A New Perspective

Introspection
~Carlyn Beaver
Schalmont High School’s Literary Magazine
A New Perspective
2015
1
About Introspection, a Literary Magazine
Introspection is a literary magazine and club that
provides Schalmont High School students with the
opportunity to publish their original artwork, photography,
poetry and short stories. It is through this venue that they
are able to express themselves. What makes this club
unique is that students must be willing to share a small
piece of themselves by submitting personal work. We are
so glad that this literary magazine has been able to
showcase a diverse group of students in our building who
are talented and often do not have the chance to have
their artistic creations showcased.
We hope you enjoy this issue. Many of our editors and
club current members are graduating, so we will be looking
for new and creative minds to take over for the 2016 year.
Thank you very much for a wonderful year! We would
like to extend a special thank you to Mrs. Zink and Mr.
Pinkham for submitting their art students’ work.
Student Editor: Abbie Kitchner
Co-Editors: Ian Randall, Taylor Dundon
Advisor: Mrs. Mattice
2
I don’t understand it.
How when a bird is different
We call it beautiful,
And exotic.
Or how when a rock does not look like
other rocks
It is precious,
And we make it expensive.
But when a child is not like other children
They are called strange,
And weird,
And ugly.
I don’t understand it.
Do you?
~Emily Aucompagh
~Sarah Lamp
Nature is a beautiful sanctuary.
It is ancient;
Sacred;
Pure;
Its moon has cycles;
Each day it changes;
Just like life.
Nature’s creatures survive;
They live in harmony;
We should too.
~Shugufa Majid
~Ian Randall
Diamonte
Major
Happy, Bright
Warming, Calming, Uplifting
Melody, Consonance, Dissonance, Harmony
Depressing, Upsetting, Chilling
Dark, Morose
Minor
~Emily Malone
The book Fahrenheit 451
Thrilling and mysterious
Making my heart pound
Like a drum.
If only I knew what happened to
Clarisse?
~Sarah Haws
3
~Bryon Glick
4
A Journey of Hope
By: Kabonesa Birungi-Wilson
I was born in the Republic of Uganda. I come from a proud people; "The Kingly
Tribe," the Buganda. But poverty, disease and war have a way of humbling the strongest of
people. By the time I was born, Uganda was one of the poorest countries in the world and
it had one of the highest numbers of HIV infected individuals. There was also war raging
at almost every border and in our Northern Region.
My family was not exempt from this
pain. By the time I was seven, my mother
died and my father was very sick. This
made life difficult. Yet, I do not remember being unhappy. I enjoyed life in our
village. I remember walking down the dirt
road with no shoes on, dust flying everywhere from cars and motorcycles. I remember smelling the fresh beans cooking
and people carrying bags of food in their
hands. I watched people play board games
on the ground and rest under mango trees.
These childhood images connect me to my
home land. As a kid, I ran around the vil~Britney Butler
lage with my friends, climbed trees, but
also took care of my father. Some nights I did not eat, but I knew my dad tried his best
to provide for us.
Church and faith were the center of our family. A lot of American people used to
come up to our church to pray and to explore. I only knew the America of the movies;
abundance everywhere. Whenever I saw a plane in the air, I wished to one day to be on
one. We prayed a lot that one day we would come to America.
One day, we met a young American, named Miss Donna. She started living and working at the Children's Home in our village. The first question we asked her: "Do you have
children"? Thinking back now, I do not know why my brother and I asked her that. I remember her response: "Well, I have you." That one question changed our lives forever.
My father, seemingly close to death, knew how much Miss Donna loved us; we loved her
too. He also knew he lacked family to care for us when he died. After much prayer my father asked Miss Donna to care for us, to adopt us.
In Uganda, our fate would have meant living on the streets alone, and we quickly realized it was nearly impossible for a single American woman to adopt Ugandan children. In
fact, the US Embassy told Miss Donna it was impossible, but she never quit trying. Miss
Donna returned to America to complete paper work; she promised to return in three
months. A year and a half later she came back to Uganda. Waiting for her was a difficult
time, as my father's health continued to decline. There were times, even days, when we
lacked food and hope.
My wish to fly on a plane became a reality when I learned my "Mom" was coming to get
me. She blazed a miraculous trail from Uganda to America and back. While my wish occurred, I
also had to part from my dying father; but, as the plane landed, I was greeted by dozens of
our new relatives and soon-to-be friends.
Dreams start with a single wish and hope can make a difference.
5
Broken
By: Shugufa Majid
His heart feels nothing but pain;
his eyes do nothing but rain.
His soul is charred and raw
from the things he once knew and saw.
Love to him is like a form of fame.
People using you;
it's all a game,
but he always copes,
and he always hopes
for that one special day
when he finds his way,
and he can say
that he's okay.
~
~Katlyn Teetsel
Our Elusive Love
By: Mia Dobbs
~Deanna Lince
When you watch those memories fade to dust,
You wonder, “How could I have fixed this,
How could I have this moment last forever?”
You wonder how it could've ended up like this,
“I thought we had a love so strong.”
The problem was not when your love was weak,
The problem was when your efforts to love were weak.
And now you dare to sit here and blame each other
for the hatred that got between the bond you both once
had,
but you both fail to realize
that it is not hatred that broke that bond
but in fact love that got in the way of your happiness
and now,
when you try to remember those sweet memories,
the memories that brought you two to love one another
in the first place seem to fade
then eventually they're just
elusive.
Congratulations Mia for having your poem published in the book,
Accolades: 2014 Poetry Collection
~Kayleigh Shultis
6
Dream Catcher
By Colette Schrom
A dream
backed
by hope,
merely
a thought,
like a
star
in the
deep
black sky
glistening
through
waiting
for a
chance
to spark
and leave
the dark
behind.
Life pushes on
as night
turns to day,
kindly hiding
aspirations
below.
The light may dim,
but the hope
continues to glow
beneath
the
surface
never
letting go
and moving
forward,
continuing
but
feeling
a step behind.
A small
reminder
that something
out there
waits for the
promise
kept
within.
~Kaitlyn Cole
7
~Carlyn Beaver
8
it’s nothing easily noticed
it’s hidden in her eyes
the difficulty is
she’s a master of disguise
now, everyone’s got a smile
but hers just isn’t the same
hers puts all the stars, the moon,
into wallowing shame
her smile glows with endless light
she’s never without a grin
but her ability to hide what’s underneath
is so deadly, it could be a sin
she wears this smile like a mask,
or like pearls with a ceaseless glow
but something about it seems a secret
like there’s something you’ll never know
i’ve seen her smile so often now
that i took a risk and noticed her eyes
expecting to see playful twinkles
i was left in a dismal surprise
they say that eyes are the windows
to the deepest parts of the soul
they let you see the darkest depths
in each and every hole
and in this moment i realized
that what they say is right
that beautiful, eye-catching smile
was a painted on delight
her blue eyes held the ocean
an endless, lonely expanse
and as i stared into them
they held me in an empty trance
they captured the navy night sky
as the sun gives way to the moon
and leaves the moon all alone
in darkness and solitude
~Arianna Reckner
and that was the secret that she kept
hidden for so long
looking at her smile
nobody would suspect anything wrong
~Rachel Diehsner
she hid her hurricane eyes
which held pain and tears and sorrow
and in the glance I took at them
I could feel that she was hollow
she wasn’t just a lonely girl
but the keeper of an empty heart
in crowds she felt secluded
and here’s the saddest part
no one ever noticed her eyes
at least not the way I did
nobody ever asked if she was okay
and behind her smile she hid
so when you meet someone new
first look in their eyes
because its true the saddest people
have the happiest of smiles
~Rebecca Nelson
9
My Home
By: Michaela Gagliardi
I won’t forget the calming caresses of my mother’s hands
I won’t forget the brave voice of my grandfather
I won’t forget the power of my grandmother’s glare
I won’t forget the happiness in my brother’s laugh
I won’t forget the faded paint on the front of the house
I won’t forget the dog’s curiosity
I won’t forget my sister’s craziness
I won’t forget the happiness
I won’t forget the tension
I won’t forget the silence
I won’t forget the never ending silence
I won’t forget my neighbor’s lawn mower
I won’t forget the breeze in my hair as I whip down the bike
path
I won’t forget the first time my bike hits the pavement in
spring
I won’t forget the softness of the newly revived grass
I won’t forget my brother’s smile
I won’t forget the adventures of summer
I won’t forget the happiness
I won’t forget the tension
I won’t forget the silence
I won’t forget the never ending silence
I won’t forget the burning swing seat
I won’t forget the 99 cent Arizonas
I won’t forget the pesky mosquitos
I won’t forget the yearly spring flood
I won’t forget my father’s booming voice
I won’t forget Cheryl
I won’t forget the endless time I had with Graham
I won’t forget the playfulness of the neighborhood kids
I won’t forget the scent of the new dandelions
I won’t forget the four dollars an hour
I won’t forget the burning pavement beneath my bare feet
I won’t forget the loud music
I won’t forget the late night races
I won’t forget the dark street light chalk drawings
I won’t forget the happiness
I won’t forget the tension
I won’t forget the silence
I won’t forget the never ending silence
I won’t forget Jim
I won’t forget the giant trays of cupcakes
~Sarah Haws
~Sarah Lamp
I won’t forget painting Kennedy’s nails
I won’t forget I did it every other day
I won’t forget the sunburns
I won’t forget the cooling aloe
I won’t forget my mother’s dark hair in the sun
I won’t forget my grandfather scaring away the monsters
I won’t forget my brother’s excitement
I won’t forget my sister’s screaming
I won’t forget my grandmother’s homemade salsa
I won’t forget camp
I won’t forget the messy shed
I won’t forget the tomato garden
I won’t forget the kids’ desperate attempt to bribe me to go to the park
I won’t forget bringing all 10 to the park
I won’t forget the money I would spend on those 10 kids
I won’t forget the happiness
I won’t forget the tension
I won’t forget the silence
I won’t forget the never ending silence
I won’t forget the counted pennies
I won’t forget the trains
I won’t forget the rattle of the trucks
I won’t forget the warm rains
I won’t forget the warm rains on my face
I won’t forget the bowed porch
I won’t forget the crooked door
I won’t forget the swaying trees filled with singing birds
I won’t forget home
I won’t forget….
I won’t forget my home.
10
My Pen
By: Rachael
Steegmann
Some see a pen;
I see a harpoonTyler Joseph,
Twenty One Pilots
Absent minded,
but not so
unintentional—
with small sketches
and meaningful
lyrics—
From worn-in
heartfelt songs
strewn across a
Holocaust social
studies note packet.
Emotions flow in
mono-color ink,
across mono-color
stark pages,
forcing memories
and unconscious
confessions.
Some wounds left
unhealed
bleed
true
red.
Love and anger,
desire and envy.
My pen
shoots into the
world—
forbidden
and
stolen
secrets.
And so,
my pen
catches the
last bit
of
innocence,
saving it
for
another day.
~Alexis Zeh
11
Reflections
A sea full of faces, yet not one recognized.
Distorted pictures of somewhat familiar figures—
Less than a mirror’s image, but more than a guess.
Placing together an idea surrounded by clues,
A different perspective for each eye to hold,
Reflecting a piece within.
~Colette Schrom
~Keara Egnor
The rusty saxophone
Once used to create wonderful sounds
Now sits in the old attic
Covered in cobwebs and dust
Unused and forgotten.
~Taylor Smith
~Casey Simonds
12
The seed was planted long ago,
yet many times it failed to grow.
I’d feel something finally break the surface,
but at that the gardener became nervous.
So the gardener cleaned away the weeds
hoping to protect the fragile seed.
The only thing keeping the seed alive
was my dwindling hope that it could survive.
Then one day a little plant sprouted,
but the gardener rightfully doubted
if there was definitely something special
there.
~Brooke Haviland
And unknowingly, I took great care.
Days passed, and weeks, maybe a year,
but the sprout never bloomed, and the gardener felt fear.
Would this plant ever grow? Was the seed finally gone?
There had to be something stringing it along.
Suddenly it changed, a flower had grown.
The darkness was gone and the sun had shone.
The gardener rejoiced, excited and gay.
Who knew that a little love could go a long way?
Now here’s the catch; the gardener was me,
and I told you a story metaphorically.
The flower grew upon my heart, in my soul
when somebody showed me what it’s like to be whole.
There are still clouds that cast some shade,
but the sun shines brighter than it had.
And although the flower is still young and immature,
it’s slowly growing bigger, nourished by a love that is pure.
~Rebecca Nelson
~Taylor Dundon
13
Revenge
By: Taylor Dundon
Lurking in the night
behind the ever engulfing shadows
hides a man, or what remains of him.
A man cursed by his own creator.
Destined to be nothing but an oblivious, ornate monster.
He runs from the light in fear of being discovered.
In fear of being exiled.
In fear of being murdered.
So, all his passing days are spent alone,
left only to be troubled by his thoughts.
The thoughts that just so happen
to be ripping him apart inside and out.
In his dreams he escapes.
But even in his dreams
he is haunted
by the realization
of his loneliness,
each and every
decrepit night
after the night
that follows it.
Often left to wonder,
"Why would someone
wish this upon anyone?
Bringing me into this
god forsaken place,
for what?"
Questions that are
always left unanswered.
Questions that are
nearly unanswerable.
But still he searches
for an answer all around him.
On the highest of clouds
and in the lowest noises,
but still he comes up
with the same answer.
None at all.
He looks within himself
and things begin to show.
Fear.
Agony.
Pain.
The answer.
Pitiful Revenge.
~Jenna Taylor
14
Sounds
By: Michaela Gagliardi
Sound travels five times faster in water than in air—
Five times faster the sound of my pleading voice reaches across the 200-mile distance between us—
if it goes through the valleys I’m turning to rivers with the tears I cry for you
just so the distance feels a little less
Now the sound of your heartbeat once in my ear as I lay on your chest now lost in the 200-mile wide
chasm that’s somehow formed between us—
Now there are five things I do to make that five times faster seem… Five times faster
One) Nothing
Two) You say the first and last day of your being gone are the only two days that matter but
that’s not true because there are actually 38 days that matter, or 912 hours that
matter, or 54,000 minutes that matter. No matter what form of measurement you use it
won’t add up to two days.
Three) The most commonly used letter in the alphabet is E. And that Explains the Effects of
your Education being 200 miles away…. Emptiness
Three) You take over 23,000 breaths a day… Yet still I stand here feeling like I am suffocating
from lack of breath
Three) There is nothing I would rather do than curl up in my bed in the loneliness of your being
gone
Three) 25 hundred left-handed people are killed each year using objects meant for right hand
ed people, and I sit here every 25 seconds thinking about how people who are meant to
be together are being torn apart and I wonder if this separation will kill us.
Three) Math is my worst subject because I can’t get past 3… 3…. 3….
Three) A one-minute kiss can burn up to 26 calories, but instead of kissing you I am burning
those calories 200 miles away on a treadmill in gym class.
Four) 31, 500, 600 seconds a year and you are only gone for 3,280,000 at a time; it doesn’t
seem like much, but to me it’s an eternity.
Five) Women blink 5 times more than men, which means your eyes see the light more than mine;
mine see the darkness more than yours; mine see the 200-mile distance between us, the
darkness of the 200 miles between us the 200 miles of my tear-stained valleys.
Now sound travels five times faster in water than in air
and
E is the most commonly used letter in the alphabet
and
with each of my 23,000 breaths a day it’s always on the tip of my tongue…
Just like your name.
15
Snow
By: Ian Randall
They like to appear polite and gentle,
and seem like they have such class,
but that's just a false facade.
They are truly passive aggressive.
They eagerly ram each other on their
leisurely, classy race to the ground.
But, if the wind acts up,
they don't dare oppose it.
They just go with the flow,
opportunistically continuing
to berate each other,
yet blame everything on the wind.
Irresponsible, know-nothings,
grumblers and complainers,
combative little things
that can't take care of themselves!
Children...?
They're like children...
pure, light, even beautiful...
Their presence can be cleansing.
Their presence brings out
a hidden beauty in our landscape.
They can combine for a
common cause, like:
turning into a snow fort,
for the joy of real children...
turning into a snow ball,
for the wars of real children...
turning into a snow angel,
for the realization by real children that
the world seems a better place
if you dig deeper,
don't take things for face value,
don't judge a book by its cover,
and don't judge
a snowflake by
how it
falls.
~Jenna Taylor
Winter
By: Kyle Gigler
Cold crisp winter air
Blowing by with no care.
Snow so white it will blind your eyes
You might need sunscreen so you don’t fry.
Whipping wind blows snow all day.
Then you’ll have to shovel away.
Even though I think the winter’s better,
I really can’t wait for the summer weather.
~Bethany Smith
16
See It
By: Kayla Longo
Explore the extraordinary aspects of life;
Climb to the tops of the tallest mountains;
Take an adventure through the lowest valleys.
The world is full of much color;
You just have to see it for yourself.
Take a walk to the countryside,
And rest in the grassy plains.
Look up at the sky and you
will find clouds
like marshmallows
floating
in a bucket of blue paint.
Crawl through
the murkiest of caves.
For you will find light
in all its darkness.
~Michael Schaefer
17
Reality
By: Alexis Ryder
Reality changes with our own choices
Several realities from several voices
Constant evaluation in the mind
Different realizations you may find
Many realities lay behind the eye
Can you tell between the truth and a lie?
What you think may not be true
The only me is me, are you sure the only you is you?
~Katlyn Teetsel
The morning is new
What a pleasant wake-up call
Coming in my room.
Wind blows through the trees
Birds chirping all morning long
It sounds like music.
I wake up smiling
They sound like my favorite song.
Good morning to all.
~Rae Krebs
18
Twisted Words
By: Alexis Ryder
Twisted
words
often
lead
to
misinterpreted
thoughts.
Presumptions
kill
young
love.
I love you
is
just
another
way
of
saying
Goodbye.
~Dalton Siedschlag
This World is for You
By: Casey Coughlin
If you have wishes,
this world is for you.
If you have hopes,
this world is for you.
If you have thoughts,
ideas and dreams,
this world is for you.
If you believe
in what you know,
or believe in what
is not yet known
then you can go
sit on the throne
made for you.
~Kayleigh Shultis
19
Silence
By: Jake Dembrowski and Devin Nieves
Silence is what gives the dead a voice after they leave.
Lack of sound gives way to the voice of deep thought within,
but silence will echo to compensate for the sound that is not present.
Yet if there is thought, is there true silence?
We may not know this entirely, but we can only focus on what is there.
There is silence within all of us,
for what is there that can only be heard when the silence is present?
It is exiled by the noise of society,
but if you listen closely the silence will still be heard
knocking on the membranes of your thoughts.
And as silence leaves, so does the meaning behind it.
But, to deep thinkers and strong-minded individuals
silence allows more sound to be heard than sound itself.
The false aura that silence emits is nothing to the simple minded.
And as you listen, the silence is as loud as the noise—
much louder in fact that it explodes with potential.
Silence can be worth so much more than words.
It is important to utilize it to expand to new
lengths using silence as your only resource.
Silence allows the conjuring of new ideas and sharing rather than being
blocked out by old ones already in circulation.
Silence keeps the world constructing
and the constructed from perishing.
~Ashley Cuomo
20
~Arianna Reckner
Is the Common Core all that Common?
By: Kelsey Delaney
The common core
This makes school a bore
Who are you to tell us how to think?
I don’t ever sleep a wink
Too much homework
Too many tests, my grades are lower
Why should a test define who I am?
You don’t know me ma’am
This way of learning isn’t tailored to every student’s needs
Why are you treating us like weeds?
Changing the curriculum sure doesn’t help
This whole thing making me scream “HELP!”
Can’t you see that test grades are dropping?
Whatever we say the government isn’t stopping
All that kids are worried about now-a-days is if they have an ‘A.’
21
The Value of Time
By: Kayla Longo
People seek to do well,
to find their identities,
to find their best friends
unable to wait until they’re older.
Time passes.
They keep searching for themselves,
looking to fit in,
wanting to achieve something,
but still craving to be older.
Time passes.
They realize who their true friends are,
and cherish times spent with them.
They figure out where they fit in,
but always look for something more.
They start to realize how quickly time goes by,
though they still can’t wait to be older.
~Carlyn Beaver
Time passes.
They realize they could have waited to get older.
Time has slipped away.
Soon they will be saying goodbye
to their friends, their family, their home
for a short time,
or maybe forever.
They are getting excited about new beginnings,
but also getting sad about what they leave behind.
They wish they could be younger,
to have taken the time to appreciate every
moment, to slow down.
They must face having to say goodbye.
Now they are still searching for their birthday, their
niche,
but they know more about themselves and what they
want to become.
They remember past times,
and look fondly at the memories
even though they have created new ones.
22
Angst
By: Kelsey Delaney
The common core—
frustrating and overrated.
This is ruining our education
Does the government even care?
If only they would
let us think
the way we want.
~Carlyn Beaver
23
Kept Together by Lock and Key
By: Kayla Longo
Somewhere in the world
there lies a bridge
with every link of fence occupied.
Carved or simply sharpie-written prints—
each lock symbolizing a special bond—
true love or a friendship,
one that supposedly cannot
ever be diminished.
Thousands of keys lay buried in the sand,
or traveling through currents of the streams
while thousands of locks rest hooked onto this bridge.
Each conceals a different story behind it.
Some dates are recent;
others reveal the past—
a timeline of efforts
to keep the love alive.
To think
that a lifeless object—
a lock
and a
missing key
could keep
people together.
~Abbie Kitchner
24
Teachers
By: Alex Capovani
A textbook can only teach us so much,
for it is really teachers who possess the magical touch.
When we work to strive for an ‘A’
the best we can do is pray and pray
that we had a good teacher who helped save the day.
Grades are not everything to them;
if it was they would be easy to replace.
Although in their classrooms we take up space,
in their presence we feel like we are in the safest place.
If only they were around us for years and years
through the rest of life’s struggles and inevitable tears...
The Pink Eraser
By: Hannah List
The eraser—pale pink
soft shavings on your paper
Labeled with the promise
to erase your biggest mistakes.
Now—all grown up—
we wish
for that
pink eraser.
If only the pink eraser
would erase all the
doubts, fears, and realities
of the world?
Funny how as kids
our problems were so easily fixed
with the simplest swipe
of that pink eraser.
Photos obtained from Google images.
25
Seasons
By: Rachel Diehsner
Green grass sprouting high—
Tall pink flowers touch the sky.
The sun starts blazing;
the moon starts shining.
Goodbye winter
Until next time.
Cycles
By: Alex Capovani
The dark side is near.
The flowers begin to steer
away from us.
They go like the river seems to flow.
Soon I will see them again;
the cycle never seems to end.
For now I can laugh and play
like it is a never-ending day.
The snow begins to melt away.
Goodbye my friend;
I will see you one day.
~Stanicka Mathurin
~Sabrina Floccuzio
Somewhere down this empty path
there are birds
chirping and singing their songs
for all to hear.
The wind blows
and everything
is silent
except for the
small woman’s footsteps
rustling the leaves
and disturbing
the empty path.
She is probably
carrying some food
or freshly washed clothes
for her family,
but no matter what she has,
or who it is for
the woman’s
final destination
lies at the end
of the empty path.
~Taylor Smith
~Sabrina Floccuzio
26
Soldier
By: Alex Capovani
He leaves his family for awhile
to serve his country,
and make us smile.
Nobody knows what these men face,
but we are thankful that they take our place.
It is my dream to serve this amazing country
and to keep freedom in the minds of many.
Hopefully my dreams come true,
so I can protect people like me and you.
After all,
we bleed
red,
white,
and blue.
~Dalton Siedschlag
The Battle
By: Ryan Livingston
In the heat of the battle
bullets fly everywhere.
I think it might be over.
Reinforcements come out of nowhere.
Enemies drop one by one,
firing rounds one by one.
“Everybody stop!”
Everything is done;
I need to reload my nerf gun.
~Ian Randall
27
The Hike
By: Tom Aragosa
Maneuvering through the rugged terrain,
weaving through nature with ground to gain—
Hoping to reach the mountaintop—
the rush to the summit will never stop.
As I approach the opening in the trees,
I feel a strong summer breeze.
It’s time to enjoy the astounding sight;
You might just say, “Wow, this view is pretty tight.”
~All pictures taken by Ian Randall
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Waterfall
By: Kyle Gigler
Rapid river flowing—
I wonder where you’re going.
Walking with water’s edge,
I begin to approach the ledge.
Watching water disappear,
peeling over with growing fear.
Rushing waterfall hits the ground
with green vegetation all around.
Symphony of summer
delirious and mad
singing, sweating, wanting.
I recall through the storm
the smell of spring.
The shadow of life
whispers
dreams of light
never to sing.
~Amanda Earls
The Outdoors
By: Preston Whiteley
Beautiful nature
fields, streams, mountains, forests, woods
bears climbing trees
Plowing, planting, soil
rich, dark, rocky, loose, brown soil
autumn harvesting.
Early, quiet dawn
deer tracks in the bright, white snow
Gun shots fly in the air
~All photos taken by Ian Randall
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Time
By: Rachel Diehsner
Only pictures let me see
how my family spoiled me.
Don’t remember birthdays at all
until I see pictures on the wall.
Five years old and getting big—
asked my mother for a pig,
but all I got was that Hannah Montana wig.
Now starting to remember and starting to see
what my family did for me.
Sixteen and now I want a car—
one that will hopefully get me far.
No more surprises, no more toys,
and now my dad hates all boys.
Seventy two and now very old;
I have two kids who I wish to hold,
but now they are grown with two kids of their own
who are growing old; each lives in a different home.
Now I am weaker than I was in the past;
birthday wishes become prayers for my life to still last.
Since life goes quickly we must never deflect
From living our lives and trying to always reflect.
So no matter if we are young or are old
We must live life and make memories to forever hold.
Grandparents
By: Tom Aragosa
They have been there since day one
celebrating the new life that had begun.
Loving, caring, and so much more
in spite of the many spills on the floor.
From walking in the garden to eating Italian food
they were always in a happy mood.
~Kerry Flower
30
Life of Fire
By: Billy Galka
The rhythm of fire dancing in the night-hot coals glow ever so bright.
The sparks fly to take a place with the stars,
while I sit here counting my scars.
Embrace each breath you take
because in time it is your soul He will take.
Live your life to the full extent,
so one day you can look back and say,
“I lived a life that was well spent.”
Water
Liquid, shapeable
Dripping, pouring, calming
Pool, ocean, volcano, flames
Spreading, burning, raging
Lethal, destructive
Fire
~Alexandria Tyo
Fire
By: Dan Clifford
Fire takes, but does not give.
It has no feelings.
Fire burns and heats our homes;
Fire burns and takes our homes.
But fire is not to blame
for only man controls the flame.
~Tyler Barber
31
Provider
By: Billy Galka
Late to bed, early to rise.
Poor work ethic is what we despise.
I sometimes hear him in my sleep,
the tired pounding of his feet.
He opens my door, and I feel the light.
Sometimes I tell him to go away out of spite.
He brought me into this world,
and nurtured me like an oyster to a pearl.
He is a hardworking man indeed;
he helps me grow because I am his seed.
He’s in my future and my past;
he keeps me in line like a cast.
He gave me precious life that I admire;
therefore, he is my true provider.
Siblings
By: Hannah Smith
It is almost June;
the month will be here soon.
It will be full of laughter and tears
for my brother is finishing his high school years.
My worst enemy; my best friend—
without him, my childhood comes to an end.
My role model, my partner-in-crime;
I wish we had just a little more time.
College is where he is bound,
but it just won’t be the same without him around.
I will miss our heart-to-hearts and screaming matches,
And remember all those times I left you with horrible scratches?
Rochester University is gaining a star,
but for me, your college feels a little too far.
When I come to visit make sure to tell your friends I’m single,
and yes, I am definitely ready to mingle!
I’ll never forget our childhood fun,
but for now the time has come.
We’ll say our last goodbye.
Don’t worry, I’ll try not to cry.
32
Art as Inspiration
By: Madeline Dunn
The night is filled with a
brilliant silence which roars
with life unspoken.
No one sees
the beauty
of the night.
The streets are
empty.
The town is
quiet.
A few stragglers rush on their way.
Do they see the colors of the night?
Do they feel the warmth of the night?
The streetlights glow
in a welcoming to the
silence
and
splendor
of the night.
Can you see the beauty of the night?
~painting by Leonid Afremov; obtained from Google images
Sat beside
a shallow,
murky pond.
Grasses blow
and dance
in the breeze.
A lone pear tree
stands tall,
yet cautiously,
as if at any moment
it may be ripped from the earth
by harried wind,
never to be seen again.
~Madeline Dunn
33
~Kerry Flower
~Haley Osgood
~Dalton Siedschlag
~Logan Livingston
~Andrea Blomgren
~Jasmine Russell
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YOLO
By: Rebecca Mathurin
“You Only Live Once”—
A phrase people use to
justify taking risks.
But what if it actually
means that we have to make a
difference in the world
while we can?
~Jenna Taylor
35
36
Scantron Sheet
By: Dan Clifford
A scantron sheet is full of the holes of life.
You fill them in and hope that you are right.
A whole year’s work
brought down to 4 letters of the alphabet.
You pray to God that you won’t forget.
English, math, science, social studies, gym—
All these tests because of him.
Thanks
Governor.
Good Little Number
By: Emily Aucompagh
Be a good little number;
you know you have to.
Only the good numbers in high school
get into good colleges,
and only good numbers in college get good jobs,
and all the good jobs are just
numbers,
numbers,
numbers.
You tried your best?
You just didn’t understand?
Well, that’s not what the numbers say.
What’s your name?
Sally?
No it’s not;
it’s 84.
37
Look Me in the Eye
By: Dan Clifford
Look me in the eye;
I have something more important than talent or skill.
I have patience—
patience to know that my hard work will pay off.
I have the courage—
courage to wait for my turn to shine
because I know once it hits me I’ll never let go.
Look at me;
I know I’ll never be out worked—
I know what I will become—
what I have worked for
even if you can’t see it yet.
I will never let myself stop working
because if I stop someone else will keep going.
Rockin’ that upper lip—
hairy lifestyle.
People will want that bushy equipped face.
No man needs to shave
for it is smooth, powerful and groovy—
The stache takes attitude to a new level.
~Dom Barnett
38
Diamond Diamonte
By: Victoria Keating
Unbreakable luminescent
Shimmering, glistening, glittering
Glamour, princess, keepsake, classy
Stunning, captivating, promising
Sophisticated, timeless
Ring
Discipline
Athleticism
Nutcracker ballet
Classical
Elegant
~Sarah Mastroianni
39
~Sarah Mastroianni
40
Rapid waves crash down
washing away pebbles
that were once stagnant.
Leaves fall from the trees
drifting away in the wind.
Cycle of seasons.
Lightning strikes the ground.
Thunder rumbles in the clouds;
the sky becomes dark.
~Emily Torre
Friends
Loyal, thoughtful,
Laughing, smiling, caring,
Connection, memories, unknown, foreign,
Shocking frustrating, depressing,
Lonely, heartbroken
Strangers
~Sarina Biski
~ Bryon Glick
Clipped Wings
By: Shugufa Majid
You gave me wings,
and said to fly.
I never knew I could go so high.
But among the stars,
alone in the sky,
I knew
for sure
that without you
I’d die.
So I left my wings,
and I left my sky,
for being with you was my way to fly.
41
Me
By: Karolee Gardiner
I am the breaths I have yet to take—
the memories I have yet to unfold
for the dreams I have yet to discover.
I am the struggles I have faced in the past
to which I will not fear to part;
They gave bruises to my knees
A Song Title Poem
and made me realize
By: Sarina Biski
that falling down does not mean it’s the end.
Some Nights when I’m Thinking Out Loud
I Remember When we were On Top of the World.
I am my passions and strength—
It was a Good Friday to be In Your Arms
seemingly lost beneath the shadows of my skin.
Under A Sky Full of Stars.
I am the sunshine in my laughter,
That was the Best Day of My Life,
the constellations in my eyes,
Counting Stars knowing that I was Safe and Sound.
the flowers beneath my skin,
We Headed Home in the Sweater Weather
and the moon in my heart.
with my Heart on Fire
I am me;
Our Electric Love will be in the
I am who I was;
Hall of Fame for Centuries.
I am who I can be;
I am who I’ve become;
I am who I want—
not
who
you
feel
I
should
be.
42
The Green Siren
By: Abby Malone
The reason I am always late
is simply because I hate
showing up
without a Starbucks cup.
After school every day,
all the baristas greet me with a “Hey!”
The smell of espresso
makes my eyes light,
and without my caffeine
I feel something is not right.
I open the green straw
and blow the wrapper into the air;
no other drink really can compare.
That first sip truly is the best.
Quickly, I drink down the rest!
When I finish my coffee
and I’m left with melted ice,
I think to myself,
“Well, this is not very nice!”
I dream about my next
Starbucks Double Shot
And wonder,
Will my addiction ever stop?
I think not.
43
~Sarah Lamp
Traveling Worry
By: Rachel Steegman
encompassed by
fragmentations of confidence
turned into propaganda
negotiated into
caged learning
reasons achieve standard
a number, number, number
class, level, mark, size
grade
a statistic
another identity
melodramatic
sad teenager waiting for purpose
and to imagine
no
reason
44
Reflections
By: Mia Dobbs
The universe has all the time within itself,
but all we have are years,
months,
days,
minutes to
wake and listen,
as well as to embrace
the magic rhythms
that trek our minds.
To forget that sad blue sky,
and see the soft stained celestial sphere.
Desire to explore,
celebrate, laugh,
smile,
blush, breathe,
and see what is yet to come.
Watch the steam slowly rise
from your hot coffee cup.
Notice the gentle harmony of nature blossom.
Behold the soul of a once wise poet;
analyze and be inspired.
Write a ballad
with a sensuously intriguing vibe.
Live the type of lifestyle
that you would envy,
as long as you keep in mind
there is no eternity.
45
Third-World Countries
By: Rebecca Mathurin
I don’t really understand
how certain information gets
into magazines. Is it really
important to know how
to make your lips as full as Kylie’s or
what Beyoncé wore on the red carpet or
who decided to leave One Direction or
how the Royal Family is coping with the new baby
at home?
What about the others?
Put them in the news.
~Photos by Arianna Reckner
46
~Tyler Mattice
47
One Lonely Night
By: Brandon Fallat
The night is dark as I pull into my vacant driveway.
I pay no attention to the time, but I assume it is past midnight.
I step out of the car; I feel a huge gust of cool wind come over me.
Today has been long and has had too much stress.
All I can think about is the work I have to do and the money I need to make.
My family is all asleep; I barely talk to them anymore.
I feel as if my entire existence is becoming a repetitive cycle.
I need to go to bed to be ready for tomorrow’s work.
I take a glimpse at the moon; it seems particularly bright tonight.
It shines a faint white light over my entire street, enough for me to see.
I see my old swing set that I played on all the time.
I would sit there on a hot summer day and swing back and forth until I was tired.
It is now old an exhausted; the wood has become worn out and crevassed.
The chains holding the swings are rusted and the slide can come off any second.
I see my old best friend’s house; I played there more than at my own home.
I see the hill behind the house where we would sled during the winter.
As I would go down the hill, I had but one thing on my mind: fun.
I see my old basketball court; I was never good, but I always tried my best.
The hoop is now fully rusted; no one has used it for years.
I see my old apple tree now rotted and decayed.
I see my rickety shed where all of my broken winter sleds rest.
I see the woods in my backyard; it used to be a maze full of adventure.
I would play manhunt, paintball, and build the giant dirt pile.
The dirt pile is now sunk down and so is the spot where I buried my favorite broken toy.
Out in the cold distance, I see the spot where I fell off my scotter and cut my leg open.
My mom brought me in and I got an Incredible Hulk band-aid.
On this cool night I look out upon all my old and rusted playgrounds, all which meant so much to me—
where I would hide when I was sad, eat when I was hungry, and play when I was happy—
back when my only worry was getting called inside; now I barely step outside.
My life has been non-stop, but on this cold night my world finally halted so I could take a good look around.
I suddenly feel a bundle of emotions; melancholy and loss, gratefulness and joy.
I take a step forward to my door, pause, and take one final look.
Down the street, I see a boy riding his bike, happy to be alive, looking at the street with excitement.
To my right, I see a family cheering him on, wishing him luck, while holding the training wheels.
The boy’s face is blazing with smiles as he flies on the gravely road.
All that matters to him now is that moment.
I smile for the boy with the Incredible Hulk band-aid, for he, at that moment, is on top of the world
and everything is alright.
Everything is alright.
Everything is alright.
48
~Rebecca Mathurin
49
Dad
By: Brandon Fallat
At first he is Superman; he can literally do it all.
Like ride a bike, tie his shoes, and holy crap is he tall!
He beats you at every race and can even open the pickle jar just like that.
Out of the ten people you have met so far, none can surpass your dad.
Then he becomes a clown, a goofball, a schmuck.
You want him to get lost, but he is driving the truck.
You’re embarrassed to be seen with this guy; his dance moves are totally lame.
You wonder how you’re related to him; you’re completely different except for the last name.
Later on he thinks he’s king with a throne and golden crown.
All he does is say no to you; all he does is boss you around.
No girls, tattoos, and you have to tend his land.
You can’t wait to grow up and get outta here and be your own man.
Then comes a point when you say, “I’ll never become like him.”
He lives his life in a boring cycle and will do so until his light grows dim.
He goes to work, comes home, has no goals and makes no transitions.
You promise yourself you’ll be different; you have ambition.
But you get a little over your head—start dealing the wrong cards.
Then the ‘ol guy comes in handy and acts like your bodyguard.
When you can’t pay off your loans, and your stress can fill up a jug,
He gives you some extra backup and you pay him with a hug.
As the years go by, time flies, and everyone and you grow up a great deal.
You think you know him pretty well by now until you look around the house and think for real.
You notice a picture of him in high school. “Hey, I never knew he played an instrument.”
You begin to see all these things and your perception of him changes in an instant.
You’ve seen your dad as lots of things, but what about as a person?
You realize he’s a guy with hopes and desires, who’s dealt with loss and burden.
He has no idea what comes next but is trying his best not to get screwed.
And after all these years you finally realize…..
He is you.
50
Dear New Freshmen,
Dragons and knights-in-shining armor—a dream within a dream. How to slay the dragon of high
school and become head of the Knights of the Senior Bench.
You come from the barren land of awkward situations and even more awkward
dressing styles to the land of mysteries and confusion. Don’t worry; it only lasts for a
couple weeks before suddenly you realize that we, the seniors, aren’t here to rip you apart
and make you our minions of sadness but are rather here to help you and pass down our
knowledge so your experience is a little less stressful. Having slayed many of the dragons
in high school already, listening to us may benefit you in a variety of ways. We have figured out it’s quicker to
get a pass through the winding corridors than it is to explain to a hall monitor why we’re lacking such. Learning that if you forget that homework assignment in the chaotic “thing” you call a locker isn’t that big of a deal
if you just ask nicely to go and grab it, but don’t do it every day. That can cause teachers to become very unhappy mythical leaders.
You can’t really expect to be at the head of the hierarchy just yet…
We seniors understand what it is like to finally make it to the top of
the food chain in middle school and then to just be tossed back to the
bottom of the kingdom in high school, but just bear with us; we are
just as uncomfortable with our supposed power as you are with your
sudden lack thereof. There is a flow to the travel paths in high school
as well. We do not mass in clumps any longer like in middle school;
we now flow easily through the halls like accomplished travelers
even if we don’t know our final destination. The wizards, known to you as guidance counselors, are exceptional people. They always have a spell or potion to make all your worries melt or somehow dissolve into a tolerable and manageable task. No matter what, the most important thing: be kind to your fellow travelers; treat each
person, whether they be dwarf, elf, or even pesky human, fairly. You will soon be able to tackle all dragons in
high school and replace me at the head of the Senior Bench as leading Knight.
From,
A Knight of the Senior Bench
51
~Victoria Hufendick
~Victoria Hufendick
52
School
By: Adam Griffen
‘Twas the last week of school and all through the halls
the seniors were excited and bouncing off the walls.
They chatted with friends and made summer plans,
discussing vacations and the best beach sands.
They hoped they would see each other sometimes
for now was the moment to branch out like plant vines.
The closeness of being with each other every day
would be gone as of June as they make their own way.
For those of us left to come back in September,
we’ll miss their faces but will always remember.
In a couple of quick years our class, too, will flee,
and we will head into the world to see what can be.
53
INTROSPECTION
Noun
the examination or
observation of one's own
mental and emotional
processes
~self-analysis~
~self-examination~
~soul-searching~
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