THE FINE LINE A student publication Bishop Brady High School Volume VII MAGAZINE Editor Staff James Marceau Maria Bailey Jane Bradley Margaux Guion Anusha Murali Advisor Mrs. Sica Tech Support Mrs. Marinace 2 MAGAZINE Table of Contents Poetry Short Fiction 06 The Loaf - Anusha Murali 10 The Story of Us - James Marceau 07 Summer Lover - Anusha Murali 24 The Ringling Brothers: Barnum, Bailey, and Burn - Maya Heafield 08 All Because Two People Fell in Love - Jane Bradley 30 Great Blasket 1892 - Ana Carroll 09 Survivors - Chris Carmichael 36 Try and Keep the Conversation 16 Wishing Well - Maria Bailey Alive - Jane Bradley 16 Home - Johanna Fitzgibbons 41 Emerald City - Lauren Lamberger 17 Graffiti - Olivia Galvin 18 In A Moment - Ana Carroll 19 Inspired Poetry - Caitlin Mallahan 20 The Beach - Lauren Lamberger 21 ACK - Alex Sacco 22 Cape Cod - Margaux Guion 23 That Was The Summer - Jordan Bergeron 28 I Could Only Think of Him - Jordan Bergeron 29 The House That Stands No More - Samuel Buzzotta 34 Field of Flowers - Jane Bradley 35 Seasons - Margaux Guion 39 I Hate Sonnets by Caitlin Mallahan 40 The Wolf - Maya Heafield 46 Stevie - Mikaela Newman Three Machines 3 by Kyle Cioffi (pastel) Letter from the Editor Dear Readers, hen Mrs. Sica told our E Period Creative Writing class at the beginning of the semester that one of our final goals was to create and publish a literary Wmagazine, I was a little bit skeptical. I didn't believe that we could bring back The Fine Line in all of its former glory. As the year progressed, however, I began to understand that our class was more than capable of completing the task. I am happy to say that what we have put together for all of you is a new Fine Line. We wanted to replicate the original, while also taking the magazine in a new and more modern direction. This publication embodies that new direction, as well as the ingenuity and passion for creation of the current Bishop Brady student body. I admire all of the creators represented here, because each of them has managed to draw inspiration from all aspects of their life. They have written about everything. From fishing to bread to Stevie Nicks, we hope that the pieces of writing here that were once about our lives can now be about yours. From all of us here at The Fine Line, we hope you enjoy. James Marceau Editor Ribbon by Maria Bailey (pen and ink) MAGAZINE THE LOAF by Anusha Murali I had a loaf of bread the other day My heart, it swelled with joy, I felt its crust Its wheat, grown in sweet rain in May, Knowing its past, once dough, made it dulce. No human could caress one’s tongue like this bread, Or heal, like its immortal, unfailing taste. Man may make my heart beat an angry red, But a bite of this bread will find my rage erased. A loaf, the shade of honey and delicately crispy, Soft like a tender apricot under the summer moon, Would make the baker’s fame grow beyond the Mississippi, And bathe him in the blue waters of fame’s lagoon. A loaf, innocent and golden, like a star dropped from heaven, Glows softly on Earth - the miracle that was leavened. 6 MAGAZINE SUMMER LOVER by Anusha Murali He comes in a box from some faraway, tropical island, ruddy cheeked and soft. His kisses taste like nectar and he smells twice as sweet. Cruel as I am, I slice him and feed him to my grandmother. (but it’s okay, he whispers) Because afterwards, I sit on my porch with him and he holds my heart so tenderly as the ocean is rising against the moonlight. And the crickets are serenading one another in the dew and the stars are coyly batting their lashes at us from across the galaxy and I dare say, that this is the bud of ripening romance? What kind of man, my friends ask, shaking their heads, treats a girl this good? A man? no, a mango, I say, treats a girl this good. 7 MAGAZINE ALL BECAUSE TWO PEOPLE FELL IN LOVE by Jane Bradley They were a small family, says the three bedroom Cape that was messily painted with dark blue, The walkway was mangled and the welcoming mat was missing a few letters from busy bodies, The kids were young, says the wooden, homemade swing set, And the pictures on the mantel say they were married, The sing above the couch reads “All because two people fell in love”, The piles of used board games said they were happy, And the timeworn couch and quilts said there was love, The worn stairs say they raised their babies in this house, But the dusty wine glasses say they didn’t live here anymore, The empty bedrooms say the little ones had moved, The mens products in the shower say the woman went with them, The signed documents on the counter said something went wrong, The court date on the hanging calendar agreed. Autumn 8 by Katie McMurphy MAGAZINE SURVIVOR by Chris Carmichael He was a survivor, says the scars written on his face and arms He’d made a few mistakes, says the amount of debt he was in But he kept pushing on, says the alarm clock, set to 4 AM every morning She was always nervous, say her nails that were constantly being nipped on Sleep was seldom, says the glow that lingered from their room at the latest hours of the night He could never walk away, say the black and blues he tried to hide when he finally came home at night She never grew up, say the weekend battles between her friends and family, which were never her fault of course They had many sons, says the long dinner table Two are gone now, says the upstairs bedrooms that are now bare And I’ll never go back, says the boy who found a new home 9 Self Portrait Oscar Zhang (scratch board) MAGAZINE THE STORY OF US by James Marceau “Sweetie, can you bring down the box with the photo albums in it?” Hannah’s moth- er Susan shouted up to her from the bottom of the stairs. Hannah rolled her eyes, scoffing loudly as she picked up the cardboard box. It was surprisingly heavy in her hands and as the girl made her way downstairs, she lost her footing on the hardwood steps and the box flew out of her hands and crashed to the floor. Hannah winced in pain as she stood up, and wasn’t shocked to see her mother’s angry face. “Hannah I told you to be careful!” her mother said as she picked up the box and put it on the table, assessing the damage inside. She pulled out a large picture frame, whose glass was cracked. Hannah peered over her mother’s shoulder and saw her mother and father looking happily at each other in the photograph. “Was that your wedding day?” Hannah asked, and her mother nodded, smiling. “You guys met right after high school right?” Susan nodded and looked out the window, recalling the first time she met her hus- band Darren. She was eighteen years old and preparing to head off to college, but the day she met him, her life was changed forever. 10 * * * “Susan get down here!” her mother Elaine yelled to the soon-to-be college student. Susan hurried down the stairs, her skirt bouncing as she plopped down each step. “What do you want mom?” Susan asked, with her knee thrust out and her hand on her hip. “You can lose the attitude Susan.” Elaine told her. “I called you down to remind you that it’s your father and I’s anniversary this weekend. This will be 20 years of marriage and your father has something planned. I don’t know what it is but he wants the kids out of the house for the weekend.” “Oh gross mom! I don’t want to hear about your special weekend with dad.” Susan scoffed. “Susan Elizabeth! Do not be vulgar. This is an opportunity for you and your friends to get together one more time before you all leave for school. Your father suggested I give you these.” Elaine handed her daughter a set of keys. Susan’s mouth dropped open. “You’re giving me the keys to the ski cabin?” Susan asked. “The car too. You can take Trish and Linda and head up to Oakmont tomorrow. I expect you home Sunday morning and I better not hear that Mike stopped by for a visit.” Elaine told her. “You can stop worrying. Mike has a football game this weekend so he’ll be here,” Susan assured her. “Wait, but Mom. It’s the end of summer and Oakmont is a ski village. It’s going to be dead this time of year.” “Don’t make me rethink this decision Susan.” Elaine warned. Susan rolled her eyes and jiggled the keys in her hand, pretending to be excited. She ran back up the stairs and into her room. She dialed her best friend Linda’s number. “Hey girl! What’s up?” Linda screeched into the phone. “God, Linda why are you shouting?” “Sorry I can’t get close to the phone. I’m wearing my headgear. Are we still on for the mall tomorrow?” Linda asked. “ I want to be first in line for “True Blue”.” “Yeahhh, Madonna’s gonna have to wait till next weekend.