S.H.S.
@ a Glance
Masked, Pencil
Jessica Culp
Southside High School Spring 2009
2
S.H.S.
@ a Glance SELECTION COMMITTEE Celeste Alvarez Matthew Sandoval Andre Plaza Jennifer Onofre Ashly Mitchell Edward Castillo Samantha Lara Jessica Mueller Lauren Gonzales
ADVISOR Gabriel Tejeda
Southside High School San Antonio, TX 78221 Spring 2009
3
Kari Blalack
In the Backyard, Mixed Media 4
DEDICATED TO THE TREMENDOUSLY TALENTED STUDENTS OF SOUTHSIDE HIGH SCHOOL
5
Lauro F. Naranjo
A Beacon of Hope It falls, landing silently, A feather, simple, stained. Lightly stained, a symbol of hope, One part of the picture. Hope, a vitality of worlds, Forgotten in times of grief, Nonetheless, ever present, Always in existence, just hidden. Enlightenment, a path of hope, You know it is there, just look, Follow the feather, the white marker, The final way‌you will ever take. Close your eyes, trust your love, Enter a world of light‌and wake. Awake from this dark slumber, See the old ways and make them new. Speak, walk, talk in a new mind, Live your life along a bright path. Your final time will be without doubt, You have escaped this world of pain and misery.
6
Cesar Rayas
C2, Oil Sticks
7
Rosa M. Gonzalez
The Black Dove Poor sweet dove Your feathers have turned ebony You have fallen from grace No longer with soul or heavenly A bird once holy, now condemned Once a symbol for purity and innocence Now into darkness you have descended You were once a message of deliverance You had no sins or transgressions You have now grown crooked wings Good deeds were once your conception Now the means of greed you have conceived No existence of your white hue Gone forever is your virtue No longer could I keep you in the light of day So into the wicked of night you flew.
Rosa Marie Gonzalez
The Human Inspiration In all of us there are soft childish desires The urge to give in to what love inspires Each one of us has our own emotional shade Though our own callous nature tears down the colors we’ve made Deep inside, each one of us wants to give It brings us joy every day in life to live We all have souls as powerful as a blazing fire And it all makes us give in to what our dreams conspire.
8
The Peach, Color Pencils
Matthew Sandoval
Brian Corrigan
The Peach It’s a rosy light-orange, plump with sticky and saccharine juice. It’s the perfect honeyed ambrosia to rebuke a broiling summer heat. One bite of this godsend, when sublimely ripe, quenches the entire body. Pick the peachy prime, go ahead. It’s your golden reprise. Your nectar. Do not be hasty, impatience will bear a dusty crunch, altogether bitter. Your opportunity to sink your teeth into succulence must seed and flower In that flushed amber spectacle of nourishment and ecstatic oasis. An eager hand must leave the peach lofty on its branch to season. If timed properly, practicing punctuality, pierce the skin of the peach And plunge your teeth into the brimming stores of sweetness. Perfect.
9
Ben Feliciano
Mephastophales My Friend! What's left to leave unaccomplished today? Get the girl, prove I'm whole, find my way? I once became certain of my punishment, And felt fit to bare it. But this new turn of events, Has left me displaced ladies and gents. Breathing, an arduous task before, Nearly impossible from the floor. Here here, lets take a vote, A formidable blast, or a troubling choke? I've been there. I've seen. I've felt. I drove past the cause of my living hell. I'd hoped I'd forget, but the chance for that is slim. Because this roar of subconscious hate is evidently within.
Ben Feliciano
If Morning is Day Break‌ Looking out the window, down familiar streets, I see the sky-breath shaking the limbs of quiet trees. A silent day today, when the roads are still, My thoughts are blank like these pages I fill. In this moment I lengthen my stride to the door. Echoes parade the hallways as my feet kiss the floor. In the mending day light, I let the sky-breath shake me too. A single water wink caresses me, I've lost what I had with you. I recall when you were my only real friend, But if morning is day break, then evening should be day mend.
10
Faceless, Charcoal
Joshua Balboa
11
Brian Corrigan
A Single Silent Sigh A single, silent sigh, Stifled. To hide his Utmost exhaustion. Desperation: Of which he is reminded Cannot make matters better. Desolation: Of which he has not forgotten, Reminds him of his desperation, And he sinks into A deep depression. A single, silent sigh‌ Stifled. Not a soul searching His sad, sad eyes Can sense his sorrow Slowly, silver specks Of serenity Slide down his somber silhouette His stony stare Is never softened Yet his sad eyes‌ Sing of a separate story.
12
Self-Portrait, Oil Pastel
Cesar Rayas
13
Leon Zimmerle
To Be Muzzled By My Own Schizophrenia I’m lying down on the floor with my arms raised up trying to touch the sun. I lie here laughing killing my loneliness, I’m in the mood for fun. Then suddenly my vision changes, strange colors burst and spadazel in the air. Then a parade of monsters and old friends stampede out from under my bed, there coming up the stairs. We dance, we sing under the moonlight, we triumph to the nonexistent victory in my own room. The Gargoyle, the Giant, and the Iron King croak a call into the sky for the whole empire to hear, to let the celebration consume. We howl and shout causing a ruckus so loud that even the dead rise from their graves. To join us in our celebration, my wedding to a girl dressed in white, to have an eternal love till the end of our days. When the wedding is done, the crowd, my guests, all have a seat, a bow for an exchange of an audition. I pull out my cello from my pocket, and a needle from my hair, I’ll play my favorite song. They all will listen. I’ll play a tune of Melancholy, I can feel their attention at my risk, the feeling is there. They all remain silent, not a sound, not a breath. Not even a blink, their only reply is a stare. When I play the final chord, the last string, the lights fade and an encore they bring. I bow accepting their flowers and roses, I smile, and I think to myself, “This is worth remembering.” I look into the crowd, and suddenly the song my mother used to sing me to sleep begins to play in my ear. The song reminds me of that special place. The crowd stands up one by one and they all begin to disappear. The rest exit all together down the stairs under my bed and out of my imagination. The sky turns into space, I’m loosing the creatures I made out of clay, I’m loosing my own creation. My love takes my hand, kisses my cheek, she begins to hover and levi14
tates to the stars. Why is this happening? Let me go, set me free, I want to be let loose! My soul is locked behind iron bars. The Doppelganger, the Doomdrake and all the little men fade into my closet to hide. The lights in the air burst into dust and my empire gets washed away into the tide. I fall down once more not able to get back up again, the horizon is at my feet. I adrift into a slumber where dreaming does not exist. I will never awake, my eternal sleep.
Self-Portrait, Watercolor
Jose A. Garza
15
Ashley Johnson
The Heart’s Loss of a Heart My heart swells, But not with butterflies, nor bliss filled times, It swells with hurt. My heart beats, But not with anticipation nor excitement, It beats with bitterness, harder and faster, sadder and sadder. My heart bleeds, But not with blood, it is an unseen wound, Visible to the soul, but not to the eye, A hurt so bad, my heart feels as if the only cure would be for it to die. My heart swells, Like that of one in love, But really it is the loss of love and a sense of loneliness. My heart beats, Like a melodious tune, But really it is just to let me know I am still alive, and remind me of the hurt I’ve survived. My heart bleeds, a blood as red as passion felt lips, But really it’s just hurt, it’s pain, A feeling that I’m not quite yet fully able to explain.
16
Self-Portrait, Oil Sticks
Jessica Chetwood
Jonathan Moreno
Why? Why, when I close my eyes Yours are still there? Why, when I think, You’re the first thought in my head? Why does my chest hurt When I breathe? Why can’t I get over you? Forget about you? I can’t get your eyes Out of my mind when I close them. I still dream about you. You are the first thought in my head. I wonder how you are My chest begins to hurt I can no longer breathe When you are not by my side. I can’t get over you My heart is yours I still love you.
17
Shane Cabeldue
Dark Imagination When I’m alone my heart starts pumping Nobody can bother me when the waves are crashing It’s a place I know well Doing what I love to do Fish are swarming left to right Lightning has begun roaring A dark hole is appearing in front of me Something is telling me to jump in Clouds are surrounding I go down and down Seeming like forever already Not able to wake up Life flashed before my eyes Family is always by my side. Ben Feliciano
I Dreamt About You Last Night I dreamt about you last night, We were lying down talking by a fire. You told me you were cold, You said you were getting tired. I picked you up in my arms, And I got up off my knees. I carried you to the fire, I wouldn't want my love to freeze. As I held you in my arms, (This memory I'll forever stash), I felt your hair against me, As your body turned to ash. You blew away forever, And I lost even a chance, To achieve my soul endeavor, To hold you close in endless dance.
18
Communication, Oil
Marco Zarate
19
Marcus Anthony Guerra
Dear Santa Dear Santa, First of all, I hope you have been watching me, seeing how hard I’ve been working in every one of my classes; trying my best to turn in all my work on time, never late; putting my full effort into every worksheet, essay, project, & test. Santa, I saw a commercial the other day, and on that commercial it said that you are going to be 2 continents behind this Christmas, which means that you might not get to my house down my chimney, but that’s fine, because I do not ask for anything this year. All I want is for you and my family to lead me to the right direction, which is graduation in June and then proceeding to college. I’m going to be 18 years of age in two days on December 18, 2008, and I would just love to have a car and laptop for college, but I will get a job and work for it, Santa, just like I have in school. I ask for you to take care of all the little ones, especially my little cousins, because kids mean way more than me on Christmas. Santa, I really have not gotten anything that cool from you, but I’m not mad. All I care about is my education, because no matter how many gifts I get or don’t get, my education will never be taken from me. Good-bye, Santa, and I hope you have a great Christmas. Merry Christmas & Happy New Year. Sincerely, Marcus Anthony Guerra
20
Oblivion, Charcoal
Joshua Balboa
21
By Shane Cabeldue
Life in a painting The red is the warmest of all colors Standing for the blood I have shed Wounds both large and small The bleeding won’t stop at all. Pink is a quiet color, weakening my mind Never forgetting what has happened over time. Black is for my darkness Where I go so I can cry There is no light Helping me imagine a future And letting me determine the next step I take. Blue is what I use for home Helping me in a comfort zone Keeping brainless things from happening. White helps complete me Showing quality and truth. Purple is magic and mystery All put together Representing life that I have Mixed up as one. This is life in a painting.
22
Life in a Painting, Tempera
Shane Cabeldue
23
Joseph Guerrero (AKA Bubba)
In the dark I lost everybody from ma girl to my mom. I try to keep smiling, have faith and stay strong. I’m drowning in an ocean ‘cause I’m stranded without a boat. I try to stay breathing but water just fills my throat. I forgot how to swim. I feel likes no hope. I reach out for my paddle, but even my paddle’s broke. I try to send a sign like an S.O.S ., but all I can feel is this pain in my chest Nevertheless, I reminisce about my girl in my arms. Lookin’ up to the sky ‘n say baby let’s count the stars. But dats just a memory, let my sweet touch my lips. Lord, I just want to know if you can answer me this. I’ve been livin’ life in a struggle for a bit too long. I’m already on the edge, but I keep holding on. I gatta stick it out ‘cause all I got is my faith. Hold Precious close ‘n tight ‘n say, “Baby I can change.” Cuz every time you go, you take a piece of my heart. I try to find my way, but it’s so hard in the dark. So I pray every day to help my situation. They say take it day by day, and Bubba stay patient. Christine N.M. Garcia
Times To Times Years pass with my family like there was never any year at all. Troubles would start then go, for another day to come. But as some years pass, some troubles stay like a disease never wanting to go away. Always finding another way to feed them. And when they stay it is so horrifying It’s like it will be there the rest of my life. Devastated on this that the things I fear the most will never go away Even as much as I pray and beg God. So every day I ask, please go away.
24
Self-Portrait, Pencil
Celeste Alvarez 25
Alyssa Lopez
Tumultuous Mind My tumultuous mind yet again produces a prolific variety of thoughts. In my contemplative state, I realize that my consciousness cannot possibly be prosaic, for there is a gothic rainbow in my head. I do not cease to imagine the next object with which I may satisfy myself by drawing. In my artwork, I purge myself of negativity and redress my wrong-doings. Though my predilection for anime and magna is great, I have drawn other things: hands, for example, sketched on paper and marked with the vivid yet incorporeal scars of my past. I have rescued myself from many a quagmire by this cathartic method of sketching. Though I have an honest and open mind, I tend to prevaricate greatly, for my desire to protect my twisted and blackened heart presides over my will to communicate with others. Purportedly I seem to be a fair artist and friend, due to my inherent wisdom gained from years of silent suppression and depression. I suppose that when I suddenly found myself unable to sketch what I so desperately needed: a bleeding arm holding a razorblade, I was frightened. How else could I express myself without the pencil and a clean fresh slice of a unused paper? Though ratiocination, and a determined resolve to overcome the blade that was my presage, I came to discover that the pretext with which I had been deceiving myself was actually false. I had never been “unable� to draw. Rather, the subject matter of my artwork had shifted into something imperceptible: complex human emotion. So instead of drawing, I picked up a pen and a lined sheet of paper. As I wrote, I felt the raging emotions within me quell at last. My quixotic nature was revealed through my words, as they are now. If it were not for my semi-pugnacious attitude, I might not have made it through those dark times, where I was unable to express myself through my drawings. Now I am a raconteur, and I can draw or write my emotions away and lock them onto a paper, as I have just done today. Thank you for being my audience. I appreciate the attention you have given to me today. Farewell.
26
Self-Portrait in Blue, Acrylic
Grace Arredondo
27
Shane Cabeldue
Passing by Fast In my mind I’m weakening Thoughts are just tearing me apart My skin is just deteriorating And bones are starting to crack The eyes I carry are turning back Is it too late to start from scrap Everything is a blur Lying down this may be good-bye I then begin to cry Noticing what I had All has gone bad It’s up to God where I go Rather it’s heaven or hell I will one day come back Back to the place I call home.
Bianca Hernandez
Mentally Breaking The doctor’s office I have to visit. I want to die before I get in it. If I had a choice I’d rather not go. Off to chemotherapy again, once more. The shots, the drugs, the pain is aching. Not only physically, but mentally I’m breaking. I just want to die. I want to be free. Free of this hurt, this pain is killing me. It’s my undying fate, that’s the hand I was dealt with. Why can’t anybody see, I can’t anymore. I want to scream and yell. But what good will it do? You all need to listen to me, stop trying to fix me.
28
Waiting, Oil
Kymberly Forey
29
Lauro F. Naranjo
COOL Define cool, Cold, chilly, perfect? Cool is unwritten, A word of non-existence. Undefined and for what, To be used as a status? A clique? A group? A standard? No, cool is the essence of nothing. Nothing that is so highly considered.
Lauro F. Naranjo
The Empty Wall You that harbor hate, sitting still on edge, Breaking our ties and destroying theirs, Casting out shadows of that mental wedge, An un-united front discouraging freedom. You who harbor work, build a wholesome route, That beyond limit, we can go higher, Gravity holds none without due amount, As to walk with love, of stars, shine brighter. Fall in the seconds of years you were made, Crumble from our tears, find the just unfit, Deny the foul reasons, heritage you raid, Insincerities hold on truth to them.
30
Cool Dude, Mixed Media
Alberto Valdez
31
Alyssa Martinez
I Guess… I guess I used you as an excuse, An excuse for problems I couldn’t bear to face. Because I was scared of the outcome. It scared me so bad, the awful revolving nightmare Began to bring me inner joy. I guess I hurt your feelings, Feelings you could never show or express. Because I was too busy complaining. Complaining constantly about all the Wrong things you do. I guess I made you believe you were a bad person, Even though we both know I’m the Screw up. With all the nasty remarks, horrible Mistakes and awful memories, I gave heartache, You gracefully absorbed it. I guess I am a bad person, A person who doesn’t know it, But yet confusingly wonders why this happens. This bad person is who I am, not willing to Show it, I desperately hide it. Why? How? How can I hide who I am? I guess I’m sorry for all the wrong, The wrong I didn’t want but was Given to you. I guess I was wrong, I’m sorry, Mom.
32
Reflection, Oil
Jessica Culp
Tim Rodriguez
The Oppression Slowly slipping insane I feel the bone chilling voices circle my head Escaping to the holy temple for refuge I find myself in warfare. Pages of ancient apostles consume my singing walls Liberating me from the requisite chains Foretells emerge in my dreams The reflections of a demon is what’s made of me The oppression lies beneath the flesh of my corpse But consume me will it not For my faith won’t allow it. 33
Brian Corrigan
Set Afire You left me for dead In the fire that you started It was in those flames we parted It was in that fire You lost your desire And you left me there to burn Only I can see the fire she hides Behind beautiful eyes And only I return the instant she cries And fall again for her lies It's burning me outside It's eating my insides I called out in need But my cry-outs were mottled The smoke smothered and throttled I choked out your name In defeat and in shame As I cried out to you Only I can see the fire she hides Behind beautiful eyes And only I return the instant she cries And fall again for her lies It's burning me outside It's eating my insides
34
Self-Portrait, Pencil
Weslie Ramirez
Billy Vongsouvanh
Why? Why try if you can’t get her, But you know you can treat her better. Why try if you know you don’t have a chance, But why doesn’t she give you a chance. Why put effort into it, But you know it doesn’t even matter. Why love her, But you know she doesn’t love you the same. Why be there to wipe her tears away, But she is the reason your tears drop. Why can’t I let her go? But if I do, I know I’ll miss her. Why is it her, Because she is everything I have ever wanted!
35
Ben Feliciano
An Idyllic Idiosyncrasy With a finger to her lips she signaled to be silent. A tacit statement synonymous to a secret love. Only with eyes she spoke to abate my concerns. Virtuous fidelity to be lauded and admired. A commitment to solidarity in a fashionable form. Therein a desired fabric ne're to be torn. A hand to support her cheek as she leans into me. Ambience fades to null and stretches to infinity. The universe disappears, I focus on singularity. Cartographers cannot aspire to chart such affinity. An untitled symphony, residing in infamy, Wrapped in epiphany, and divulged through hinting. An ample amiable argot heard only by those who hear, Seen only by those who see. All that which is or can be, Contained and compressed furtively. Implicit in nature and understood by only her, And only me.
Brian Corrigan
For a Girl My mind is set to go haywire Signals blink like a dying fire Your lack of presence makes me itch It's been this way since you flipped the switch Blood's pounding heated through my veins My heart's thumping like it's insane I only know one cure for this I need from you a simple kiss.
36
Stencil, Ink
Weslie Ramirez
37
Ben Feliciano
One O Four My thoughts pop and crack like joints frustrated by the bereavement of their former fluidity. I am but a slave to my untimely inspirations. Emancipated to sleep only after jotting down whatever drips from my fingers to the keyboard. Drenching the circuitous roads of electrical impulses with reiteration after reiteration of the utter unimportance of existence. Rather than study the former great, I selfishly choose to create. Challenge the concept that I can be nothing more than mediocrity permits. Question the essentials as determined by the proud, Attempt to be heard through ways besides being loud. Swallow fire to burn me awake. Revel in the idiosyncrasies that turn me into what I hate. With each lub-dup, lub dup, I am pushing toward the horizontal eight. And contradicting myself to the point of a questionable mental state. Too late. Chill invades. Sleep decapitates thought. And a sleepwalker I am not.
Piano, Acrylic
Art Club 38
By: Travis Roth
The Ocean of Anguish The current is vast...The tide is strong For it is the ocean of anguish… And its volume has grown It succeeds and feeds on others’ success It’s cluttered and filled of sorrow... and regret It’s wider then the Amazon...and longer then the Nile Hypocrites feed it and yet stand denial It is portrayed as hate… but has many styles The message is subliminal and not many will find it You have to jump in the current and swim to survive it So stare at the ocean of anguish and take a deep breath... or walk to the edge and take your very last step.
Untitled, Oil
Nathan Froseth 39
Justin Kralovec (aka- A-plex)
Making a Home… No pain no glory that’s how I choose to start this song ‘Cause I lost a lot of friends I ain’t saying dead hommies Just dead to me, Now bring it back if I could but I can’t change the facts Live the life I was givin’ Between sex, money and lies where the devil be livin’ Now in competition, only with myself in this game Givin’ my hands to my loved one, forget fortune and fame ‘Cause money without love is like crops without rain, a baller with no change, or a scholar without a brain Understand it my personality be demanding Its like its blowing in my face like I looked inside a cannon ‘Cause my loved ones are splittin’ and dippin’ Is this my house of pain ‘Cause everything’s changed Friends turn to foes And youngsters seem to grow But the difference between heaven and hell is when you make it home… Ashley Zancketti
In Memory Of... We pray for you from day to day, To let you know that we’re OK. As we cry and wipe our tears, We all know there's nothing to fear. Even though your not there, In our hearts you're everywhere. Not having you here is hard to take in, But we all know we'll see you again.
40
Celeste Alvarez
Coacoyula, Guerrero, Mexico, Photograph
41
Felisha Cantu
Saved A place so lonely and empty. Shadows dance and play their evil ways. A place where people like me had no hearts, but I was all alone. The only heart in this world seemed to belong to my shadow. The only thing that shone, in a world so black, a place full of mist, a place full of confusion and pain. A place where angels were burned, wings ripped and pulled out, a place full of people that were being torn and shattered. A place where you can give advice but never survive on your own, a place where the darkest feelings shone brighter than the moon itself. There you could see so much anger and fear, so much pain, the only thoughts of happiness and comfort would be to cut ourselves deep and abuse. Our happiness was sadness. We grew so used to it, that we began to enjoy it. Though we could still feel the pain, those times I let the cold wind sting the wounds cut deeply in my own flesh, the ones upon my wrist, I decided I had no more need for the confusion of pain, and no need of joy from pain, I needed something new. I made a decision that it was time for my death. I never got the chance, I was saved by an angel. Call me crazy, but I swear to you its true. Who said angels could disappear in an empty place, a world no one could ever make it out, they were there for us to torture. This angel, so sweet, and innocent, something so different about him, I had to get so close, one chance to say hi, and the whole world changed color. No more blacks and grays, the two brightest colors in this old place, he must’ve made them appear, turned the moonlight to sun, and on the ground the first flower to bloom.
42
Lonely Ghost, Digital
Nathan Froseth 43
Ashly Mitchell
This Love This love was confusing This love was amusing, I fell for you faster than I ever thought possible... You made all the difference in my days, You made my heart race with excitement, but now my heart aches with doubt, So I push away in fear you will only get worse, In fear that day will spread within our time. Your perfection was just an illusion that faded away faster than it began I’m sure to regret this, I’m sure I’ll be drowned with sadness, but my heart is fragile, I can’t risk being broken once more… Andrew Harris
Three Her hair is as fiery as the sunset sky Her eyes are oceanic blue Her voice is angelic and perfect Her smile will light up any room Her kiss is my addiction Love is my affliction. Every moment in her presence I felt like a kid receiving presents Every time our gaze would lock Overhead doves would flock Of her I’ll always think From eternal loneliness She saved me at the brink. No matter where she resides I’ll always want to be at her side. No matter what she has done, She’ll always be my number one.
44
Cool, Pencil
Weslie Ramirez
45
Myrenda Morgan
My Dream I dream of your touch While you’re away I dream of your smile All through the day I remember the day you Came into my life knowing I was pregnant I dream of the day that I Will be your wife I dream of the day I can Fall asleep next to you and not Worry about leaving. I dream of the day that I Can say “I do” to you To be your wife and to be together For life for eternity until death do Us part even after death to be With you would be a dream Coming true. This is a dream I have Every night, even when I am By your side and in your Arms I dream that I could have you for Eternity and then some. I love you teddy bear, baby The love of my life.
46
Samuel Isai, Tempera
Celeste Alvarez
Christine N.M. Garcia
True Love Love is true not a myth I thought it was fake But when I met you I found it was true You searched and found The real me, no one else had ever known before But you make me happy And now I tell you you’re the one for me.
47
Joe Beltran
Weekend Work This past weekend I was just lounging in my pile next to the driveway like I always do, but as I was having a leafy tirade with a tree about how I didn’t want its roots anywhere near me, a group of people came over and started to dig me up. ”Oww.” That first shovel full really hurt. Now, you can imagine how startled I was. After awhile, it didn’t hurt so much, but it was a strange feeling to have parts of me placed in a wheel barrow and spread out everywhere. The tree said, “That’s what you get for being so stingy,” and that totally set me off. I laughed out at it as best as I could, not being able to move and all, but after awhile, I relinquished my efforts and focused on my attackers. From what I could gather about them, from their comments to each other, I found out that the biggest one was the father of the slightly bigger one and the smallest one. There was one other, but he lived across the street. The “slightly bigger one” was in high school and the father just sat around and made him do most of the hard labor. I also heard him mention that he was in Mrs. Price’s fourth period class. That must be a really great class for him to talk about it so much. Anyway, as the day wore on, more and more of me was spread out across the yard. Apparently this was to keep sand from eroding onto the driveway. They should have just told me! I could have talked to the sand for them, but instead they decided to spend hours working hard for nothing. What stupid people!
48
Above the Trees, Oil
Jessica Chetwood
Bernadette Garcia
Thoughts Though prayer repenting is done Through sickness worrying is defined Through death feeling is found Through accomplishment pride is discovered But through fear all is lost.
49
Disaster, Collage
Cesar Rayas
50
Leon Zimmerle
To You (the Man Who Was Never There) I’m in a pause, my throat can’t birth the words to come out my mouth, I’m stuck, I don’t know what to say. Yes I do, no I, wait, I’m, I’m beginning to stutter. This is always the worst part of telling someone that’s been distant to you how you feel. The beginning, the hardest part, the words are getting mixed up, they’re beginning to clutter. Let’s just start all over: I get you left, yes I know that you had your reasons, I’m not a little child anymore, be honest tell me the truth. It’s the least you can do, after all these years, I’m tired of staying stuck on that you would be everything Mom described about you, prove me wrong, I’m ready to pull my roots. Let’s go, I’m ready to leave, I’m full from eating every lie that my body has used its energy to make me think the things in my head, it has kept me from going to sleep. My lungs need to breathe, they need clean air. I need to be able to inhale the words from you that everything is okay now, I don’t want to live like that anymore, I don’t want to live in repeat. What do you mean you’re not ready, after all this time what more do you need to think about, you had all these years. Oh so now you want more minutes on the clock, you don’t have enough for me but you have plenty for another round of beers. You know I thought we could bridge this gap between us, that we could sudoku, puzzle up our missing pieces, start from page one, but I was wrong. You don’t want a beginning, you want an end. You want to close the book to never open it again, so that way we never have to fill in all the blank sheets and fix the incorrect punctuation of reasoning why you were gone. Mom said you were a sick, horrible person, a ludicrous, a snake and that you not raising me was a privilege, and I chose not to believe her. But these last little minutes with you has told me every51
thing, I see it in your eyes, your tone, even in your expressions. How wrong I was, now I see, I believe every word. It is sad how a person, an unfortunate organism as yourself is called a human, a father, something, not someone, that doesn’t care about there their own child. How sad that every day millions of kids are mistreated and put in a position, put in such as I. How we’re sometimes used for collateral, you people despise me, we’d probably be raised better in the wild. It’s okay I get it now go live your live in your filthy habit, live like you used to live, in litter and garbage. Live that life that someone else could have used, what a waste. But know that I don’t need you, never did never will. I’m over you like your old gum that runs out of flavor. I’ve spit you out and brushed my teeth. I’ve gotten rid of that nasty taste. You could have changed my life, made Mom’s better. I wouldn’t have had to go through everything I have. All you had to do was try and stay. But if only you knew how your decision of leaving her changed her life, broke her heart, if it weren’t for you, I would still would be with her. I wouldn’t be so far away. But It’s okay, for I have a fatal flaw and this one is yours. I’m done with finding the links between us, I’ve closed all my doors. Unlike you, I will succeed. I will graduate. I’ll go to college. I’ll live on my own in independence. I will succeed. I’ll get that education, have that academic success, major in anything I want. Music, art or in painting, whatever the subject may be, I’ll earn that degree. I’ll find a woman to love, treat her right, I’ll marry her. I wont hit her or put her through what you did with my mother. For unlike you I know what’s right. I know what’s wrong. Though I’m pretty sure I found her, I hope she knows I tired of giving her clues, I hope she heard it in my last song. But when we’re married we’ll have all the kids she’s dreamed of. I’ll raise them right, give them everything I never had, I’ll give them anything they want. For I’m better than you, I know how to love, understand, 52
and to make everything right. I know when to apologize when given the chance. For I’m everything you’re not. And I’ll be the one major thing you lack—a father. And yes, I’ll be better, because your version of one is such a low standard. It’s in a category way below, so far down. It’s so unearthed that no matter how bad of a job I do it will still be more levitated above your own. It will be so far up, so far above you that you will begin to drown. Today I’ll stay mad and tomorrow I will forgive you again. I did it all these years, it’s not in my blood to be dyed black and stay upset. But I would like to thank you for the scars you’ve given me. They made me stronger. They made me a better person, and I can thank God for the rest.
Playtime, Photo Collage
Celeste Alvarez 53
Rosa M. Gonzalez
The Backseat Passenger Life, hope, love, dreams I see all this as we drive By Yet these things become Blurry When we are in a Hurry To get where we need to Be I wonder what is so important That we think we need to Speed So much that our actions Become selfish I know it is some kind of Need On which to learn how not to Satisfy. We are helpless For now I guess I’ll wait While this car goes way too fast Though while in here, my vision I will never grasp Until the vehicle stops And the world becomes clear So we can see.
54
Purple Wood, Collage
Dawn Wehner
Ariel Torres
Notice The dwellings of lost souls. The lost of lost. The chain reaction of life changes In front of our doorstep. Notice. Love, hope, sweet, hate, swear! Believe now what you hear but what you see is true.
55
Joseph Guerrero (AKA Bubba) Dedicated to precious Perla
Gangstaz Cry Too I gave you everything and you threw it all away Ain’t nobody in da world gonna love you da same And when I pulled you close you just pulled back away I can feel it in ma heart dat everything changed I tried to make you happy but it went to da grave Now I got memoriez of da relationship I tried to save Ain’t no gamez about us Just tell me if you wanna stay I just wanna know if you still love me Is it something I did, or something I can change? There something in your mind, and on me it wantz to blame? I try to stay calm, but it’s hard to move on If you want somebody else, precious, don’t hold ma arm But Ima let you know dat I’m all dat you need A million memoriez came from a little seed A year and 5 monthz later you really hurt me I never thought I say it but I kinda hate you For all da pain and tearz dat you put me through And on Valentines I proved to love you No matter da situation, baby, we’ll make it through And call me what you want but gangstaz cry too Just remember baby girl, diz gangsta lovez you.
56
Self-Portrait, Tempera
Emeral Hernandez
57
Joshua Balboa
Tearing Puppets It’s much better to give the voice, then to give up this choice, We all forget the facts, and are just puppets in this act, we dance round and round, but given no sound, we are so silent in this torment, letting these chains ferment, deeper and deeper they tear, as this skin begins to wear, I tore those strings mid dance, falling to that cold wood floor, leaving all my hope to chance, hoping these wings still soar. Joshua Balboa
Freedom Lay it on the line, Stand your ground on the ledge, Never shake as others whine, With the world on the edge, Fight for your rights, crawl over that wall of lies, Look in the mirror as all truth dies, Shattering glass gives way, We’ve all lost the words to say.
58
Angry Man, Pencil
Alberto Valdez
59
Ray Magallanez
Love Love can make the strongest man weak, the tallest man fall to his knees, and the greatest and powerful of men weaker in power, make him a little kid at heart. The love people choose to share with each other is very strong, but it takes both people falling or in it keep it growing and strengthening. Sharing your life with someone will always make you happy. But with happiness comes heartache. Most people think of love as the act of sharing your body with another. With that state of mind you usually mess up. You can make love with anyone, but sharing love is more than that. Love is giving your life to someone else to take care of or destroy. Think of love as having a new best friend. That person is one you can tell anything to. The one you know you can share anything with, and everything they do makes you happy. From a smile to even a funny smirk. Nothing can take away that closeness and comfort that you share with your significant other. Hold them whenever you can, cherish every moment you share, no matter how small. Kiss them to let them know that you care for them and never hurt them. Don’t try to be someone you aren’t. The little things that you do can affect people in huge ways. The hardest thing about love is finding and keeping it.
60
Kevin, Pencil
Weslie Ramirez
61
Billy Vongsouvanh
The Game of Life I play life like it’s a difficult game, My goal is to reach whatever’s my aim. No matter what I go through or what I hit— I’ll stand up proud and never quit. Through all the struggles and every fall. I’ve feared nothing and stood up tall. My heart is filled with faith, never fear, Ready to move into this new year. Keeping my mind set and clear, With all my sweat and every tear. I had many losses, yet all the gains Helped me not to feel the pain. Hope this year brings a better change. As the year goes by They will stand by my side— You know I mean my family, They’re the reason I live happily. They’ve been there since my first spelling bee, Now they watch me grow like a tree. As I move on with my life— It gets harder, so I’ll hold on tight. I’ll never let go and never forget all The people I have met. There are some things I do regret. It’s easy in a game—I can process restart, Or I have an extra life or another heart. In reality, you don’t have a second chance to fight, And that’s the reason it’s called life!
62
Ouch, Mixed Media
Oziel Garcia
Michelle Solis
I Don’t Need You Since these problems been going on, I needed you to be there for me. Now that there’s nothing wrong, you say you’ll be by my side till eternity. But I don’t need you anymore, I did fine when it was just me. Now that I realize I can accomplish more, pack your bags and be gone, because there will never again be a “we.”
63
Carlos Tovar
Urban Writer You can’t stop this flame That’s been constantly burning Wanting so much that it roars and curses See, the emotions it disperses Are greater than any man’s verses If it were to burn you, son You would need more than a million nurses. Be heard by your words Think before your actions burst No matter what Keep your head up. Take the lead If you feel like being first, For the better of mankind Not the worst. The history behind me Horrid nasty dirty With miles and miles of Krylon Like the Great Wall of China Times ten and only then Would you figure out How long this grapher Has been wreckin’ Never spot jocken. I’m felt when my presence walks in That yes sir I’m not frontin’.
64
Football Hero, Mixed Media
Oziel Garcia
65
Kenneth Nielsen
A World Finished With Destruction There is no doubt in the mind of any person, when we say that the world today is far different from that of ancient times. However, what is doubted is whether that change has improved upon the world’s original design or disfigured and emaciated our precious planet. To say that our world is not yet finished is an understatement. We have not created nor begun to create an artistic masterpiece at which we should awe. Instead, we are destroying what was once a true piece of artistic divinity bestowed upon mankind. Today we find ourselves within an era of technological advancement, the likes of which our ancestors could never have begun to fathom. From i-pods to cell phones, computers, and motor vehicles, our lives consist of daily interaction with technology. However, we do not stop to consider the price being paid for our comfort. The factories that produce these wonderful devices release toxic emissions into our atmosphere. Not to mention the excessive use of our planet’s limited resources as a means to meet the needs of production. These factories require vast amounts of energy to maintain production, and that energy is supplied by power plants that also emit pollution. This vicious cycle of production and pollution is destroying our planet, and sad as it may be, the destruction does not end there. The creatures that coinhabit this planet with us are suffering immensely; because of our mistakes, they are punished. Our world was created with an intricate food chain, and for hundreds of years man has dominated this chain of predators and prey. Today this domination has come to a dangerous level. Overfishing in our lakes, rivers, and oceans has caused fish populations to dwindle down to a point so severe that we have had to create laws to control fishing. Today cities are growing at an alarming rate, and to satisfy the need for more space we have destroyed environments so that we can build over them. The animals that once resided in those environments are forced to adjust to living in the cities and have actually begun to overpopulate them. Even though we are responsible for this problem, it is these stray animals that pay for our mistake. Each year in San Antonio, over forty thousand dogs and cats are euthanized as an attempt to fix our mistake. So, how can we call this world finished or complete when we continue to destroy it? Mankind will never be able to call this planet perfect, and it will never be the work of art that it once was. Even as we speak, we are de66
stroying this world, our world! Who will take the stand, the responsibility, and the initiative to say, “This is our mistake, it’s time to fix it?” Until then, we will never truly be finished, and this canvas of our world remains black, waiting for a fresh coat of white paint and the will to begin again.
The City, Collage
Cesar Rayas 67
Gallery
America Zimmerle
Paragonda, Sharpie
David Maldonado
La Playa, Oil Sticks 68
Childhood Memories, Acrylic
Jennifer Onofre
Untitled, Mixed Media
Jenelly Gutierrez 69
Still-life, Watercolor
Marissa Ramirez
Diablo, Digital
Chris Perez 70
Kari Blalack
Iguana, Pencil
Art Club
Violin, Acrylic 71
Art Teachers’ Work
Gabriel Tejeda
Big Sur, CA, Oil
Gabriel Tejeda
Newport Ave. Exit, Oil 72
Kathy O’Rourke
All’s Quiet on the Rio Grande, Oil
Kathy O’Rourke
Gimme Shelter, Oil 73
Elizabeth Lucido
Kings, Queens, Pawns, and Rooks, Ceramic
Elizabeth Lucido
Splash of Colors, Ceramic 74
Rebecca Chaney
Untitled, Ceramic
Rebecca Chaney
Untitled, Ceramic 75
76
THANK YOU Cynthia Trevino Kathy O’Rourke Elizabeth Lucido Rebecca Chaney Melinda Price Donna Martinez
And members of the Southside High School Art Club
Art Club Members 77
SOUTHSIDE HIGH SCHOOL Administrative Organization 2008-2009 Cynthia Trevino Principal Van Johnson Assistant Principal Rodolfo Gonzales Assistant Principal Sharon Rodriguez Assistant Principal Gilbert Olivarri 9th Grade Academy Nancy Tschirhart Coordinator Counseling and Guidance
78
79