By:Tyler Kartsen

Biking with my friends

we want to get some water

Sunset on are backs

have nowhere to go

swimming in the cold water

in the deep blue sea

on the big black boat

we sit down on the hot leather

the dog is barking

By: Noor Alam

Walking to work is a hardship.

Men bark at women as if they are cats.

Heads high, backs straight, continue.

I too deserve the right to be noticed as a human.

I too deserve to walk to work without tears flooding my eyes.

I too. You too. Us.

We strive for better.

We deserve better.

Stand tall with heads high backs straight.

Continue. Onward.

We deserve to wake up with the thought that today is going to be a good day.

Yet no matter what battles we are fighting on the inside and outside,

We stand tall with heads high and backs straight.

Continue. Onward.

By Sonia Khan

Another day,

as I wake up feeling terrified.

Not knowing what will happen.

Wondering if today will be the day.

Frightened by any compact sound.

As the moment of silence gets longer and longer

Honoring those who have died.

Oblivious to what will happen.

I sit there so silent, I can hear the ringing in my ears growing.

When all of a sudden a alarm goes off.

I gaze swiftly,

seeing the fear growing on everyone’s faces.

My heart starts to beat like a drum.

As we rapidly race out the classroom

bumping and jolting into each other like ice cubes in an ice tray.

By: Alexis Zehner

Crackling of a speaker,

coldness of the rain

and the musty odor of the barn,

a feathery light touch on my back,

It’s time….

Leather meets metal

as my foot slips easily

into the shiny silver stirrup,

my stomach buzzes with butterflies,

a soft snort and I take a deep breath

gazing out at the arena,

the bright colored flowers guarding

picture perfect jumps,

the now muddy ground,

a sudden jerk and we’re there,

the jumps looming infront of us,

another deep breath,

together,

a team,

a soft whoosh,

a thud,

and it’s over

a sapphire blue ribbon blowing gently in the wind.

By: Annabelle Perry

Another day

friends and peers in every corner

the halls screaming with colors

teachers enjoying their morning coffee

and kids laughing,

but noises start buzzing

through my head

and throughout the halls like screaming children

People panicked and ran

from a dark storm

they never saw coming

By: Sarah Turner

The roar of the crowd

A melting pot come together over their shared love

It’s coming

The stadium shakes violently like an earthquake

Flags waving

Drums pounding

Colorful smoke fills the air

As devoted fans from around the world

Come to see their national heroes

Represent their country with pride

Hard-fought wins

Devastating losses

Stoppage time

Free kicks

Penalties

It’s all a part of the process

The true test

To see which country

Is willing to work the hardest for the title

Only one team can be crowned the victor

Who will win?

We won’t know until we get there

Russia 2018

It’s coming

Are you ready?

By: Steven Friloux

We thought we were in it together

Man and woman

Still, many among us are annoyed by, threatened by, or even fear the other

Why is this so?

There has been discrimination

by both in the past

And it only seems to be getting worse

Violence is erupting between us.

With ones in the middle calling for a stop.

At times there is hope for a cease fire

And at others, all out war is coming

But I still believe

We will be together once more.

As I walk down the hallway

I grip my binders as hard as I can

I see a girl with a smile of an angel

I bump into her on purpose

She saw my extra gum

I told her she can have a piece

We became friends since I gave her extra gum

Many years passed

We have gone on many dates

I finally thought it was time

I bring her into a room with full of extra gum wrappers

She says, “What is this?”

I say, “These were the times I gave you extra gum

She gets happy and I get on one knee

She says yes

I say thank you extra gum and give my fiance a kiss.

By Preethi Ravikumar

Beads of sweat running down

my face. The hot California sun

shining down on me like a spotlight

I could hear the murmur of my father’s

voice saying, “We are almost there!”

My tennis shoes are tinted with a light brown

shade from the dirt trail. I look up and see

the cool cotton candy skies of Yosemite and the

gigantic rock formation. I say to myself,

“Beautiful.”