2012 Edition Cleveland State Community College ENGLISH DEPARTMENT Editor: Julie Fulbright Assistant Editor: Heather Cline Liner Front cover photography by: Amanda Guffey Graphic Design and Production: CSCC Marketing Department Printer: Dockins Graphics, Cleveland, Tenn. Copyright: 2012 Cleveland State Community College www.clevelandstatecc.edu All Rights Reserved Funding for this publication provided under Title I of the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act of 2006. CSCC HUM/12095/04092012 - Cleveland State Community College is an AA/ EEO employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, disability or age in its program and activities. The following department has been designated to handle inquiries regarding the non-discrimination policies: Human Resources P.O. Box 3570 Cleveland, TN 37320-3570 [email protected] Table of Contents Written By Title Photo/Drawing By: Page Frankie Conar After the Storm Julie Fulbright 5 Brittney Glover Weep for Me James Loyless 6 Leaves of the Sea Amanda Guffey 7 Stormy Fisher Mother 8 Savannah Tioaquen I Am the Wind Brandon Perry 9 Tracey Thompson Rose Amanda Guffey 10 Mirror Mirror Megan Payne 11 Tonya Arsenault Siblings Marchelle Wear 12-13 We Can’t Go Back in Time Kimberley Stewart 14-15 Angel Jadoobirsingh Spying Angel Jadoobirsingh 16 My Pay Angel Crawford 17 Cody Thrift Through Solemn Eyes Misti Stoika 18 I Had a Dream I Died Alonzo Bell 19-20 The Hero Tonya Arsenault 21-22 Nicholas Johnson Such Is Life Angel Jadoobirsingh 23 Turn the Lights Out 24 The Window by the Tree Marchelle Wear 25 Chet Guthrie Christmas on the Battlefield Amanda Guffey 26-29 Sweet Kalan Tonya Arsenault 30-34 The 23rd Psalm Marchelle Wear 35-37 Letters through the Fence Marchelle Wear 38-42 Grandfather’s Axe Marchelle Wear 43-44 Her Beauty Daniel Stokes 45 In the Eyes of a Dreamer Megan Payne 46 Rise o’ Rise Dear Wall Street 47 The Old Man Michael Espinoza 48 A Night of Passion Shanna Calfee 49-50 Table of Contents - Cont’d. Written By Title Photo/Drawing By: Page Chet Guthrie Literature’s Anti-Christ Natasha Clark 51-52 Autumn Amanda Guffey 53 Children Dancing in the Rain Natalie Goleman 54-55 Hannah Hailey Yeargan 56-58 Caoseth Roanoke All Again Nancy Boyd 59 Collage Mercedes Smith 60 Alyssa Whaley Nature at Its Finest Amanda Guffey 61 Laissez Faire Amanda Guffey 62 Through My Eyes Richard Harris 63 In the Mind of an Addict Amber Walker 64 Christy Wells-Reece The Funeral Kyle Brogden 65-66 Life Marchelle Wear 67-69 Dannette Wright Thunderstorms Dannette Wright 70 My Sister Nancy Boyd 71 Letter Poem Sheila Bates 72 Repetition Poem Tonya Arsenault 73 Raina Terry Sugar on My Pillow Tasha Lowe 74 Shelby Bishop Neyland Stadium Shelby Bishop 75 Forever 27 Shelby Bishop 76 A Robot Named William Who Tyler Brock Was Wired Wrong Marchelle Wear 77 A Day in the Life of a Mouse at the Zoo Sarah Kirkpatrick 78 Coining Someone’s Life 79 Tammy Trew Through the Clouds Tonya Arsenault 80 For I’ve Loved You Amanda Guffey 81 After the Storm Frankie Conar Raging winds of adversity came bearing down, And tossed my life around like stubble. Tragedy shook me until my soul was weary But I will pull my life from its rubble. I will scream and shake my fist at catastrophe And not be beaten down by her blow. Thunder, lightning, and storm may rage about me, As I’m pulled by my troubles that ebb and flow. A new tomorrow comes with each dawning Darkness is lifted, morning covered with dew. Rising from the ashes of my broken dreams I will grieve, and then build my life anew. Reclaiming the broken pieces tossed about My existence will slowly take form. My bruised heart will never be the same, But I have weathered the storm Fresh mounds of earth, flowers scattered round With God’s help, I’ll be resilient and strong. I will bare my grief with quiet dignity And hold my head high for life goes on. Battered by the winds of destruction I am bent, but not totally broken. Rising up inside my ravaged heart My resolve I hear firmly spoken From the strong ragging spirit within, “I will survive and one day I will smile again.” This poem by Frankie Conar was written after the tornado outbreak on Wednesday, April 27, 2011. Cleveland, TN, was one of the many towns hit across the south. This poem is a tribute to the spirit of the people in our area who are picking up the pieces of their lives. Photo by: Julie Fulbright 5 Weep for Me Brittney Glover Weeping Willow crying in the rain Your leaves droop so gracefully. Your branches swaying in the cooling wind; Your leaves coal black and dark with sin. You give me chills that race up my spine As your leaves and branches fly. You reach for me with a thousand screams. You bring me deep into your dreams. Your bark cold and gray Next to it lies my solemn grave. Photo by: James Loyless 6 Leaves of the Sea Brittney Glover The leaves above my head, Moved like waves in the sea. Shifting in the wind, Sunlight danced upon the leaves. So beautifully they gleamed, In different shades of green. How soft they seemed, Like the crest of the sea. Photo by: Amanda Guffey 7 Mother Stormy Fisher What does it mean to be… Mother? Warrior. Protector, defender… Fighter. Mother? Performer. Acrobat, juggler… Dancer. Mother? On demand. Questioned, answerer… First responder. Mother? In love. Whisperer, cuddler… Song singer. Mother? 8 I Am the Wind Savannah Tioaquen I am the wind in which the air you breathe I am the wind that soars across the sky I am the wind that flows across the nation I am the wind that takes pride in I am the wind who defends I am the wind all in one I am the wind that will never stop I am the wind that is strong I am the wind in which you love With the wind she will stay strong, With the wind she will be great, With the wind she will keep soaring. I am the wind Photo by: Brandon Perry 9 Rose Tracey Thompson We started as just studying in class. Who would have thought that our friendship would last? “Best Friends Forever!” That is what we would say. Should forever end, in just one bad day? Please take this letter and enjoy your rose. I pray that our friendship forever grows! Photo by: Amanda Guffey 10 Mirror Mirror Tracey Thompson If Snow White had a brother, instead of an evil stepmother It is you he would be, no one else as fair as thee Hair as black as the night, skin so fair tis almost white Mirror Mirror on the wall I will wait. Will he call? I see you watching me, you see me watching you too. Eyes so deep, if I look, I’ll fall. Our computer chats were the best of all. You talk to someone not knowing. But, then you find out it’s me, so you got to be going. Mirror Mirror on the wall, I couldn’t wait. I just had to call. Take my advice, before taking yours, I would think twice. You complain and moan that you are all alone, Heck, here I am, just take me home. I will remember you forever, But I will not wait forever Mirror Mirror on the wall, I did not wait, and he never called. Drawing by: Megan Payne 11 Photo by: Marchelle Wear Siblings Tonya Arsenault little brother, i’m so sorry for not acting like i should for the yelling and the fighting for not helping when i could for projecting all my frustrations onto such a sweet little man the guilt that weighs me down inside sometimes makes it hard to stand you were so much smaller and you were only a kid too i should have been your guide, your friend but i hurt you through and through little brother, i’m so sorry for those many selfish years i promise to be a better sister and use the future to wipe your tears little sister, i’m so sorry for not always being there you needed me many times but i wasn’t always aware 12 sisters are supposed to be friends and for a short time we were i miss that short time in my life for that you can be sure i’m not a perfect person and i’ve never claimed to be i have shown my many flaws to you and have hurt you so bad, i see i have made some big mistakes along our sibling road i’ll always pay for them they are a heavy toll little brother, i’m so sorry for not giving the best advice we were right there with each other through most of that childhood strife i should have been setting an example but instead i was making a big mess i should’ve been showing you what was right of me you probably thought less and less little brother, learn from my mistakes don’t do what i did wrong i know i was the oldest one but you have always been strong see all that i messed up on and take it all to heart all the trouble i got into please don’t you ever start dear siblings, i’m so sorry for not being a better sister to you the kind you can look up to the kind you love through and through i hope you’ve gained triumphs through my failures and learned good through my misdeeds i hope the crooked path i lead shows you what kind of life to lead i also hope you really know how much i truly love you how much i’m willing to make amends just how much i’m willing to do i’ve grown to be a better person please forget the old me if you can dear siblings, i’m so sorry please see the real person that i am 13 We Can’t Go Back in Time Tonya Arsenault I rub cream into my hands And I wonder where time has gone I stare down at those sore hands They’ve been there since life has begun I try and think of all the things I’ve struggled, made it through The wear and tear it’s made on me And others around me too Sometimes I wish I could Go back to a simpler life But we just can’t go back We can’t go back in time Back when things were simple Back when kids could have some fun Mom would turn us loose and let us play