We Digress…

By Ariel

Dear Mister,

I’m sorry I missed class but…

What if my computer deleted my homework?

Then I’d have to lie and tell you I’d do it again later…

What if I tripped walking in the door?

Then I’d be embarrassed and couldn’t pay attention…

What if I got caught cheating on my test?

Then I’d get grounded by my mother…

What if you really liked my essay?

Then I’d feel guilty cuz I didn’t write it myself…

What if I fell asleep during the lecture?

Then you’d know I stayed up late, but still didn’t do my homework…

You see Mister, it’s really best that I didn’t come to class,

And I know you feel the same…

I saw you at the beach last Wednesday too!

By Michael

 This is a poem that thrives,

In the dark depths of your subconscious,

That all inner self doubt lingers and loiters, eating your dreams alive

Because they don’t want you to succeed

Because they say you’re too small, too short, too slow, too weak, fragile, afraid, shy, and unfit for the challenge at hand.

And when you stab this evil voice in your soul to kill all self doubt,

You feel the rush of victory, the adrenaline of success, the inner self peace knowing you did not give up on yourself.

This is a poem that thrives, that inspires, that guides your pen to writing, creating a fulfilled life.

This poem lives in everybody’s dreams; it lives among us waiting to be written.

It lives and waits to be hammered, to reborn the cloud in your head, onto this graveyard for the broken, for the lost desires.

By Michael

The bathroom is my favorite place to be.

Here I can see the toilet paper, rolled tight as a true promise,   

The latrine, that stands grounded as the truth,

And the shower that pours like a monsoon.

I can hear the sigh of relief, and the whirling water drain into an unknown abyss.

I can feel stress leave my conscience,

While I ponder and reflect upon my life.

I see, I hear, I feel and even smell the negative vibes leave my body and the cleansing of my soul.

The bathroom is my favorite place to be.

By the entire class

I had a cow, she was super cute
Too bad she was quiet, like she was on mute
She’s green and blue and she is my world
We went to a ball and danced and twirled.
 
I had a peacock that was quite pretty,
But she always said her feathers were itty bitty
Even though I always told her that was a real beauty
She would sit in the corner alone, just being moody.
 
I had a turtle that was sweet
She was the most angelic one you’d ever meet
But she always had her head in the sky
Because she was very, very shy.
 
I had a dog, boy was she great,
But geckos were the only thing that she ate
She refused to eat unless she was hand fed
And would turn away if the gecko wasn’t dead.
 
I had a mini narwhal, it was totally amazing,
I keep it in a little tank, but couldn’t get it to stop poking;
I would like it to stay little forever,
And that would be my life’s endeavor.
 
I had a lion that thought he was a pony
Prancing around with this unicorn named Tony
It killed me to see a fierce animal so lame
Why, oh why, does he have to put me to shame?
 
I had a panda that made me smile.
He was silly like a child.
I named him Peter, as in Pan.
And we stayed young, hand in hand.
 
I had a tiger, that was always sleeping,
But she knows how to keep dreaming;
She always wanted to catch her prey.
She never could, so she prays.
 
I had a warthog, it was stink.
She dragged me to the skating rink.
And took my skates so I would fall.
Then made me buy her cocoa at the mall.
 
 I had a unicorn, that was really great,
I loved it and I had to appreciate
That whenever i wanted to fly on her back
She would kindly let me, and that’s a fact.
 
I had a giraffe, who didn’t like baths,
He was quite lazy and had an irritating laugh;
One day he scared me with such a fright,
That I just wanted to eat him in one big bite!
 
I had a dinosaur, that was cute and fun,
He was like a little puppy except weighed a ton;
We would play all day and all night,
Until one day a mouse gave him a fright.
 
I had a porcupine, that was a mess,
But as time went by he had to confess;
He was a super agent spy
That once worked with an amazing fly.
 
I had a liger that was my friend
He would lie on the car ‘til it would bend
And now he’s the only friend I have
Because he bit the rest in half.
 
I had a monkey, that was a mistake.
He never wanted to stay in one place.
He climbed onto the cupboards and broke all the dishes.
He dropped a knife on my foot and I had to get stitches.
 
I had a whale, which was pretty okay,
But I couldn’t hear what he wanted to say;
The poor little guy, so timid and frail.
Hello out there! How is your whale?
 
I had a meerkat that was quite mean,
He ate all my fish as a part of his evil scheme.
I finally kicked him out of my house,
So he decided to leave me a fat dead mouse.
 
I had a ferret that was furry
His favorite food was chicken curry
But one day, he decided to run away
And took the curry with him, to my dismay.
 
Oh animals, dear friends, troublesome links,
A worthy investment, so everyone thinks.
A fire, a flood, a hole in the wall;
The troubles you bring are nothing too small.

By Michael

I’m sorry
For copying
Your homework
Today
 
And then
Forgetting
To give it
Back to you
 
I hope
That you
Don’t lose
Too many points
 
But at least
I got
A really
Good grade.

By Reina

“Will you be my wife?”

Funny how five words can change your life.

The man waited patiently for the woman to arrive at their favorite place, which happened to be the most expensive restaurant in town. It was New Year’s Eve, and he was nervous, but excited for the proposal. It had been too long since he had done anything romantic for her because he was very busy with his environmental work, planting trees. Things were slow right now, though, because it was winter, making it the perfect time to pop the question.

Just then, in a swirl of snow, the woman breezed through the door and the host took her scarlet coat. She thanked him, and then searched the restaurant for the man she was meeting. Heads turned and eyes lingered as she walked to the table where he sat.

“Hello, beautiful,” he said warmly, kissing her cheek as he pulled out her chair.

“Hello,” she answered softly, avoiding his gaze as she took her seat. The man returned to

his place across from her and reached for her hands but she drew back, folding hers in her lap.

“Is everything alright?” he asked, leaning forward, concern saturating his voice.

 “No,” the woman murmured, still refusing to look at him. She took a deep breath, steadying herself, and then said in a stronger voice, “There’s something I have to tell you.”

The man frowned, confused. They did not keep secrets from each other. Without blinking her glorious green eyes, the woman destroyed his world in five words.

“I burned down your forest.”

When the man finally grasped this, he felt as if she had actually stabbed him in the heart. He couldn’t think, he couldn’t breathe; he wanted to die. It had been her? All those months of investigating and it had been this woman right in front of him, the one he thought he knew.

“You loved those trees more than you loved me,” she said miserably, but her sadness was nothing compared to his overwhelming grief. He pulled the emerald ring from his pocket, the one that perfectly matched her eyes, and held it up so she could see it.

“I never loved anything more than I loved you,” the man said, fighting to keep his voice from wavering. “Those trees were for you. For us. For the better world we were supposed to be building together.”

The woman gasped, realizing his intent and her mistake. The man shook his head, dropping the ring back into his pocket.

“Now I see that you are too selfish to ever truly support what I am trying to accomplish,” he said. He stood up and left without looking back.

The woman watched him go, feeling like a blind girl finally being able to see. The man’s words resonated within her, in the place where her heart should have been.

“Those trees were for you.”

Funny how five words can change your life.

By Sai

There it was, standing in my doorway; aging while I hid beneath my bed covers, peeking through the holes of my ripped blanket. As I viewed his sleek complexion with gorgeous hygiene, he transformed into a wrinkly old man with teeth the color of dehydrated urine and also smelled like garbage. Flies flew around his busted up, old-like clothes while he started trudging towards my way, pointing at my soul. As each step came closer to my arrival, I hid more. Still, the man kept walking my way. As the creepy old man touched me, he turned purple and fell to the ground, showing no pain whatsoever. I peeked over the edge of my bed, and saw…

“Boom! Boom! Boom!” my optimistic mother pounded on my desk. “Rise and shine.”

“Mom.” I grouchily stated. “Close the curtains.”

“No, no. Get up. We have a lot to do today.”

“O.K.” I said reluctantly. “Oh. Mom. I have a date tonight with that guy I met online; the one you approved of and I also had that terrible dream again.”

“You know? Fear is the foundation of safety. (Keith Mohler) Maybe it’s meant for a reason. Anyways Chloe, get dressed will you.”

 “What will I wear tonight?” I asked myself. “Maybe this guy is the one. I don’t know.” I kept talking to myself.

As my mother and I got home at 5:00 from our day of errands, I rushed to get ready for my date and it took me an hour to prepare myself. Finally, it was time for my date at the Chinese restaurant that nobody could pronounce the name of. I would be meeting my date at 7:59 PM.

I finally arrived at the restaurant but did not know what my date looked like, but he sounded like a total hottie.

After about 10 minutes, I spotted him from afar. I went up to him and asked if he was Lover_120 and he answered with “Yes, I am. And are you mommys_girl_25?”

“Yeah.” I blushed.

Although he looked 39, I still went for it. At first I thought to myself: Is it appropriate for a 17-year-old girl to date a 39-year-old man? But I didn’t care and went for it.

Not even half an hour passed and my mother rushed into the restaurant. So I got up from my seat and said, “Excuse me.”

            I jogged towards my mother and rudely asked, “What are you doing here?”

“You forgot your I.D., and I just came to drop it off.”

“Oh. O.K. Bye,” I stated sarcastically.

“Wait. Let me meet your date,” my mother demanded with curiosity.

            “O.K. Fine. Then you are leaving.”

            We both walked towards my table. My mother saw my date, and her mouth hung wide open as if I scored big time.

            “This is your date?” she asked with a disgusting look on her face.

            “Yeah. Why?” I asked with confidence.

            “Because this is your father.”

by Riley

White, white is the fluffy blanket presently pulled out of the dryer;

Static electricity still embraces the bed spread making it unbearable to touch;

White is the blank paper taunting me from its position on the desk before me;

It mocks me in its whiteness, secretly knowing that I have nothing to offer it;

Oh how I loathe that white paper in its entirety for I know what it jeers is true.

Dry, dry is the dirt behind the cozy cottage;

Parched for the lack of rain had dehydrated the land, stripping away its ability to yield a harvest;

The farmer hopes that one day precipitation will feel generous and bestow its gift upon the earth;

But until then the dirt remains barren;

Unfruitful and infertile is the earth beneath my feet.

Rare, rare are the seeds of inspiration;

Uncommon and coveted are these treasures;

When found can bring true creativity and fertility;

This is what I search for, long for and hope for.

Welcome, welcome is the rain that washes the soil;

Making what was sterile, fruitful once more;

So is my paper now drenched with the flow of knowledge proceeding from my mind;

 I rejoice in the coming of the rain.

by Keapo, Sai, Ariel, Kanoa, and Keanu

It was a satin dress with a flared skirt that skimmed the knees. Lavender-colored and tight down to the waist, her satin dress. That was his reason. His reason for noticing her. His reason for chasing after her.

The lady noticed him chasing her and therefore was dumbfounded about whether she did something bad. So, she ran. The guy kept running and running until he lost sight of her.

The lady curled up in a ball in the tunnel at a playground. She sat there for what seemed like forever, and looked to her left only to find a little girl. This little girl had brown, curly hair that just touched her shoulders, and big hazel eyes surrounded by lone eyelashes – a smile that lit up the world.  She looked like she was lost.

The man eventually reached the playground and located her hiding spot. The man told the lady he was sorry, but he was a psychic and knew she was the one who would help him find his daughter. He didn’t mean to scare her, but he didn’t think she’d believe him if he told her the truth.

by Kayani

“What is this mysterious creature, a man?

He is what the world makes of him

And though he struggles as hard as he can,

He’s carved by destiny’s every whim”

“In the face of odds found insurmountable,

He may wallow in his despair”

“And yet for reasons unaccountable,

Man finds hope in every where”

“Committing horrors to cling to life,

 He would steal from others, their breath!”

“But in order to save his loved ones from strife,

He goes willingly to his death”

“Man is evil! Surely you see

That humanity loves to hate!”

“Our eyes also find mankind’s kindness, and me?

I say redemption may still be their fate”

“So though he may find it a difficult task

A man is defined by what is inside

And so it is to you that we ask,

‘What is this mysterious creature, a man?’

You are the one to decide”

by Ruben

by Ka’u

First sign up for an art or hula class but when you get your schedule see that you’ve been put in Creative Writing instead. On the first day of class break your laptop and turn it in to the office. Handwrite all assignments including your novel. Forget your novel at home the next class. Start all over.
 
Fall asleep during the 25 minutes of focused writing time but make sure to wake up five minutes before times up to speed write at least one paragraph. Or you could use the 25 minutes to finish up the homework you forgot about to have ready to share. Use the warm-up time to wake up from your nap if you took one or to learn how to play new games that you’ll probably never play again. And when it comes time for partner sharing pick a partner who you think is a better writer then you so you won’t have to read your piece to the class. After ever reader finishes say “Whoosh” and go “1, 2, 3 whoosh” while clapping 3 times then making a hand gesture like a wave rolling on the sand.
 
When the pieces have all been read and it’s time to vote for the best piece for the “I Like That” page make sure one person always forgets to vote. When Ms. Haina asks who didn’t vote insist that everyone voted but do a revote anyway. When she gives you time to email your piece for the blog first check your email, update your twitter and post a new facebook status then email your piece quickly.
 
At 2:25 start packing up loudly while Ms. Haina says “Is it time already?” Put up your chair and stand in a big group by the door and have a conversation about whatever happens to come up that day. Make sure the conversation is loud enough to imply school is almost over and we’re excited. Stare at the freedom giving clock until 2:29. Then who ever is closest to the door should grab the door handle and do a twist-the-knob-but-don’t-actually-open-the-door move and glance at Ms. Haina while she waits till the second hand reaches the 12 to release the class. When she does exit the class hastily and forget about any and all assignments till the lunch before class. Repeat until semester is over.

by Ka’u

I miss the days of my childhood. The numerous days filled with playing and only playing, no chores or homework to worry about, no responsibilities or places to be; the days that you could only describe as carefree. It was easy to be a kid, running around freely without a care in the world. How little we had to worry about when we were in our Monkey Pod tree, at home in the kitchen, or at grandpa’s house.

I remember the days when we swung from the branches of the old Monkey Pod tree pretending to be the monkeys we’d seen in the zoo; the thought that we looked silly never crossed our minds. We didn’t care about any one else’s opinions unlike the girl’s of reality TV shows like Laguna Beach. Broken nails may have made us cry but it didn’t stop us from climbing more. We were enjoying ourselves with no other care in the world. The rough bark of the tree left our hands RED, raw and forming blisters but we continued swinging and climbing; sore hands were nothing mommy couldn’t fix later. All the neighborhood kids would play on the tree together. We didn’t fight much and if we did it was usually about who had to be “it” first for tag. In our tree we forgot about any other obligations our parents may have given us. It was our place of sanctuary even though we didn’t have much to run from.

One by one the neighborhood kids headed home for dinner, me and my sister raced each other down the big hill towards mom’s its-dinner-time voice calling us in from the days play. The grass scratched our legs as we tried to run as quickly as we could. All the playing had distracted us from our hunger until we sat in our seats to see a plate full of chicken nuggets ready made for us. All of a sudden we were famished. So we sat quietly and ate our chicken nuggets with our hands, never pausing to think about germs, manners or our prayers. I loved dipping the nuggets in to the creamy ranch dressing, it always made the nuggets taste cool and less salty. The country music mom loved surrounded my ears and my body swaying slightly with the beat flinging chicken nugget crumbs everywhere. I would jump from my chair, throw my empty-all-except-for-the-crumbs plate into the sink with a loud “clank” for mom to wash later.

But nothing compared to being at grandma and grandpa’s house. Grandpa’s house was b i g and full of things to explore and he didn’t mind you being niele, like mom did. You could do anything your mind could possible imagine and you wouldn’t get in trouble either. Riding our two-wheeler bikes up and down the private road without looking both ways for cars or buses was our favorite thing to do. If the right aunty or uncle happened to be working today we dropped our bikes wherever we were and ran to them to go get the candy they always had just for us. But no candy compared to the savory taste of grandpa’s mangoes picked fresh from our tree and the feeling of the sticky juice covering my face and hands. There was so much to do that we kept ourselves busy and by the end of the day we were worn out. Rolling around on the ground with the dogs down the grassy hill in my Sunday’s best always left my skin itchy but it was nothing out of the ordinary. If anything grandma would wash my clothes till there was not one grass stain left and mom would never know. I had my own room in papa’s house because I was the favorite grandchild; being first born was a special privilege you didn’t have to earn. Grandma and grandpa spoiled me and being spoiled meant never having to worry about cleaning up my messes or making my bed, and that grandma would do it all for me.

In the Monkey Pod tree, at home in the kitchen and especially at my grandparent’s house there was nothing to worry about. Responsibilities were few when you were young. I would come home stained brown from head to toe with the soil that housed our tree’s roots, leave a mess in the kitchen, or even spend the whole day playing at grandpa’s house. As I child my life was filled with about as much cares as a caterpillar and that’s just how I liked it.

by Breana

As I quickly walk right left right

 Into the famous store I march

The anticipation of order had a grasp on my focus

Everything around me is standing silent and still

While I myself move swiftly

I pronounce my order in the lingo

That the workers know oh to well

I in trust them with my order that they will make it right

I can not see what is being done

This worries me much

The combination of the different components

All not having a place in this

Mixed together in then perfect bliss

Then the mixture is passed on to the next care taker

Gently pouring it into its temporary home

Covered tightly with whip cream and a lid it is finally ready

They give it a name and place it on the counter

By the looks of this creation I know it is mine

Unique in its own way just as I am to it

Wrapping my fingers and feeling the chill

Understanding it belongs to me

No on will take it from me, for my lips have claimed it

The flavors of this master piece awakens me

Give me a new light

On the other side of my green straw

 The once considered home is now half full

My stomach has its other half soon to become a whole

Just as mind, body & soul

by Lacey
My little shell so gray and plain
You sit there immobile and flat
But if you should get drowned by rain
You won’t be bothered by that.
 
You’re like my family, I think
We may not look like much
But even if to the depths we sink
Each others’ lives we touch.
 
My little shell, you are a Sanddollar
And I smile at your name
I think of two red, one white, and one black collar For my doggies’ breed name is the same.
 
Underneath, in your middle
You have an orange glow
Although at first you can’t see it, like a riddle It’s still there, I know.
 
You have five points, my Sanddollar shell Like a cartoon star You’re as much as we make you, so I’ll make you well So you will go far.
 
You’re so round and small
You fit in the palm of my hand
Like the world, you will fall
If those who control reduce you to sand.
 
Your slits which I can see through
Are like five teensy windows
I see a little of what’s inside, it’s true But the majority- nobody knows.
 
My little shell, so gray and plain
The rest might leave you lying
Although amongst the shells, you might be the bane I’m proud to call you mine.

by Kayani

The depths of the forest is my favorite place to be.  Here I can see green leaves like fingers beckoning me to stop by and rest, birds flitting overhead as colorful as polished gems, and shafts of light filtering down and blending into the shadows of the forest floor, like a waterfall dissipating into mist as it descends.  I can hear elusive birdsong that tickles the ear, the wind as it flows amongst the branches, and empty silence that fills every other moment in the forest.  I can feel bark crumbling beneath my fingers and loamy earth squeezing between my toes while I recline on a fallen log.  I can see, I can hear, I can feel in my favorite place, the depths of the forest.

Here are the best results of each day’s work, as voted on by the class. In other words, upon hearing these works, everyone in the class says, “I like that!”

by Breana, Ruben, Levi, and Kelsey

     As the troubles and complications of today fall away into nothing, the steady rock of a mother soothing her child brings me into a new reatlity. An eternal blue, cool and deep. As eyes open into this peaceful moment, I am in the ocean. Drifting steadily into the unknown. A calming rhythm begins to form. Pushing me back and forth. The never-ending abyss seems to brighten.

     There is a shimmer of light far off into the distance. Blind faith draws me nearer to this light. My heart begins to race as the waves begin to get stronger and stronger and pull me further away from this light of Hope. I begin to weim, kniowing if I don’t try to fight the waves, I will forever be lost to the dark depths of the ocean or a meal to the creatures of the deep blue.

     My thoughts continue to race as I begin to swim and kick faster to reach the light and set aside my thoughts. Through this time, the light becomes closer and brighter. Each stroke of my arms and kick of my legs becomes stronger. My eyes are focused on victory in the light of hope. “Just one more kick,” I think to myself as darkness becomes a thing of the past.

     Finally, I close my eyes and make one last push of energy as my head surfaces the water. I gasp for air and breathe deeply because I know that I am safe and free from death’s grasp.