Expedio 2008

EXPE
DIO
Expedio
Volume 6
2008
New Richmond High School
Editors
Alanna Warner and Jessica Slicer
Class of 2008
Poetry and Prose
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The Parallel by Ariel Berres-Green...................................1
Letting Go by Roman Sorenson.........................................2
Shiny Metal Strong by Anne Kuenzie................................3
Flying Solo by Kellie Guggemos.......................................5
Moon by Ted Bauermeister................................................6
Death of a Flower by Alex Campanini;
Duluth Fall by Justin O’Flanagan......................................7
Noise by Emma Lindell......................................................8
My Eternal Nightmare by Charles Hayes..........................9
Allergy by Jackson Scott..................................................11
Strength and Honor by James Hartigan...........................13
I Used to Be a Person by by Alicia Naser........................14
Epilogue by Dan Gordon..................................................15
Gatsby Dog by Aaron Zimmerman..................................17
I Cry Out Whoa by Simone Nickel..................................18
Anonymous by Simone Nickel........................................19
Colors by Lindsey Novitske;
Storm by Lindsey Novitske..............................................20
Mental Fight by Cassie Anderson....................................23
The Hill Blanketed in Sand by Ashley
Tudahl...............................................................................27
Untitled Hymn by Aaron Zimmerman.............................29
Thoughts by Rebecca Grisell...........................................30
Climb of a Rose by Alana Schorr....................................31
Return to the Womb by Anne Kuenzie.............................32
October Thirty-first, Two Thousand Seven by Sarah
Kanter...............................................................................33
Look How Far You’ve Come by Alana Schorr................35
One Way by Anne Kuenzie..............................................36
Billy the Bullfrog by Cody Greene.................................37
Superman vs. The Flash by Nels Donaldson...................39
The Turkey’s Goose Is Cooked by Matt Holland............40
Where Did You Go? by Cierra Muller...............................41
Agalena Magalena by Emily Kristiansen.........................42
A Dangerous Addiction by Karissa Hopwood.................44
Admire the Cracked Paint by Emily Deiss......................45
How to Leave Yourself by Cody Camp...........................47
Court Day by Rebecca Grisell.........................................49
Dry Bones by Simone Nickel...........................................50
Here Is What I Know
By Alanna Warner, Co-Editor
I have never been into the whole high school gig. I have respect for it. I
appreciate it. But I have not always been comfortable in my own skin. A geek to
the core, I’d rather be in the chemistry lab titrating an unknown iron sample than
attending a sporting event or party. It took me almost four years of high school to
understand, but here’s what I know. Find out what you like and do it. Discover
who you are, and be it. It’s cliché, it’s trite, but it’s true. Thank you to Mr. Ziller
for allowing me to be comfortable with my brain—I can’t sit at a traffic light
without thinking of a physics problem, but I have loved every moment of your science classes and I thank you for your dedication. Thank you to Mr. Kannel, who
brought biology alive (although, technically speaking, biology already is alive,
but, well, you get my point). Thank you to Mr. Ayer for giving me the courage to
speak, and to Mrs. Almendinger for showing me how to say it. To Mr. Schleh—
Descarte defined the soul, and you translated it to me. You are NRHS’s resident
Socrates, and you will be missed. To Mrs. Moberg- I am still afraid of fractions,
but I am no longer afraid to tackle the problem. You have given me bravery
through calculus--not an easy feat. And finally, to my class of ’08, thank you for
the past twelve years; you’ve helped me to grow into my own skin, and popular or
not, “normal” or not, I finally feel accepted, and I want to thank you for that.
I have only had a few moments in my life when I have been completely
happy. Do not misunderstand me—I have been lucky in my life, and there is little
I would change. The happiness to which I am referring does not possess an adjective because it cannot be described; it can only be felt, seen, tasted, touched, lived.
It is a complete, unguarded hug. It is walking by the garden to realize that in the
absence of your attention, the flowers have opened to greet summer. It is laughter,
uncontrollable and uninhibited. Here is what I know. Hold on to these moments.
Cherish them, but do not chase them; happiness can be elusive, but it will come.
Thank you to my family for teaching me to recognize these moments, for creating them with me. I don’t remember what we were having for supper that night,
or what Logan said that was so funny, but I remember laughing together, looking
around the table and thinking, “This is love.” Thank you for that definition. Now
I know what to look for.
As ee cummings would say, “here is the root of the root and the bud of
the bud, and the sky of the sky of a tree called life.” They told me to write what
I know, so here is what I know. Socrates had it right before any of us even tried
when he said, “I am the wisest man in the world because I know what I don’t
know.” And so, to New Richmond, to my family, my friends, my teachers, and to
the entire class of oh-eight, here’s to friends, happiness, being ourselves, and
entering the world to find out what we don’t know.
Artwork
A Million Songs
By Jessica Slicer, Co-Editor
I look down at my hands and they’re calloused and they’re bland
From the battles that I’ve fought and the nights we’ve talked and talked
The light each morning creates makes our promises seem so insane
So I have to write, I have to write
I write
I wore a path walking in circles around all your memories
A carousel inside my mind, it makes such a pretty picture going round and
round
Until my feet are lifted from solid ground
And I’m lost inside the night sky, I’m lost inside
Lost inside
So I’ll keep working on the problems that I know I’ll never solve
Because my life was only ever just a fraction of your whole
It makes me rain my tears, your pain
But we’ve got to grow, we’ve got to grow
We grow
Don’t worry boy, I’ve got your back and all that you have is what I lack
But when you get lost just remember I’ll be right here
I’ll compose myself but ‘til then I’ll just compose a poem for you
A line, a verse
A wish, a curse
For you (just for you)
And you wrote a million songs
Not one of them was meant for me
But oh, oh, oh, all the places you’ll go, go, go
Because you’ve gone away
51
Jessica Slicer...............................................................1
John Shipman.............................................................2
Amanda Dyg..............................................................6
Samantha Gleason......................................................7
Abigayle Farrier.........................................................8
Chris Maerz..............................................................10
Katie L’Allier...........................................................13
Jenna Goodrich........................................................15
Aaron Zimmerman...................................................17
Taylor Berman..........................................................18
Shyann Jensen..........................................................19
Roman Sorenson......................................................20
Taylor Berman.........................................................21
Luanne Stai..............................................................23
Courtney Nyberg......................................................24
Mitchell McCarty.....................................................25
Adam Harris.............................................................27
Kevin Langer...........................................................31
Andy Lieffring..........................................................34
Abbie Anderson.......................................................35
Chris Maerz..............................................................37
Samantha Gleason....................................................39
Buck O’Flanagan.....................................................40
Choua Xiong............................................................41
Sophie Hansen..........................................................42
Cody Greene............................................................43
Roman Sorenson.......................................................44
Sarah Lutz................................................................46
Brianna Richter.........................................................47
Jenna Goodrich.........................................................50
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The Parallel
Dry Bones
Ariel Berres-Green
by Simone Nickel
Quiet soundless day
In the morning time to think
For once I held the horizon before dawn could break
Stealing it away
Running away
Recalled to life
Numb to touch
On fire inside
Oh dry bones, hear the Word of God
Let a sound arise
Bone to its bone
Breathless, lifeless
But breathe from the four winds
This is my tranquility
My final grasp of sanity
The parallel between the real me
And everything you see
And choose to believe
The shadow recedes
As the sun goes down
Fading light mocking the ground (on which I stand)
Rekindled hopes now the only light
The depth of a reflection
Doesn’t breathe, doesn’t bleed, no heart beat
The surface doesn’t speak
Only pleads that more will be seen
Quiet soundless day
In the morning time to think
For once I held the horizon before dawn could break
1
I touch this skin
I feel this flesh
But beneath are these bones
Oh God, there are bones
Photo by Jessica Slicer
I touch this skin
I feel the flesh
And beneath I feel a life
Oh God, you poured your water over these bones
Oh dry bones, hear the Word of God
Let a sound arise
Bone to its bone
Breathless, lifeless
But breathe from the four winds
These dry bones will live for you are Lord
These dry bones will breathe,
Because you commanded so.
Artwork by Jenna Goodrich
These dry bones will live,
They must live.
50
With something to say
But too ashamed to say it
Frustrated with what she said
Knowing deep down its not true
What do I say
In front of all these people
Will he let her go so easily
Going back and forth
Make up your mind
Yes or no
Letting Go
Sitting with my brother
With so many thoughts
Told to be quiet
Trying to sit still
My knees shaking
Tears fill my eyes yet never fall
While sitting there for and hour or so
Going back and forth what I believed
We knew we had to stay strong
If not for ourselves but for each other
Together we must be there as one
Waiting for his answer
He asked if she understood
She claimed she did
As we went on he told her to be quiet
She had her turn and now it was his
This is not only hard on us
But for the other people who had to hear it
I have to see it as the best thing
That could have ever happened to us
Court Day
by Rebecca Grisell
49
I
I
I
I
see
see
see
see
you gaudy and gold.
your make-up thick and fake.
you in the hardest hue to hold.
you covered and pure like a cake.
You can only last so long,
Your face airbrushed and wrong.
No one knows who you are,
riding in your stretchedout car.
Big blue eyes pop like flash bulbs
Blades and bandages don’t make beauty.
The closer they come the further you sink.
I see how you think.
You hide in what you have.
You flounder in what you don’t.
The world pulls you down.
Let Go
Mask by
John Shipman
Roman Sorenson
Shiny Metal Strong
ceiling tiles crisscross in nauseating repetition
Arlington cemetery
resurrected in architecture
but i won’t die here.
examination room of the soul
walls ceiling floorboards
illuminated in hellish fluorescence
eyes forced to stay open
for sanity’s sake
darkness in this place could only bring death
but i won’t die here.
let them poke
let them prod
my skin is made of steel glass
fragile only to the universe
and its maker
3
Take a shower and maybe read a bit of a book, take as long as you want
with either task, simply gorge yourself.
With these accomplished find the either the comfiest clothes or the comfiest material possible in your house.
If you happen to have a cloud then by all means cocoon yourself into its
embrace.
Upon doing so go into your room, sit in the chair, and take a nap.
You may think I have misled you, but my choice of relaxation is done
through intention.
The chair, so that you can rest, without accidentally oversleeping, the
shower, to soothe your body in preparation for such strenuous activity as
sleeping.
If you feel refreshed upon awakening then do this one final step.
Upon ripping yourself mournfully from this room, put a sign on the door,
read simply as “my room”
your life can belong to another, so can your house, and so can your soul,
but this room is yours, this is your solace.
Do not fear abusing your comforts; this room will never feel spite against
anything you could do to it.
If by some chance I could help you, I require no thanks, only your happiness; I don’t expect a clown’s everlasting ‘painted smile’ simply a bit of
happiness.
We can’t be happy always--it tends to be taxin. Nonetheless, we can be
happy from time to time, and I fear that is what we neglect to realize.
Artwork by
Brianna Richter
48
How to Leave Yourself
If all your eyes can see is white spots painfully seared into your pupils
then try this:
(Realize this isn’t intended for everyone, only those who truly wish to
vanquish the demons clawing through their eyelids.)
Step one, the easiest among all, find an empty room, and fill it with a
chair, one with an embrace more loving than your own mother.
If this room is not soundproofed then please, unplug the phone, or throw
your cell phone out the nearest window.
Which while on the subject, make sure that any windows you have are
closed and preferably blinded from outside light.
Now for ambiance, if small waves rolling gently along a seashell
engraved sand is what soothes you, well,
if you have a tape player then try to find a recording of such a scene and
play it inside your room,
but of course if the beach isn’t your fancy then follow the above but add
whatever ambiance suits you.
Now your room is ready, but you’re not, so don’t attempt to continue
without reading the rest of these directions.
To prepare yourself you must do a couple of things, simple chores, like
breathing in that sea spray, simple.
You must cancel everything, there is nothing that cannot wait until you
are in a better state of mind
After all, without mind there cannot be a body.
Once your day is cleared and your room turns visitors away take a
shower.
Poem by Cody Camp
impenetrable
my mind stays strong
shiny metal strong
not faltering from false fluorescence
shinymetalstrong
I am Shiny Metal Strong
stronger than this room
these lab coats
these lights
these lines
no bulb could blind me
no degree could degrade me
steel veins contain this blood
so no surgeon could slice me
a scalpel is no match for ShinyMetalStrong
i can’t die here.
BY Anne Kuenzie
47
4
Flying Solo
Kellie Guggemos
Higher and higher it floats
Flying solo above her head
Catching a current and riding the turbulence
Soaring back and forth with delight
Attempting to flaunt its array of bright colors
Vying for her attention
The kite watches mournfully from above
Slowly inching away from her love
Further and further, losing itself from all control
Unraveling
Until it merely becomes a hazy rainbow
Filling in the background
Yanking its string from her loose, distracted grip
Heaving towards destinations unknown
For the sky is an open road
Presenting endless opportunities
Or a possible demise
In the heart of the breeze
The kite’s fate lies
It finally lets go, traveling with ease
Not looking back
For its heart might burst
Into a million little pieces
This time wouldn’t be the first
Tomorrow will come
Same sun, different sky
A fresh new start
Flying high
5
The greenhouse was a place for escape,
The freshness of the flowers danced around me,
Taunting me to become lost in their mysteries.
Sweet summer sun silently took refuge in the concrete,
And everything was right.
That week was full of smilesThe remainder of the summer saw no tears.
Eventually, the rain destroyed the greenhouse,
And as this autumn approaches seven years later,
An end is nearing.
Among the things we talked
about those nights,
There was death.
She didn’t know the
cancer would win.
And I so badly wish
to return thereTo the big
echoing silence of
the house.
Laughter can fill the
hallways,
But the beauty I saw
cannot be brought
back.
So fill yourself with
pineapple,
And dance when the sun
is at your feet.
You never know when the
house will be empty.
Portrait by Sarah Lutz
Admire the Cracked Paint
by Emily Deiss
The white house stood tall on Elm Street,
Watching the quiet streets with its glass eyes,
Waiting for some excitement to happen.
It was worn from years of rain and snow,
And the hallways echoed with soft whispers.
I came that summer and filled the house with laughter,
Staying up late with my Aunt PeggyA woman who in silent ways loved me as her own granddaughter.
We talked about ghosts and my childhood,
Wrapped up in warm blankets with her old TV
Buzzing in the background.
I woke up late into the morningsSun shining,
Birds chirping in the windowsAnd I’d roll out of the bed slowly,
Taking in the sweet smells of the big house.
I’d dress, sneak down the stairs,
And steal freshly cut pineapple
From the ice cream bucket in the fridgeThe sweetness stinging my lips.
Making my way to the greenhouse,
I walked quietly under the arbor
And admired the cracked paint.
There was a beauty in the never-ending linesThe same beauty I saw in the face of my great aunt.
45
Moon
Ted Bauermeister
The moon stares down at me
Casting its eerie glow upon my sullen face
I am bound by the moon
Like a werewolf
The moon begins to come down,
A homing missile aimed straight towards me.
Grinning an evil smile
Red eyes cry tears of jewels
I stop and look as a boy in green runs past me
Drawing his sword
And followed by a twinkling fairy
“In a hurry,” I think, and continue looking at the grimacing globe
Getting much closer
I can fully see the craters
When all of a sudden I hear a fierce cackle
And then a tune being played on pipes, drum, and guitar
And time stops.
Artwork by
Amanda Dyg
Death of a Flower
Alex Campanini
As the day begins, they come to life,
In full bloom
They stand upright, full of morning’s light
Their colors beautiful, others envy the sight
Creatures flock to them to smell their sweet scent
Time can turn still and they seem to last forever
However, all good things must come to an end
Day turns into night
Truth into lies
Love into hate
So even the beautiful things come to an
ugly end
Flowers wilt, clear water mucks, fresh air
pollutes
Why is it the wonderful things must go and
die?
Will the flowers ever last forever?
Or will they continue to die, with the rest of the
world’s good things?
We are near a funeral for the beautiful, and a birth of
the grotesque.
A Dangerous Addiction
Karissa Hopwood
A dark poison once filled this broken bottle
Now it runs through my sanguine veins
Promising to destroy all virtue, all sanity
Anything of worth
A thousand knives cut my throat as the venomous liquid falls into my
body
The burning flame I feel tempts me to stop
But it just feels so good
It’s a part of me
My glossy cerulean eyes won’t focus once I take that first cold sip
No ice taps a bleak glass
Just the bottle itself touches my thirsty flush lips
With every potent drink my body loses control of itself
My white knuckles that clench this amber toxin relax
And my once able legs are reluctant to move
Leaving a hungry baby screaming for food
And a bruised child without a voice
A dark poison once filled this broken bottle
Now it runs through my sanguine veins
Artwork by Samantha Gleason
Duluth Fall
Justin O’Flanagan
It was a pleasant site,
As I traveled my way down the gravel road on a five-speed mountain bike.
The road is peacefully sound.
Birds chirping and chipmunks scurrying along the ground.
The wind blew faintly across my face,
And I realized I wouldn’t want to be at any other place.
This morning stroll I left with without a trace.
I stood on the hill so tall,
As I continued along the trail in this Duluth fall.
Artwork by Roman Sorenson
44
Vlad
There’s always noise
NOISE
never more than one moment’s
peace
by Emma
each word ignites a short fuse
Lindell
firecrackers in the living room
innocent bystanders
running to our rooms like hideaways
they’re not soundproof, there is no escape
from the angry voices
I turn my amp as loud as it goes and play the lowest chord
try to drown out the sounds, another failed attempt
I’ve grown out of wanting to help, it comes with age I
guess
all we can do is watch it slowly fizzle out
this one seems to last forever
I’d like to be anywhere else, but I should stay, a duty
to a family
Over the years I’ve learned one thing
marriages don’t get fixed
they get worse, or become nothing at all
that’s where we’re headed, another day in the court
room
She tells me it’s always been like this, but that’s not
how I remember
maybe I was too young to notice
maybe I was just too young to care
but I remember sunny days on swing-sets and slides
I was just a kid then
I play the middleman, though it’s not a role of choice
I’m easily tricked into irritated conversations
Who would I be to abandon them?
But I’m not a miracle-worker.
43
Artwork by Cody greene
8
Artwork by
Abigayle Farrier
MY ETERNAL NIGHTMARE
By Charles Hayes
Looking upon my shadow dimming, it seems my sun is
deeper swimming
Hold my hand over my eyes; please leave me light I’ll never find
Creatures creep here and thither, as my hope slowly withers
Too much a darkness dimming to never mind
Too much crawling for a light I’ll never find
Oh how I wish again the sun would shine
My eternal nightmare still not thinning, still continues,
continues spinning
O’er my spinning, my spinning mind, here is an end I
cannot find
I still look as mine soul withers, withers in the darkness hither
Oh a wish for the light I cannot find
I’ll accept the darkness, I’ll never mind
For that lost light will never shine
Oh again my shadow slips
I lose my shadow again
From this dream I’ll never wake
All this by that fatal mistake
I wish my life I did not take
For my own neck I did not break
So I will wait for that time I cannot wake
I was an old man
Was built with sin
Avoided the light again and again
Avoided those wings I could have spread
To end the pain, and endless dread
To wind up in that eternal nightmare
Until my eternal end
9
Agalena Magalena
by Emily Kristiansen
Agalena magalena ugastaga
wugastuga ogle ogle ogle was
her name
She had two hairs on her head.
One was yellow and the other
was red
Agalena magalena ugastaga
wugastuga ogle ogle ogle was
her name
She had two eyes in her head .
One was blind and the other
was dead
Agalena magalena ugastaga
wugastuga ogle ogle ogle was
her name
She had two holes in her nose.
One was open and the other
was closed
Agalena magalena ugastaga
wugastuga ogle ogle ogle was
her name
She had two teeth in her
mouth.
One pointed north and the
other pointed south
Agalena magalena ugastaga
wugastuga ogle ogle ogle was
her name
She had two lips which to kiss.
One would hit and the other
would miss
Agalena magalena ugastaga
wugastuga ogle ogle ogle was
her name
She had two arms which to
hug.
One would push and the other
would tug
Agalena magalena ugastaga
wugastuga ogle ogle ogle was
her name
She had to legs which to cross.
One grew hair and the other
grew moss
Agalena magalena ugastaga
wugastuga ogle ogle ogle was
her name
OH YEAH!!
Artwork by Sophie Hansen
Where Did You Go?
Where did you go?
by Cierra Muller
You didn’t even watch me grow
You never had anything to do with me,
After you got a new family.
Artwork by
I am still your first daughter,
Choua Xiong
To you, I am as clear as water.
Ever since you got remarried,
And even when my best friend got buried.
You never try to talk to me to help me calm down,
It’s like we don’t live in the same town.
I needed a father,
But now don’t even bother.
I am all grown up now,
And you don’t even know how.
There is no point to even try anymore,
Just keep pretending I am a stiff door.
You should have tried to make a connection,
It’s not like I was asking for a lot of affection.
I wanted a father who cared,
And some good memories that we could have shared.
I still call you dad as I always will do,
Even though I shouldn’t and you know that too.
I wish you had seen me grow,
But now you will never know.
I am also a graduate now,
But I am not asking for a bow.
Just show me you care and I was not a mistake,
And I am not just an ache.
Don’t try to pretend that nothing happened,
Don’t try to pretend,
I don’t want to be forgotten,
You will just make my heart even more rotten.
There is a hole in it,
For you not caring one slight bit,
Just admit that I am your daughter,
Because you are still my father.
“Swirly Eye
Eye Eye”
by Chris
Maerz
10
The Turkey’s Goose is Cooked
by Matt Holland
As the turkey gets up
He flies up a tree
Till he gets near the top
As he searches for food
He hears a call
He heads toward it
This would be his downfall
He gets near the sound
The calling stops
He hears a noise
Coming from the tree tops
He turns around
And tries to fly
One arrow through the heart
And Tom is about to die
Squinting, I spot a pulsating fresco
A
engraved in the veins of my upper
arm
L
A crimson, needle-born beehive—
L
my latest involuntary tattoo
E
When in doubt: insert needle here
R
A rush of blood and honey to the
G
head
BY J
A
“Only one more vial to go”
C
Mindless medical gossip adulterates
K
the atmosphere like mustard gas
SCOTT
Patient
confidentiality easily kept by
O
avoiding the use of first names…
N
“Mr. Smith cries when he sees the
needle here”
…and replacing them with last
names
Painting by Buck O’Flanagan
“Only one more vial to go”
11
40
Superman vs. The Flash
by Nels Donaldson
A ribbon of red and blue darts across the world
Two Titans compete for speed supremacy
Fighting crime along the way
Only one will win this time
Atlantic, Indian, and Pacific
None stand in their way
They simply skip across the water
Like a rock on a hot summer’s day
This is the time
The last time they race
Two ties before
But this time only one first place
From New York to New York they bet
40075.02 km sprint
And here it comes California
--it’s almost done
And by a nose
The Flash has won
Artwork by
Samantha Gleason
39
Eighteen hundred seconds amidst a span of
familiar strangers
Detained by faulty antibodies
Defined by fanny packs of
Epinephrine and Benadryl
Distracted by a plasma aquarium of HD
goldfish
“Only one more vial to go”
Squinting, I spot my reflection in a dusty
glass frame
Littered with twitching time bombs masked
in tiny yellow jackets
A frowning face stares back in a photograph
of nameless noses
Buried in Family Life magazines and Daily
Health brochures
“Only one more…”
Defective system: out of order
Immune, but never divest of the
disease
When in doubt: insert needle here
A double does may kill the pain
But nothing can eliminate the allergy
12
Strength and Honor
James Hartigan
Pry it from my cold dead fingers
Although it is an icy truth
It’s a fiery dare
Daring you to make your move
I promised myself I wouldn’t let go
No matter what I will always say no
Until the end or until my death I won’t give in
I will not live in regret
I was told to quit that I never had a chance
However in my heart only one option was clear
The word quit would never have a chance to become real
This is a classic battle tested throughout time
It has happened in all places of the world
Coming from good deeds and crime
But when you get the option what will you say?
Will you fight all the way through right to the
end?
Or will you stop and take the easy way and
finally give in?
I say never stop never give in
Because I know there is hope I know what I
have seen
The courage to say no
The strength to show what honor really means
So Billy trudged over to the Fishie’s pond, dodging the
St. Bernards as they floated on by.
He arrived at the Fishies, but to his dismay, they did not have any
fish food in their mailbox. This caused Billy to become even more
distressed. First off, why was there no fish food for the Fishies.
Secondly, who had given the Fishies food in the first place? This
second question led Billy to believe the Fishies had been
MURDERED...
Now the Fishie family had been murdered before, but never left without any food. This was indeed a mystery. Billy had
never been very good at Clue either. (He always got distracted by
Prof. Plum’s antics.)
Billy went for his Clue
box quickly, as to defend
himself from any serial
fisherman. To his disappointment, the pieces had
gone missing....This was
indeed another mystery,
this one best left to the authorities.
Artwork by
Chris Maerz
Artwork by Katie L’Allier
13
38
I Used To Be A Person
Billy the Bullfrog
by Cody Greene
It was a dark and stormy night, the clichés were pouring from the
sky like cats and dogs. Billy the Bullfrog sat on his lily pad while
the cats ate his froggy pals. He was not scared, however, because
he knew today was his birthday, and birthdays are days for cake.
Billy did not get cake this year, however...
by Alicia Naser
I used to be a person
But now I am a skeleton
I used to be a person,
I once was alive.
My heart it used to beat-Pumping blood through my veins,
My skin it used to feel
Now It can’t.
My eye lids used to blink-Washing away the tears,
My body it used to have skin,
Now there’s nothing but bones here.
What Billy did get,
though, was a nice frosting
coated cupcake from the neighbors who happened to be fish.
(Where they bought cupcakes
in the middle of a dark and
stormy night, we do not know.)
Billy was surprised to find a
nail file in his cupcake. This
was very unusual, as not only
was he not in prison, but he was
also not a girl. Billy was very
disturbed by this and decided
to go ask Mr. and Mrs. Fishie
what the heck was goin’ down.
My nose it used to smell-The good and the bad,
My mouth it used to taste,
Now there’s none of that.
My ears they used to listen-Things running through my head,
The sweet serenity and calmness
Now theres nothing there
I used to be a person
But now I am a skeleton
I used to be a person,
Now I am dead.
37
14
Epilogue
by Dan Gordon
I awoke to a familiar sight. Though much
had changed, the area I was in rarely did. I
found myself on a flat rock, looking up at
the sky. The sounds of a fight being fought
sounded near.
O
N
E
I stood up. As I turned toward the sounds of
fighting, I heard Cloud’s concerned voice
say, “Don’t do it!” I just looked out toward
the fight, thinking.
W
A
Y
Cloud lowered her head so that her eyes
were level with mine. She turned her gaze
toward the fight. She was thinking. Finally
she sighed. She said, “Go ahead, but be
careful.”
I didn’t move. Cloud turned her right eye
towards me. “Well aren’t you going to go?”
she asked both wonderingly and impatiently.
15
Emaciated alleys display effortless effulgence
As towers transcend the sky.
Fingers urgently force crosswalk buttons
Sliding easily over greasy, oily metal
Brushed by thousands of others
Waiting to walk one way.
Signs scream verdancy as they label avenues and lanes
Cardinal fire hydrants
Just in case of emergency.
“Work Area Ahead”
Working to create another man-made masterpiece
To transcend the frantic ants.
By Anne Kuenzie
I nodded at the fight and said, “Don’t have
to...” She turned her focus back on the fight.
It had evened out. It was down to Kiara and
one dienonychus. This dienonychus decided
it was time to retreat.
It’s decision had come too late. As it began
to speed away, the queen, Nala, leaped out
the nearby foliage and finished it off. The
fight was now over.
Couples promenading throughout the boardwalk
Lights glimmering, flashing, enticing
Begging to know secrets as newlyweds converse
Dodging aculeate corners,
Cuspidate mailboxes, street signs
All crowded together on a vile murky boulevard.
Arrows and signs
Rainbow bright
Screaming to eyes that see to follow
Contrasting the ground below,
The signs appear immaculate
Ablaze with color
One way
The sign hidden among the colors
A simple white and black
Passively guiding those who seek
Guidance among the storm
A maelstrom of lights, colors, smells, and sounds
Artwork by
Jenna Goodrich
But there is only one way.
36
Look How Far You’ve Come Now
by Alana Schorr
Add the miles
Count the steps
Never forget
And never regret
Choices we make
Decisions we choose
Affect the outcome
Of a future we may lose
Always remember
How far you have come
You’ve beat all the odds
You’ve finally won
Meaning and purpose
Design and destroy
Thought and question
Never judge by what’s on the surface
With a final goodbye
We part ways
But hopefully not forever
Never give up, never surrender.
Artwork by
Abbie Anderson
Kiara ran over asking how I was.
Then she asked if any more help
was needed. Cloud told Kiara that
no more help was needed. Kiara ran
to catch up with her mom. Then,
without warning, Cloud picked me
up again like a kitten and took off,
her two front hooves flashing below.
Fifteen minutes later, we entered the
underground house I had built. She
took me to the living room. She set
me on the couch next to computer.
From the time she picked me up
to the time she put me down, I had
climbed up into her mane right between her ears. That’s how I
usually get around. I hopped into
my computer chair. Cloud tried out
the specially designed couch.
She looked around the living room.
This was the first time she had seen
the living room. She didn’t notice
that I started to search the internet.
When she finally took notice, she
asked what I was doing. As the
page loaded, I told her I was doing
research. I found the information I
was looking for. The true species of
my unborn daughter was displayed on the screen before me.
16
Gatsby Dog
by Aaron Zimmerman
In this box, I lie not good enough for the world. just lying here. They’re
always looking for the bigger, the better. How was I supposed to live up
to that? Can’t I be who I am? Can’t I look the way I want?
just lying here.
Finally, she settles for me and I go with her. She is warm and soft, but as I
get closer to her, it fades, and I feel cold and alone.
just lying here.
Why can’t she be who she really wants? I feel I should be there for her.
I feel warm in her home, but she sets me on the table. Dark, cold,
hard. I look towards the people, towards the one watching me. He seems
out of place, always looking, never looked at. I get lonely.
just lying here.
My eyes open to a loud noise, and she is clutching her ensanguined face.
She wept not from pain, but because he let her down.
I tried running to her, but I was pushed away and locked into
a room. The room comforted me with its creamy beige walls and rich
brown carpet; this is when
I felt home.
just lying here.
And as the days go on,
I am still in this room.
Hungry and scared not for
myself but for her. She
doesn’t love me, but I love
her. I feel her presence as
I take my last few breaths.
I see her running, just
what she needed. As the
light grows closer I hope
she knows that at least one
loves her. I don’t think
she knows,
but
they all loved her.
Artwork by
Aaron Zimmerman
know.
But through all that pain,
I realized I’m a strong individual
I can deal with whatever comes my way…
And that I may be never talking to you again,
Or it may be getting that text from you once again saying that you
miss me…
This time it’s not going to be the same.
I’m not going to fall again, ever again.
I’ll replace the good feeling you gave me with someone else’s,
And they may hurt me like you did…
But never in my life have I felt this strongly for someone,
That someone was you…
And never in this past year,
Would I have thought I’d be the one to end it.
But I had to be real with myself.
I couldn’t keep telling myself everything was okay,
When it really wasn’t.
No matter what comes in life,
I’ll always remember you, as I hope you’ll remember me.
34
Photo by
Andy Lieffring
October Thirty-first, Two Thousand Seven
by Sarah Kanter
Thanks to you I now know how it feels to be so in love.
I also know how it feels to deserve better.
Maybe you haven’t changed; maybe I’m the one who has.
Or maybe I woke up one morning
and noticed who you really are.
Without the drugs you seemed so different.
Something about that drew me closer to you,
Along with a few other girls who felt the same.
Some day you might realize that through this relationship,
I was all alone.
The only one making it work.
Always doing what I could to make you happy,
But you never cared about my feelings.
I know once you gave me that feeling of being wanted,
I have the poems I wrote about you to prove it.
It was all about love and pain,
You took the love, and I received the pain.
I Cry Out Whoa
by Simone Nikel
I tremble
I cannot bear to stand at my feet
I have this wholeness
But every part of me weeps
You overtake me
You overthrow
You overtake me
Until I am completely yours
Speechless
My lips move without sound
I cry out, “Whoa”
Because words will never express
I tried to make things work; I didn’t think I would give up.
I told myself I wouldn’t…
Because I wanted this for so long…
But never being able to see you and talk to you,
Is what made me give it all up.
I know beyond your eyes,
There’s a person in you…
A person who once cared and wanted to be with me.
But over the year and a half that flame we once had,
Finally went out.
I want to thank you for the moments we had,
And I want you to know you hurt me more than you’ll ever
33
18
Taylor Berman
the hard porcelain
soft in the darkness
invites the forlorn
to relish in its comfort
Anonymous
by Simone Nickel
I am
Covered in mishaps
Labeled with guilt
Swarming with imperfections
I’m falling, I falter
I’m weary, I’m weak
How can you love this?
This sickening repulse
Why do you set me free?
I’m falling, I falter
I’m weary, I’m weak
I am
The blackest of blue
Starving for truth
Hiding unending scars
How can you love this?
This unworthy mess
Why do you take me back?
I am
Broken with insecurities
Sick of appearance
Drowning in longings.
I’m falling, I falter
I’m weary, I’m weak
I’m falling, I falter
I’m weary, I’m weak
How can you love this?
This pitiful heap
Why do you listen when
I breathe?
How can you love this?
This desiring flesh
Why do you hold me in your
arms?
I am
Chaotic perfection
A new pair of heels
Aching for an awakening
I am
Dark shades of green
Layered in dust
Devouring all before me
I’m falling, I falter
I’m weary, I’m weak.
Artwork by Shyann Jensen
19
Return to the Womb
Anne Kuenzie
the still waters
tempt tingling toes
with its singing sensation
i am submerged.
every pore
every crevice
filled with a sensual calm
found only in the womb
the dim amber light
skims the murky waters
giving way to smothered pillow cries
dark distorted echoes
of the barbed counterparts
my foot grazes the drain plug
startledI sit up
born again to reality
the nightly news jargon
the trifles of marriage
the complaints of children
overwhelmed
by the bombardment of the senses
i slowly submerge.
returning to the womb
a sanctuary of soft light
muffled roars
a cushioned universe i force my eyes open
as the water consumes me
to feel the sting
to experience the tortured flux
of cutlass to shield
lather rinse repeat
Colors
by Lindsey Novitzke
Climb of a Rose
by Alana Schorr
Arguments of thorn
Serve as steps once
frustration is torn
Together we rise
Always to my surprise
A new conflict comes
to my eyes
The thorns continue to
slip
And you end my
struggle with a kiss
Leaves of green shade
the sun
We arrive together,
You are the one
Been there for me
through it all
Picked me up when I
did fall
Helped me climb over
each wall
Held my heart close to
you
You helped me see it
through
Petals of a silent
haven
Dew on our faces, as
we come in
We made it here, at
last
Never worry about
the past
Souls take flight in an
infinite blast
We can stay here
forever, the world
doesn’t have to know
This love was
struggle,
the climb of a rose
Photo by Kevin Langer
31
What happens when the world stops?
And for only a moment in time...
Life is a color?
Holding your breath.
A chill rises in your blood.
“I know this is crazy”
A color.
What would they think?
What would they
Storms
say?
by Lindsey
How could this
Novitzke
ever happen?
Like sleeping
Lightning flashes
beauty at the
black and white,
ball…
As the rain begins
…Pink…blue…
to fall.
pink…blue…
The patterns on the
The outcomes
tin roof crawl.
changing,
A camera flashing in
Alternating fates.
the night.
What happens
The
pouring
rain
when the world
and flashing light.
stops?
The
clouds
open
up and give it all,
And for only a moment in time…
To the world below so small.
Life is a color?
The sky is cloudy but blinding
bright,
Lighting cracking in thunderous
smite.
Its fingers stretching across the sky.
-Artwork by
A raging, mysterious fight.
Roman SorensonLighting flashing in the night.
The sky begins to cry,
And the day once known does die.
The way he looks at those kids
Laughing, playing, full of anticipation
That is what I see in him
Only if I could find the right words to say
The way that he looks at me
I can see it in those eyes
He knows exactly how I feel
What is holding him back
I might know
Thoughts
by Rebecca Grisell
I see him for who he is on the inside
He is sweet, gentle hearted, and one of a kind
And not only does he believe in the Lord
But he also goes to the same church
And youth group that I do
Walking by him each and every day
Wondering if we could ever be
Is it even possible
Is it me or is it you
Are you afraid to how you really feel
What about your reputation
I know what your thoughts are
What will the others think of me
When you are walking down the street
Do you even know the you could have just passed me,
The one that you may want to spend the rest of your life with
There I go, never knowing what will happen
Never knowing what could have been.
Just sitting in my chair
Nothing to say, reaching but failing
Close but just far enough away.
What do I say
Thinking but the thought was lost
Attempting to speak although nothing comes
Will I ever get this chance again
Not knowing what does one do
What do you do when the man you like is right there?
21
30
Sometimes they know me
Better than I know myself.
Untitled Hymn
It hurts.
by Aaron Zimmerman
I want to prove them wrong.
I want to prove myself wrong.
I try,
I try,
I can’t try anymore.
I see him in the distance
But I ignore him.
I can do it alone.
I can do it alone.
I can’t do it alone.
He comes closer
It gets harder as their voices push against me
Like tides against the shore.
I am fine.
I am fine.
I’m not fine.
Help.
I fall to the ground.
Cold covers me.
I am going to get up.
I am going to get up.
I can’t get up.
He is already there to help me up.
He knows me so well but it doesn’t bother me like the others
that he knows.
I stand next to him.
He asks for the yoke upon my neck.
When I give it to him I see
That he suffers.
I want it back,
But he won’t give it back.
He tells me he can handle it and points back to the road.
I walk.
I walk.
I can walk.
22
Taylor Berman
Mental Fight
by Cassie Anderson
Emotions soar through me
That I haven’t felt before
When not suppressed
The excitement climbs more
Lasting so long
Without sleep in the night
I cry for the stop
Of this harsh mental fight
Swimming much deeper
In the tingles I crave
I sing and dance
Like a kid I behave
Curious of everything
Of my strength and might
I sing in joy
For this sweet mental fight
We never could get tired of digging
Sand into our new buckets
But the ouches
Soon became tiring. And by the time we left, the hill
We were existed, and it looked like cheese with holes here
and there and lumps of sand
In enormous piles, with nothing sticking out but a small
little shovel.
We would always find our shovels
We left behind the next time we went to dig
And play in the white sand
Most of the time we would forget our buckets
At home so the hill
Didn’t get decorated in castles or with painful holes that
made it cry out ouch
The sun use to scorch the sand burning our little feet as
we cried “ouch”
And ran with our shovels
To a shaded spot on the hill
Where we could dig
And build little cites for the ants using buckets
And the damp sand
Though all of the painful ouches we never gave up digging
With our shovels and buckets
On the hill blanketed in sand
~Artwork by Adam Harris~
Artwork by Luanne Stai
Drawing by Luanne Stai
23
28
The Hill Blanketed in Sand
by Ashley Tudahl
Young and playful my cousins and I loved to play in the
sand.
At times we would slip, fall, and cry out “ouch.”
However, we still loved scooping pearly white powder into
our shiny red buckets
With our small plastic shovels
And to dig
Holes into the skin of the steep hill
It didn’t take long for us to march up to the hill
Where all the sand
Rested. One time we wanted to dig
A trench around a huge castle but someone got hurt, and
cried out “ouch.”
My favorite part was to shovel
The smooth sand into the buckets.
Grandma had bought us all a new bucket
For Easter so we could go and release our energy on the
hill
After we ate. Our buckets also came with new little
shovels
That didn’t carry any more than a spoonful of sand.
Dancing around on one foot after stepping on a sandbur
to only let a big “ouch”
Come out of my mouth before I began once more to dig
27
24
Courtney Nyberg
25
26
Mitchell McCarty