Acknowledgements Thanks goes to all of those who helped with Verdant: all contributors of writings; Principal ​ ​ Ginger Gustavson; Assistant Principals Marie Eakin, Maria Edwards, Chenita McDonald and Robert Silvie; Librarians Mrs. Annette Williford and Ms. Pamela Williams; Captain Shreve’s English teachers Mr. Michael Scott and Mrs. Maureen Barclay. Staff Editors: Mary Catherine Douglas Georgia Hilburn Lonniqua James Faculty Advisor: Michael Scott Verdant 18 is a collection of Captain Shreve’s best student writing from the 2017-2018 ​ school year as selected by the Verdant editorial staff. In this collection you will find poetry, ​ ​ prose, and essays that have received recognition from the Scholastic Writing Awards, Seedlings, Artbreak, and the PTSA Reflections Arts Program. Entries are copyright of their respective owners and may be reproduced for personal or educational purposes only. For more information, please contact Michael Scott at [email protected]. 1 Table of Contents Poetry Living With an African Name………………………………………………………………………………………………….10 ​ Naima Bomani Tigerland, My Home Away from Home……………………………………………………………….…………………13 ​ Javin Bowman I am the Warrior……………………………………………………………………………………………………………….………….15 ​ Rachel Clottey The Memories of My Home ………………………………………………………………………………………………………16 ​ Rachel Clottey A Good Man …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..………19 ​ Karissa Cook Beating the Odds ………………..………………………………………………………………………………………………..…….21 ​ Karissa Cook The PC………………………...……………………………………………………………………………………………………………..…..22 ​ Keagan Coon Black Man in America ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………24 ​ Taja’ Davis An Otherworldly Parody……………………………………………………………………………………………………………26 ​ Rachel Dupree Baby Killer…….………………………………………………………………………………………………………………...……………27 ​ Lionel Fraser It’s Not My Fault……………………………………………………………………………………………………………….…………29 ​ Lionel Fraser Burning Love……………………………………………………………………………………………………………...…………………31 ​ Shakira Frierson 2 Prince Charming……………….………………………………………………………………………………………………………..32 ​ Claire Guin Chanel No. 5………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….34 ​ Taylor Guin Painted by an Artist………..………………………………………………………………………………………………………...35 ​ Taylor Guin Sanctuary……………...……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………...36 ​ Geron Hargon I Will Forgive………..……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….37 ​ Doodle Hilburn I Believe in You………..…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..39 ​ Doodle Hilburn History’s Verity………..………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….40 ​ Georgia Hilburn Maybe I…………………………………………...……………………………………………………………………………………………..42 ​ Christian Hunter Dear God………………………………………….…………………………………………………………………………………………….44 ​ Christian Hunter The Mysterious Marie Laveau…….…………………………………………………………………………………………...45 ​ Emily Hurst “Look at Him Go, Look at Him Go”..............................…………………………………………………………….46 ​ Kayla Jenkins My Beat…………………………………………..………………………………………………………………………………………………48 ​ Justice Johnson Winnsboro……………..……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….4 ​ 9 3 Jordan Jones, National Gold Medal Winner Hello My Name is Jack………………………………………………..…………………………………………………………….50 ​ Kendell Jones Remember My Name is Anthony…………………………………………………………………………………………….52 ​ Damiyan Joshua Light Bulb…………………………….………………………………………………………………………………………………………..53 ​ Lindsey Kelly An Orbital Love…………………………………..………………………………………………………………………………………..55 ​ Lindsey Kelly I Have a Story……..………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..56 ​ Kaleb Lesane You Do…………………………..………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..57 ​ Kaleb Lasane Those Colors………………….……………………………………………………………………………………………………………..58 ​ Ashley Mays Withdrawal……………………………………...…………………………………………………………………………………………….60 ​ Lindsey McGeorge Alcoholic Santa……………………………………..…………………………………………………………………………………….61 ​ Joshua Mills My Graduating Class……….………………………………………………………………………………………………………...63 ​ Trenton Perot My Mind…….……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………65 ​ Trenton Perot Game of Chance……….………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….66 ​ Lindsay Reynolds The Perfect Night………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..68 ​ 4 Lindsay Reynolds Wisdom is Rock, What is is Not……………..……………………………………………………………………………….69 ​ William Ross My Secret……….…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..….70 ​ Natalie Schaffer The Man Who Conquered ……………………...……………………………………………………………………...………….72 ​ Kayla Sheppard Weakness……….……………………………………………………………………………………………………..………………………..7 ​ 3 Cassie Snow She Was Asking For It……….……………………………………………………………………………………………………….74 ​ Cassie Snow Sunshine Girl……….……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….76 ​ Reygan Taylor Brothers……….………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………...78 ​ Shaun Thompson Mud Soaked……….………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….79 ​ Jacob Wise Back and Forth……….…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………...81 ​ Jacob Wise While You’re Young……….…………………………………………………………………………………………………………….83 ​ Jacob Wise 5 Prose Into My Future…….……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….86 ​ Harlee Connell The Infamous Tree………….…………………………………………………………………………………………………………..87 ​ Chelsea Fuller Country Trail………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..90 ​ Chase Harner Satirical Article…..………………………………………...………………………..………………………………………………….92 ​ Georgia Hillburn High Speed, Low Drag………………………………………...……………………………………………………………………..93 ​ Allison Howell I Know Where I’ve Been……………………………………………...………………………………………………………….…94 ​ Christian Hunter Dad…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..95 ​ Ally Lary RBF……………………………..…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………...97 ​ Jamiah Marshall The Fifth Year………………………………..…………………………………………………………………………………………..…98 ​ Lindsey McGeorge Once in a Louisiana Lifetime………………….………………………………………………………………………………101 ​ Abigail Roberts Every Wet-Nurse Refused to Feed Him………………………………………………………………………………103 ​ William Ross I Am an Addict……………………………………….…………………………………………………………………………..………104 ​ 6 Amira Thomas Realization………….…………………………………………………………………………………………………...………….………105 ​ Gerienne White How I Realized My Future Career……………………………………………………………………………...…….....106 ​ Maddie Young How High School Has Been the Best and Worst Four Years of My Life……,...........…...107 ​ Maddie Young 7 Essay Victim’s Rebirth……………………………………………………………………………………...………………………………111 ​ Georgia Hilburn Black Lives Matter………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….126 ​ Caellen Kimble Medical Imaging………………………………………………………………………………………………………………...……131 ​ Aubrey Rochelle Liberating America…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………136 ​ Amira Thomas Shifts in the Original Star Wars to Disney’s Star Wars………………...…………………………...141 ​ Maddie Young 8 9 Living Life With an African Name By Naima Bomani I’ve gone most of my life answering the same barrel of questions after my name is stated or told. 1. Where are you from? 2. Are you from Africa? 3. So if you’re not from Africa, what country are you from? 4. Um… are your parents from Africa? 5. Are your parent’s parents from Africa? 6. Come on now, someone in your family must be African for you have a name like that? 7. I’m sure if we went back through your family tree someone would be from Africa, right? 8. But you look like you’re from Africa and your name’s African, so you must be African! And I always answer them the same. I was born in New Orleans. No, I’m not from Africa. The country I’m from is known as the United States of America. No, my parents aren’t from Africa. No, my parent’s parents aren’t from Africa. Okay, now you just sound ignorant. Well, I’m black so golly goop I bet there will be some people from Africa in my family tree. Sooo there’s a distinct look for African people now, humph? The ignorance is bothersome. It used to bother me so much that I would second guess my name. So I made a list of names to choose from for when I got my name swap. There was a 1. Sally Then a 2. June There was a possibility for 3. Meaghan No, doesn’t fit my face. Maybe a 4. May No, that one was way off. How about…. 5.Carla 10 or 6.Mary or 7.Sammie or 8.Nicole But then it hit me. My name has meaning, multiple meanings. It has different meanings in different languages. There was the Arabic meaning: Tranquil There was the Swedish meaning: Pleasantness There was the Swahili meaning: Graceful And so on. Now, if you were to see me you would be able to tell that I love my name And when it comes to ignorance, just humor it. 1. Are you from Africa? Yes, I am. 2.So if you’re not from Africa what country are you from? Umm, well you see, there’s this little island off the side of Africa called Madagascar... Yep, I’m from there. 3. Hush! Are your parents from Africa? Oh yeah, they just lived in the states for so long that they lost their accent. 4. Are your parent’s parents from Africa? Yeah, absolutely. My grandma is so traditional when it comes to African customs. (She’s not at all; her name’s Patricia, and she doesn’t know much about African customs) 5. Come on now, someone in your family must be African if you have a name like that? Yes, as you can see names determine ethnicities and where you come from. 6. I’m sure if we went back through your family tree someone would be from Africa, right? Yes, I’m sure too. (If black I answer with “Wouldn’t someone from your family tree be from Africa too?”) 7. You look like you’re from Africa. Wow, so now anyone who has dark skin, natural hair, and an African name looks like they’re African. You might be on to something … not. Sometimes, I get the urge