Impressions 2016 edition

I M

P R E

S S I

O N S 2015-2016

IMPRESSIONS Editors' Note “Fill your paper with the breathings oF your heart.” William Wordsworth

Creating art is one of the most trying processes an individual can experience. There is no dictionary that can translate a person’s innermost feelings and convictions into a tangible model. The aim of Impressions is to highlight outstanding student expression and continue to develop and encourage students to produce their art and share their stories. When looking at a piece of art, regardless of its medium, we are given an opportunity to both engage with the work as well as gain a glimpse into the scope of an artist.

This edition of Impressions reflects the richness of diversity throughout the hallways of DePaul Catholic. There are many beautiful souls at DePaul as reflected by the creations this club was honored to collect and display in this book. As this edition of the Literary Magazine came together we were touched at the effort and creativity that went into all the art we received. It is truly a privilege to work with the student body in this close and personal way.

A heartfelt thank you to the students who trusted this club with their art, to Ms. Johnson and Mrs. Sullivan our wonderful advisors, to the administration who continue to bless us with their support, and to our wonderful readers who have chosen to embark on this exploration of student art and expression.

Thank you for reading, Veronika Kovalev Toluwani Adedeji Ashley Urina

Editors in Chief 2

TABLE OF CONTENTS Title

Page

Me, Myself, and I, Toluwani Adedeji………………………………………………. 5 Passion, Dora Meto……………………………………………………………………….. 6 Bated Breath, Nalya Hill ………………………………………………………………… 7 Tribute to Love, Lauren Kachiduran……………………………………………….. 8 Change, Nicole D’Ambrosia……………………………………………………………. 9 I’ll Be Here, Zaire Bethea……………………………………………………………….. 10 Dear Future Self, Jonna Anello……………………………………………………….. 11 Loss, Joe Bastante………………………………………………………………………….. 12 The Universality of Blindness, Brandon Miller………………………………… 13 Jack Frost, Summer Ramundo………………………………………………………… 14 Running, David Ramirez…………………………………………………………………

15

Mentors, Brandon Miller ………………………………………………………………. 16 Make Tomorrow Beautiful, David Ramirez……………………………………… 18 The Meaning of Love, Nicole D’Ambrosia………………………………………. 19

In My Heart, Haleigh Coco……………………………………………………………… 20 College Essay, Toluwani Adedeji…………………………………………………….. 21 Fall, Jonna Anello…………………………………………………………………………… 22 Love Is, Summer Ramundo…………………………………………………………….. 23 .

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TABLE OF CONTENTS Title

Page

I Was Raised, Toluwani Adedeji……………………………………………………… 24 Love Is?, Nalya Hill…………………………………………………………………………. 26 Growth Through Change, Summer Ramundo…………………………………. 27 Writer’s Block, Summer Ramundo ………………………………………………… 28 Life, Darius McDowell……………………………………………………………………. 29 Dear Future Self, Summer Ramundo………………………………………………

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Mother, Jonna Anello…………………………………………………………………….. 31 Family, Zaire Bethea…….………………………………………………………………… 32 6:25 PM, Dora Meto………………………………………………………………………. 33 Battle Wounds, Summer Ramundo………………………………………………… 34 I Was Raised, Dora Meto……..………………………………………………………… 35 Click, Toluwani Adedeji………………………………………………………………….. 36 Tribute to Love, Laura Kachidurian………….……………………………………… 37 Carnegie Hall, Samantha Garofalo …………………………………………………

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The Light I Lost, Laura Kachidurian ……….……………………………………….. 39 .

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Me, Myself, and I

By Toluwani

I like the me that I am with you

Adedeji

She is wild, and carefree

I can’t stand to see who I’d been underneath

She is not afraid to be herself

Rising up again

Because she can always become me again.

So I tether myself to who I was

But when you decided

An invisible thread pulls me along

Who I am when I’m with you

You didn’t like the you that you were with me

As you go off on your own

That me couldn’t bear the hurt

Moving, wandering, going

So she took off in search of you

In search of who you want to be

The space she took up in my heart

I become a slave to this dynamic duo

Remains a no-man’s land

that we were

A carelessly shredded, now untouched

I’m not in love with you anymore -

Reserve for who I wanted to be

But I’m still in love with me.

A reserve whose borders know no bounds

I know I’ll find her again

No distinction from east to west With shadows of who I used to be

The sun will light her smile once more

Slowly creeping into its corners

But until then, I’ll just be me-on my own, without you.

5

Passion

By Dora Meto

I love using a pen and paper to write.

As much as I enjoy the sound of clicking keys, a pen in between my fingers, and a crisp sheet of paper is all I need.

I love having so many ideas at once, that the words feel like they’re just stored in my pen, Waiting to be spilled out.

I love seeing imprints of each letter on the back of a page.

I love inscribing a piece of me into each word letting it be free

with every soft curve of the letters, I’ve become so familiar with.

6

Bated Breath

By Nalya Hill You walked past me in the hall.

They say looks are worth a thousand words

I held my breath.

Your looks used to tell me you loved me

It’s hard to see you since then.

Is it hard for you?

Your looks told me you cared

Do you feel the same?

Your looks told me you were happy

Do you still think about me?

Your looks told me you were the one.

The way I still think about you Why don’t you look at me like that anymore?

I think about our past

Why am I hurting?

I think about how we were

Why am I upset?

The things we did

Why am I in pain?

The way you held me

Why does it feel like I’m empty?

The way you kissed me

Empty like the hallway you just passed me in.

The way you looked at me.

7

Tribute to Love

By Laura Kachidurian

This is a tribute to love.

The kind that fills you with honor.

Honor that comes with respect.

Honor needs love.

This is a tribute to love.

The kind of love that fills you with passion.

Passion that makes you want to scream.

Passion needs love.

This is a tribute to love.

The kind of that fills you with loyalty.

Loyalty that will never falter.

Loyalty needs love.

This is a tribute to love.

The kind that fills you with joy.

Joy that makes you never stop smiling.

Joy needs love.

This is a tribute to love.

8

Change

By Nicole D'Ambrosia

People change and there’s nothing you can do Everyone alters when they find something new Knowing that it’s inevitable is the worst part Watching someone you love change can break your heart

When that person is slowly becoming a stranger You’d do anything just to get back to the way things were When they were your best friend and you’ve basically been replaced This is a problem nobody wants to face

9

I’ll Be Here Zaire Bethea

I know how it feels To take that big hit Knowing you want to stay down There’s no point to try again Once you’ve hit the turf face down But you got to get up You got to move, And I’ll be there Be right there to help you I know just how it feels To spread your wings

Only to never fly There’s no desire To give it another try But you’ve got to You’ve got to fly, And I’ll be there Be right there to fly with you I know just how it feels To face the world alone Only to realize you were wrong There’s a friend there To help you along I’ll always be there to help you along 10

Dear Future Self

By Jonna Anello

Be ready for obstacles coming your way Don’t let anyone have the power to ruin your day Because people come and go But your true friends will always be there for you

When it comes to family try your best to keep in touch Because if you don’t you won’t see them that much Never take your parents out of your life because you will regret it

And to regret is the worst feeling you will ever get It’s like a forever wish to turn back time and fix it If you set a goal and don’t succeed never quit

When you become a wife Commit to your husband for life Because getting divorced is a big mistake And it is definitely a road you do not want to take

But most of all love yourself And never be greedy even if you do not have wealth Live your life and love it.

11

Loss

By Joe Bastante

I can remember the day so vividly Almost like it was yesterday I was eleven years old, barely

I lay in bed, despondent, for days after

For all of my life that I can remember You were so important to me that I wanted to be your retinue That is why it is so sad That none of my siblings will even remember you

Quickly after I felt anger for God But, soon, my rancor turned to envy For he had gained the brightest angel Of them all

I remember the trail of “Tootsie Rolls” They lead me up and down those narrow halls I was filled with credence that they would be there Until suddenly they weren’t

My world came crashing down that day I quickly plunged into torpor Until one day When I realized it would all be okay Because the life you lived was beautiful 12

The Universality of Blindness

By Brandon Miller

Protruding from the babies belly was a raw deal unchurned Regardless, he’ll prance for the initial years to come

He’ll harden with due time, Become cold and stern His burden manifesting His metallic taste Yearning for the chill of a concupiscence’d embrace But he’ll assume it as made of love As remnants of an inherent companionship Adrift amidst his own cloak of the universality of unawareness The green garden turned grey The domesticated animal led astray I guess it’s figured what good is the dispatched knowledge When its intelligibility makes it impossible to relay

13

Jack Frost

By Summer Ramundo

Trees stand silent and bare Collecting snowflakes like dust

As they drift lifelessly through the air.

Icicles dangle from street lights Like teeth gnawing at the bitter air And hanging below the backdrop of the night.

Sheets of ice align boulevards Like blank canvases awaiting to tell stories

Through the passing cars.

Blankets of white purity comfort the earth, Laying across the region, Waiting patiently for a green spring birth.

Footprints disrupt a calm serenity.

Collecting in bundles, Piles of snow arrive in plenty.

The beauty of winter comes at a cost.

But despite the numbness, we all still manage to feel the intimacy of every flake.

And we all still thank Mister Jack Frost.

14

Running

By David Ramirez

It started out for fun Just an average Sunday run, But ended up competitive Who knew I’ll be running All three seasons consecutive I run every race At a different pace I try to less stiffly

And run more swiftly Every minute I’m gasping My lungs start collapsing, Trying to catch my breath, But don’t think I can Trying not to stumble, But my legs start to crumble At the end of the day When I want to fall I could walk home tall Knowing I gave it my all 15

Mentors By Brandon Miller Gloomy illustrations a bluntness in rhyme And a thoroughly stressed Darkness ensconced paradigm.

Those ravenous creatures lurking eerily bells stalking with vibrating rings With murkiness unparalleled And a lexicon as emphatic as the rain of springs most fierce storm Poe’s literature grandfathered my form

His jargon complex rhythm unconventional With a refusal against bondage and a rebellion almost tangible Through translated stanzas in fervent opposition against marginalization Adhering to the notion of the deeply embedded truth Showing how a poem can be used to romanticize And in the next breath, used to mourn Russian poet Brodsky grandfathered my form

Utilizing an array of footnotes to construct new worlds He told tales both extensive and elaborate Hailed as virtuosic and unequivocally ambitious With artful precision he set out on his mission Never allowing a detail to be relegated as implicit A creator and artist and man deeply forlorn Fiction writer Foster Wallace grandfathered my form

A perceived messiah in a system corrupt He substituted endless wealth for life as a prophetic guru Intuitive in nature but nonetheless a thoughtful proponent Of a spiritual essence and wholly aura Emphasizing consciousness and self-imploring being With a firm stance against “existing” or essentially “being” 16

Encouraging a life liberated and not concerned with scorn Krishnamurti, spiritual advisor, grandfathered my form

A perplexing mind often regarded as incomprehensible Through 19th Century German dialectics among the most exceptional He set out to create an all-encompassing system In regimented and rigorous scientific developments He painted a world in his Idealist vision Tangling minds through tacklings of the Absolute And a Phenomenology taken as philosophical Scripture Proposing the Notions of mind and spirit as interchangeable And other postings regarding the system in which he functioned “Truth in philosophy means that concept and external reality must correspond” A metaphysical mind, never seemingly worn G.W.F Hegel grandfathered my form

A spectacular thinker characterized as Nihilistic Scaring a mass into unconventional thought Through will and representation he shaped an idealist reality Exposing sophists entangled in their own incoherent fallacies In principles of sufficient reason he modeled Logic into a powerful package While putting his transcendental Idealism to practice “Every person takes the limits of their own field of vision for the field of vision of the world” Challenging conceptual thinking made mundane as the norm Pessimistic Schopenhauer grandfathered my form

Justice cannot be done for the essence of these wholes Through this rigid poetic expression Their ideas, minds, spirits, and souls Exceed the limits of my intentions But they have taught me lessons that my narrow mind could have never contrived And they have challenged me to think in ways that never conform And thus, I thank these teachers For grandfathering my form

17

Make Tomorrow Beautiful

By David Ramirez

“Make tomorrow beautiful” Make tomorrow about you The hardest part is not the fall But getting back up standing up tall “Make tomorrow beautiful” Life is just a test As long you’re still breathing You should feel blessed “Make tomorrow beautiful” As long as you believe There’s nothing in life you can’t achieve Just know with God You’ll never suffer Everything you do Will only make you tougher

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The Meaning of Love

By Nicole D'Ambrosia Love is an indescribable phrase That can be distorted and taken in many ways It is an emotion, a feeling, an action Love is based off what people think is attraction But, this so called love is much more than that You can’t relate unless you’ve felt it, and that’s a fact Looking at someone and not being able to describe how you feel

That’s how you know the love is real When it hurts just to think about them leaving you That’s how you know the love is true Everyone puts an age limit on this feeling Because people think love hurts and were too young for healing But these people don’t understand how we work today Love is so easily taken and given away

19

In My Heart

By Haleigh Coco

I wish I had more time with you

Life isn’t always fair

I wish you got to stay

And although it isn’t physically

But in my mind I’ll always know`

But in spirit you’ll always be there

You’re only a prayer away I remember everything about you I wish you were here for the big moments

Your laugh, your smile, your cry

I wish you got to see more

From when we met til the moment you died

I remember all the times we shared

But God was calling upon your name And heaven opened up the doors

Every day you cross my mind “In heaven what do you see?”

I learned so much from you

I hope the view is great up there

To draw, read, and write

And you’re always looking down on me

But singing songs was our favorite We sang all day and night

But God gave you your angel wings

It was your time to depart But I learned so much more

But this poem is to let you know

Than just the words to a song

You’ll always be in my heart

You taught me to be a fighter You taught me to be strong

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College Essay

By Toluwani

Adedeji

Insert inspirational hook here.

How can I show my future?

Or, something like that.

Something I know not

Look, this isn’t something

In a way that seems put together

That I have down pat

And is eloquent and wellthought?

But I figure why not, I should give it a try.

All the choices I made

I still don’t see how they expect that I

And the ones that made me How can I use this curser To paint an image easily?

Can present to them

My entire life

In 500 words

In about 500 words

My self-portrait would be abstract

That are enough to suffice

But it’s not just a “selfie” That science isn’t exact

To represent all I am And all I could be In 500 words-

My life: it’s not just me

How could I show me?

There were people that knit And intertwined life with mine

In this picture, do they fit?

How could I show my past?

The lessons I found

500 words.

Big and small, every day That kept my world spinning around?

21

Fall

By Jonna Anello

My town is a canvas Colors of red, orange, and yellow Lightly brushed throughout the landscape Leaves break free from branches

And slowly rock through the wind Until peacefully reaching the ground Cold chills of the autumn air sweep through the doors As we leave the house to go to school Trying to accept the temperatures are dropping And starting to get cool.

22

Love Is

By Summer Ramundo Love is his eyes.

Eyes that are such a pure blue that you are launched into the afternoon sky, Soaring among voluminous clouds.

Yet you are simultaneously plunged into the deep depths of the Pacific Ocean.

And you feel safe.

And you feel welcome.

And you feel home.

Love is his smile.

A smile that makes butterflies erupt in the pit of your empty stomach, And a dimple that makes every single cell in your body melt into the crevices of the side walk right on the scene.

The pure whiteness flashes you with purity like a deer caught in headlights when he sees you.

Love is his laughter.

A laughter that harmonizes in your ear like ringing church bells.

A sweet sound that replays in your mind after every joke you attempt to tell.

A sound so soft and angelic that no matter where you are or how you’re feeling you long to hear just the simple sound waves of it.

Love is him.

Love is every freckle dotting his tanned skin.

Love is every flaw that resides in his being.

Love is everything about him and more.

Love is him.

23

I Was Raised

By Toluwani Adedeji I was raised by dreams eluding dream catchers Our hearts’ desires to “reach for the sun Cause if you miss you’ll still be a star”, kinda dreams.

A star for someone else to wish on And wonder what it would be like For their own dreams to become reality.

I was raised by ideas “Mightier than any weapon formed against you”, A thirst, a yearning for the knowledge that If they couldn’t change the world for the better They had changed it for good

I was raised by words “They can make you or break you” Black ink blots and scratches arranged in a way That screamed to be noticed and carved Onto the surface of souls And for others to take and carve onto their own

I was raised by nature A series of seasons rising to fall, To rise, to fall, to rise The meaning of life and every sacrifice That we could ever hope to make seen with our eyes And silently understood within our souls

I was raised by choices Good and bad, choices all the same But the way we changed after those choices Speaking volumes of characterWho we were, who we are, And all we are yet to be.

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I Was Raised (Continued)

I was raised by music The rhythms of our souls Tap-tap-tapping Pour-pour-pouring out of our pores And inspiring others to spill out the contents of their own.

I was raised by emotions The constant love-hate war Taking course on the battlefields of the mind A no man’s land that alters the fate of decisions: “You can control them or they’ll control you”.

I was raised by humans Though we may not be perfect We’re perfect for each other…

I was raised by the world.

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Love ?

By Nalya Hill

When you get butterflies in your stomach when you see him When he is on your mind 24/7 When you can’t picture yourself without him That is love

They say when you’re in love it’s the happiest moment of your life.

But what happens when he hurts you.

What happens when he forgets about you?

What happens when the two of you are no longer the perfect two?

That’s when it hurts.

It hurts because you will still get the butterflies because he will still be on your mind 24/7

26

Growth through Change

By Summer Ramundo I grew up with

I grew up with

Silence speaking louder than words.

The Earth revolving And rotating through the strength of the gravitational pull.

Ricocheting off surfaces And reverberating off walls “Silence is golden,” they said.

Stars aligning

And galaxies gleaming among shining suns.

I changed with I grew up with

The seasons.

Wishing upon shooting stars

Hair lengthening as leaves fell

And daydreaming of dancing along the Milky Way

Height increasing as snow cascaded from clouds

With an abundance of infinite galaxies existing

Features developing as spring flowers bloomed

Farther away than the mind can imagine.

I grew.

I grew up with

I changed with

A rising and setting sun

Every passing month.

And a sky saturated in oranges and yellows

I transformed with

Slowly seeping into blues and violets.

Every passing year.

People telling me,

Growing

“Inspire others.”

Morphing Expanding my horizons And igniting myself into who I was meant to be

I grew up with Art work.

I grew up with change.

Influential and mysterious all in one.

A kind of art that made sparks course through your veins.

Strokes of paint inspiring your every thought, your every move.

27

Writer’s Block

By Summer Ramundo The pen hits the paper,

Deep reds transform to violets,

But the blue blood won’t flow.

And the sun kisses the moon.

Nothing stains the pages

Words caress stanzas, aligning the perfect story.

Except the frustrated scribbles of indigo.

The writer’s block dissipates too quickly, too soon.

Letters float along the lines Like stars dislodged in the sky.

And night turns to morning

Dancing, soaring, falling,

As the paper is saturated and full.

Losing their sparkle left to die.

Crowded with ideas No longer blank, no longer null.

Words start to shine like suns, And the ink begins to run.

Slowly, the pen begins to tango, and Stained pages it has done.

Sentences line the paper Like impeccable moons.

Dark spots flaw pure whiteness

On a bright day in June.

Verses bond to the page Left to be read another day.

Just as the sky Allows the onyx night to come and play.

28

Life

By Darius McDowell Life is like the ocean

Life can be extremely rigid

Problems flowing through your body

Waking up every day in adversity

Different obstacles splashing in your face

Nothing but negativity all around you

Cold and wet

Being surrounded by a failing corrupt community

Like the ocean, life can get rough

Life can be very stimulating

50 foot waves crashing down on you

Never knowing what tomorrow may hold

Drowning in your problems and issues

Meeting new people, and making friends

Fighting to survive in the deep pits of life

Having a positive brashness everyday

Life can be wonderful at times

The joy of seeing people smile

Life can be very sad

The feeling of cheerfulness

Never knowing when the last time you talk to someone will be

Becoming problem free

Losing friends to violence in the community Life can be full of love

Hoping your family stays strong

Having strong feelings for someone Finding a person you have a strong bond with Love is like waking up with a smirk everyday

29

Dear Future Self

By Summer Ramundo

You’re a one in a million, A diamond in the rough.

Don’t believe society Because you are enough.

Your smile may be crooked, And pimples may dot your face, But you don’t need perfection To have a better day.

You are you

And to me that’s alright Because your voice stores laughter And your heart holds fight.

Your soul will battle For who you are Because you will prosper And you will go far.

So shine bright, my dear friend, And don’t stop glowing.

You are enough, And, trust me, it’s showing.

30

Mother

By Jonna Anello

My best friend, my teacher I’m so proud to call you my mother You prepare me for life and tell me to spread my wings

You have taught me everything I know From manners, to being loving, and to just plain having fun all I have is because of you.

Thank you for always being by my side Helping me in the worst times And having fun with me in the greatest ones

I wouldn’t change anything about you You are the perfect mom and the mom everyone dreams to have

but I am the only one lucky enough to call you my mother

31

Family By Zaire Bethea I was raised by Life lessons Punishments and consequences Always working “Look at me when I’m talkin to you” High school football and basketball All American

Kind of dad

Success lectures Stay focused and stay in school “You better watch your mouth” Respect your elders Do the right thing Sort of mom

Shopping Sleepovers Track Writing Talking on the phone “You’re my best friend” Type of sister

Arguments Wrestling “Stay away from my sister” Football games Video games Type of brother 32

6:25 PM

By Dora Meto It got tough, life softened up.

I watched myself grow.

I am grown and I am ready.

Fear washed off, hope is near.

Dreaming of another life in the views.

Sunset turning into night, bringing my soul by its side. “I am grown and I am ready.�

33

Battle Wounds

By Summer Ramundo

I feel treacherously lost in the forest of the unknown.

Delicately walking along a winding path we all seem to understand as life.

Yet I’m troubled And lonesome Among trees that seem to stretch as far as the eye can see.

Pine needles and thorns prick at my flawed skin, causing my blood to stain my timeline.

Scars form from broken skin which the society we live in calls “battle wounds.”

My heart pounds in my ears and in my chest and in my throat, drowning out the sounds of silent animals that whisper lies sworn to secrecy.

This rugged path we specify as life isn’t dangerous unless we allow it to be because these “battle wounds” I possess are only scratches that don’t reach any deeper than the surface.

34

I was Raised

By Dora Meto

I grew like the roots from a tree orange and yellow leaves with rough edges watching the sunset.

I am grown and I am ready.

Fear washed off, hope is near.

Dreaming of another life in the views.

“Reach for the moon and stars.”

Music blew with the wind.

Sunset turning into night, bringing my soul by its side.

“I am grown and I am ready.”

I grew like the vines against a house.

Wrapped tightly against the poles.

Fighting through the hurricanes and hard tolls.

Swimming past the floods, reassuring “keep on going!”

I grew tall like my shadow.

Small – big, there was a new person.

Bold, strong.

A new soul arose from within.

I grew tall from leadership.

Path to success was carved like gold on pavement.

Glistening from taps of Dorthy’s shoes as she clicked.

“You’re almost there.”

I grew wiser like my elders.

Taught in steps, to reach the top of my potential.

One, two I’m almost there.

I watched myself grow like the tide in the ocean.

It was high, it was low.

It got tough, life softened up.

I watched myself grow.

35

Click

By Toluwani

Adedeji

I am a photographer.

With the command of a “click”, My shudder becomes the shot heard around the world.

I give all that is within me for one job and one job only: To capture the moments that seem so precious to the person in the picture, And store it within myself.

“Click” after “click” after “click” I remember and I remember well.

I take their experiences and make them my own.

Tailor them to define who I am, and who I will be.

I am merely a reflection, one distorted at the first touch-caused ripple of the waters.

Slowly, thumbing through the images of our lives together, I ignore the subtle upgrades, willing them to stop, but on they go.

And on and on and on, until I am the oldest item left.

Then, in the blink of an eye, or the flash of a camera They rip my memories away.

They take out my memory card, as if it wasn’t all I had Until I am replaced by something newer, something slimmer, something grand.

Like me, but better, they say, As if I were some burden As if I wasn’t there for them through it all.

Nov. 26, 2005:I was there on the day that your smile was so bright that I couldn’t capture it all.

Jan. 5, 2013:I was there when you decided to give your entire body over to that man with a flash May 19, 2008: I was there through that haircut you hated and tried to hide I was there through all those memories, they’re mine too.

You could confide in me with your secrets, you trusted me with your life You were addicted to my ability to remember the things you were told to forget And I wait, long for the day that your fingers will once again dance along my surface Graze my buttons, and replay our lives together with a “click”.

36

Tribute to Love

By Laura Kachidurian

This is a tribute to love.

The kind that fills you with honor.

Honor that comes with respect.

Honor needs love.

This is a tribute to love.

The kind of love that fills you with passion.

Passion that makes you want to scream.

Passion needs love.

This is a tribute to love.

The kind that fills you with loyalty.

Loyalty that will never falter.

Loyalty needs love.

This is a tribute to love.

The kind that fills you with joy.

Joy that makes you never stop smiling.

Joy needs love.

This is a tribute to love.

37

Carnegie Hall

By Samantha Garofalo

“You’re on”

I know I have it down pat

Door opens

But there’s still a sense of fear

Light flashes in my eyes

You don’t know what to expect

Audience starts cheering

Nerves begin to take control

150 sets of eyes on me

When I sit down on that bench

My breathing feels like

I isolate myself from the audience

a truck is laying on my chest

Compose my inner thoughts

I know I’ve come this far

And feel confidence rise within myself

It is time to give all I’ve got Ten years of playing I sit down on that leather bench

I know I can do it

Place my cold fingers on the ivory keys

My fingers took off

Take a deep breath

And my mind met them at the finish line

And begin my performance

Something I’ve worked months for Hours of drilling and repetition Weekends spent traveling to New York City

Days turned into nights of practicing

38

The Light I Lost Darkness is coming It’s slowly taking over.

Darkness doesn’t come alone.

It comes with sadness

Sadness is coming It is slowly taking over There is no stopping it now.

I am trying to find a way out.

Darkness is coming I can’t hide from it

It has become inevitable I am trying to elude it.

Sadness is coming I can’t escape it I want to push people away.

It’s getting darker

Darkness is coming I have lost the light But it’s becoming a fight I will over come I will persevere 39

By Laura Kachidurian

Scholarship Faith Community 40

IMPRESSIONS DePaul Catholic High School

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