Genesis2015: Resurrection by Nhscsgenesis

Genesis: Resurrection Spring 2015 Volume 01 Northbrook High School Raider Cir N #1, Houston, TX 77080

Table of Contents Letters from the Editors

Poems Angel's tale 6 Battles and Struggles 7 Bedtime Stories 7 Believe 8 A Blank Page 9 Blind Girl 10 Bodily Requirements 10 Compunction 11 Dance 13 Dark Storm...By Mankind 15 Drunk 16 Dry Wasteland 17 Empty Space 18 To Father 19 Feel the Beat 20 Friends Forever 20 Forgive Me 21 Great King 22 The Hard Part 24 He 24 Heaven 25 Her 25 Her 26 The Hero in My Life 27 Him 27 I Can’t 27 I’m Willing 28 In Hysteria 29 Inevitable Death 30 Is it Me or She? 30 It’s Been a Year 31 It’s not bad if it’s my own death row 31 It’s not okay 32 It’s Whatever 33 Living in my world 35 Love 36

Miserable at Best Monsters Inside The Mourning M/O/T/H/E/R My Shoes Nothing Omou Poem to a Friend Puppeteer Rain Sick Sorry Stop talking and Shh The Sun The System Take us with you Please! Today Two People in Love Vagrant Birds Vision Waves that Crash When I Finally Find Love The Word “Christian” You & Me You’re Rude

36 36 37 41 43 44 45 46 48 49 49 50 51 52 53 53 53 54 55 55 56 58 60 61 62

Prose Bars Breathe Brotherhood A Different Society Man’s Revolution Mute and Continue Real Rapper The Wall

64 64 65 66 67 68 68 70

Artwork Kirk Rodrigues Aylin Gutierrez Serrano

Letters from the Editors

Carla Trochez: Greetings! As a member of the resurrected Creative Writing class at Northbrook High School, I would like to give a special thanks to Mr. Martinez, our faculty advisor, for bringing back the class. Throughout the year, he has encouraged us and known (not simply believed) that we could improve our writing skills. Similarly, as I write, I know that in the years to come, Northbrook’s Creative writing team will continue to thrive and show a growth in its members. This first year has been a little rough because of the fresh start. Nevertheless, we were able to pull together this anthology with support from our principals and teachers. This anthology is a compilation of several pieces our team has created over the past school year that our team hopes you appreciate. Jesus Jimenez: Salutations to those who get their hands on these beautiful set of works. I would like to praise the team that have spent hours staring into a screen trying to bring back to life what this class has been missing. Finally we are proud to announce the revival of Creating Writing’s yearly anthology “ Genesis ”. As a team, I believe we have grown to create a path for many years to come. Our team has now established what we hope to be a tradition for the rest of Northbrook’s years. With this I am glad to speak on behalf of the editors that this will not be the last anthology this class will produce. I hope you take the time to enjoy all the work that was poured into this project and take it for what it is thank you so much. Robert Striker: Hello, We as editors would first, like to thank you, the reader for taking interest in our 2015 Genesis anthology we have spent the last three weeks going through all the pieces and artwork so that we would have it ready for your consumption. We hope you enjoy every piece in this project and continue the new tradition of Genesis . Finally, we would like to thank you for your help to make this possible .

Poetry

Angel's tale Cover me up, Conceal my head, Because a legend’s tale might steal my light. And the shadows roam, Playing with your runes. For they know not to play the game of hide and seen. And watch the hunters For they might runt, Exposing your lies, Concealing your truths. And the decks might sink Under the blazing gaze Of Zeus our god, And Elizabeth our queen. I say once more to cover me up And conceal my head, because two taps might mean my death. Anaili Salas

Battles and Struggles Battles and struggles have overtaken the world Every day we wake up and are pulled into a drain of problems. We drown with struggle after struggle and besides that, We are surrounded by people that listen, but never fully understand our daily battles. Daily, we are put down and told not to dream, that we won't succeed. We’ve been told we arent good enough, that we wont make it in life. So every morning, we wake up with the mentality of failure instead of success. We begin to believe we weren't made for anything in life. There words become our own gravity pulling us down and keep pulling us down for the rest of our lives. So when we grown up, We realize we consumed so many of their words, that we wasted our whole life trying to throw them up. We realize that their words were stronger than your hunger for success, and most of all we realize that their words impacted our life more than what we thought they would. So we begin to be overtaken by their words And we begin to preach what was once preaches to us. Ashley Guzman

Bedtime Stories Now come and tell the story, For we know how stories go. And answer the cry Of the running prompt. Each word tells, but doesn't tell, Of the story to it's betrayal. Anaili Salas

Believe

‘He said always believe.’ Carla Garcia

A Blank Page

Xavier Vela

Blind Girl Two persons who are a few moments blind are touching each other’s lips, transforming it into a kiss. He knows who she is. She has no idea of who’s lips she kissed. He falls in love, he wants to revive the past. He wants to say, “I’m sorry,” so bad. He wants to cry and fix her broken heart. She feels cute, kissing some guy. She feels proud, proud for not showing him love because she is blind. No, not blind because deep in her heart she’s smart. “Don’t love on first pop,” the heart said. “The owner of the lips can hurt you,” the heart said. “He can break us.” And “Never again,” she said. Lucerito Herrera

Bodily Requirements The heart longs for someone to beat for. The eye yearns for a beautiful sight to gaze at. The hand wishes to be able to lock fingers and dance with another. Every part of the human body has desires and there is always someone out there capable of fulfilling them. Kent Argumedo

Compunction Her smile brings unease with a breeze of reluctance for giving she’s been living a life in disguise away from the wise going her own way. She thinks there is still time, but the clock is ticking and it’s already passed the hour. So she takes a shower to relax to leave at bay the decision she needs to make before she is left behind. It is not until the Light comes for the sage that she will see her grand mistake. Yet it will be much too late for her to be saved. Carla Trochez

Kirk Rodrigues

Sleep and Butter

Dance She dances in the moonlight She dances and it's perfection She dances like it’s a fight Like she's shadowboxing herself She can't get in a punch She falls and cries She gets back up And remembers

Her dancing is her happiness A type of happiness Like she was ready to kiss a Channing Tatum kinda boy With a six pack kinda body And all she would do would be lick her two lips and keep him in her mind when she dances

So she dances And she dances And she goes to sleep

And I'm over here just thinking about her like “Holy crap she is beautiful!” Like I have no other words that describe the feeling She's that kind of girl that you think about everyday, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week And if I don't get a glimpse, I get mad Then I get sad Then I get all frustrated and riled up And I tell Cupid to kill me off because of the biggest arrow he ever Shot into my heart

I've tried pulling the arrow out But every time I try I let go, and it sinks a little deeper Like my heart has begun sinking in quicksand And my hands are paralyzed and don't want to grab the branch that can get me out of this crush

You see, that's all that it is It's a “mindless crush” That's a lie! Crap, I'm in love with this girl And when I see her, I get this type of rush Like I'm talking to an Anna Kendrick typeofgirl And Anna Kendrick is my woman crush Wednesday so you can see how big of a deal talking to this girl is 13

All because she's a dancer And I know I'm not a Channing Tatum kinda guy With a six pack kinda body But every dancer needs a partner So I say hello So I grab her hand The other at her waist Cupid knows what he's doing Never doubt the baby created love So we began We danced We danced through our last year of high school We danced through our arguments Even if the music was screamo and she tried to trip me to test if I still loved her after the song was over And I did Always will And it will always be like this So we dance We danced through our photo album We danced through our ails of family Even if her family called me an idiot Even if my family said she wasn't worth it But every sleepless night was worth it But every tear that fell was held in a bucket to show how heavy my love was for her We danced And I only let her hand go once Cupid is now dressed in a tux Titled “best man” And he told once This is why your arrow always sank back So she did a solo She danced She danced all the way to the altar Held my hand She said, “yes” Our lips dance We now dance to the song of a married couple Jefferson Chungata

Kirk Rodrigues

Untitled 1

Dark Storm... by Mankind

I can feel Death coming, dark clouds of poison in my surroundings, I can feel a dark mist liquefying my flesh, my lungs burning from the polluted air I inhale, internally bleeding, bone breaking pain, thank you mankind for destroying the Earth… Diego Lopez

Drunk … I was drunk. Drunk in love. Leydi Sanchez 16

Dry Wasteland He didn’t know it would take a miracle to help protect his rose, he tried. His sore muscles grunted his shovel slipped, and fell. He let it lie there. He learned to drink. The sun was over no light. He fossilized into bones still hard to believe that his dry wasteland was once full of water. Cindy Gutierrez

Empty Space But between us there was a sky full of dead silence. Paola Chavira 18

To Father I’m not religious, but I don’t hate the sinner

He’s not here to defend himself so you bad mouth him It’s sad how when I finally saw him again he was much thinner Sadder than seeing a dog’s broken hind limb I don’t think about the sin But I won’t lie by saying it doesn’t disturb me Your conversations on the phone get under my skin Why can’t you just let the past be There are two sides to every story But I never had the guts to ask him I may be a coward by keeping him in false glory But I do so in order to keep myself from becoming grim I wonder if remorse ever hit you hard When we talked it was only happy recollections But there are some that may have subliminally left me scarred But I learned that forgiveness doesn’t come with directions There is something called laws that keep us apart But laws are man made and vary by location I would like to rebel and follow the commands of my heart I’ll see you when I’m more experienced and it’s the right occasion I haven’t heard your voice in more than a year Even when you scolded me your words always contained affection I never like it when you mumbled because you had been drinking beer But father you have taught me not to hate imperfections Iris Zelaya

Feel the Beat Have you ever felt the pounding in your ears, the rush of blood in your veins, and the bass in your feet? When the music starts, a rush of tiny explosions inside your body, and your musical soul is elevated. The roar of the guitar strum fills a piece inside of you so deep that only it could fill. The drum matches the beat of your heart, and the overall cohesive melody created in infinite seconds. No other sound could resonate so deep within your bones to bring you this form of stimulating pleasure. The resounding clarity of sweet serenity filling your ears is something no sane person would choose to forget. Geraldina Guzman

Friends forever You're Aphrodite and Athena put together. You show me how to love and you showed me crazy weather. Not just anybody but one of my two treasures. When I misbehave I got you giving lectures. Not just a partner but the best of my friends. If you was an elective man you’ll have me giving A’s. If you was a knife I swear you’d have me killing. I’d rather not ‘cuz I love the way we living. I know that we chilling but the future coming close We gonna rock like an earthquake in this world. Still got these memories forgot all the pain. Blow it all up and put it to the end. Put it to the end like a happy ever after. But even after ending our life is still a laughter. We move on from this chapter we are in satisfaction. Anywhere we go our love is under capture. Jose Alvarado

Forgive Me When I first met you, I took you as a part of the background like a marker for a dry erase board. Like an extra seat that just takes up space. Forgive me. How I wish that I could say I was the only one that discovered you. But I would be lying. And like all the cliches, you make me want to be a better person. Through a friend is how we met. I never did thank that friend. So we sat together with this mutual friend. My friend, I was even jealous of you. He smiled at you and I acted as if they belonged to me and no one else. So I sat, making sure you were on my left and he was on my right. But even a fool could see your stares. So after noticing that the number of messages from you declined, I stopped. Forgive me. So I went on ahead and kept in mind the phrase that all teens use, “Bros before Hoes.” You ‘member when we used to say that? It was just a joke, but we knew the real meaning of it. So after all the sugar cookies and proper season greetings that take place in the cold winter, I did not see you until the heartshaped lollipops were in people’s mouths. Our eyes met for a few seconds, and both our lips curved. I remember that day was warm. I heard the long forgotten tune from my phone and inside of a text bubble were three words. Iris Zelaya

Great King A Great King is the Bible. Carla Garcia

Kirk Rodrigues

The Bridge

The Hard Part Holding on is not the hard part, it's letting go. It is far easier to hold on to someone who has done wrong than it is to forget them. It is harder to watch someone walk away from your life than it is to ask them to stay. People think that holding on makes you strong, but that's not the hard part. It's letting go. Kent Argumedo

He He noticed. He smiled. He leaned then dumped it off to the side then placed it within the hole. Carla Garcia

HEAVEN You made me love rock and rolled out of my life to Zeppelin’ Stairway. Juan Arredondo

HER I still don't know why, why your smile always makes me fall in love with you. Juan Arredondo

Her

Her life belongs to the most high. Her lips speak truth and compassion. Her hands are used for charity and giving. Her feet are firm and guided by the Holy Spirit. Her mind is filled with wisdom and revelations. Her actions are based on love and Righteousness. Her children are led by the Almighty King. Her eyes see greatness and potential. Her husband is the head and protector. Her presence lightens beyond the room. Her courage opens incarcerated minds. Her open arms helps the needy souls. Her authority sets the captives free. Her time is precious and used for praise. Her price is unbearable. Her happiness comes from above, the heavens. Her glory goes to her one and only first love. Her faithfulness excludes all questionable thinking. Her daily food is the Word of God. Her steps start earthquakes on hell. Her constant walk makes angels dance. Her battles are rewarded with gifts of victory. Her fire rebukes all evil spirits. Her hunger seeks supernatural knowledge Her living water stirs up her healing powers. All Her anointing comes from above. Her identity cannot be questioned. She is the daughter of the most high King. Jessenia Lopez

The Hero in My Life The word “mom” means so many wonderful things, but the right word to describe a special person like her is THANKFUL. When i hear the word “mom”, I’m so honored to have one like her in my life. A strong woman that goes through so much pain, struggle, and sheds tears on a journey to survive the mistakes of their daughters and sons. She deserves to be treated like the QUEEN she is. My queen is the mom that I love and the person that would do anything to protect me from any danger and harm. Marisol Flores

Him I’m so glad to have you in my life because if it wasn’t for you I wouldn’t feel alive. To see you EVERY TIME. To hear the sound of your voice telling me “I love you too much.” The memories that we have. Every minute and every hour that passes by without you feels like a very long time. Feels cold deep in my heart wishing you could be by my side. Holding my hands and hugging me really tight like if today was the last day of OUR lives. Marisol Flores

I Can't While you're saying "I can't." There's someone out there doing what you can be doing. Xavier Vela

I’m Willing I’m willing to hunt nightmares that make me suffer. Leydi Sanchez

In Hysteria That poor bony, discolored misery in his voice. He was in hysteria. “You left me God Almighty” said he “When? I suppressed Death the black horseman back to the Judgment seat.” Cindy Gutierrez

Inevitable Death The doctor came and told me all these things, that let’s face it, I didn’t really understand. Micro this, internal bleeding that, and then he grasped my hand. I knew then it was bad, that all the other surgeries I’ve had led up to nothing, and then there was a moment I had, as I lay on that hospital bed. As I had wires connected to my ears, nose, and head. That I realized these doctors have tried, and I’ve tried, and all these things inside of me pumping and flowing have tried ...so wouldn’t it be better if I just...died? shouldn’t all this pain and time be taken as a sign? As maybe: this is it for me, that regardless of all the strength I’ve put towards surviving, all I’m really doing is lying to myself and everyone I love. But, I don’t want to lie, I prefer for them to know that the inevitable will occur. In this room sometime soon. Geraldina Guzman

Is it Me or She?

I hate to be selfish, but it feels right. I take delight In putting my needs before others But to what end? Will it extend my worth or is there a dearth of value that only it can satisfy? Carla Trochez

It’s Been A Year... It’s been a year since I met you. It’s been a year since you and I were even in the same sentence. And it’s been a year since you thought of me being something worth fighting for. And through that year, your feelings for me have dramatically changed, Leaving me and my feelings back on that day where it was a mutual thing. I’m stuck on one day out of all the other threehundred and sixtyfour days, when you are going month to month with someone else. And I’m tired of being the only broken one in this timelapse. Joseph Diaz

It's not bad if it's my own death row I will turn this thing upside down. I will empty the flask into the river ‘till its the last drop. And may the river become drunk as it moves; and I hope I can debunk the mystery of you and I I sometimes hover above of the history tab. I wish it were as easy as clicking “clear history” but I wish I could pick out the moments we had without deleting them with the rest, but I would have to scroll down for too many days to maybe come upon one without a frown. but the river is sometimes too fast to know what it’s doing. It’s waves become so violent hoping to create your silence. and at the end of the day there is a new log in the history tab that I can’t recall You see, my mouth is a rapid my arm has created this habit of picking up glasses and this liquid is rapidly moving down. I’ve said I won't do it anymore, but I always wake up with the flask in one hand and your hair in the other. I’m sorry for hurting your mother. I’m sorry that I scared her to where she only watches. I’m sorry for laying my hands on you. I’m sorry the prayers you wasted wishing death. I’ve had a conversation with the gravekeeper. 31

He said to keep drinking that what I’m doing is a slow suicide, and once I reach the gates of hell, I’ll be charged with my own homicide. But he also said, it may make you smile once I’m buried miles deep So I listened, and I kept drinking. I ultimately stopped thinking. So I clicked clear, and I forgot you were my child. In those dark marked nights, that not even the heavy intoxication will make me forget, I ran with the river and kept throwing the punches But you did it to shield the two that stood behind you I’m leaving you this note for the day I leave with my keeper. I know it won’t mean anything But just know, every brief moment I was sober I always thought of you. I’m proud to know that a child like you is alive and willing to stand in front of any monster. You deserve a better last name than mine. Jefferson Chungata

It’s Not Okay I can’t pretend that everything is ok. I’m falling apart. I can’t get up anymore. Your ignorance is getting in the way; help me find a way to breathe. Eyes stare at me one by one holding each of my fragments I can’t live like this. Don’t pretend this is not your fault. You made me lose hope I am doubting myself everytime I am close to you. You're a demon that wants my fragments. You want the glory that I have. Doris Aguilera

It’s Whatever I guess I’ll start off with an intro. Get ready ‘cause i think your mind might be blown. So I guess here I go.

My name is Michael. I own a unicycle. And if you don’t already know, I’m a proud Mexicano. A lot of people like me; it’s probably ‘cause I’m carefree or maybe it’s ‘cause I’m a “G”. I attract the ladies. They’re in love with me like I am with a Mercedes. Enough to fan me and feed me berries.

Everytime I strut down the hall, they crash into me like I’m a kid chasing a ball. And as you can tell I’m really small. Then they start to back me up into a wall. And then I’ll be like “Ladies… Ladies please calm down. Don’t worry there’s enough Michael to go around.” ‘cause you know there has to be if I’m to be world renowned.

One day I’ll be the King of Kings and people will be lining up to kiss my rings. But I’ll be inside my palace eating a plate full of wings. Interviewers will be everywhere. They’ll always try to get into my lair. To open the door; I do not dare. I can’t even get some fresh air. But one day I’ll let one in and on notepad he’ll write down my sin. He’ll ask about my life and this is how I’ll begin… … My name is Michael. I owned a unicycle. You should worry ‘cause I think I’ve gone a bit psycho… So yeah, a lot of people hate me. Its probably ‘cause, to my friendship, I added a fee. Or maybe it’s ‘cause I’m such a “G.”

I repel the ladies. They act like I’m worse than Hades. They won’t even take a ride in my fancy Mercedes. Everytime I trudge down a hall I crash into them ‘cause I’m an oversized ball. And as you can tell I’m not friggin small. They run away and hide behind a wall. And I’ll be like “Ladies… Ladies please come back around. Please forgive me I know I’ve gained a few hundred pounds, but somewhere deep inside, if it’s still there, is a heart beating a sound. You’ve just got to look at me more profound.” This works to no avail. They still run away and I just look like a fail. The magnitude of my pain is like a train that just derailed. 33

I’ve got everything, but I still seek attention. I’m so alone it’s like I’m in my own dimension. This all happened because of my “ascension.” I think now on everything that I’ve lost. I wouldn’t have traveled down this path if I would’ve known the cost. Everyday the torch of my life grows colder. The crushing weight of death, anymore, I cannot shoulder. It feels like my body has been crushed by a boulder. When Death came for me, I thought I’d be older…

… Ummm now that I think about it, that doesn’t sound too good. Maybe I’ll change before I’m dead like a piece of wood. I don’t want to die and just be like wormfood. I want to be rad and not just another fad. But I’m still young so maybe I’ll be a little bad. Now don’t think I’ll be too bad and endanger my life, ‘cause the last thing I need is strife. Maybe instead I’ll get myself a wife. Maybe I’ll go on an endeavour. I’ll change my fate and make it better. Maybe with this I won’t feel deader. I don’t know ‘cause in the end it’s whatever. Michael Barrios

Living in my world Life's a place for a mistake to socialize with a smile. Alyssa Garcia

LOVE Love was not always a burden, it used to make me really happy. Juan Arredondo

Miserable at Best Broken glass splattered on the floor, as I walk on them with my bare naked foot Red liquid starts to appear in every step I take as well as the feeling of pain At first it starts with a tear falling from the corner of my right eye, next is the curling of my hand into a fist, and lastly, the slow heavy breathing I make every time I take the next step. But I do not care how much I suffer, for I know the moment of pain is only temporary Finally, I take the last step and I am where I belong. I am in my Heaven. Angelica Bello

Monsters inside Look inside, look deep inside that black hole filled with nightmares. As monsters creep out from it to wander into the world, you can feel their bad vibes in the air. It suffocates us, draining the purest things our souls have left leaving us all in their own despair as if we caused it. The pain we felt was masqued on with pills and fake smiles that destroyed us inside. These are not the monsters under your bed. These are the kind that rest inside your head. Pills do not silence them. They only make them violent. I only wonder what it was like before this. Before they showed on the surface of my dreams. If I try to run away, will they hold me down and make me stay? Well that would be just another day. Jennifer Jaramillo and Trenise Armstrong

The Mourning The morning I found her I noted the familiar, intimidating spheres that come out of her. I thought for a minute. I continued to stare at the thought of now the past came in a rush for some reason. But when I finally found someone new I thought of that lethal name. I was not surprised, nor did it really matter since there was no doubt that she had led me to the morgue with diseases like lies,and those you never detect with xrays. She demanded. I did not resist. Maria Salgado 40

Kirk Rodrigues

Couples Blossom

M/O/T/H/E/R A special word with a delightful meaning. Not every woman is fortunate to be labeled “Mother.” “Mother” is what created me, “Mother” is who has guided me, “Mother” teaches me, “Mother” loves me and takes care of me. Mother, I thank you, Mother, I love you, Mother, you are one of a kind I’m lucky to have a mother like you Lucia Mejia 41

Kirk Rodrigues

Time Flies

My Shoes As a c h il d, y’all wouldn’t be able to walk a

MILE

in my size three shoes . Xavier Vela

Nothing I burned away the thought that everything we had was now nothing. Paola Chavira

Omou.

If only the thought of life is bliss. The bliss is nothing but the hell of “no”. The “no” is actually a “yes”. So, that is being human. Human is not really a human you know. To know what human is, is to to look beneath. The need to know is strong indeed. For you are what you are indeed. Nothing of the past will give certain outcomes. So you are free of wanting to blend in. Human is monster of the king. The king of which is of no need. For monster will fail in the kingdome of life. For life is more of what we need. The king of mystery is indeed part of me. The human monster of the tree is of no medical fee. For human nature is frightening indeed. So fear all of your seeds. For your own children can turn against you, the only king. The only king that can kill his kin ,that will bleed for him. Human is the monster of the king holding a part of him. Cruelty is a darkness that is hidden deep inside the human nature. And so the king will likely live for eternity in the human heart until they obliterate themselves. Paulina Lozano 45

Poem to a Friend A poem to a friend To myself To my son To a broken hearted human This is a poem explaining the wild ride titled “love” that we all have to go through at some point explaining all the happiness and fear you're going to feel at the peak of the ride

WAIT

No I take it back This is not a poem explaining that bullcrap ride because I know that's not the ride you want to go on over and over again

Look at your ring finger It's an unlimited pass to all the rides To all the oceans To the world And your finger has yet to be knighted with a forever promise to someone

And maybe you're going to miss those rides And maybe you're going to miss the rides that move to another fair And maybe you will tell yourself that you can't live without feeling the touch of the seat That you can't feel the same for any other ride around you But you have to remember You're still young and your finger has to yet promise anything

So have fun Enjoy the rides But don't hold yourself down because a ride told you "No you're not tall enough" But just move on and smile again Look at your bait bucket You still have more left Just because one tricked you Making you think you're “the one” Doesn't mean you can't set up the hook and try again 46

Look, fish are a tricky species They never know what they want but one day you will catch one that will love you just like you love it And maybe it won't be the catch of the day And the other fisherman will see you as if "how could you love something like that?" But remember just keep fishing and one day you will feel it's the right one with more than just your heart You see your finger is still a pass that says enjoy life because in this world You don't always have to love So don't dwell on the past rides, don't dwell on the past fish. Just smile and tell yourself I’LL BE FINE Jefferson Chungata

Puppeteer

Your tears I have learned to ignore as you repeated yourself every stupid day. Your strings are embedded into my frontal lobes of my brain. They are tugging on to memories you used as ammo when you needed my love. You held the role of a puppeteer so proudly as I hung lifeless waiting for your next command. I have never been able to think for myself as my brain remained out of my reach. As I remember every second of those dreaded moments, Your smile haunted my daydreams and your voice haunted my nightmares. Sleep is nothing but another memory. That dreaded night screamed with thunder. As I climbed those stairs to your room, My steps echoed down the hallway just like your voice. As soon as the door was in reach I felt the heat leaking under the door, your voice echoing through the hallways, and your innocent hands which once held my heart have now become my demise. I sat there until you were finished. To my surprise he didn't leave because you begged him to stay. You shattered my heart. I stayed up late wondering who got to hold you as you slept, trying to gather the pieces. This is my goodbye as I lay down to my demise. Jesus Jimenez

Rain Each drop is like an atomic bomb ready to blow away the innocence of everything she ever knew what used to be a sigh of confidence is now a sigh for help her tears fall down like rain drops bouncing off the sidewalk of a lost cause she's the product of an abusive father and a scared mother she thinks it's all her fault but the only fault here is the one that her father is hammering at with punch after punch until it breaks so she sits there in the rain and rejects every good guy that comes around with an umbrella meant for two she doesn't want her children to have a father like hers. Robert Striker

Sick She's laying down in her bed resting because she's sick; she looks like she's about to die. She has no strength because she's weak. Her face looks pale and white as the snow. She can barely speak since her throat hurts really bad. She sounds like a robot when she's talking. Her body is burning up like fire. She can't stand it anymore. She wants to feel her old self again. Her family and friends want the best for her. Every day they pray to God. knowing a miracle may happen. God has her in his hands for a better Life and a better place for her to be peaceful. She can rest as long as she wants. Leslie Saravia

Sorry I am sorry that I used used you and took advantage of you. I am sorry that I took advantage of your hugs, smile, talks, and most importantly I am sorry that you noticed I was trying to get that guy’s attention instead of yours. I used every piece of you to get him to notice me again. I was so foolish that I made it look clear to the whole world. They saw the most beautiful thing in the world turn into poison ivy. I used the person I cared for most deeply in this world and became afraid to lose him. But, She gave up trying to get that guy’s attention and started thinking clearly. All she cares about now is not losing what’s in front of her. Doris Aguilera

Stop talking and Shh Unspoken words L ay in the palm O f her ha N d, she carries them everywhere she goes. Sh E tries every possib L e wa Y she can to get rid of them Screaming, whispering, and even singing them, but nothing works

Years passed and every unspoken word S t A rte D to pile against one another And while the years passed she knew that the day would come when she would finally explode st May 31 was the day when the bomb finally went off, and the unspoken words were finally let out.

Disappointed, tired, vulnerable, broken, terrified, unworthy. A year passed, and she finally had no unspoken words left to carry with her. Angelica Bello

The Sun The sun cut through the cloud, but soon more clouds filled the sky. Leydi Sanchez

The System Pick any saints and see the goodness, Then the bad. Catalog them prophets And Believe the end can never banish. Believe without anything to live on And kill without anything to regret upon. We are told to reject but not to define A system in which freedom is a lie. Anaili Salas

Take Us With You Please! Paralyzed, they stood in the middle of the road desperately waiting for the end. Thinking they didn’t have any other choice, but they did. They just didn’t realize it. And all of a sudden, everything hit them at once, and the ending had begun. Shattered glass all over the road, gas spilling drop by drop It all seemed unreal however it was not. Angelica Bello

Today Today I choose to write you out of my life. No goodbye was said nor a grande finale, I just kinda ran out of words. I could no longer fill the cracks in my heart with words. I could no longer sustain the pain I felt in my heart every night before I went to bed with no call from you and waking up with no text, nothing. My idiotic prolonged poems and letters no longer brought peace to me. And when I tried to picture your smile, I saw myself happy without you. Your name didn't fit next to mine anymore. Perhaps it was the fact I repeated your name over and over again until it lost its sound. When I tried to spell it and somehow it didn't seem to make sense…. I wasn't sure if I was spelling it correctly…. That's how I felt about you. Today I wrote you out my life. No goodbye was said, I just ran out of words. Brenda Martinez

Two People In Love It was the deepest pleasure of my life to experience this existence with you. When the warm summer sun touches your skin, think of me and smile. My spirit is eternal and so is my love for you. I hold you in my heart thinking about everything we did together. In life, we pass to black and blue like the moon. In the sun, we always think about the life we are go through to be old. Everything is going to be down like the moon. The flowers are going down because you are always going to see me going away from you step by step. In life, the love is different than when were 20 years old. That was the best day. I am crying like I was 7 years old because the love we had then is different than the love we have now. Erik Hernandez

Vagrant Birds You were my best friend and I was yours. When our wings were clipped, we were thrown into the thorny cage, and when you cried, I was there. I would stroke your hair. You trusted me And I could see The love was in your eye. No disguise. It had to be protected, So the day we fled, When we sought sanctuary In the frigid air And you coughed up the scarlet liquid, bringing back yellow memories, You asked what was wrong with you. But, I dismissed it and said that Everything was going to be ok. I wasn't going to let you slip away. But nothing ever changed, I slowly became deranged. You would look at me, eyes filled with hurt. But I would pull your chin up and say, "Be strong little bird." If only we weren't vagrants. Now I can’t get rid of your fragrance, Your laugh, or your smile. You will always haunt me. Valerie Rocha

Vision

1st Day as a man Vision became clear, so clear that fear shut my eyes. Xavier Vela

Waves that crash Waves of Confusion and Defeat My mind wonders in uncertainty where I will be in the next couple of years, or if I’ll have more to offer my parents then what they offered me. I carry the fear of failure on my back, and everyone seems to notice it. I tend to ignore it, but it’s already tattooed on the posterior part of my body. My hippocampus seems to remember nothing but the defeats I’ve had in life, and the times I’ve been told that I'm not good enough. Waves of Brokenness and Negativity Brokenness when I take the time to think and come to realize that the relationship between my parents has been nothing but yelling and fighting. Brokenness when I hear my brother speaking as if there was someone in the room with him, but because he has been diagnosed as bipolar. Selfantagonism has kept me captive for years, the only words that come out of my mouth are ugly and unconfident when I describe myself. So much antagonism I don't really think I know who I really am or what I really want. Waves of Jealousy and Abhor Jealousy strikes me in the face as I listen to others’ perfectly plannedout life after high school while all I’ve got are rejection letters from colleges inside my secret drawer. Hate comes and puts its arms around me as I see others get their desires so easily while I'm breaking my brain into a million pieces to get an A in class. My mouth imitates the door of my room and stays shut. No one realizes I'm drowning in an ocean of frustration. Ashley Guzman

Kirk Rodrigues

Birds of a Feather Stay Together

When I Finally Find Love Many people have heard the term “happily ever after,” but what does it mean? I know it means happiness after marriage forever And every Disney movie has shown it With every princes that has ever been created But they never show you the “after” part after the wedding They don't because it's not part of the formula for movies to show you where they end up They leave you with the characters holding each other Loving each other Kissing each other But they never show anything after the credits But maybe Just maybe it's because they leave it To our imaginations which run wild They leave it to our thoughts That drive us crazy That drive us insane That drive us restless because we want to know what that type of love looks like so we could live it And maybe it's in the formula of the movie so you could create your own happily ever after for the characters because one day that will be you And the movie director doesn't want you living a life made by a cinematic formula He doesn't want your life to be copyrighted. You see some of these are things that come to mind at night While doing work While reading a poem While watching tv While spending time on a hobbie While think about her You see my “happily ever after” won't take place right after a kiss next to the podium with the priest looking over us Telling me, “you may now kiss the bride” My “happily ever after” is most likely going to take place in the backyard when I see my kid smile. My “happily ever after” is going to be the day I see the stars and I can only think about her because she shines brighter than anything else

My happily ever after is going to be when she kicks me out the room for saying a dumb joke about her butt looking too big My happily ever after is going to be on the couch on the lumps because she kicked me out the room for saying her butt looked to big My “happily ever after” is when we hold hands at the age of 60 yet still feel like teenagers My “happily ever after” is when I make her feel like a princess My “happily ever after” is when I show her parents I was never a waste of time You see my “happily ever after” is going to be me waking up and seeing her beautiful beautiful brown eyes until my last day Until my last breath Until my last words So maybe, just maybe, that's why the movies never show us the after part because we are not to live by a formula to bring happiness We are to create our own And maybe, just maybe, we will have the “happily ever after” that we always tried to create after the weddings in the movies Jefferson Chungata

The Word “Christian” I know it’s not their intention, But I get offended. It is not my identity, Nor my name. I was created by precious hands, Not by Greeks. I stand confident and unashamed. I am a disciple of Christ, Not a follower of many. He has set me apart from the world, Not to enforce religion, but to grow spiritually in unity. And by His Word we’ll conquer, Given to us the gift of the Holy Ghost. I will be guided to my destiny, Living a life, Glory to Glory. I will no longer have to be questioned. My body is the temple. I am the daughter of the most high King washed by the blood of Jesus Christ, And reborn by living water and fire. I am forgiven for my sins, as far as the East is from the West Killing my flesh daily and feeding my Spirit, I have the Victory won. Covered with a shield, I can't be touched. With angels always by my side, A threat to the devil I become. I recognize my Father’s voice, Hard to be deceived by the enemy. All by His powerful name, I have the power and authority. I demand and decree blessings, And rebuke pythons.

I don’t let circumstances and emotions take hold. Nor am I controlled by false preachers, Blinding their church with blasphemy. Rejecting correctness until, They’re completely deaf and apart from the Lord. I’m trying to do what my Father has called me to do. I don't deserve His unconditional love, But by His amazing grace, I’m saved. I’m a walking testimony, And I will serve Him greatly, And seek His kingdom until I die. Jessenia Lopez

You & me... Crazy how a person who could write you a paragraph, can’t even spare you with a glimpse. How once, all they wanted was to be with you and end up not wanting to do anything that deals with you. Was it me? Or were you just blindfolded by desperation? I was the helpless animal on the tracks and you were the train going through me and every other thing in the way. The thing is, I had the controls in my hands. I could of switched the tracks to keep you away, but I let you hit me with full speed...and I loved it. But you didn't kill me, not even anger me. I guess I was prepared for this. Now I lay on these tracks waiting for you to hit me again, and I know I’m not the only one waiting here. Joseph Diaz

You’re Rude You’re rude. his words unforgettable just black rain pouring, nothing to look at except the sun open the windows momentarily the rain continued Cindy Gutierrez

Prose

Bars

Song Verse My rhymes cause severe destruction to all this dumb rap with tight production they jam to it ‘cuz it sounds good when the beat drops everybody gets excited like a starving kid who found food Homero Silva

Breathe Editor’s Note: This piece was made by taking lines from various sources and compiling them into a new whole. Breathe in. I pretend I’m okay and promise myself I wouldn’t let you complete me. I was full of broken love. The most wasted, shredded purest kind of love. Everyone who says hello will one day say goodbye. Sometimes without warning or giving a reason why. I never meant to depend on you or on anyone because I promised that I would never feel this way. You made me hate myself. Love breaks my bones and I laugh. We were flames. I am ashes drowned in my own tears and I choked on my own lies. With heavy thoughts and baggy eyes, I still try. I screamed at the top of my lungs, but all you hear is a laugh and what you see is a fake smile. I don’t know how to feel anymore. And I’m so lost inside my own head. And I’m sorry that it feels like my heart has shattered and the pieces are puncturing my lungs. And I can’t breathe. I’m so tired of the rain falling softly on the ground. It’s just enough to get my feet wet, but not enough to let me drown. Everything is blurry, but the feelings are real. They say, that if you ask, then you’ll receive, but I didn’t ask for all this pain and now I’m just slowly going insane. I’m fine, I’m just not happy. How long until I’m not longer a memory? “Everything will be okay.” But, I know it won’t. Who is going to end this game? People tell me I mean alot to them and that I’m special, but there is someone they will always choose over me. I’m just sick of pretending to be happy. I don’t know what to do, I don’t know what to say. I feel so lost. My brain is sick, but that’s okay. I appreciate it when you try to be gentle when you are ripping me apart. You make me feel so alive, but you’re killing me as well, ‘cause your eyes are my heavens, but you’re treating me like Hell. It’s okay though, I’ll survive. Somehow I always do. Sliced my wrist and dried my eyes. Welcome to my world of lies.

Brotherhood The Brotherhood is never wrong. That’s the number one rule to remember. The subject of love is taboo. According to them, having a girlfriend is a pain in the ass. They constantly nag about every problem whether the dress makes them look fat to “are you cheating on me?!” and so on. The young boy cloaked in black admires the Brotherhood for their wonderful tradition of annihilating those who aren't fit in this world. There came a time when the young boy fell in love with a fair maiden in this village. He couldn't help but be captivated by those golden locks flowing in the wind. He knew punishment would be brought down if the council found out he’s in love. “Everyone in here is serving the community to create a better world and abolish these disgusting slobs!” The young lad knew his time would come. The day he serves the community. It’s a custom for anyone in the Brotherhood to serve and obliterate any village they get assigned to. The young boy got designated to the village with the fair maiden. He planted each gray sphere under different houses. Finally, he went up a hill and stared down at the quiet village. This soothing village would soon transform into a mass of graves. He pressed down on the red button. Click. Sudden explosions erupted from the ground underneath the houses. The young boy cloaked in black could only stare at the maiden with golden locks. Indeed he’s charmed by her beauty. Her bright hazel eyes locked with his own eyes. She made her way up the hill and stood twentyfeet away from him. The young boy ignored her presence and continued to click the button, each bomb going off. “Please. Stop what you are doing,” she spoke in a soft voice. Slowly, she approached him and kneels down, holding his right hand and placing it to her face. “Please.” The boy flinched feeling her touch. His body began to heat up. He kneeled down and smiled, her mouth also formed a smile as she leaned in and locked lips with his. The situation didn't last long. The fair maiden felt excruciating pain in her abdomen. A knife had been plunged. Not a single scream was let out. “My Brotherhood’s rule is to never fall for women. They are nothing but succubus.” The young boy grins as his allies praised him for a job well done on eliminating the village and exterminating the “succubus”. But they also punished him for letting the demon come in contact with him, but the young boy thinks of it as a purification ceremony. Kathy Isidoro

A Different Society What got me into writing this particular piece is the fact that my mother's brother served in the Army for 12 years and his wife has served in the military for 15 years. I do not remember when, but my Uncle was sent to Iraq for 18 months in total. He was sent there multiple times. He was sent to Kuwait for a few months. He served in the reserves of the National Guard as well. January 15, 2003 I don’t really know what to write to those who are home. It’s weird calling it my home. I haven’t been to their home in a long time. Boot camp is what I call home now. My family are these people going through bootcamp with me. I mean,I still miss mom and dad but, they aren’t here with me. My sister, she still mails me every now and then. I answer not really knowing what to tell her. Her world and my world are completely different. I serve under our leader, he’s more like our master and we are his humble servants. I serve to protect the civilian world. To make sure they stay safe. I don’t do this for me. I never thought of it as a job. Civilians say we sign a contract that we are no longer in control of our lives. That’s complete BS. The civilians don’t know why we serve under the master. We do it for them. August 21, 2003 I don’t know what I’m doing anymore. I look like hammered nails. My men, my brothers in arms, they’re losing themselves. My best friend Jack, also known as longshot, shot both his kneecaps just a few minutes ago. He kept screaming “Don’t make me go back!” and “I have family waiting for me!”. I don’t know what happened… It just got away from me. My youngest soldier, Andy, was the first to go down. Shot clean through his heart. I told him to stay down...To leave our brother where he was laying on the ground, bleeding out. He insisted to play the hero. He almost made it back with the wounded soldier. The constant spray of bullets kept me from helping him… I was afraid to play “the hero”. That soldier fell from Andy's’ shoulder. Sure enough a damn grenade landed near him…He was K.I.A. His name was Matthew, age 20. A life for a life doesn't make any sense. Thank God I have my military therapist to talk to. Jessica Correa Gomez

Man's Revolution I was nine when I was put into the forces. Our country was trying to solve the unsolvable revolution. Parents that were patriotic towards our colonies put their son's on the line to join and die brutally but honorable. It was either that or be seen as traitors and die in the hands of those who you trusted or knew, either way our fates were sealed by the stamp of death. April, 1775. Red suited men were coming at us, the thumping of their drums roar like thunder in a heavy storm. We were all scared, but we did not want to be that coward man that ran back to mommy. Our country was on the line and we were put forward to protect it. Their orders were clear, but we stood our ground and kept our head high, suddenly the first shot was heard and then more followed. Our friends kept falling, one by one, being knocked down. We ran, scattered, and kept running with the weight of shame and embarrassment. Blood was left behind and the thundering of the drums could be heard behind us, hunting us down. We ran towards our man, we ran to reach safety. We could see our salvation, the destination we dreamed of ,Concord, not too far away from our injured and angry men. One person screaming, "I can't believe they actually shot!" And another crying out, “They shot with no shame!" But in my mind, the only scream I heard was my scream I'll take my shame and run with it back to my home. The sky's were dark and the wind was flowing at a maddening pace. We were staring them down and they were doing the same to us. Our men were not backing off anymore, not after the realization of what this really was, not after understanding that this was war. We are not sure who shot first but here we were shooting and striking at any given minute we had. I was about to shoot when out of nowhere I heard a man plead, plead to me to have mercy of his life, that he had kids and a wife to go back to. James, my dad's uncle, saw me. He hurried to my side and heard the man's plea. I was for sure that he would be wise and let him go, but war makes a man mad and my uncle shot without regret, screaming, "No mercy to those who have killed!”. I guess he never processed that he was killing as well. Anaili Salas

Mute and Continue Listen to me. just listen. Why can’t you listen? You’re asking questions that concern me, but you don’t want to listen to me? Is it because I’m young? Do you think I’m naive? You think I don’t understand you because I see things differently? Believe it or not, I’ve experienced pain and understand what sorrow is. My age does not project who I am nor how I think. It doesn’t project my soul. Yes, I’m young, and yes I’m still learning, and that’s what makes it better! I don’t have it all figured out, and that’s part of growing up. It helps us grow. One does not become wiser once they’ve hit a certain age. We continue to learn and view things differently. I’m still learning. If you would just listen, you could see that what I say matters. If you don’t think it matters, then can you at least have the respect to listen. It matters to me. “Rather in humility value others above yourselves” Philippians 2:3

Aylin Gutierrez Serrano

Real Rapper Song Verse I care about my people; I care about my community. I don't see hiphop as an opportunity To become rich and brag about my immunity I see hiphop as a source of unity Homero Silva

Aylin Gutierrez Serrano

Society

The Wall Long and tall. It stands proud, keeping the contagious contained and the healthy prosperous, doing us all a great service like a big brother does to a little sister. Protects us. Saves us. The contagious are our bullies, pounding away at the heavy brick and steel, moaning around the layers of sandbags that our fallen soldiers used in their hopeless efforts. Efforts that only a few of our failed military are aware. The contagious, turned or born, seem to sense our growing fears, a fear that The Wall isn’t going to last forever. It’s deteriorating. The steel groans as it sways in the wind, the brick leaves a splattering red mud on the OtherSide from the years of the nearconstant rains. It’s a good day when only a mist settles over our valley. There are days when you can almost see the sun through the thick cloud of smog. The creation is what damned the diseased. The creation of the smog is what infected the easily influenced. It puts thoughts into their heads and sucks the naivety from their hearts and leaves black orbs in place of their eyes. Their eyes are the worst. Their eyes are sunken into their skull and wholly black, blacker than any of our skies have been since the smog. The black expands to the whites of their eyes, leaving only a sliver of white left. It is strange to see how the human form can change from The Idea and a lack of naivety . You can still see the human in their structure; the way they walk and stand and move but their skin is like paper about to turn to ash white and thin, like they spent too much time in one of the many abandoned pools that are left unoccupied on the OtherSide. Their hands are still hands, but the fingers have been transformed into bloody talons. Talons that are used to scratch at the deteriorating brick that reveals the steel that lay underneath. Their mouths, which are always upturned and open in a menacing and knowing smile, contain sharp white teeth. Teeth that seem to gleam as they tear apart any flesh that stumbles into their diseased hands. Naivety is what the rest of us, the undiseased, still possess. It’s what makes the rest of us so pessimistic. We believe that someday, we will all be like the contagious, rambling on with no clear path in life and a taste for flesh and blood. My family, being the most pessimistic of the thirty three families we have here, looks at the grey sky and sighs, and wishes it were greyer. My family believes naivety cannot be restored, as most other families believe. We don’t believe the prophecy either. The Prophecy The Prophecy is what the thirty three families believe in, the exception, again, being mine. The prophecy brings hope. The prophecy brings peace. But, with the great comes the bad. The Prophecy comes with and gives us all a large sum of stinking suspicion. It gives those who believe a cause to look among each other, wondering if our neighbor is the one who will fulfill said prophecy. The Prophecy also causes everyone to lie, even the people who don’t believe in it. 70

The whole valley, no matter how well and whole we seem to be, lies. We all lie great, tremendous heaps of subterfuge. No one is ever off limits to our lies especially our own family members. In telling these lies that we all tell, we all know who the biggest liars are and whose families spin the biggest webs of complete and utter nonsense. Now, in everyone’s experience, we all know that the biggest liars are most definitely the Crew family. They spin the biggest lies to all except whom they call family and one or two extremely close friends. The Crew family spins enormous lies and nobody can ever prove their lies false, they are the only ones that know the truths. This being said, no one ever knows when a member of their family is lying, so no one knows anything about them. No one knows where they come from. Some say they lived in one of the abandoned houses that lie on the OtherSide, and some say that they have always been here, and that is why they were the first family here. They say their name is Crew, but then again, they could be lying. Nothing about them is known, except for the fact that they are all exceptional liars. Everyone believes that the Crew family invented The Prophecy, letting us all believe and watch us to chase our own tails. But then, they all believe that among us, one of us will fulfill The Prophecy to save us and the contagious. No one knows that one of the possessed diseased told the best liar in the Crew family about The Prophecy. The Crew Family The Crew family consists of now, three people. The oldest is a boy, Derek. Derek is dark haired, tall, and extremely fast. He earns most of the trading supplies needed by the Crews to live, and he does this by being the leader of the people we call runners. These are the people we designate to run through the diseased areas and gather medical supplies. Derek’s youngest sibling, whom he favors to the extreme, is called Bobby. Bobby Crew is dark haired, short, and undeniably fat. Everyone knows Bobby won’t amount to much, so we all show a bit of kindness towards him. Bobby is also the worst liar in the Crew family. There is one more member of the Crew family. No one knows anything about her besides the fact that her only friend is Scott Corrigan, that she is the best otherside fighter that we as a community have, and that she is the best liar of the Crews. Everyone knows not to believe a word out of her mouth. She is Jamie Crew, liar extraordinaire. They are quite a family. Loud mouthed and you’ll never see one of them without hearing and/or seeing the other two. They live in one of the larger houses, but the roof is rusting through in some spots and the stairs creak menacingly as you walk up them to the front door. Most other families try to avoid the Crews, but there is no way around them. I should know, I am a part of their family. I am Jamie Crew. I know a big secret about the smog, and I’m not the only one who knows about our problem. Believe me if you want to, but one of my family members has given up on lying, and you’ll never guess who. Lyric Loos 71