Crying all night long

Tears pounding on the earth's ground

Betraying ends you

-Robert Zieba

Dripping, Drowning, Damaging. The sweat streaming down my forehead into my eyes. The stinging sensation rips me apart.

Blowing, falling, yelling, the coaches never stop.

Failure, laughter. It stays forever.

Pushing through the pain

Crash, the sounds of the pads smashing. People fall while the coaches scrutinize our every move.

Laughter everywhere. No one understands. Legs burning, heart aching.

Failing to do it.

No one helps but myself.

Through everything.

I make the play.

Boom, we plummet into the ground like a soldier who had just been shot.

I make the tackle

I hear the cheers

I see the smiles on their faces. I pick myself up.

I feel my heart grow and I feel everything getting better

Then I’m smashed into a million little bits. I feel the wind blow past me.

We lose everything.

What I worked so hard for diminished in a matter of one cross

One miss, one mistake, one step and it’s all over.

They tell me I did great, but I could’ve done better

I know in my heart next time I will win.

-Joshua Wynne

I may look free and alive,

But in reality, I’m trapped inside.

If only one could untwine

From the endless web of lies.

The road that I’ve carved away

Is full of the feeling of deja vu.

This vexing void in front of me

Must close by the next rise of the moon.

I know I can’t continue this mess,

And I don’t want it to go on,

But the fear of despise, and the cage of lies

Makes the wheel turn on and on.

Who knows if they believe me,

Or even care about what’s said.

But little time is left till it is unfolded

And seen, if by June I’m not dead.

I want this mental pain to stop,

And the perturbation to fade.

But I’m confused and clueless on how to destroy

The wasteland that I have made.

-Sara Weimer

Oh, there they go

Balloons,

 drifting towards the sky

Strewn about in randomness

Some as bright and colorful as a circus

But some,

Some are a daunting, dull gray

Where there are vibrant balloons

 The air is teeming with laughter and happiness,

Proclaiming the joy of their life

Where there are dismal gray balloons

There is nothing,

nothing but the feeling of forlorn

As if they were reclusive their entire lives

Some beseech for another chance,

To make their lives worthwhile;

To live

But that is one thing they cannot get

They should’ve lived the life they were given the chance to live

But they didn’t

And now they are sorrowful, dark souls

Drifting towards nowhere

And everywhere

Thinking of the things they should’ve done

And the places they should’ve seen

The gaudy balloons jubilantly drift through the sky

Reliving their best memories

While the caliginous balloons somberly drift through the air

With no memories left to relive

-Ricky Walser

Deep breaths

1

2

3

In

1

2

3

Out

I can hear the crowd cheering as if their lives depended on it

The announcer is saying our names one at a time

“...and in Lane 4, Stella Trickett!”

I can hear all of my teammates cheering

and the parents going crazy in the stands,

their support uplifts me

as if there is some kind of pressure building inside of me,

I am ready

I’ve got this

I will win

BEEP! The shotgun of a buzzer goes off

The water feels as cold as an old corpse

A feeling,

a surging energy,

a pulse

rampages through my body

as if I were an electric circuit

I am elegant,

I am powerful,

I am flying through the water

as if it were air

I turn,

propelling,

off the crumbling, cracking, collapsing wall

I am halfway there

I can feel the pain in my body

as if there was a siamese python constricting my stomach

It simultaneously strikes,

Its sensation stabs,

It tries to sapp each stroke 

My lungs crave for air,

My legs are seizing up,

My drive pushes on

I will not let pain defeat me,

I went to every practice,

I endured every hard set,

I did the work while other people didn’t

I want to win

I need to win

I am not going to let the water stop me,

I am not going to let the pain stop me,

I am not going to let my mind stop me

I see the goal

The focus intensifies

The desire builds

The pain fades

I worked for this,

I deserve this,

I sacrificed for this,

I will have this race

Thud

1:59

Elation,

A new best time,

Euphoria,

A new record,

Ecstatic,

I won

Commitment,

But I must keep working,

Devotion,

I can’t stop here,

Dedication,

I must improve.

-Stella Trickett

Maybe it’s the caramel candy colored violin,

that makes your ears bleed at,

every out-of-tune note that is played,

or the shuddersome track event,

that makes you jittery,

ten days before,

hands and legs shaking.

A swim meet,

maybe,

that causes your body to ache with terror,

you dragging your feet to every event,

or a tennis tournament,

that has you sweating from every pore,

as dread courses through your body.

Maybe it’s the note in fifth position,

that is played vexingly flat,

because your pinkie does not stretch,

and you screech your bow to a halt.

Or maybe it’s that one second,

you need to chip off,

Like a woodpecker and its tree,

to place first in the event,

when you're a stride or kick,

too slow.

Maybe it's the power,

you require for a strong backhand,

so the ball shoots over the net,

catching your opponent in consternation.

It could be your sore,

calloused hands.

your tender sprained ankle,

throbbing unbendable wrist,

or simply the fear of such events.

Maybe it’s the fear of an irrevocable scar,

from a burn called failing,

maybe the possibility of,

being embarrassed again,

Before everyone,

EVERYONE,

that prevents you from even trying ever,

again. 

Tell yourself,

I can do it,

I AM PUTTING FORTH MY BEST EFFORT,

I AM GOING TO WIN,

I AM GOING TO PLAY THE BEST,

I AM

I WILL.

I AM TALENTED,

I CAN DO IT,

I AM OVERCOMING MY FEARS,

MY FEAT,

I AM,

I WILL.

Square your shoulders into unbreakable formations,

straighten your back like a yardstick,

open your eyes wide,

wide as a soccer ball,

repeat the mantra,

scream it!

Over and over,

again and again,

a thousand times,

until you,

believe in yourself,

in your power.

Until it is tattooed into,

every cell,

every organ,

every part,

of you,

inseparable from you.

Practice,

practice,

ten times harder,

ten times faster,

ten times longer,

OVERCOME THE DESIRE TO,

STOP,

TO QUIT!

Massage your hands,

ice your ankle,

cure yourself of that horrid,

dark disastrous disease of,

FEAR!

Stitch your braveness to your face,

accept your efforts,

Persevere from your setbacks.

bring home the medal,

bring home the ribbon,

bring home your pride,

bring home your faith.

Now tell yourself,

I DID IT,

I WILL DO IT AGAIN,

I AM NOT AFRAID

NOTHING WILL STOP ME.

I CAN.

I WILL.

I AM.

-Vibha Thirunellayi Gopalakrishnan

Let It Snow.

Because after the chilly, crisp, cool cold comes the warmth,

and an icy winter becomes a jubilant spring,

And all things bad become good.

When white, wintery crystals fall,

Many will rejoice while many will not.

But after the flakes of piercing ice come the warm embers of sun,

And after a storm of pain there’s a calming comfort.

So, Let It Snow.

-Elina Sarecha

They smile in my face but in their eyes I see the hate.

 My brother gone but I’m still holding strong

look into my eyes and you’ll never know what’s wrong

 sometimes I cry but I’m still holding on

 look into my eyes and you’ll never know what’s wrong.

Came from nothing

now they want me to stop

Pockets swollen 

I had holes in my socks

-Marcus Reali-Jones

Gender inequality is a mammoth, monstrous, massive problem

Man or woman, it doesn't matter

We are all the same

We are all humans

We are all equal

We all have the same purposes in life

To be happy

To prosper

To live

But none of that should matter

Because in the end we’re are all sisters and brothers

So let’s unite as a caring, considerate, cordial family

And become one.

-Kendall  Rafferty

Raindrops

Raindrops fall

splink

splash

None the same

splink

splash

They fall into

cracks,

crevices,

and seep into

 soil

splink

splash

Though they all

change shape

splink

splash

Each one is formed

the same

-Jordan Quay

Brave

Days go by we see,

Our Past selves,

Our Youth,

Our Ignorance,

For what we were then was different,

Unspoken,

Unprepared,

Untouched,

Months go by,

Life has changed,

Our eyes now focused,

Yet we still can't see,

Our vision crawls abroad,

We've tried,

We've failed,

We've lost,

Hope escapes,

Fear enters,

Our minds fill with smoke,

Years go by like a plane so high,

Thoughts so deep fog our mind,

No way out,

Stuck,

Why?

Why can't I climb?

Climb so high where all can see?

Our age,

like a clock churns,

Time is up,

But the day still continues,

All of what was left has disappeared,

Dissolved,

Decayed,

All of what was left has been ripped from your grasp,

Now you're here,

Moving forward,

Each step,

Demoralizing,

Walking your path,

What was there is now gone,

What was there has left,

What is here is who you are,

What will be there is up to you,

Be Brave

-Daniyaal Qazi

When I say “I’m fine”

How do you not realize,

How much pain and sadness is in my eyes

When you say,

“I’m here for you”

“You’re not alone”

“You will always have me”

I almost cry

Because you can’t see behind my easy lie

5:00 in the morning

When my depression eases itself up my throat

And rips itself out of my body

In a silent scream

I am alone

I go home everyday wanting everything to stop 

I want myself to stop

I want everything around me to stop

You still think I’m fine because

You didn’t see through my lies

You didn’t catch the tears forming in my eyes,

Behind the “I’m fine” and fake smile

You say you are “here” for me

But you don’t see it hurts

Until it finally eats away at me

And takes everything about me with it

I am alone

You know that feeling like you are sinking?

Some days that's all I feel

like a huge rush of water comes over me

taking me under

Just as fast as a tsunami consumes a city

Some people can control it

Go to other people for support

Those people are their boats

picking them up as soon as they see them

But me

I keep sinking

And sinking

And sinking

Until I am a distant memory

You know that feeling of sadness?

just like before

that's all I ever feel

tears fall

like a river rushing through a forest

Sadness

Sadness

And more sadness

-Gabriella Pinnetti

Grappling void tension,

that suppresses,

Hoists your confined frame,

    that conceals,

Bolts your presence within the air.

Corrupted sights swirling,

ripping at your mind,

Muscles tensing as heat rises,

as consciousness is cut off.

Lashing out,

You flay the competitor,

       Releasing absolute onslaught,

        Spoils quenching your pain.

                                                The trophy that you have earned,

                                                                 Is short lived,

                                                            As desolation,

                                                                        Inanition,

                                                                                    And hollowness

                                                                                                Nourish your absent pain.

-JunHo Oh

It starts out,

Simultaneous.

As if looking into a mirror.

The first drops of rain

Outside my window

Fall to the ground

Like the tears

From my eyes.

The small streams

Running down the road

And down my face,

Creating canyons.

The drops sliding,

Graceful like ballerinas,

Down the windowpane,

Emulating the watery fluid

Flowing along my cheeks.

Kids could jump and play

In the puddle at my knees

Like they do outside

With their rain boots

Of the whole color spectrum

On their feet.

The pitter-patter

Of the drops on the roof

Echo along, when really

The pitter-patter

Should be of soft, miniscule feet

Running around

This now empty house.

But, rays are gradually

Appearing

Clouds, dispersing

Unveiling a new day.

Touching the darkest,

Distressed, disturbed

Souls,

New chances being given

To the needy.

Through the tears,

Sorrow, suffering,

My frown,

Clouded, stormy, frown

Cracks.

Cracking thinly,

Sparsely,

The corners of my mouth

Turn up, marginally

Like a new flower,

Just blooming,

In an abyss.

The rays,

Now fracturing,

The gray-slated sky.

Not like lightning,

But like my smile,

Slowly, gently

Growing like

An infectious weed,

Spreading everywhere.

My voice,

Now sings,

Like the chirping birds

Of the dewy, early

Morning.

My eyes,

Now shine,

Sparkling, scintillating, shimmering

Like the star

Of Neverland.

My world,

Is rainbows,

Is sunny,

Is smiles,

With only a few

Frowns or clouds

Bringing me down.

-Irene Montanini

What is music?

Why do we

Like music?

Is music

A way for

Us to leave

Our lives?

Can music

Bring us

Together as

A human

Race?

                                  Yes music can. Music brings us

                           together like glue can make things stick.

                       When music is playing we are one with  the

                        artist. When we listen to music we are not

                        Thinking,  oh is this  artist black? No, we

                              do not think about that, we think of the

                               song. We  think about the song. We

                                   think of the lyrics and what our next

                                      song will be about. - Pat McGreal