The Tenth Muse

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The Tenth Muse

Science Park High School Literary Magazine 2017-2018 The Tenth Muse

“Like a welcome summer rain, humor may suddenly cleanse and cool the earth, the air and you.” - Langston Hughes

Advisor Mr. Townsend

Editors-in-Chief Ryan Agostinho and Litzi Herrera

The Tenth Muse is dedicated to Ryan Agostinho and Litzi Herrera. Table of Contents

Title Author Page(s)

The End is Near Melanie Dios 1

Lost Love Ashley Rachel Sousa 2

Motivation Sasha Seopersad 3

The Day’s Beauty Alexandra Angelo 4

Her Little Light Carolina Heleno 5

The Past Natally Dennisse Gomez 6

Deprivation Enyshia B. Downey 7

Insecure Curls Ashley Bernard 8

Amanda Julian De Jesus 9

Lonely Company Cristian Silega 10

Chasing the Tide Jayleen Rolon 11 - 13

The Snowy Hike Ryan Agostinho 14 - 15

Lonely Writer Kai Jasey 16

An Ambiguous Struggle Darien Cruz 17 - 20

Self-Confidence Adeline Costa 21

Finding the Light Anmol Sethi 22

Deserted Village Ryan Agostinho 23

A Caged Soul Daniel Djanie Kotey 24

Our Next Step Gabriela De Carvalho 25

Success Micaela Generali 26

A Vital Organ Lisbeth Maza 27

Her Disappointment Bryanna Gabriel 28

Flare of Delight Darien Cruz 29

Your Worth Hakeem H. Ceesay 30

Just the Beginning Catherine Gonzalez 31

Life’s Fate Araceli Guartazaca 32

A Lovely Dream Eric Rattray 33

Adulting Nii Afotey Adjoga-Otu 34

Rose Tinted Glasses Alexa Bustos 35

Trapped Alan Mejia 36

Where’s My Award? Erika Vasquez 37

Victory Royale D’Angelo Morales 38

Thing Called Love Claritza Vega 39

A Reader’s Journey Andrew Perez 40

Sibling Light Gabriela Herrera 41

The Future is Bright Antonio Farinhas 42

My Greatest Love Barbara Cabral 43

Search for Hope Kiara Angelique Gonzalez 44

A Line Between Two Dots Kevin Ordonez 45

A New Dawn Anil Soodeen 46

The Path I Chose Kevin Zavala 47

Beautiful Females Shania Welch 48

A Masochist’s Delight Annah Mercer 49

The End is Near By Melanie Dios

Pain in my head, my eyes fill up with tears, Upon my face they fall, I tear apart; The time has come the dawn is coming near, I’m not prepared, nor know how I can start. My hands they shake and sweat, I have no grip; My feet keep tapping on the wooden floor; The problems that arise, I always skip; I find distractions that I can’t ignore. The sun falls down as I remain awake, Becoming anxious, time is running out; The table trembles, making a mistake, I keep on going, and I have no doubts. The end is near, but we shall meet up soon; Doing my homework, holding on till June.

Lost Love By Ashley Rachel Sousa

The one who's never to be so forgotten, Thus overflowing feelings changed all things, Even when body has become most rotten, To all sweet memories my soul will cling. My heart despairing has become pitch black, All of my fantasies in the lost sea, Like a dry well, content my heart does lack; Once so full, but now vacant of all glee. The loss of memory is my sole wish To rest in peace without your painful taunts; The unforgettable I want to squish, Only in death the heart no longer haunts. For once engraved in thoughts eternally, As death and poison now I clearly see.

Motivation By Sasha Seopersad

I do dread leaving you, what's next is stress; I wish that I could stay with you all day; I have all of these quizzes and some tests, So I will have to leave and find my way. I do wake up to most alarming sounds, And I do see that it is dark outside; My face does instantly go to a frown, Out of my warm and comfy bed, I glide. It's for my future, that I realize, I must productive be, or I will fail; I struggle out of bed to win the prize; I stand and stretch and breathe and then exhale. I will go into this routine once more, Because today, I will improve for sure.

The Day’s Beauty By Alexandra Angelo

She watches over all, the only one, Her boundless light befriends the morning sky; Unfolding, leaves and petals come undone, Making the owls sing tunes of lullaby. Without restraint, she rises from the night, She dances so that everyone can see; She clears away a path and gives us light, Yet we decide that we should let her be. We close our eyes to never see her grace, Eternally, we turn and look away; We shut her out despite her timeless place, Her presence rising at the turn of day. Although we need her, still, we pay no mind; To her, the sun, we make ourselves so blind.

Her Little Light By Carolina Heleno

Her soul was once held captive by a thought, Whose darkness once controlled her heart and sight; Her confidence? It sadly had to rot, Because her strength came from her inner light. She had forgotten how to laugh and beam, To soar beyond horizons with no fear, Her eyes did want to shine, her soul to dream, To dream of eyes that never lie is near. She wants to feel again, forget, forgive; Her need to be set free grows with the days; Done welcoming the dark, she wants to live; Her little light will guide her through the maze. And so she found what she was looking for, Believing in herself, she could now soar.

The Past By Natally Dennisse Gomez

Deception did control their feeble minds, It kept them blind not knowing the real truth; If only they escaped the grasp of time, They could have held on to their precious youth. Their lives were controlled by deceitful lies That had them live in a constant fog; They could have so prevented their sad cries, For they didn’t know what was in the thick smog. As time escapes, they live in bitterness; They should have listened, being more clever; They sit and watch lives pass in utterness, If only their years lasted forever. Past thoughts can lead to places of darkness, As one is left to live with their madness.

Deprivation By Enyshia B. Downey

There are not too many hours in a day, It’s work or stress that always must be done; Fatigue may strike as lightening, you must lay, You must awaken well before the sun. The dam is just as needed as the flow; It’s like the soil in a flower pot, Which is so needed for the plant to grow; So overlooked, the soil did lose its spot. You take a break and sleep for just a sec, The thirty minutes turn into a day; When waking up, you stretch and crack your neck, You hope that you can make it up some way. Be careful when you take that quick ol’ snooze, If you do not be mindful, you will lose.

Insecure Curls By Ashley Bernard

She tugs and pulls, but it will never budge; It does take her forever to work out; Again she tries with a real forceful nudge, But she will stop again and start to pout. Mother’s help does make the anger vanish, Her soothing touch makes it all disappear; Words smooth like satin when said in Spanish, She speaks as she does wipe away the tears. Her insecurities fog up her mind, But curls are the world in which she lives in, And she does know that they’re one of a kind, The honey locks sit pretty by her chin. Her tugs shall stop, and she will love her genes, Enough to teach that love to her first teen.

Amanda By Julian De Jesus

A dress she wore, her age sixteen years old; Her eyes encumbered by a gorgeous light; Her smile, so kind, akin to her kind soul; She is a gem, we gaze at her tonight. A heart so pure, like a diamond new made, Eyes green like emeralds, permeate the soul, A happy, funny, and beautiful maid, A glowing sun on days that make us cold. Your day of birth, we celebrate today, With happy hearts we praise your life’s young run; Don’t ever change, Amanda, never fade, For when the night sets in, we’ll need our sun. Today you turn sixteen, remember this, I could not ask to have a better sis.

Lonely Company By Cristian Silega

My grumpy life does pressure me to write, How I do really hate the way you hide, Invading my harsh mind both day and night, Always dreaming about my precious pride. I live with fear and love both in my heart, Not knowing what the future has in store, But I will not become the broken part, As it will burn as hot as the earth’s core. Yet hope I do pray stays right by my side, It slowly fades along with my bold dreams; It starts to leave my body from inside, But no one listens when I sing my theme. Though pain does come on these such lonely fates, Relief will sing when work does compensate.

Chasing the Tide By Jayleen Rolon

There once was a boy named Owen, who lived on Pahana Island. Owen was the man of the family. While no more than sixteen years old, he was responsible for doing everything that goes along with taking care of two babies and one adult. To relieve the burden of the hot sun on his back while fetching the water needed for the necessities of living, he would often go to the shore at night, and he would linger there. He would take a moment to dream of the day that his family could be safe with his feet propped up with a tired feeling that comes with a full belly. He watched the tide kiss the shore and the glistening of the moon. Owen’s village was one where people seldom came to help out, to make the island sigh less. He watched well- rested folks do their charity work and go back to the warmth of their cotton sheets grimly, thankful that they helped feed his family, giving his baby brother and sister a new blanket so they could rest easy for a few nights. His heart ached but life went on. One day it was different. Owen was shocked when he found a girl by the ocean with her beauty as vast as the sea. He had not met many teenage girls before, at least, none nearly as stunning. Her name was Amunette.

After nights of leaving their footprints in the sand, Amunette filled Owen's head with dreams of her island; she reminisced about a paradise filled with healthy, fruitful trees and crystal, clear tides and gorgeous inhabitants. The time had come that she would be returning to her paradise. She was so fond of Owen that she gave him a small ocean blue stone to remember her by. That symbol of Amunette’s affection became Owen’s lifeline for weeks, through the chores and drowsiness and hunger. He pined for the fullness of joy he felt in Amunette’s presence and missed the stories Amunette shared about her paradise on earth. One evening, his despair was so palpable that he felt he could hold the night in his fist. What could he do to relieve the pain of loneliness and hopelessness? It was then that he decided to join Amunette on her island, where the land is fertile with love and hope. So Owen gathered wood and boughs to build a boat. Tearfully, he bid his family farewell and set his boat adrift. He felt the calm of the ocean. With every ripple, every wave, his tensions were relieved. He allowed the stillness of the night to envelop him. Owen lost himself in the dream and drift. Suddenly, Owen was awakened from his fantasy by a violent jerk. The waves picked up and were pushing the boat to and fro. He took control of the oars and rowed furiously in the direction of his paradise. He had come

12 too far to turn back or to be forced back by strong waves. The pressure subsided and the waves relaxed, so Owen relaxed. Thoughts of his siblings playing in soft sand and his mother free from worry flooded his mind and propelled him forward. Once he arrived to the island, he would make preparations for his family to join him. Finally, Owen reached the shore of the island. He felt like he had located a golden treasure. Amunette was standing, waiting to greet him. After months of labor, Owen was ready to bring his family to Aurelia. The accommodations were simple, but his family was simple. Owen made the voyage back to Pahana. It had only been a few months, but he could see that the weight of helplessness had cloaked his family. There was no time to waste; they would sail to Aurelia. Life in Aurelia was everything that Amunette said it would be. Owen’s travel experience was limited, but he knew that this island had to be the best island. It provided sublime relaxation, a sandy beach, and enchantment. Then there was the romance. There were something inviting and special about this island, so special, in fact, that Owen asked Amunette to join him in holy matrimony. For the first time, Owen and his family felt a part of something great, something constructive, something warm and familial. Legend has it that when beachgoers see footprints left behind on the sand, it is an impression of Owen and Amunette’s love.

The Snowy Hike By Ryan Agostinho

You would think that being as active of a Boy Scout as me, who has hiked many miles in his life, would be able to do a simple 15 mile hike. If you thought that, you would be wrong.

The day we had planned was scheduled to snow, but what we did not realize was the amount that it would snow. The crew consisted of the merit badge counselor, the scoutmaster, and me along with two other scouts. We would start at Saint Genevieve

Church, hike to Echo Lake Park and back, making it 7.5 miles each way. I woke up at six in the morning to get to the church, packing two waters, a raincoat, protein bars, and a first aid kit.

We hiked along the road against traffic and when able, on the sidewalk. The snow on the ground was gradually increasing and the temperature gradually decreasing. We were walking about one to two miles an hour. Starting at seven, we estimated

14 that we would have finished around four. I could feel the snow sticking to my beard, turning into icicles, the harsh cold against my cheeks and nose. We managed to reach Echo Lake by one o’clock, but during the way we had a few people slip and fall along a ridge we crossed. Along the way back we were more cautious in crossing the ridge, which by then there was about four inches of snow. For lunch we took shelter in a shed used for by the county for hunting and we ate ramen.

By now we have ten miles in with five more to go. These five miles would be the hardest part yet. By now the streets and sidewalks were covered with six to seven inches of snow, making it increasingly harder to walk. My beard looked like

Johnny from The Shining after he's left in the cold. We managed to finally reach the church, at five o'clock. We have been hiking for roughly ten hours. Exhausted, we each went our separate ways. It was a great experience.

Lonely Writer By Kai Jasey

A sweet dream turned hazy, and haze blown away, Shoved forcibly to, I'm jostled awake; It’s four in the morning, for goodness sake; It's time to go, I've overslept my stay. Spots in my vision, I drunkenly sway, Stateless vagabond in stateless state; The cold succumbs my bones to twist and shake, I wander on, veteran to affray. But winter’s rouse did not last long for sleep And life dispose. As ink and tip faded To dust, I took to my repose, shaded Eye and shadowed heart gave way to the night. An endless void, such deafening deep, Thoughts fill with love, and its comforting light.

An Ambiguous Struggle By Darien Cruz

White…an almost blinding white, as far as the human eye could see. He had no idea where he was or what he had been doing; all he could think now was how irritating the whiteness was to him. His eyes were barely open, and they seemed to struggle to continue. His senses were failing him, and his sight was the first to pick up its slack and start to work again. Next came his ears, and from them he heard a blur of noises that were nothing short of inaudible and vague. The whiteness that occupied his vision began to focus itself, now being slowly replaced by the familiar blue of the day. Recognizing the sun, he grew further antagonistic towards its existence, as he couldn’t muster up the energy to move out of its way.

“…Six…”

A voice, someone almost familiar. Were they counting? If so, for what? He didn’t have the mental fortitude to pull off such a thought process right now, as he had come to realize the reason for his immobility as soreness and aching pains flowed throughout his entire body, rendering him motionless.

“…Seven…”

He was able to conclude using what little reasoning he had that they were, in fact, counting. His fingers twitched, the joints sending a jolt of both frustration and pain to the rest of his hand,

17 then to his arm. He noticed his breathing was labored and deep, barely capable of inhaling enough to remain conscious.

“…Eight…”

Something inside of him flared up once he heard that number. Recollections of his situation slowly began to appear as little pieces in his mind, out of order. As he slowly began to make out the puzzle, his hearing grew clearer and more functional. A crowd of somewhere between five and five thousand were surrounding him. Something important was happening, and it was imperative that he get up. Despite the growing muscle strain, he continued to rise from the ground recklessly, struggling to support himself on the cracked and worn concrete.

“…Nine…”

By now, he knew exactly what was going on. His motions became more determined, and he could make out two shadowy figures standing near him, one with his back turned as he walked away, and the other looking straight at him. His knees were buckling under his weight, unable to properly support his footing.

The figure that had been counting suddenly stopped. The other figure had stopped walking and glared back with a look of resentment and shock. He was standing, just barely, with several streams of red flowing down his arms, his legs, and his head. His eyes were dead center on whom he presumed was his opponent, who despite some minor cuts, seemed relatively unharmed. His body attempted to straighten itself, and he

18 positioned his arms just enough to resemble a fighting stance. He let out a slight laugh. The audience was as still as the air within the arena. He mustered just enough oxygen to taunt his opponent, knowing fully well his difficulty to maintain consciousness.

“You’re going to have to try a lot harder than that.”

He stood there, staring down his opponent, looking for the slightest indication of movement. The audience faded away into the back of his thoughts, and all he could see was that vague outline masked by fogginess from his earlier injuries. His arms began to grow weary, the adrenaline keeping him going slowly, dissipating as he waits.

Before he knew it, his feet were off the ground. He spiraled to the other side of the arena, reeling in pain. Landing with a sharp thud, he laid motionless atop the cracked pavement. He didn't see it. He was looking for it, but there wasn't any. No sign of an attack. No sign of even taking a step. He was completely outmatched.

This time, getting back up proved significantly harder, as the gravity of the situation weighed him down more than the burning desire to close his eyes and pass out. His stomach felt almost hollow, as if all of its contents had been evaporated from the phantom blow that had demolished him in an instant. His breathing, originally ragged and coarse, was now sparse, barely grasping at the air.

It felt as if his whole body was shaking from the blow, and despite his wishes, he could physically not pull himself together any faster than he already was. During his second attempt at standing with his sustained injuries, his mind was centered on that one instant, replaying the events continuously just to make sense of what had happened.

It was more than that the figure was weaving from side to side— he seemed to almost weave in and out of focus entirely, completely escaping his eyesight momentarily before each hit. His fatigue had begun to distort his vision, and only now was he noticing it. The audience was roaring loudly at the impressive display by his opponent, but he did not hear a sound. While the ominous figure turned to his apparent fans and waved, his back turned without the slightest inclination of caution, the wounded soul began trying to control his breathing. He closed his eyes, raised his head towards that same sun that awoke him from his rest, and let out a deep breath.

“It’s something I’ll just have to deal with afterwards,” he remarked, trying to distract himself from the strains that spanned his entire body. He stumbled back slightly, his legs giving out for a brief moment. He knew he wouldn’t be able to stand up a third time, no matter how he ended up on the ground. Once again looking at his opponent, he recognized the aura of sheer confidence emanating from him. To him, this match was already over, and celebrations might as well have been in order. Slowly, he walked towards the blurred figure, his arms refusing to raise themselves. Each step became more staggered than the last, his body unable to support his willpower.

Self-Confidence By Adeline Costa

The scratching sounds explore the empty space, The simple lines opaque at the first sight Are topped by shavings, faults I must erase, Shades of charcoal create form, shadow, light. The pictures paint the people all themselves Through looks, expressions, that reveal their stance, Yet, solely appearance is what compels, The skin, the hair, the size, they cause a glance. She struggles with the physical too long, The lack of strength disguised her fair beauty, Yet through her art she feels like she belongs, Embraced her image, it was her duty. She drew the unique features of each face, Embodied confidence, ambition, grace.

Finding the Light By Anmol Sethi

We are all people, we are all the same, But racism, we still just can’t evade; We're always called some kind of spiteful name, Just turn your back when they throw all that shade. Because of this, the people lost their path, In the scarred history of blood and gore, And racism is like a frightful wrath, Creating stress and doing nothing more. But I can help you follow those great dreams, They will just think about how you have thrived; Know everything isn’t always as it seems, And anything you do, just try to strive. The closer that you get, the more light gleams; Close to the end, I vow you’ll find your dreams.

Deserted Village By Ryan Agostinho

The woods are a peaceful place, Or at least to those that truly see what makes them special. The Deserted Village is not so deserted anymore regardless of its name In the sense that people hike and camp in it.

Eagle Scouts have improved it, making bridges and benches. Gaea has kept it pure as a baptized child. The water rushing down the volcanic rock, carved out ground walls, Probably from years of rain, Erosion took its major pace.

People are the villages, some vast and others glad; When one is barren, a major loss has been received; The hapless folk, it seems to have taken its toll.

Isolation is a choice, but inevitable to those who believe That they have no choice, but to fade away from existence.

The village, a memory much untold, Lifeless, even though it has a soul.

A Caged Soul By Daniel Djanie Kotey

Observe the men who come to cage their hearts, Evoked their love through forks they tend to make, Constrained to paths insistent as a dart, The bonds to which they’re blind they now forsake. The ears that left took something of great worth, Alone, the melodies have lost their tune; The tune, the sounds have vanished from the earth, The worth of music making them immune. The eyes that left took something of great worth, The colors that were painted of this world, The details that gave them insight since birth, Consumed by the great void and sent to twirl. These are such bonds that blindly so forsake, Not keen on change, their hearts stay caged and break.

Our Next Step By Gabriela De Carvalho

The future comes with many new adjustments, And only time can lead to true acceptance. Although it’s hard to change with many judgments, We grow and yearn for our real independence. Our lives are changing and we need to face Things on our own and learn to be alone; Accept that you have your own time and pace To deal with what’s to come, you are no clone. It may be hard to find a place at first, But when you do, you’ll feel as if you are Surrounded with good feelings, not the worst, Just know that reaching dreams is not too far. And that is what the future holds for us, We grow, we learn, we change, so what’s the fuss?

Success By Micaela Generali

My busy life, you inspire me to fight, The long thoughts of you fill my mind, Invading my life day and through the night, Flooded memories of another time. I’ll compare you to an annoying sight, Oh, how I hate your success and your shine, Coming into my life, day, but not night, Always dreaming about the finish line. Your life is short, their happiness is not, Now leave behind a time that brings envy; Rise from this green sad time, see what you aught, All that you want and need is time, some, any. Close fast that thought, open up the bright, Find yourself, surrender your ridiculous fight.

A Vital Organ By Lisbeth Maza

A million of connections you will find, Controlling movement and sensation; Behaviors that are part of humankind, All due to a complex creation. A place forming a thousand thoughts, A library in which my memories lay, Developed in the cortex spot, And frontal lobe, building pathways. A residence to my dreams and nightmares, All built from the events of the real world, Ruled by our personal scares, Where creativity and sentiments are curled. A machine that goes into overdrive, The brain is what helps us survive.

Her Disappointment By Bryanna Gabriel

Right now in time, you left her in the dark, Your words opposed your actions that were shown, And in her heart is where you left your mark; You were the greatest gift she’d ever known. Her smile was always the result of yours, Until your smile would break her precious heart; Ways to get over you, she searched for cures, But she loved you, so she could never start. She realized that it wasn’t worth her tears, Some things in life just were not meant to be; She learned a lot from you over the years, And now she’s growing, being so set free. The love she had for you will never die; Why you two never worked, she’ll wonder why.

Flare of Delight By Darien Cruz

It takes but paper to spark a new flame, Inciting those roots, its latent passion, And spawn a blaze whose goal is to proclaim, Its charred remains through the soul, now ashen. And yet the light created brings its own fears As upon death returns that dark and dim; Again which invites those familiar tears That doused the mind and left them struck with grim. But this new blaze burns brighter than the last, The orange shades of its most cheerful flare, Whose color marks an episode of contrast, A relic of that escape from despair. For now, avoid fears of what still awaits, Just focus on those embers, guides our fates.

Your Worth By Hakeem H. Ceesay

What if I told you that you mean nothing, Completely worthless and irrelevant, My thoughts of you are no longer a thing, Your body and soul are non-existent? Would you change who you are and believe me Let me destroy you and your confidence, Let me pick away piece by piece, you see, Until you are completely bottomless? Before you answer tell yourself one thing That I, the outside, speak bullets of hate; You mean everything, my words mean nothing, Ignore me, push me out and close the gate. I am clearly not worthy of your gifts, Delete me and forget about the rifts.

Just the Beginning By Catherine Gonzalez

Foul fruit does hoard my rancid conscience so, A rat most desperate would not ingest; My flesh, so weak, it brings me constant woe; Vile captor of my mind, I do detest. For years, I have been kept from oh so much, Deceit in all the claims of love he told Were all but ways to stay in wretched touch, Within his grasp, I would have withered old. Fear cannot deter me with his roar, Defeated him, now I am in control; From dark to light, be certain I will soar, Across the earth so freely glides my soul. My future it does shine with blinding light, My mission is to try with all my might.

Life’s Fate By Araceli Guartazaca

A million different paths for me to follow, A thousand dreams to give up, losing hope, Which will be easy and enough to swallow And will suit me, without confusing scope. A dream to flourish on a withered stem, A voyage that has no confirmed direction; Though my low heart revives the dreams condemned, I must leave space and time for real reflection. For most the future can be quite unclear, Despite the clouded time, which ponders fate, I welcome some day in which light appears And find myself within a healthy state. That time arrives in which I must decide To follow said fate that life chose for me.

A Lovely Dream By Eric Rattray

Run a boy with his Juliet through sand, Passionately crossing the empty beach, With endless stares and interlocking hands, Searching for an end they will never reach. Wide smiles cover their entire faces, They can’t take their eyes off one another; Fantasies take them to many places, Unexplained lies their love for each other. Yet their love only lasted but so long As things slowly began to fall apart; Every little thing started to go wrong, And none of it was as good as the start. And then he was suddenly awakened To realize his true love had been taken.

Adulting By Nii Afotey Adjoga-Otu

And when the time of graduation dawns, A brand new phase in life descends on you, The man you thought you knew is dead and gone, These many lines, you wait there for your cue. The friends you had in high school love you dear, And as the year winds down you stop and think About the future that comes crystal clear, Your fear of what’s to come does start to shrink. A new page in the book of life begins, It has to come unless you want to stop, And stopping now does limit future wins, Molding your life until you are a prop. And now the time has come for you to leave, Be proud of all the things you have achieved.

Rose Tinted Glasses By Alexa Bustos

Given a trait that leaves me deeply charmed, Yet that precise aspect brings me to ease; Prior actions from others left me harmed, Brainwashed to think my love is a disease. My pride and my ego convert to dust, As well with the turmoil I have gone through; Learning to embrace the softness, I trust That what you propose is honest and true. Though a voice that still remains in my mind Hums the stagnant, inmost fear that I hold, What if you speak lies and I am too blind, Maybe your purpose is to leave me cold? You have earned my trust, you have earned my heart; All I ask is you don’t break it apart.

Trapped By Alan Mejia

Every day you go, worry me with woes, Some days you’re here, but then some days you go; All you want are new jewels and brand new clothes, You shine bright, but you’re cold as winter snow. All the time, it's a mystery with you, You're indecisive, making me anxious, Just like an actress, waiting for the queue, That two faced smile, you’re so contagious. Since the day I met you, something was wrong, The mind told me ‘no’, but the heart said ‘yes’; You played me along, just like in a song, I know you’re bad for me, I must confess. It’s been forever since I last saw you, I wonder when this curse from you will fade.

Where’s My Award? By Erika Vasquez

During the spring, we will rise again, One day I will rejoice without any fear; The chirring voices can be heard in the plain, The pairs of fine lilies are far from near. The spring time is the best season for me, No one notices us while nature blooms; The primrose talks about the happy life, We are best friends with the nasty mushrooms. There are two different types of my kind, The roots are grateful for our fine deed; A certain one is good with the cheese rind, The other one creates a very nasty bleed. We are the fungus that helps breakdown waste, Mushrooms are dealing with the cold disgrace.

Victory Royale By D’Angelo Morales

It did begin to snow around midnight, Outside I look, it is very pretty; My Xbox turned on, I loaded Fortnite, Voice chat with friends, this is really litty. New skins in the item shop, very cool; I have enough V-Bucks, so I buy one; My friends all look at my new pickaxe tool, We go all night on Fortnite, this is fun. Ordered Uber Eats, and it's on its way, In the meantime we play a couple more; “My food’s outside I’ll be right back!” I say; I drop my headset and run for the door. I eat up and have a higher morale, I come back with a Victory Royale.

Thing Called Love By Claritza Vega

What is this thing called love that brings much pain? I do hear stories where love falls apart. At first there was the sun then came the rain, Which caused them both to run and then depart. People say that it is love at first sight, Like fireworks on the Fourth of July, But it is believed that love is a fright, Because in the end there's only goodbye. People say love is a beautiful pain, I can't fathom why it brings much sorrow; Even though through all that pain there is gain, Why did Cupid hit me with this arrow? Emotionally, my boat is sinking; I'm telling myself, what was I thinking?

A Reader’s Journey By Andrew Perez

A clouded image that none can make out, If only we could pick up the pieces; We sit so puzzled as we all show a pout, The fumes of confusion slowly release. The day transitions into blessed night, The darkness gives us feelings that we lost; This realization starts to give us fright, With our dismay, we come to pay the cost. The odyssey has finally come to an end, We all diverge to where it had begun; This journey has acquainted us with friends, But there is still one thing left to be done. We all do gather into our fair steed; I take a breath and marvel at this read.

Sibling Light By Gabriela Herrera

How terrible and dark is the night sky, Its evil creatures and thoughts take invite, The shadows were hard to identify Until they came along, shining a light.

It chased away the spirits of the dark, It smiled and it brightened the gloomy night, It kicked intruders out like Joan of Arc, And did not stop ‘til monsters lost their fight.

In my dark cave a monster found its lair, It fed on fear and caused battles within, The light fought endlessly and it did swear, It would not stop until the day we win.

Their light banished my monster, I’m at peace, Their light brought me hope that I’ll be alright, With them all my despair long gone did cease, And my sky for always will be bright.

Although they clash and may shed salty tears, My love for them only grows through the years.

The Future is Bright By Antonio Farinhas

Sitting on the warm beach on a summer’s day, Enjoying the unknown, which is its tide, Soaking in the sun’s blissfully hot ray, The aggressive waves wavering like pride. The unknown future, feeling defeated, No longer in control of tomorrow; Still sitting on the beach, isolated, Any confidence I can borrow? Not knowing what to do or where to go, I stand, staring at the peaceful sunrise; The blue water, as clear as day, does glow, The near future is bright, I realize. My feats are worthy enough to commend, Things always work themselves out in the end.

My Greatest Love By Barbara Cabral

The blinding lights, nervousness, center stage, I can feel the rays heating up my face, With my heart beating fast against my rib cage, Then it begins, and I’m in my safe space. I feel at ease but it has to be perfect, The moves, the steps, every eight count; The urge and the great madness it inflicts, I have to know it all and just surmount. Like an addict, my life depends on it, It gives me a high, one I can’t overcome, But then it clicked, and it was hard to admit, Perfection was an illusion for more than some. It’s not always about who gets it right, But the love and passion, then you shine bright.

Search for Hope By Kiara Angelique Gonzalez

Misguided and so taunted by our thoughts, We are pessimists towards anything; The power to be hopeful is still sought, Still holding onto it by a thin string. Living life feeling overwhelmed by doubt, Hope overpowers such a strong despair; He comes back now and then like a spring sprout, Ready to renew with one to take care. From disbelief to pure optimism, Hope, an effortless touch, a miracle, Swaying away from dark skepticism, To prove that life is sweet and lyrical. Look for hope as he will come and find you, He will not give up, showing something new.

A Line Between Two Dots By Kevin Ordonez

Tunnel vision on a money mission, A lot of people try to make it out, Listen and sit, you will start to glisten, A lot of people worried ‘bout the clout. All you need is a plan, then make it work, Succeed you will not, if lazy you are; Life does not come with many of the perks, So you must want to set your own high bar. Purge all that is bad for you from your lives, It only holds you back from your best self; Only with peace you will begin to thrive, And then we’ll see a trophy on the shelf. Therefore, set out on this expedition, And in turn you will find your ambition.

A New Dawn By Anil Soodeen

Out of the darkness, there does come a light That same inability to decide, Gone is the fear, what still remains is bright, The old you is no more, but that's implied. Shedding some skin like a slithering snake, It is time that you evolve and advance; There is no back, this time it is make or break, You did not get here by luck or by chance. From the old husk does come a new person, You now have a new found strength from the past, This time nothing can anymore worsen, Gone are the clouds that made things overcast. Welcome to a new age, a brand new view, This new fame, dream until your dreams come true.

The Path I Chose By Kevin Zavala

I often think about the path I chose, Could this be the thing that assured my way? My outcome could have turned out like a rose, Or been a flower that does wilt away. Truly it doesn’t matter what I chose; Why should I whine if there is no resolve? There’s better ways to spend my time than woes, With pain my mind will start now to dissolve. My life is thus dependent on today, I must keep going and keep myself strong; I must be focused and be on my way; I know this grief has taken way too long. My focus now is only on the way, And find a better path than yesterday.

Beautiful Females By Shania Welch

The sun is coming out of its great slumber, Rising to heights when strength itself is needed, Your beauty cannot be a measured number, The figures ceasing, begging thus pleaded. So glistening like a brown jasper stone, A girl’s so shining melanin complexion, Old beauty standards are so overthrown, Dividing girls in many different sections. But this division is no more approved, Black, White, Purple, all colors are allowed, The feelings of self-loathing been removed, Only joyous and loving commentary in the crowd. Acceptance of one’s self is the best cure, Forever make sure your love remains pure.

A Masochist’s Delight By Annah Mercer

I just could never tell looking at you That you were very broken. You told me: “I do have this, and that, and that thing too” As if those things would cause me just to flee. Like a fire, you gave pain before pleasure, You tried to burn me with your troubled past, But the sight of a blaze is a treasure, One that filled me with zeal very fast. I wonder what it is I saw in you, I would never buy bruised fruit on purpose, So grossly sweet and quickly turns to goo, And yet your presence still makes me nervous. The raging fire that you wish not to be Further ignites the masochist in me.