To You
by Kadie Bennis
(11th Grade - Woodbridge High School, VA)

I want to dedicate this to you
because you were there with me
through my writing
every step of the way.
I want to dedicate this to you
because you stayed by my side
and listened to me
rant
complain
and express my thoughts.
This is for you
because you understand me
through my words
actions
and it meant much more to me
than just a bunch of words
written hurriedly
on a blank piece of paper.
I dedicate this to you
because you listened to me.
Even if you were at a loss for words,
I wasn’t. I was full of words
that swam through my mind,
and your silence
helped pull me out of the pool
to revive me back to myself.
You read me
like you read my open books,
my attempts to express myself
through childish stories
and complicated poems.
I gave you pieces of me
that were lost,
drowning,
but they were the best that I could find.
They were flawed,
but you dried them out
and gave them time to breathe
and live.
And now they dive back into this poem
for you.
This I dedicate to you,
to my reader,
to you.

-

Blue
by Stephanie Thomas
(7th Grade - Bryson Middle School, SC)

When I see blue, I see the infinite sky
When I see blue, I see a blueberry pie
The sound of blue is the waves of the sea
The sound of blue is the raindrops falling on me
Smelling blue is the deep breath of fresh air
Smelling blue is like newly washed hair
Blue feels like smooth denim jeans
Blue feels like people that aren’t mean
Blue sounds like the chirp of a blue jay
Blue sounds like a big, brand new day
Since blue is always energized, calm, and true
Don’t you wish everything was blue?

-

Water slide
by Bharathy
(2nd Grade - Plymouth Elementary, PA)

Twisty twisty slide
will twist your mind.
Water will splash on you
and you will
splash back on it.

-

Violin
by Aish
(6th Grade - Colonial Middle School, PA)

Vibrant tune in my ear
Intense melodies float away
Opens its mouth and beauty comes out
Lovely design and elegant patterns
Its beautiful voice travels down and taps my drum
Never frightened by the audience

-

Rain
by Katie Colton
(9th Grade - Assumption HS , KY)

The subtle splash,
Oh so random, unexpected, unpredictable.
It can be for good or for bad.
As it rolls down your face you start walking fast to your car,
The plants rejoicing, as you’re regretting
On forgetting
That little colored umbrella.

-

This Poem Is A Secret
by Joanna Eyre
(6th Grade - Highland Elementary, PA)

This poem is a secret
I'd rather like to tell.
A secret's not a secret
If you tell someone else.
But if I do tell you,
How do I know you'll keep it?
After all, a secret's not a secret
If someone can't keep it.
There might have been characters
With big pointy ears.
There might have been friends
Whispering secrets just for them to hear.
So even though
I can't tell
Here's something I can:
For a secret's not a secret if there's only one.
It's just perfect for two,
And a bit much for three.
Maybe my next secret will be between you and me.

-

Oorah, Semper Fi, Marine Corp
by Travis Jensen
(12th Grade - Ravenna Public School, NE)

The only way in is with heart
Push you to the breaking point
In this team everyone does his or her part
Surviving this is an art
      Beyond the mind.
      Beyond the body.
Marine Corp will push you to your limits.
Few know what it means
To be a United States Marine.
Always ready, always loyal
Some wonder if it makes a difference
I don’t have to worry about that . . .
      Greatest act of war
Prepare for a battle royal.
We give deliverance.
Few know what it means
To be a United States Marine.

-

The Darkness
by Ryan Hebling
(9th Grade - Upper Dublin HS, PA)

I sit here in this gloomy night, atop my bed in which I fright,
The darkness prowls and hides the light that seems so far and out of sight;
The darkness creeps as if in spite to openly let the fear ignite;
The darkness lurks this gloomy night, beside my bed in which I fright.

I stare the darkness in the eyes, the darkness glares back in despise;
I gaze the darkness in the eyes in which the darkness seldom replies;
I look the darkness in the eyes and all I see are endless lies;
I wait and wait for its demise, but motionless it remains to my surprise.

The darkness makes nary a sound as it haunts and hunts me forever down,
The darkness troubles me as I look around, and around I look; the darkness surrounds.
Will I beat the darkness inbound; or will I disband and fall to the ground?
And then another question comes around: shall I wait here till the light is found?

No smell is picked up of any kind; an odorless air is what I find,
Just a simple darkness that's designed to drive me crazy, out of my mind.
No sight, no sound, no scent defined, a senseless world to which I'm confined.
I try to sit back, relax, unwind and tell myself: It will all be fine.

Now the darkness creates much fear, if only it could disappear.
I would be grateful now and here, if only it would disappear.
How much more could I be sincere, I really want it to disappear.
But the truth is still unclear, about the darkness and the fear.

Countless nights I'm sitting there, I'll find myself in much despair,
For me this feeling isn't rare, it comes to me naturally, as if it's in the air.
There's just no way to prepare, for the night's awaiting scare;
Even if I say a prayer, the fear will come, that I swear.

-

A Dragon
by Sofie L.
(4th Grade - Highland Elementary, PA)

A dragon soars, toward me.
I fall back,
to find not from shock,
But to find my shoe untied.

-

A Surprise
by Sofie L.
(4th Grade - Highland Elementary, PA)

I sit on my bed, reading.
I hear a creak,
the door opens,
S-L-O-W-L-Y.
Scared, I hide.
I hear a meaw.
I peak, to find.......
a kitten waiting to play!

-

Opposites
by William Rosen
(1st Grade - Highland Elementary, PA)

My beard is high
My beard is low
Why is it growing so
Fast and so slow?
The sky is blue
The sky is white
Why do they always
Get in a fight?
You can never
See it quite right

-

Trees
by Caitlyn Hennessy
(1st Grade - Audubon Elementary, PA)

I love trees.
You need seeds for them to grow.
Some plants grow in the water.
Plants grow all over.

-

Untitled
by Kortni Lusk
(12th Grade - Westside HS , WV)

Many ride in and come back out
Dirty and wet without a doubt
That mine comes around and slowly takes hold
That's the price of minin' poor man's gold
Slowly and slowly the dust dries their tongues
Eventually engulfin' an old miner's lungs
The money is good, the hours are long
Not for the weak but molds the strong
Hard hat and light planted on his head
Warm house to come home to and the children fed
Bucket full of blackened lunch
Pinto beans and cornbread, green onions in a bunch
A picture in a sandwich bag, the family above ground
Dreaming of the 'morn when that whistle will sound
He'll be welcomed home with a smile and a big bear hug
He looks up to the heavens to the good Lord above
"Thank you," he says before closing his eyes,
"for coming home again," he finally sighs.
Tonight he goes back with his brothers in the hole
Hoping and praying may the Lord watch over his soul

-

Lollipop, My Lollipop
by Laine Spang
(2nd Grade - Worcester Elementary, PA)

My lollipop is dark red and a little green.
I think the flavors are cherry and a bit of lima bean.

-

All My Cats
by Laine Spang
(2nd Grade - Worcester Elementary, PA)

I have 100 cats
that like one little mouse.
His name is Jimmy Rick,
and he lives in a little house.
And down the street,
Mrs. Gridget
has fifty more cats
that like to visit.

-

My name is Dhrithi
by Dhrithi Ashokkumar
(2nd Grade - Worcester Elementary, PA)

My name is tough,
some people call me wrong,
I don't like it one bit,
so here is my song,
They call me Triti,
They call me Tridi,
They call me Aditi,
They call me Dridi,
They call me Driti.
Its' very hard,
It's tough to say,
They say it wrong,
this is the way,
They call me Shruthi,
They call me Shrithi,
They call me Thrithi,
They call me Trithi,
They call me Drishthi.
You don't worry,
It's your name,
no matter how easy or hard,
It's always the same.

-

Feelings
by Dhrithi Ashokkumar
(2nd Grade - Worcester Elementary, PA)

Feelings are happy,
Feelings are sad,
Feelings are good,
Feelings are bad.
Feelings are hurt,
Feelings are gloomy,
Feelings are bright,
Feelings are bloomy.
Everyone has feelings,
at least a tiny bit,
if you don't have feelings,
don't complain about it.

-

Picture on the Wall
by Nicole Karem
(10th Grade - Assumption HS, KY)

On the wall,
framed in white,

hangs a picture that is ever changing.
Some days sunlight pours in,

gives off a soft glow.
Today however, it is hidden

behind clouds that stand guard.
Rain drops weave through the paths of one another.

Trees sway gracefully, pushed gently by the wind.
Today I am content to sit and think.

To listen to the hushed silence
and let it wrap around me.

To watch clouds rest above me
and let a small smile slip across my face

until the picture changes.

-

Heart of Yore
by Bryan Potts
(12th Grade - West Orange HS, NJ)

Fire hair burns, flashes, illuminates,
drives away the darkness surrounding me.
Clear brown eyes, a'sparkle with life
take in pain, release it with her dreams.
Hands soft, gentle, passionate to feel
a tingling touch of fate, could this feeling be real?
My lips, hers, electric sparks, secrets revealed,
aches of the Heart of Yore, spoken to be healed,
a wrapped arm, tenderness, fingers threaded in hers,
a whispered promise, daring truth or unholy curse?

Her words split the air, a nervous, beautiful wish,
a brave new world, but of pain or of bliss?
A quiet strike of light, setting me free
“I love you” she said, voice an unearthly melody.
I gazed at her, eyes ready to cry,
felt her courage needed to cast the Die.
A moment’s pause, a brewing storm of thoughts,
Silence pregnant with what ifs and forget-me-nots.
Finally I spoke, and my voice began to crack
at how surprised she was that I could love her back.

-

The Hungry Hungry Turkey
by Isabella King
(2nd Grade - Homeschooled, PA)

The hungry hungry turkey
was very very hungry
The hungry hungry turkey
found a patch of corn
The hungry hungry turkey
went to the corn
There was a fox
that lives there.
"Go go go," he said
"This is my home."
"I just want some corn"
said the hungry hungry turkey
"Ok" said the fox
Then the hungry hungry turkey
was not very very hungry
He was very very full

-

Dreams
by Haley Tolliver
(10th Grade - Assumption HS, KY)

Abstract and whimsical
fading fleetly
like a rain drop on a window
if only some were genuine

-

Patience is a Virtue
by Julia
(10th Grade - Assumption HS, KY)

Keep waiting, They shout
I look and find nothing
Keep waiting, They call
I look and find nothing, again.
Keep waiting, They whisper
I look and still find nothing
When I finally stop listening
I look and find the world.

-

My View
by Caroline Radmacher
(10th Grade - Assumption HS, KY)

I look down on the world
See people in a hurry
Who care only for themselves
Cars speed along
Black, battered roads
I see the best conditions
Mansions with massive pools
In cities with few worries
And the worst
Where people must resort to thievery
To stave off starvation
I see their lives
Lit up by my light
And as the moon takes my place
I see some
Settle peacefully to bed
And others just begin
Another tiresome day

-

Who I Was, Who I Am
by Carroll Sandman
(10th Grade - Assumption HS, KY)

I remember when I was
In grade school,
Sitting alone
In the corner of the classroom
Reading my ratty old book
That I had read many times before
That I knew all the words.
I remember how shy and uncomfortable
I was with
Who I was
Who I am
I remember
Wishing
Wanting
Waiting
Until it was time to leave this prison
And become a high schooler.

I remember my first day of high school
So nervous
So scared
That I was going to be alone
So alone
For the next four years of my life.
I remember walking to my classroom,
A junior,
Sarah,
Asked if I need a place to sit
I felt relief
And happiness
That she knew what it was like to be a freshman,
Clueless as to how
this place functioned.

I remember lunch that day,
Facing the endless line of tables
And wondering
Pondering
Questioning
Where to sit.
I remember asking a girl who was in my Biology class
If I could sit with her
Yes
She said,
The girl who would soon be
One of my best friends.

I remember
Meeting new classmates that day,
Asking myself
If they would accept me
for Who I was
Who I am
I remember
Smiling at one girl
And receiving a bright smile
In return.
I remember
Feeling at home
In my own skin
More than I had ever felt
Before.

I remember
Going home later that day
And telling my dad
That I was going to be
All right.
I remember waiting in anticipation
For the next day of school
So I could talk to my new friends.
I remember
For the first time
In my life
Loving
Who I was
Who I am.

-

Donegal Dreams
by Morgan McKenna
(11th Grade - Mainland Regional HS, NJ)

Cottages sit small and sweet
Atop hills of emerald green.
Each with a smoke stack brewing,
Melting away an afternoon mist.
Mysterious colors pierce dreary clouds
Sending promises of sunshine.
Carefully mounted before Sheephaven Bay,
The Castle of Doe overlooks
Yesterday’s future
And tomorrow’s past.
The Corncrake’s rare call muted
By waves barreling onto Marble Hill’s sandy shores.

-

Little Rock Nine
by Sunny Eiseman
(6th Grade - Hilltown Charter School, MA)

People scream
bricks fly
tomatoes stain
hateful words ring through my ears
I stand there
knowing I am the one
and the eight others
beside me
that everyone is here to stop
My head sticks up
my chin out high
and I take a step forward
to the all white high school
The step that was taken
was not just a step towards
a high school
but a step
that helped stop
our world’s error
Thank you Little Rock Nine
for taking a step
for America

-

She Holds Tight
by Kate
(5th Grade - Homeschooled, CA)

Every day
for five years
on the tire swing
We'd tell stories
the History Of Kilts
Hairy Chicken goes to Hawaii...just a few
We'd talk
about friends
about classes...just a few
We'd laugh
together,
about her songs...just a few
We'd be silent
watching our swinging shadows
gazing at the sky...just a few
Our knuckles were white
We held tight.
Now, I can barely remember the chains of the swing.
We hold tight
to the memory.
Her knuckles are white
She holds tight.

-

gone, gone, gone
by Linda Ge
(11th Grade - Davis Senior HS, CA)

i count the days i spend
by the days she didn’t spend
i think of her in the spaces between seconds
the time between the rising sun and the vanishing moon
i think of her like
an old favorite song
i’d forgotten the lyrics to
a yellowing photograph of another life
i see her everywhere (she is the fiery leaf falling from a treeless place
the constellation of freckles on ruddy cheeks
the breeze offering wisdom from far away)
i dream of her in empty alleyways
watch as she fades into the horizon
there she is—standing in front of me and
her mouth is beautifully red in a cut sort of way
“stay,” i say
she offers me an empty smile
her cold breath fills the gaps in my heart
i want to touch her but she’s like mist—i want to touch her and
the place she lingers becomes nothing but air

-

We Remember
by Ilana Zeitzer
(9th Grade - Upper Dublin HS, PA)

We remember
Our saddest day,
And the unity of our weakest hour.
Two buildings standing strong,
Till the planes came down,
To the cowards’ delight.
Fire erupted,
Terror began,
As smoke came,
So did the second plane.
Fire erupted on the other
Screams and yells were heard
As the firemen came,
Other heroes too,
To save the survivors
But risking their own lives,
And paying a high price.
Two buildings crumbling down in flames,
As people rushed around.
More news was heard,
Another building hit
By these cowards,
And more lives lost.
Another plane goes down,
But this one
Never reached its mark.
For heroes were on that plane
Knowing death approached,
But letting no other fall victim.
The world in terror,
The world weeping,
Many lives lost,
Many affected,
Now ten years later,
We make sure no one forgets.
We cry,
As we remember our saddest day,
And the unity of our weakest hour.
We remember 9/11,
September 11, 2001.

-

Keep It Close
by Clara LaBrake
(7th Grade - Abington Junior HS, PA)

I stand in front of
A flashing light,
Red--to be exact.
I can't see it
I can only sense it,
Like it is drawing
Its portrait
in my mind.

Love is good and bad.
You can hold it
In your arms
Like a newborn baby
Flushed with love and happiness,
Or crush it,
With the thought,
That you can't love,
Although you know everyone can.

What you choose
Is your life.

Lovers read each other's name in the glittering stardust
And hear them
Like they were calling to each other.
But love has consequences.

Love is a friend and an enemy.
So keep it close.

-

Post Time
by Kaitlin Ruiz
(11th Grade - Homeschool, Orange Grove, TX)

Where bugle’s plunge thrums through
the barracks of the grandstand— peeling from rainfall,
teeming with mocked dignity.
Where bettors pull at leather trees,
where nothing grows.
Laying aside leaves,
sheaving through covert folds
and hands bulge—interchange—till empty as a socket.
Where, plated in aluminum
the sorrel treads toward chute one;
widening at a frozen mouth,
chafing at hard metal’s leaving benediction;
and silks twist with motion
synchronized.
Beneath the scrapes of hat brims
where chatter resurrects,
where, grating, railing birds
clack past clocker’s reckoning;
at breezing bay time—
at steely’s fervor—at mud-worn tenacity—
at saddles’ clap—they’re off.

-

Ashes of Auschwitz
by Joanna Jamison
(12th Grade - Goddard High School, KS)

The ghosts, memories emerge to proclaim
the lies, hatred, killings and putrid smell
of burning flesh from mangled bodies
in the mesh. They say that work can set
us free, but this is selection time in Hell's marquee
where the slaughtering of innocent ones, the betrayal
of King David's sons, tell a dreaded tale of woe.
They say this evens out the status quo, these large sacrifices to fire
behind blood-stained mesh and barbed wire.
We march onward to the camp, clothes torn, shoes damp,
with muffled cry and questioning lament.
Will we live or shall we die?

-

Here By Myself Now
by Amiah Taylor
(10th Grade - Harriton Senior High School, PA)

Being by myself isn’t so bad
I’m slowly realizing that…
I’m the best friend I’ll ever have.
Yes, I fight with myself
And I don’t treat me too nice.
I cry myself to sleep and wake up to do it all
Again.
But when it’s not bad it’s good,
Good to rely on me
And not have me disappoint.
Good to stand by me and…
Stand up for myself
Good to be me….

And maybe being here by myself
Isn’t a horror story
But just the opening credits
Of something beautiful,
Something blossoming,
Something new inside of me.
Call me crazy; I’ll call it hope,
Hope for a new beginning.
Another rose to smell,
Another door to open,
A new day, in the life of...
Me.

-

Yellow
by Katie Hoefer
(2nd Grade - Charlotte Preparatory School, NC)

Yellow is the color of the flaming sun and the feeling of fun.
Yellow is the glowing part of the sunflower, dandelions, and daisy hearts.
A duck's bill, the little throats of a daffodil, and summer squash.
Custard hearts and lemon tarts.
Yellow is the inside of a pineapple and a juicy lemon.
Yellow blinks on summer nights, and the things that blink are firefly lights.

-

Maybe if I’m Lucky
by Kymber A. Wachholtz
(11th Grade - El Dorado High School, CA)

Maybe if I'm lucky,
this lovely moment will last forever.
Maybe if I'm lucky,
You'll love it like I do,
This moment with me.

Maybe if I'm lucky, this will spark
the same feeling in you.
Maybe if I'm lucky, this will trigger
a chain of moments with you.
Maybe if I'm lucky, like a dream,
it will repeat itself.

Maybe if I'm lucky, you'll confirm
this feeling and you'll love this moment,
this dream, this spark, as I do.

-

An Ordinary Day in Dreamland
by Alice Niu
(7th Grade - Jefferson, CA)

An ordinary day in Dreamland
Is filled with green skies and pink sand.
There are monsters and demons of all sizes
Waiting to produce ashes.

An ordinary day in Dreamland
Consists of talking pigs and hopping bears
There are deer in wheelchairs
And monkeys in tears.

An ordinary day in Dreamland
Involves blue lions and rodent bands.
Dinosaurs dance ballerina
And hamsters play the tuba.

An ordinary day in Dreamland
Has talking camels and walking candles.
The world is ruled by battling beetles
With their feet in colorful sandals.

An ordinary day in Dreamland as you can see,
Is one filled with many surprises along the way.
There can be talking animals and singing bamboos,
But don't forget the main character in any dream is YOU!

-

The Ruins
by Lisa Delao
(11th Grade - Woodbridge Senior High School, VA)

On days such as this
when the sky's burning lips
pucker up to kiss the cusp
of the sea,
I long to
sail into the sunset,

unravel Horizon's rigid line
tear through a tightly stretched canvas
that leaves no room for wrinkles,
pull on a loose string and run rampant,
jump waves like hurdles,
clear the image once again, strip it
of all clutter. Leave only Earth's heartbeat.

Start there, a single da-dump booming
in a prolonged silence.

Sitting and stirring,
stirring and sitting through imperfection.
A dove swoops down to peck
stars into the night sky, says it’s okay to wish.

But man cocks his rifle to murder beauty.
We want no part in what we cannot control,
so we tie strings to life and create a puppet show.

When the planets align over our burning sky
I shall take hold of the brush and repaint
Horizon's line. Drag my eraser like clockwork
deleting time one through twelve, so hands can
move freely according to the eternal sun and moon.

-

Mother Speak to Me
by Saurabh Jha
(9th Grade - Utica Academy of International Studies, MI)

Sitting alone
Darkness surrounds me
No one to guide me
Mother speak to me.

When you left for heaven
You took the soul of me
Thus my heart’s filled with sorrow
And my mind with despair
They’re both crying out for thee
Mother speak to me.

I long to hear your voice
I still remember the sound
Of your sweet melodious voice
Guiding me through the days
So much that it now fill my nights with longing
Thus I’m gazing out through the night
Vainly searching for you
But for me you cannot be found.
Mother speak to me

Your unconditional love gives me courage
Your reassuring word to encourage
You helped me be free
And showered love on me
You knew all my fears
And wiped away my tears
So I’m waiting here for thee
Who gave the gift of life to me
Helped me grow and set me free
Mother speak to me

Weeks have become months
Months have become years
Now all my tears have dried
And yet I hear your words echo in my ear.
Memories slowly start to disappear
As life moves on, year by year.
I have you locked away so no one can see
But in truth my heart still cries for thee
Mother speak to me

-

Thunderbolt
by Heather Schmitt
(9th Grade - Assumption High School, KY)

Cackle, Kaboom, Crack!
Silence. I’m frightened and feared by all people
But I can’t comprehend or understand.
I make a colossal crack in the air
But it’s my electrifying brother who does the catastrophic crime.
Cackle, Kaboom, Crack!
Silence. I put terror in the hearts of children
And cause people to shake, shiver, and stress
But I’m just a sudden sound
I can’t do any disastrous danger
                          Cackle, Kaboom, Crack!
Silence. I arrive during raging rainstorms
I boom bang and cackle
I am loud like a singing siren
So be cautious of my comings
Cackle, Kaboom, Crack!
Silence.

-

My Family
by Graeme Lane
(4th Grade - Georgia Cyber Academy, GA)

My family likes to annoy
And with each other we like to toy
To show you the people who surround me
Let's take a look at the family tree.
My little sister
Like a blister
And the baby twins like to say
To everything "okay" and "hey!"
My older brother is real smug
His response to every thing is a shrug.
Then what happens to my Dad
Well...he gets real mad.
Through all this someone stays calm
That single person is my Mom.
Me on the other hand Why, I am quite grand
I always think, "can it be
that these people are related to me?"

-

Never Land
by Hali Haskins
(12th Grade - Woodbridge Senior High School, VA)

For: Holli

Never land like you could fly forever
as if your arms had feathers floating from every pore
and every bone in your body looks like a sponge.
Even on some days
when your heels feel heavier than your head
so that you might want to rest on a patch of grass,
never land.
Because the air is cleaner up here
and I’m telling you this because I care
and if it helps you, remember the time we spent suspended in Neverland
on a tiny ship that could fly, and never land.
Remember that it wasn’t your favorite
but you waited anyway.
Remember that you never land.
Know that I’m here beneath you, and that I won’t ever let you fall.
Keep the feathers in your pores
and the hollow in your bones,
and little sister,
please never land.

-

Rhythm sticks
by celeste
(3rd Grade - Chantilly Montessori, NC)

I feel good and free,
just alone with wonderful me,
peace in my young heart,
with sticks I feel great you see,
the wonderful me.

-

The Stone
by Jakob Reha
(8th Grade - North Polk Jr. Sr. High School, IA)

Boys
are sitting there,
sitting on cold stone.
Boys
just sitting there,
bandaged to the bone.
Boys
still sitting there,
freezing and alone.
War
has put them there,
has put them on the stone.
War
just dropped them there,
and hurt them to the bone.
War
has left them there,
has made them sit alone.
War
and sitting there.
Their sacrifice is shown.
Death
may soon be there,
for the boys who're on the stone.
Death
so all beware,
for boys who sit alone.
Death
brings freedom there,
brings freedom to that stone.
Death
he did go there,
and made their troubles go.

-

Courage
by Blake
(10th Grade - Homeschooled, TN)

  When you're young
You need courage to stand up to a bully
Or to ask an adult you don't know very well a question
Or maybe to ask an adult for a Reese’s Cup.

When you get a bit older, though, things get slightly more complicated.
When you're a teenager
You may need courage to say no to peers trying to get you to try weed
Or to tell an adult that you have taken weed
That you bought it with the money from babysitting little Janey down the street.
You need courage to help your friends through difficult times in their lives
And to be able to tell them that things will get better
When you yourself are going through a rough patch
And you're not even sure you believe your own words.
Courage to talk to the girl or boy you may have a crush on.
Then you need courage to spread yours wings and soar off into adulthood
Leaving behind the carefree ways of a child
And ready to take on the rather frightening responsibilities an adult must take on.

When you're an adult
You need courage to stand up for what you believe in
Whether it be religious, political, or a personal conviction.
You'll need it once more to say, “I do,” at the altar.
And you need courage to be the strong one when needed
Even when you can barely hang on yourself.

And should you reach old age
You need courage to look back on your life,
Tell yourself it may not have been the best it could have been,
But it was yours
And you had one heck of a ride
And that now it is time to move on.
Then,
You simply need courage to let yourself out the door of this life,
And on to the long path of eternity.

-

Alone
by Danny Lear
(10th Grade - Master Charter Shoemaker Campus, PA)

My heart is pounding, my eyes feel heavy,

My soul empty as the joy in my life

My spirit broken, alone I sit here surrounded

by family and still all alone.

Friends everywhere but I’m still by myself

I feel a hole in my stomach,

not from lack of food, but from emptiness, loneliness

There’s no one to hear me cry

No one to wipe my eyes and tell me it’ll be ok

No one to pat my back and hug me

There’s only me and my lonely tears.

-

Pavane
by Stephanie Guo
(9th Grade - Canyon Crest Academy, CA)

This is penultimate,
the pavane
I cannot play any longer

and even if the notes were
sometimes upright (or
no, I think uptight) –

How many pages must I turn?
See the cadenza, see what was mine
(alone) this solo
that which you have taken soli.

Stop pressing that index finger
to your temple. You will go (you always do)
and give Bach his pavane.

Tell him my hands have left the lid
and the velvet of the bench has gone
to winter.

Let the soli return its
solo and

Watch me –
watch as
I let my fingers drop and

Still sinking,
I cannot remember if you
Are a single shard of joy

Or the jagged truth.

-

Footsteps
by AE Ebner
(10th Grade - Cherokee High School, NJ)

In the mud there were footprints
and on our boots there was mud;
our jeans covered in dirt and grass stains.
We said we didn’t understand time or why people
ever went to sleep forever so we tried to understand.
We took a string
and ran through the forest in circles
hoping that we could build
a web like spiders and capture answers.
But we got lost
somewhere,
between the creek
and the stars above, we were
tangled up in the weeds.
With heavy hearts
we walked to my house and without any
answers I watched you, head down,
leave.

-

Come Join Me in Immortality
by Russell Maclin
(10th Grade - Central Buck High School South, PA)

and we shall have a fantastic brunch.
The kitchen here is quiet and quaint,
and although some things are outdated
the food never loses the poignant taste
that we enjoyed so many years ago.
I miss you my friend, but only so much
for time works differently here.

You will see as we sit down and eat together
how remarkable it is to know
that if we were to wish it so
the struggles of mankind—
the laughter and tears
the gentle arms and gnashing teeth
the swaying crowds and silent solitudes—
every hopeful look or child birth
every inspiration—shout of joy,
more: every toil and triumph any person shall know
will quickly flicker in and out of existence
as the rain slides softly
down our window.

-

Periwinkle
by Maya Brown
(12th Grade - Woodbridge Senior High School, VA)

Perhaps this purple is an
Expression of the melding of two beautiful flowers
Rather than two colors.
It can be described as a soft
Wind across the skin or cotton candy
In the mouth of a
Nostalgic man, woman, or just a
Kid for the first time at the fair and
Loving
Every minute.

-

Icarus’ Descent
by Craig Spencer Leite
(11th Grade - Bristol County Agricultural High School, MA)

We’re told once to beware the sun
But we are creatures of habit.
As we fly and soar across the sky,
We see the shining beauty.
We know not of its guise, know not of its meaning,
Yet we fly and abandon
All our rhyme and reason.
We taste the warmth.
We see the knowledge,
And the temptation begins.
Carried on the wings of ignorance,
The winds of confidence spur us on.
And as we fly we soon realize,
The mistake that we have made.
The warmth turns to fire,
The knowledge matters not.
The ignorance locks our limbs,
The wings they turn to dust.
And as you fall we come to see,
The mistake that we have made.
Proud is Icarus, a man.
Man whose mind does tend to melt.
Heat of knowledge, temptation of confidence,
Nothing more can be said.
Icarus lies dead, his freedom of mind extinguished,
His thought absent of all knowing.
We know not the truth of knowledge,
For we fly on wings of wax.

-

It Doesn't Change a Thing
by Michele
(9th Grade - Assumption High School, IA)

I don’t understand you
Or the anger inside you
That burns like a fire
Growling and moaning
The beast within you
Consumes the delicate flower I once was
Now only a petal
Left smoldering on the ground
You beat me and bruise me
Inside and out
I am reduced to nothing
And mean nothing to you
With one final plea
I tell you this now
I don’t understand you
But that doesn’t change a thing

-

The Gray Wolf
by Bri Lewis
(7th Grade - Paxon Hallow Middle School, PA)

Howling at the moon
Dawn approaching soon
Lurking high and low
Even in the snow
Searching here and there
In the frosty air
Showing what he knows
Creeping on his toes
There is so much to feature
About this wonderful endangered creature

-

The Loved One
by Kristina Skripnikova
(7th Grade - Crossroads Middle School, PA)

Love's inspiration roams the night and day,

Cherishes a colorful moon

And comfort's spark through twilight.



Love sings a humble tune

Till you see the gleam of sunrise,

For this tremendous passion

Drops into your hands

And smiles in remembrance of us together.



I wish you were thoughtfully near,

Whispering our secrets, following a garden bridge,

And smelling roses with delight.



You walk into the light,

I hold my hand out to you

Our love will never hurt..

-

Aquatic
by Sam Stall
(8th Grade - North Polk Jr-Sr High School, IA)

The land is not the only one that has life -
Things may drown but many need the necessity
of water to live. It’s surface, a smooth and undisrupted
pane of glass, is smashed as bass leap out
to catch a leggy robber fly daring them to jump.

Underneath musk grass sways lazily, lulled to sleep
by gentle rocking currents hiding bluegill
from hungry bass and meandering catfish.
The scarlet glow of the sun on the horizon
bathes the lake in evening tranquility.
Chattering raccoons explore the shoreline searching
for fish left behind by generous fishermen.
Owls hoot a low, baritone melody.

Walleye who patiently waited in the depths
of the cool lake come out in search of a
minnow or small aquatic critter for a snack.
Moths are quickly gobbled up by hungry bats
who live for the night, free of the
restraints from the light of day.
Petrified camper’s screams pierce the night!
A snake has slithered into a sleeping bag
tickling bare feet with it’s cool, scaly skin.
All of these animals rely on one thing:
The precious water of the lake.

-

The Martians
by Julian Miltenberger
(5th Grade - Copper Beech Elementary PA)

Today Martians attacked New York
With cries of “zup!” and “gloop gazork!”
They flew up past the trees
And left us with our casualties.

We pursued them into space
A thousand-mile-an-hour race!
Then suddenly they turned around
And forced us down to Martian ground.

We had a terrible conflict there
Red dust clouds filled the air.
At last we made our heroic stand
And flew back to Earth, our land!
.
Those frightened Martians never came back,
Never pursued, never attacked.
The Martians won’t venture beyond the stars,
Taking refuge on their planet Mars.

-

Why Stop at Paper?
by Sacha Kiesmn
(7th Grade - Marshwood Middle School, ME)

I see the world in photos.
All subjects potentially pleasing
if shot at the right angle.

I see the world through words.
And all words are striking
no matter what they state.

I see the world as a sculpture
bend it, push it, stretch it
I mold it how I choose.

I see the world through music.
Every molecule, a note ringing in the night
Coming together to make a gorgeous song.

I see the world as an easel
And I have the brush.
I make it whatever I choose.

-

The Bad Day
by Bridget Day
(4th Grade - St. Genevieve School, PA)

Today was a really bad day
In a really super sad way.
I was really not very gay

On my super bad not good day!

First, I cut my classmate's hair,
Then at recess I would not share.
Next I told somebody that no one cares.
And now I'm in timeout which isn't fair!

On my way home I ran over a cat,
Then I got hit with a baseball bat.
I opened our door and tripped over our mat.
So then in a chair I madly sat!

So today was a horrible day,
Things didn't really go my way
But now that it's done I'm going to say

Thank goodness that I'm through with this horrible day!

-

First Move
by Morgan McKenna
(10th Grade - Mainland Regional HS, NJ)

First move from here to there.
Plenty of boxes filled with life-long memories.
The moving van backs into the driveway;
Two men come out and begin loading
Your Berenstain Bears books, Phillies tees, and Beanie Babies galore.
Your friends arrive,
They cry with you.
Your smile is long gone.
In it’s place is a frown that wishes it never had to appear.
Mom and Dad come out of the house
And hand the Realtor extra keys,
As you quickly run in and look around
All the memories flash before your eyes.
Balloons from your fourth birthday hang in the dining room,
Presents from Santa are scattered around the living room,
And the only Thanksgiving not spent in a restaurant is taking place at the table,
Laughs and all.
As your parents lock up the place where you grew up,
The place you have known for so long,
Before you can blink,
You’re gone.
Some of your memories stay,
Others leave, making room for new ones.

You’re older now.
You’re driving past,
And you see your old house, or something similar.
That tree was never so tall,
A holiday flag was always hanging under your childhood bedroom window,
And the shutters were never that shade of green.
You park and walk around,
Slowly, suddenly,
Remembering.

-

Truth
by Kaitlin Ruiz
(10th Grade - Texas Connections Academy at Houston, TX)

If truth is all around
From hills to parapets--
If it aches within the sound
Of spider's new-strung nets;
If its chorus in dawn-hour
Throbs clear in heaven's cry,
Can I find it through will-power
In the starched-and-ruffling sky?
Is it hidden in the meadow?
Does the dark recall its song?
If it hides in tree-roots, low--
Or shadows, risen, long.
If it runs by river's pulling
Or harks in newfound calls--
Of the crown's tumultuous ruling
'Til it--laughing--falls.

-

Rainbow
by Kaitlin Ruiz
(10th Grade - Texas Connections Academy at Houston, TX)

Wading through the border
Of evanescent chill.
Mingling through your brooking;
The corners sharp until—
Melding into cloud-folds,
Embrace your frozen sigh;
Of indigo reaching
The edges of torn sky.
And traipse through rows of darlings,
Swifter than newborn's breath,
Far beyond the realms of starlings.
Where new peak coolness cries—
For heartier repast
The hues of landmark fade,
Where brilliance meets its last.

-

Word Artist
by Masha Zhdanova
(7th Grade - Thomas R. Grover MS, NJ)

I am an artist of words.
Letters are my paints.
Words are my colors.
The composition they complete
is pleasing to the brain
rather than the eye.
I am a weaver of tales.
The characters are my thread.
The plot is my loom.
Stories unravel on the page
rather than the cloth.
I am a mathematician of sounds.
Sentences are my numbers.
Paragraphs are my equations.
I calculate the weight of my words
rather than a kilogram.
Some say
That writing and painting
and weaving and counting
are not the same.
Not close to the same.
I ask
What does it matter?
I am an artist of words,
a weaver of tales, a mathematician of sounds.
That is who I am.

-

Fading
by Masha Zhdanova
(7th Grade - Thomas R. Grover MS, NJ)

Sometimes I feel like
a shadow.
An imprint of a person.
Or a negative of a photo.
My presence
is present
but my heart is not.
If a tree falls and no one
hears it
does it still make a sound?
If a person goes to school and no one
sees her
is she still visible?
is she still there?
No.
She is a shadow,
a fading shadow.
a transparent veil
hiding the truth.
Soon her veil
will waste away
and she will be gone.

-