means “Funny, smart best friend.” My teacher thinks my name means “Student who brings full effort into class.” My keyboarding teacher thinks my name means “Fast typer and Learner.” My art teacher thinks my name means “ Great artist with great effort.” My coach thinks my name means “Hard working sweaty person.” I bet they left some stuff out like kid who likes playing Fortnite but I think my name means “kid who is obsessed with for tire and likes sports.”

---

Gorzycki

6

Ka-thump, Ka-thump
My heart pounds heavily in my chest, racing and turning
It feels as if I might die
But no,
I still breathe
Slowly, but surely
And yet, those heavy breaths speed up
Quicker and quicker
My eyes…
What is this forming?
They widen with emotion
Something I rarely feel
Hands seem to act upon themselves as a letter is placed on his desk
It waits
…
It waits
A letter is picked up by self-acting hands
Something I rarely feel
They return to their normal form
Dark and forbidding
But not when he’s around
My eyes…
Slower and slower
My body calms down as quick as it sped up
I still breathe
But wait
It feels as if I might survive
My heart still pounds deep in my chest
Ka-thump, Ka-thump

---

Gorzycki Middle School

6

Breathe

Hot
Hot
It’s hot
Too hot
breathe
breathe
I can’t breathe
a tightness
a tightness in my chest
breathe
breathe
lay down
down on the bus seat
pitter-patter
pitter-patter
pitter-patter of the rain
sweat
sweat
covered in sweat
Breathe
Breathe
Sleep
just go to sleep
listen to the calm music
Ignore the loud noises
Breathe
Breathe
water
drink water
I can’t
I can’t breathe
help
help me
Help
Help Me
Breathe
Breathe
Blurry
Blurry
My visions blurry
Darkening
Darkening
everything’s darkening
Breathe
Breathe
There’s no air
I can’t breathe

One last message

Mom
I can’t see
Dad
I can’t breathe
Nick
I can’t say goodbye

I love y’all

---

Bowie High School

10

Their eyes drilled into my back
like lasers in action movies
something so insignificant to others
but I always notice them
no matter what.
Because of who I am
because of my identity
because of me……

---

Round Rock High School

10