Lamar State College-Port Arthur Lamar State College-Port Arthur A Member of The Texas State University System Early Expressions 2005 Volume VI Early Expressions 2005 - Winners DANGEROUS EXPERIENCES First Place Danger Zone ................................................................... Benjamin Thomas Second Place River Rat .............................................................................. Susan McPhail Third Place A Tragic Event ....................................................................... Rikki Newton Honorable Mention Darkness............................................................................... Huong Nguyen DECISIONS IN LIFE First Place Cat ............................................................................................. John Jorden Second Place You Pay for Your Raising ....................................................... William West Third Place First Day in Foster Care ................................................................. Tina Coe Honorable Mention How I Learned the Hard Way ...................................................Royce Allen A Decision Made ..................................................................... Cody Garner The Stained Glass Window ..................................................... Chris Hussey The Corner ................................................................................. Ron Taylor FAMILY First Place Piney Woods ........................................................................... William West Second Place Paw-Paw ...................................................................... Lamondon Williams Third Place Lake Sam Rayburn ........................................................... Anthony Stevens Honorable Mention Granny ............................................................................... Crystal Biscamp My Great Summer Vacation .................................................. Omar Chavez To Survive ................................................................................ Cuong Dang Guardian Angel ...................................................................... Ronald Hayes i FAMILY Honorable Mention Independent Woman ......................................................... Quincee Spencer Aromas ...................................................................................Tammy White FRIENDS First Place Helena ....................................................................................... John Jorden Second Place Shirts and Skins ................................................................... Daniel Larcade Third Place Regretfully Reminisce ................................................................ Tien Pham Honorable Mention Tear in My Hand ................................................................ Justin Montalvo Wanted to Be Her .................................................................. Linda Nguyen GENERAL POETRY First Place From Activist to Terrorist .................................................. Justin Montalvo Second Place Living in America ................................................................. Alcestis Arago Third Place Come Back to Me My Soldier ..................................... Esmeralda Reynoso Honorable Mention One of America’s Greatest Gifts ................................................. Tien Pham America ........................................................................ Lamondon Williams MY COUNTRY ‘TIS OF THEE-POETRY First Place Melting Pot .................................................................................... Tina Coe Second Place America, Land of the Free ..................................................... Keith Richard Third Place Flags Flying .................................................................... Matthew Williams Honorable Mention We Are One ........................................................................ William Angelle My Country, Be Glad ............................................................ Evie M. Jones ii Honorable Mention Proud to Be ..................................................................... Benjamin Thomas American Flag ............................................................................... Phu Tran Land of the Free .................................................................... Demond Wiltz MY COUNTRY ‘TIS OF THEE-PROSE First Place America ................................................................................ Brenda Aldrich Second Place American Values ............................................................... Anthony Stevens Third Place Living Free ......................................................................... Joseph Gongora Honorable Mention What America Means to Me .....................................................Royce Allen Racism in America ........................................................ Roshana Broussard The Privilege to Be American ............................................... Omar Chavez Dominate .............................................................................. Daniel Larcade Ask Not .................................................................................. Rikki Newton Coming to America ................................................................... Tan Nguyen REFLECTIONS First Place Random Thoughts on Time ................................................ Devan Callihan Second Place Mexico in December........................................................ Marisol Gutierrez Third Place What Do You Stand For? .............................................. Dawnicka Williams Honorable Mention Are We Comfortable in Our Skin? ........................................... Ona Bassett Purpose....................................................................................Charline Sam The Purpose of My Life ............................................................. Felice Solis PUBLISHER’S AWARD Come Back to Me My Soldier ..................................... Esmeralda Reynoso iii Table of Contents DANGEROUS EXPERIENCES McPhail, Susan ...........................................................................................5 Newton, Rikki .............................................................................................6 Nguyen, Huong ...........................................................................................7 Thomas, Benjamin ......................................................................................3 DECISIONS IN LIFE Allen, Royce ............................................................................................ 18 Coe, Tina .................................................................................................. 17 Garner, Cody ............................................................................................ 20 Hussey, Chris ........................................................................................... 22 Jorden, John .............................................................................................. 11 Taylor, Ron .............................................................................................. 24 West, William ........................................................................................... 15 FAMILY Biscamp, Crystal ...................................................................................... 32 Chavez, Omar .......................................................................................... 34 Dang, Cuong ............................................................................................ 37 Hayes, Ronald .......................................................................................... 38 Spencer, Quincee ..................................................................................... 40 Stevens, Anthony ..................................................................................... 30 West, William ........................................................................................... 27 White, Tammy ......................................................................................... 41 Williams, Lanondon ................................................................................. 29 FRIENDS Jorden, John ............................................................................................. 45 Larcade, Daniel ........................................................................................ 47 Montalvo, Justin ...................................................................................... 50 Nguyen, Linda ......................................................................................... 52 Pham, Tien ............................................................................................... 48 iv GENERAL POETRY Arago, Alcestis ......................................................................................... 58 Montalvo, Justin ...................................................................................... 57 Pham, Tien ............................................................................................... 60 Reynoso, Esmeralda ................................................................................ 59 Williams, Lamondon ............................................................................... 61 MY COUNTRY ‘TIS OF THEE-POETRY Angelle, William ...................................................................................... 68 Coe, Tina .................................................................................................