Let My Eyes Close
Puffy little marshmallows,
The tufts of fluff in rabbits’ ears,
A numbing coat of Aloe Vera
Across my burns and tears.
Slide a hand across my face
Though it seems so face away,
It’s warm and light like a feather duster
Keeping the dust at bay.
Swaddled up like a little lad,
A young mouse pup in their nest
Eyes wide open, lashes fluttering,
Waiting to fall into rest.
Feel my lips shudder softly,
Gasp as air stutters past,
Let my eyes close gently and slowly
and quietly…
As sleep engulfs me at last.
by Richard W., Grade 8
Author’s note: “it was MEANT to be nice and positive…”
by Mariana M., Grade 7
Hidden in the light,
hidden in the dark
A
lucent yellow light floods a pitch-black room in color
The
same light against the sun is weak, diluted by radiant gold rays.
A
story is told by one of dishonor, mischief, and fury,
then
told by one of trauma, sorrow, and misfortune.
We
all have blind spots in our vision, things we do not want to see.
The
light tricks our eyes, playful, as if our trust is simply a game.
For
whom are we to believe?
When
the light distorts our thoughts
For
whom are we to believe?
Without
all-knowing knowledge.
Maybe
if we could see in the dark, we could find the deceit.
Maybe
if we could block out the sun, we could pinpoint the lie.
The
light hides the truth
The
sane
The
right
The
shadow hides the false
The
betrayal
The
wrong
simply
trust your gut
Your
mind
Your
heart
Because
nothing looks the same in the light than in the dark.
by Anya A., Grade 9
Being There
no name | no type of story
(Amy rising, now Everybody!)
by Jack D., Grade 9
 |
| Artwork by Mackenzie J., Grade 8 |
Sub Rosa
Out beneath the Sakura tree
They’ll approach with faces rose red
For just a moment, they’ll let themselves forget
And they’ll leave with brief laughter
And hair newly braided
While you hide your daisies from sight
You’ll keep it sub rosa, darling
Keep it hush-hush
They’ve no need to see
The flowers blooming
Beneath your bandaged wrists
Those roots of entropy
You’re a peacekeeper
A mediator
Your wish to help them smile
Between stomped out cigarettes
And bleeding burns
And debts
How cruel you’d be
To add another worry
When you can hold it together alright
by Mackenzie J., Grade 8
When you wrote MY independence, were you looking at
ME?
Did the freedom fighters really fight for freedom?
I mean, for the dark skins, light skins, all the people
of color
Is freedom really freedom if you enslave someone else
instead?
Did you know butchered sold tortured gawked at
Not a pig in a slaughterhouse but a real human being
chased with dogs and shot at
High class society fancy dresses tailored suits prim
and pressed
Her families dinner for a year traded for a frilly
dress
Hushed quieted can you please zip your mouth
Because mama always told me No one like it when the
truth gets out
Except for the wronged the persecuted the struggled
and here are the words out the mouths of the people,
I have been [REDACTED] down south they would [REDACTED]
That’s weird why can’t I speak, how about we try again
[REDACTED] [REDACTED]
7 minorities all brutally impacted
If you don’t like the world than try to just act
within it
I did try I tried and [REDACTED] [REDACTED]
That’s not what I said but here I am being censored
instead
sorry if I am apprehensive but you will not cut my
words off
That’s what I say but I’m shut down by white men in
big suits that drink Jack Smirnoff
Shut it down NO you will hear me out
I am aggressive
I am loud, so they put me in a cage
I am not an animal, but I am looking for a change
I will not shut it down and I will not cave or behave
I am a voice, I am impacted
Ignore me “redacted” but the fact is
If you don’t listen don’t help me help us
Then do not be surprised when one day WE cut
YOU off
by Avalyn C., Grade 8
