Lion’s Den Staff Volume 1, 2011
Fiction/Poetry Editor: Darby Levin Art Editor: Julia Folkart Submissions Editor: Rachel Bogin Promotions: Miriam Greenberg Maya Hettleman Literary and Art Staff: Joey Reisberg Katia Folkart Miriam Greenberg Maya Hettleman Rachel Bogin Julia Folkart Darby Levin Front and Back Cover Art: Julia Folkart
Note from the Fiction/Poetry Editor:
“Hey all! This is the first edition of KSMS’s literary magazine, The Lion’s Den. It’s been a really fun process and we’ve had some very talented people contribute and submit. I’d like to thank everyone who contributed and I’d also like to thank our wonderful advisor, Mrs. Robbie Levin. And so, we proudly present the first edition of The Lion’s Den. Enjoy!” Darby Levin
Solitude In song The babbling brook sings a song The birds whistle a happy tune The trees whisper The clouds rumble with the threat of thunder and torrential downpour Embrace the orchestrations of nature Rather than sitting in a symphony hall step outside The world’s music is at your leisure Sit under a tree and watch dabs of gold shower down on your head The electric green grass meets the sea of blue that is the sky You do not need to visit an art gallery The river snakes through in a philosophical way It speaks of time It tells the stories of years gone by Better than any public speaker Sit with a notepad under a tree and you can be inspired to write a thousand poems Nature crawls by before your eyes Waiting for their story to be told. Joey Reisberg
From Above Trailing behind, Everlast in the race of blue, Everlost behind the shadowy gloom, Of the craggy mountain peaks.
Scattered like fallen leaves The desert shrubs Pepper the dry, unyielding ground And sit, as barren as the sand.
They yield no dainty flowers, With petals of velveteen or suede.
Only the prickly silence of the wasteland in which it stands.
Julia Folkart
My Two-Year Curse
You can just smell the sweet, sweet caramel as it makes your mouth water. You can see all of the people around you tasting that free gum that is your favorite flavor, just to bother you. The fresh, sour, juicy apples hanging on those trees are screaming, “Eat me! Take a huge bite right out of that corner. You know you want to!” You do want to take a huge bite out of that apple, but there’s just on problem—you can’t. You’re not allowed to. The worst part of it all is that it’ll cost your parents thousands of dollars if you have just a small taste of anything good. All that chewy, hard, delicious stuff around you is untouchable.
You have braces.
Rachel Bogin
The Competitive Eater
The competitive eater sits his plump body into the tiny chair, It squeaks beneath his weight. Ready for another competition. The whistle sounds and off he goes, Stuffing every morsel of food within reach of his stubby arms and gaping mouth. As he eats on, his body becomes fatter, His arms and legs grow shorter, And his body becomes a burger. So he just sits there, The champion of food. Because you know what they say, You are what you eat.
Jacob Lapidus
Comic by Avi Wilcox and Noah Sopher
Life
Life comes with a plethora of feelings. Feelings that boil up in your blood until you have to punch someone until they bleed, Feelings that connect one soul to another, Feelings that drive you one way or the other. Life comes with feelings that make you want to end your life for eternity. Sometimes life is terrible and you wish to give it up. But without life, That’s the last straw, And there is no more. Life should stay intact until it ends by nature, not by knife, No matter which way it drives you.
Leah Weinstein
I want to be Not like the sand on the shore— But like the brush with the paint. But I’m me. One day I’ll choose who I want to be— I’ll take the world by storm. Like no one has seen ever before.
Brad Levin
Lady Clad in stiff Tea-time manners. And talcum powder. The “please’s” and “thank-yous” Start to take up half the space In her head. The waltzes and gavottes Claim the other. Until she becomes An empty shell With a whalebone corset And a petticoat, Teacup poised In midair.
Darby Levin
Interview with Mr. Gordon about His First Novel, In the Name of God
Lion’s Den: How does it feel to have your first novel published? Mr. Gordon: In a word, Ah-ma-zing! Exciting, awesome. Sabbabah! I love it! Lion’s Den: Where did you get the inspiration for your story? Characters? Idea? Setting? Mr. Gordon: The idea started because I wanted to write something positive about Israel. I had a character in mind, someone a little confused about parts of his life, but also someone who could be a hero. I wrote about things I knew and was familiar with. And I also wanted to write a spy/mystery story. I knew that my character loved Israel, and he would be involved in solving an assassination attempt on an Israeli dignitary. Lion’s Den: How long were you working on the novel before you got it published? Mr. Gordon: About a year for the concept. Then it took me about three months for the first draft, on and off, a year to revise, and another summer to do the final edits. All in all, it took about eight years to get published. Lion’s Den: How many drafts or revisions did you go through? Mr. Gordon: I went through three of four. Lion’s Den: What challenges did you go through to write this novel and get it published? Mr. Gordon: With the actual writing, my biggest challenge was making sure the characters were authentic. The biggest challenge getting it published was with getting publishers to take a chance on an unknown author. Lion’s Den: Was it difficult for you when your book was edited by publishers. Mr. Gordon: No. It was actually more edited by friends and family then by the publishers, and I trusted them. Lion’s Den: Are you working on another novel or a sequel? Mr. Gordon: Yes. A sequel. Lion’s Den: Did you ever have writer’s block? How did you work through any writers block? Mr. Gordon: Actually, I don’t believe in writer’s block. I think that part of the natural process of writing is when things don’t come easily, and you just have to keep working. Lion’s Den: Will readers recognize any places/settings/characters in the book? Mr. Gordon: Yes, totally. There are scenes at Schechter, although it is called by a different name, and scenes all over Baltimore and Israel. Lion’s Den: Can you tell us your 1-2 sentence pitch for the book? Mr. Gordon: The hero is attending a fundraising dinner and stops an assassination. All he wants afterwards is to be left alone, but he is drawn into a conspiracy he must solve which takes him from Baltimore to Israel. Lion’s Den: What was your favorite – and least favorite – part about writing the book? Mr. Gordon: My favorite part was just the writing, and my least favorite was trying to write dialogue when it just felt awkward.
Lion’s Den: Do you have a favorite character or scene in the book. Mr. Gordon: My favorite character is the hero. I have several favorite scenes, but you’ll have to read the book to find out what they are! Lion’s Den: Do you have any advice or words of wisdom for aspiring authors? Mr. Gordon: Keep writing; stay with it. And also re-write. Revision is your friend, not your enemy.
The Poor Ugly Man Charisma was strong in the man Until a witch beckoned The sky turned grey as rain heavily poured down The wind whirled and his hair flew back The witch found the man The man knew he had everything that he wanted He waited for death to enclose him Instead to his surprise he felt nother He opened his eyes just a crack Then he felf an unexpected itch on his head He tried to scratch his itch but instead he felt rough horns. A mirrow appeared in his hand—he stared in the mirror and found an ugly monster has taken over his body.
Katia Folkart
Of True Love and Husbands The young princess has a pale white face and coal-black hair. Her lips are blood red She is well sought after by many men And rightly so for she never cries or pouts Men think she only cares about the way her hair falls on her shoulders This is not true She thinks deep thoughts Her suitors never see the intellectual side of her Only the beauty Every day she sees foolish men pining for her affection Later they just want some slight recognition that they exist A nod perhaps or a wink Anything On just such a day the princess is sick and tired of all the brainless men She runs out of the confines of the castle into the open air with a particularly brainless man calling after her A young farmer spots her running out of the castle He is carrying milk to sell to the castle The princess does not watch where she is running The cool white liquid spills on the brown Earth The farmer gasps at the thought of not bringing home money All thoughts of hunger leave as he stares intently at the princess’s face His eyes are a milky sea-blue his skin is browned with labor and his face is streaked with dirt It was love at first sight The summer day was mild and the wind made their hair and clothes billow Over the next few months the farmer would stop and chat with the princess on his milk delivering trips Soon the chatting turned to whispers The wind could not pick up the sound of two lovers whispering in each other’s ears Soon the whispers grew to kisses A dark shadow in a window observed these activities One day when the shadows of dusk passed over their bodies the farmer went home and the princess returned to her castle only to find her mother blocking the entryway The Queen is rigid and tall Velvet cascades over her body like a waterfall She points a nagging finger at the princess The next day guards move over the countryside trying to find the man The princess prays with all her heart that they do not find him They do and the next day an execution is planned The guillotine is cold and forbidding The steel blade silently but menacingly presides over the courtyard The next day the princess sits in her room choked with tears She is not going to see the execution She hears the crowd chattering She hears her love whimpering
Sadly she hears the blade slice down and the crowd roar The king and queen tell the crowd of the foul deed this man did Corrupting their princess A few minutes later her parents come up to the room They are towing a scrawny man beside them The princess, because of what she did, has to marry this man He is as airheaded as the rest The marriage is set for the next week The day of the wedding comes and she is helped into a dress It is beautiful; but she feels uncomfortable with it on Noblemen and woman mill about in the ballroom The princess sits in her room The farmer’s voice comforts her She looks around the room for him His voice urges her to come with him The princess is scared She whips around and around the room searching for him He says he wants to be with her-Forever The princess inquires how She spots a knife lying on the ground Her hand goes to her mouth “You mean,” she begins “Uh huh” Her shoulders sag down The farmer’s voice is choked with a sob “Don’t you want to be with me Forever?” Mustering up all her courage, the princess picked up the knife Where In the heart That is where it is already broken The knife plunges into the billowy folds of her dress Blood stains the whiteness
Joey Reisberg
Rainy Days at Camp I love rainy days at my camp. I think that they are the best because rainy days are the days where the bunk just hangs out together. Sometimes my friends just sit and talk with me, or sometimes we climb up onto our counselor’s bed and talk with her (it was extra fun this year because one of our counselors had an English accent). There are also times when me and my friends just hang out with everybody and listen to music—we talk and tell jokes and all those things you see in camp movies. But most of all, we play cards—all types of games from Go Fish to Poker. I have the best time on rainy days in camp. It is the time when you get to do whatever. RAINY DAYS ARE THE BEST!!!!
Maya Hettleman
Winter Whiteness falling from the sky Crystals gleaming on the snow covered ground Behold the delicate elegance of winter Much better than artificial summer with her twittering bees And melting ice cream Fiercer than lazy spring And as the raw wind pushes against my face, I cry out to no One in particular BRING BACK SUMMER.
Joey Reisberg
This is Me This is me, totally open, no catches no escape clause. This is me, a girl who has things she is scared of. This is me, I’m scared of the dark, and bugs This is me, I can’t eat jello. This is me, I get freaked out by cats. This is me, I have an annoying little brother. This is me, I am a total bookworm This is me, I love dogs. This is me, now you know me, no catches no escape clause.
Anonymous
Where I’m From I am from Barbie dolls, From the tens of stuffed animals that once lined my flower covered bed, And from the long days at the track, And diving to return tennis balls, Always with my dad. I am from gardening on humid summer days, Spreading carrot seeds exactly three inches apart. I am from Candyland and Disneyworld, From Cookie Monster and Winnie-the-Pooh, From Taylor Lautner and Abercrombie & Fitch, From that catchy new song that’s stuck in your head. I am from Full House And Training wheels, From butterscotch Dum Dums and marshmallow jellybeans, And the shiny amber tinfoil of Reese’s peanut butter cups. I am from Harry Potter, And bedtime stories, And “Jinx” and “Fives,” And silly handclaps. In my past lie wishes of adulthood, Memories of lying about my age, And standing on my tiptoes to reach amusement park ride heights, I am from dreams of being a ballerina or an astronaut or a doctor, I am from those dreams, From a time when I didn’t realize that the older I got, The more I would want to take back those dreams and wishes.
Caroline Meyer
“Swag” His angelic voice and the flip of his hair. His handsome posters everywhere. Screaming girls, millions of fans He can play all the instruments in his band. Originally from a small town His jokes are funnier than a clown’s Everyone says that they are true beliebers, But we truly love Justin Drew Bieber.
Miriam Greenberg and Rachel Bogin
Illustration by Miriam Greenberg
Book Reviews I so Don’t Do Mysteries by Barrie Summy Reviewed by Maya Hettleman
I So Don’t Do Mysteries by Barrie Summy is about a girl named Sherry (short for Sherlock) Holmes Baldwin. Sherry’s mother was a cop who was killed in a drug bust gone bad. The story takes place about a year later and her father is telling Sherry that he is remarrying Sherry’s math teacher! And in the frenzy of all of that, her mother reconnects with Sherry as a ghost and tells Sherry that she is failing at the Academy of Spirits (a school for ghosts) and she needs Sherry to help her solve a mystery to save her afterlife. Can Sherry, her BFF Junie Carter, and Cutie Pie Josh Morton solve the mystery and save Sherry’s mother’s afterlife? You’ll have to read I So Don’t Do Mysteries by Barrie Summy to find out.
The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins Reviewed by Rachel Bogin The Price She Might Pay: Sitting at home, I am bored out of my mind. As I excitedly look at the nightstand, I’m quickly disappointed. The finished book is closed and upside-down. I turn it over and see, “The Hunger Games,” by Suzanne Collins. Recalling the novel, I remember the story of a poor, yet determined girl who recently lost her father and is willing to risk her life for her family. In the book, she is forced to, as she fights an ongoing battle to the death against the toughest, strongest, and meanest kids in the country. The price she could have to pay is life-ending; the price of the victory is life-saving.
Midnight
Below, the skaters on the frozen canals were only visible by the torches they carried. Up close, the torches burned bright and hot, but from this high up, they were swirling pinpricks of light. Kate spread her fingers, feeling the feathers ruffle in response. She dipped one palm and her body tilted, the ground rocking, then settling under her. She felt the movement rippling through the leather straps that wound around her chest, hands, and arms to her wings. Her wings spread above her, shockingly white against the navy sky, and banded by indigo feathers. These marked her as a fully-fledged member of the Ziporae, the Fliers. Solstice was her first job as a Zipora – keeping the lanterns lit and burning the sun back home on the darkest day of the year. She looked around her again and the sight took her breath away. It had taken years to get used to seeing the floating lights from the ground, but now they were so close her wingtips almost brushed against them. The sky was awash in flickering lanterns. She looked up and she could see the flames flickering in their underbellies. As she watched, it seemed like a star guttered and failed. It sank slowly and she traced its path--glowing like a dying ember. She drove herself upward with long, slow wingbeats until she reached it. Attached to her by a harness across her chest and stomach was a long pole. At its end was a candle, protected from the winds by bell-shaped glass. She spilled air from her wings, arching them, and descended inch by inch until she could touch the candle to the lantern’s burnt wick. Flames caught and the light floated up again. She followed it until she could no longer see the skaters below or the moon above. She was lost in a sea of wheeling lanterns that might have been stars and stars that might have been the sun reborn. Whenever she saw a light go out, she relit it, whether it was a lantern, a star, or something else entirely. After a while alone in the blazing sky, she saw another pair of indigo and white wings – a Zipora. He gestured downwards and she sank towards him. Together, they dove until the earth was again in sight. “Midnight,” he murmured. She nodded and they waited together, wingtip to wingtip, as the other Ziporae fell from the sky to join them. As they watched the earth, the first of the fireworks exploded into the sky.
Darby Levin
Writers and Illustrators on the Lion’s Den Staff Darby Levin: Hey! I love to read and write (of course), and am going to Carver next year for writing. I also love rock climbing, soccer, aerial silks, and my dog Telltale. My favorite books are the Ranger's Apprentice series. Julia Folkart: Eighth-grade artist extraordinaire, mini-sculptor, and stirred by Much. Also loves fleur-de-les, trequaz, mini-Coopers, and has a healthy-ish obsession with A Very Potter Musical and Starship. Rachel Bogin: Honestly, I don’t know who I am. I know who I think I am, but not the person that I really truly am. I’m Jewish, a pretty good student, a nice friend (hopefully), and I have many hobbies. I cannot define who I am because I am always changing. One day, I love blue and the next I am covered in pink. One second I am obsessed with the Cheetah Girls and the next–Justine Bieber. The person that I am is the person that anyone around me thinks I am. They choose what to make me, what to think of me. I don’t know how to describe who I am in any words differing from Rachel Gabrielle Bogin. Miriam Greenberg: I live for the arts. I draw all the time. I, with pleasure, sing for the choir, and I’m the queen of drama. Maya Hettleman: Hello. My name is Maya. I’m in sixth grade. My favorite author is Barrie Summy. I love cookies n’ cream ice cream. Katia Folkart: My full name is Katia Elisabeth Folkart. My favorite book is Chasing Vermeer. I have a dog named Knightly and a fish named Aqua. My favorite movies in the world are Vampire, Van Helsing, Murder Is Easy, Devil, Ghost, sixth Sense, and Robin Hood. I hate carrots, romaine lettuce, and lightning. I like chocolate, horror movies, and pets. Joey Reisberg: I love reading, writing, and acting. My favorite book is Macbeth. My favorite musical is Les Miserables. My favorite tv show is Glee. My favorite movie is Across the Universe.