PASSPORT
RSVP Edition 36, Issue 2 Spring 2013
R.S.V.P. Ranney School Verse & Prose Literary Magazine Spring 2013 Issue 36, Volume 2 Ranney School 235 Hope Road Tinton Falls, New Jersey 07724 (732) 542-4777 (732) 935-1602 (fax) The editorial staff uses Microsoft Word, Publisher, and Adobe Photoshop programs to complete their layout work. The cover is printed on 80 pound White Cover Stock. The pages are printed on 60 pound Skytone Parchment White Paper. Tahoma font is used to reflect style and content. Omega Graphics of Shrewsbury, New Jersey is the printer used for the final production of this publication. Both written work and artwork are voluntarily submitted to the R.S.V.P. staff during the school year. The staff critiques all submissions and selects the best for publication. Writing prompts are provided to each student through their respective English classes. The front cover was created by the staff of the magazine to reflect their theme of travel. The publication is provided to every student in the Upper School as well as each member of the faculty and administration. Copies printed: 250
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R.S.V.P. STAFF Editors Rachel Burstiner and Casey Wolfe
Staff Samantha Chiarello Alana Grieco Danica Lenge Kathryn Lionetti Elisa Stavola Ilayda Takil Franki Toto Amy Winkler
Advisor Mrs. Joan Fernandez
Monet’s Bridge
Ilayda Takil Watercolor
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FOREWORD Dear Reader, With summer approaching, many of us will be traveling to distant lands and faraway places to embark on new adventures and new experiences. Though some of us will be gaining numerous stamps to embellish our passports and others will be traveling within the boundaries of the United States, regardless of the location, the trip is still a journey. Whether your voyage is a physical destination or a vacation for your body and mind, it is still a break from the hustle and bustle of your daily academic life from September to June. There will be no tests, quizzes, classwork, or homework. There won’t be a uniform or dress code regulations. Wherever your travels take you this summer, don’t be afraid to undertake a new adventure or try something out of the ordinary. We, too, will be preparing for a new adventure. After four years of editing
RSVP, we will be finishing our high school tenures, and moving towards future endeavors as we begin our college educations in the fall. Publishing RSVP has been a great experience for us, and we are grateful to have had the to do so. We would like to thank Mrs. Warren, Mr. Felter, and Dr. Martone for asking all of their students to submit their creative writing to RSVP. We are so grateful for their willingness to spend so much of their valuable class time promoting creative writing. We would also like to thank Ms. Greenberg and Mrs. Walwark for allowing us to display their students’ artwork in this magazine. And to our staff, we are thankful for your tireless determination to make every issue of RSVP as meaningful as this one. Finally, we would like to recognize our remarkable advisor, Mrs. Fernandez, for her unparalleled dedication to this magazine. Yours Truly, Rachel Burstiner and Casey Wolfe “I want to write something new ~ something extraordinary and beautiful and simple and intricately patterned.” F. Scott Fitzgerald (pre-Gatsby 1922) RSVP Spring 2013
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TABLE OF CONTENTS ~ VERSE ~ The Road Worth Taking by Elizabeth Roberts…………………………………………………………9 Obscurity by Elise Bird……………………………………………………………………………………....10 Journey to the Moon by Madison Boyan………………………………………..…………………….10 Venus by Whitney Kelly……………………………………………………………………..……………...11 The Unknown by Jessica Nicholson……………………………………………………………………..12 Am I Crazy? by Anthony Dennis………………………………………………………………………….12 Universe by Alexandra Esquivel-Murphy……………………………………………………………...13 Time by Kyra Citron…………………………………………………………………………………………..14 Travel by Mostafa Meleis….………………………………………………………………………………..15 On the Move for Adventure by Quin Berger………………………………………………………….15 Creature of the Sea by Joseph Esquivel-Murphy………………..……………………….………..16 Abstraction by Neil Chatterjee…………………………………………………………………………….17 Faraway by Allie DeMarco…………………………………………………………………………………..17 Chemistry by Jeeda Ani…………………………………………………………………..………………...18 War of the Elements by Erik Bovino…………………………………………………………………….19 The Deep Blue… by Erika Serhus………………………………………………………………………..21 Secret by Melanie Scopellite……………………………………………………………………………....22 The Anti-Poem by Giulia DiGuglielmo…………………………………………………………………..23 Cut Off by Ron Geraghty…………………………………………………………………………………...23 An Exotic Place by Brandon Flynn……………………………………………………..………………..24 One Time, No Side Effects by Anthony Dennis……………………………………………………..25 The Truth by Steve Parlamas………………………………………………………………………….....26 Lena by Maddie Fabricant…………………………………………………………………………..……..28 The Beginning… by Madison Pflaster…………………………………………………………………...29 Summer Trip to Outer Space by Franki Toto………………………………………………………...29 4
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Into the Lion’s Den by Joseph Esquivel-Murphy…………………………………………………….31 Summer by Charlie Sabaitis………………………………………………………………………………..32 The Aeronautic Adventure by Hunter Pearl…………………………………………………………..33 Phase by Rachel Patel………………………………………………………………………………………..34 Worlds Away by Shawna Singh…………………………..……………………………………………...34 As the Dusk Faded into Darkness by Elisa Stavola…..…………………………………………...35 It’s Not Quite Space by Sarah Klein……………………………………………………………………..37 The Train by Grant Parker………………………………………………………………………………….38 Ski by Jake Palecki…………………………………………………………………………………………....38 The Name of My Country and the Country of My Name by Ireland Clancy……………….40 Florida by Anne Marie Weiland……………………………………………………………………………40 The Jersey Shore by Maddie Fabricant………………………………………………………………...41 Time by Whitney Kelly………………………………………………………………………………………..42 “you” by Josh Weakley……………………………………………………………………………………….43
~ PROSE ~ The Prisoner by Maddie Young…………………………………………………………………………...47 The Sphinx’s New Riddle by Noah Goldstein………………………………………………………...48 A Mystery by Jimmy Samson………………………………………………………………………………51 Letter to Arthur Dimmesdale by Henry Miller………………………………………………………..52 A Different Kind of Fairy Tale by Steven Jacobson………………………………………………..55 Waiting for Godot by Grant Parker……………………………………………………………………...59 Trip to Thailand by Rachel Bernstein…………………………………………………………………..60 All the Money in the World by Chris Farkouh………………………………………………………..61 Bahamas by Samantha Chiarello………………………………………………………………………...62 The Trip of a Lifetime by Gillian Veralli………………………………………………………………...64 The Time I Met the Queen of England by Soroya A. Dookie……………………………….....67 Divorced, Beheaded, and Died/Divorced, by Tessa Payer……………………………………...68 Investigative Report Notes of Detective Jack B. Quick by Matt Elkwood………………....71 My Dream Trip by Vincent Morano……………………………………………………………………...72 RSVP Spring 2013
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~ ART ~ Monet’s Bridge by Ilayda Takil………………………………………………………………………………………………..2 Wellfleet, MA by Ethan Daniels……………………………………………………………………………………………...8 3 Faces by Julia Palecki……………………………………………………………………………………………………….13 Grenada by Samantha Samuel……………………………………………………………………………………………..16 Lilies by Gabrielle Bijou………………………………………………………………………………………………………..18 Skull by Katie Mullally………………………………………………………………………………………………………….19 Grenada by Samantha Samuel……………………………………………………………………………………………..20 Hortoise by Charles Ingulli…………………………………………………………………………………………………..21 Flower by Gabrielle Bijou……………………………………………………………………………………………………..22 Taj Mahal by Allie DeMarco………………………………………………………………………………………………….24 Ant's Eye View by Katie Gill…………….…………………………………………………………………………………...26 Body as a Battlefield by Samantha Samuel…………………………………………………………………………….27 Stone Garden by Whitney Kelly…………………………………………………………………………………………….30 Regular Rhythm by Allie DeMarco………………………………………………………………………………………...31 Cabo, San Lucas by Paige Place…………………………………………………………………………………………...32 Ant’s Eye View by Sabrina Schlesinger…………………………………………………………………………………..36 Subway by David Longo……………………………………………………………………………………………………….39 Tuscany by Dana Rizzo………………………………………………………………………………………………………..41 Sunset by Victoria Renner…………………………………………………………………………………………………...42 Trees by Monish Rachuru…………………………………………………………………………………………………….44 Body as a Battlefield by Sabrina Schlesinger………………………………..………………………………………..46 Portrait by Joyce Dayan……………………………………………………………………………………………………....50 Girl in Glass by Julia Palecki………………………………………………………………………………………………….53 Can’t Take It by Danica Lenge……………………………………………………………………………………………..54 Sleeping Beauty by Casey Wolfe…………………………………………………………………………………………..58 Cityscape by Ilayda Takil……………………………………………………………………………………………………..59 Toledo, Spain by Brynn Bresnahan……..………………………………………………………………………………..60 Stage Light by Casey Wolfe……………………………………………………………………………………...………....66 Broken by Jessica Nicholson………………………………………………………………………………………………...69 Circus by Danica Lenge………………………………………………………………………………………………………..70 Wellfleet, MA by Ethan Daniels……………………………………………………………………………………………..72 6
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VERSE
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Wellfleet, MA Ethan Daniels
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The Road Worth Taking Elizabeth Roberts
Youthful, vivacious I could foresee my auspicious future ahead With many paths displayed before me Selecting one had caused me to capitulate, but yet Something within me acknowledged the road, I had once forlorn It was the road filled with the knowledge of a laborious journey where my soul would inevitably be shredded and torn A journey that would redefine my spirit Leaving me afresh and anew With a perspective not of the ordinary, but of one who has grown wise in multifarious ways The passage left me with a life fulfilled and learned but never ceased to end You see the road worth taking is the one I will forever dwell on my friend The road was not a gentle ride nor always filled with complacency But the road worth taking was mine And the perfect one for me
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Obscurity Elise Birde
Far beyond in a place we cannot see There is a place of infinite possibility There is a blind hope within us all There is a fear of obscurity So many have gone there to rest Never to return To the inevitability of obscurity What is this place we cannot see? What is this place of infinite possibility?
Journey to the Moon Madison Boyan
Summer vacation is underway The Jones family is headed for an adventure far far away It is the year 3030 and families can now travel to the moon Although this was always a dream no one knew it would come so soon The Jones family said goodbye to their friends and prepared for take off The mysteries were endless, the fears abundant But nothing could hamper the family’s excitement The space ship, the moon, outer space They had never experienced anything so brilliant One month later the Jones family was no longer in zero gravity Unforgettable is hardly the word to describe the summer of 3030
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Venus
Whitney Kelly Last night I went on an adventure Way out into outer space Oh, there were so many creatures, And I felt so out of place. I landed on the planet Venus, Many different things to see. Then a green and fuzzy creature, Quickly teetered up to me. “Look at you,” I said to him. “Oh you seem so very strange!” He stared at me, with three big eyes, Smiled, then turned, and ran away. I got the chance to glance around The landscape of this brand new world: Orange trees tall as the sky And purple grass covered the ground. There probably was more to explore, But I had lost track of time. Mom would wonder where I’d gone. I hated leaving this world behind.
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The Unknown Jessica Nicholson
The unknown can be scary, exciting, or free Some will ignore, others will see Outer space is unknown, curious and vast It holds our future and shows our past The starlight is shining, pretty and bright Has traveled so far to illuminate our night But what we don’t know while we are sitting in bed Is if the star we are wishing on is alive or dead The sun, the moon, the planets, the stars It is hard to imagine a world beyond ours Adventures, wonder, mysteries, dreams Things are not always what they seem
Am I Crazy? Anthony Dennis
We go to war, To eventually adore. Why do we mess, With all of this stress? Yet it is beyond the control, Of any human or beast, Between the two poles, To do the least. And to start, Somebody probably wanted to go to war, On the presumption that others wanted to. However, all people do not say, That war is the right way. The fact of the matter, Is that this truth, Will never be considered, As everything said is a deceptive truth, One that is false. No one believes it, Yet everyone has acceptance, Is this right of a wrong, This truth of a falsehood. 12
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Universe
Alexandra Esquivel-Murphy Dazzling colors, twinkling stars A place that seems so close, yet so far So much research, but a mystery still Thoughts of it give some a thrill For the lucky travelers that go is a wonder It is an adventure for even those who view it from under Outer space, a wonderful, awe inspiring place
3 Faces
Julia Palecki
Charcoal RSVP Spring 2013
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Time
Kyra Citron time goes, time stops, time flows, times not hold the moment hold the time hold the past future is time do not know do not care what to expect when nothing is fair how to act how to cry how to be how to die how to live with what little is here when time keeps going so I have to fear nothing left all gone what to do until it’s dawn sun rises ever slow nothing surprises when it doesn’t go stuck in time stuck in space whatever now will be my place will I fade in will I fade out will it matter if it doesn’t count when the time doesn’t flow and it stops right here hour to hour and it still isn’t near
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Travel
Mostafa Meleis Tomorrow I travel to where who knows A promise I made a promise that grows Wherever I go I must remember Whatever I do will be an adventure Many before me have done the same But each gave theirs a different name Perhaps my journey is to a place Far and away in outer space Exploring planets Stars, moon, and sun I do hope it is quite fun Yesterday is history Tomorrow is the mystery
On the Move for Adventure Quin Berger
I traveled all around It was the adventure of a life time I climbed a few mountains, slept under the stars, and swam in many bodies of water I wanted to feel a thrill Home was where the next adrenaline pumping experience was at The state of doing nothing was a mystery to me I would go to outer space if it meant feeling a thrill My happiness was always on the move If it meant kayaking in the Amazon, or climbing Mt Kilimanjaro I would go anywhere for an adventure And for me that was happiness RSVP Spring 2013
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Creature of the Sea Joseph Esquivel-Murphy
Wandering through the open sea Swims a creature that the eye can’t see As the tide rolls in on the empty shore The fisherman strolls the beach looking for a place In his hand, a fishing pole and a lure The squawking birds over the green sea quickens his pace The waves of the sea crash against the barren shore The hook is in the ocean, giving the water a distinctive glow This catches the attention of a gargantuan bass Leading to obvious gore The fisherman pulls the fish into the shallow The bass ended his life in class
Grenada
Samantha Samuel
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Abstraction Neil Chatterjee
The swirling Dust, the billowing flames The blue water and green trees The red sun and the blue moon Black chaos and White Nothingness Together at last The gray stones and brown sand The crumbling leaves and falling branches The warm pavement and cool grass Black Chaos and White Nothingness Together at Last The moths and dragonflies The cloth and leather Metal and Bones The snow and ash Black Chaos and White Nothingness Together at Last
Faraway
Allie DeMarco As I first stepped off the plane My eyes looked upon the new terrain. Awe inspiring and wonderful My world had never looked so full. Now I have seen many places Always seeing new and friendly faces. But as I took those new sights in I felt more alone than I had ever been. Although, I have traveled from Rio to Bombay I had never felt so far away.
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Chemistry Jeeda Ani
It was one dreary night. I opened my chemistry book and had a fright. Moles, elements, and compounds. Oh my! “What is Chemistry?!” I ask this as I cry It seems to be the study of matter. Like gases in the sky. Single replacement, combustion reactions oh lord. I laughed at the sight of my papers and books which lay on the floor. Mr. Gance never fails to remind me to highlight more But I find it to be such a chore. But the test is tomorrow, I hope I’ll be fine. I swore by the honor code when I signed my name on that line I will ace Mr. Gance’s test with my grade soaring high.
Lilies
Gabrielle Bijou
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Skull
Katie Mullally
Charcoal
War of the Elements Eric Bovino
Earth, water, wind, and fire: The four elements of our planet. Eternally sentenced to battle each other, In ways we can’t control. Like a game of running bases, Humans are trapped amongst the fighting. While unaware of the havoc they wreak, The elements continue their rampage. Without warning, we are hit with disaster, And who is to blame? The heat of the fire, the rage of the wind, The quakes of the earth, the waves of the water. For the rest of time they will continue to clash, Until peace arrives between them. But we all know that will never happen, Because the elements are never content. RSVP Spring 2013
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Grenada
Samantha Samuel
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The Deep Blue ‌ Erika Serhus
In And Out In And Out Pulling at my feet Wanting me to join in the dance Blue depths Sparkling Shimmering Glimpses of treasures Undiscovered Claimed by the monsters of the deep Gold is mixed in with the blue The perfect combination Exotic Dangerous Waiting to pull me in Ready for a dance Yet monsters don’t entice me And neither does the dark.
Hortoise
Charles Ingulli
Watercolor RSVP Spring 2013
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Secret Melanie Scopellite You’re the reason for these tears, which trickle down my cheek. Try to wipe them away along with these fears. The hurt is burning inside me, twisting, turning, stinging, I am weak. And your voice is what I hear, ringing ringing, in my ears. You have the key to my heart. Why do you twist it so roughly and painfully, Please tell me, I’d love to know. You have a secret, yet I have mine kept close to me after all this time and now our trust is almost gone. Do you, dear, even mind being alone? I have left, we are through and I hope this is a dream, it can’t all be true. The magic that was here has disappeared and replaced by fear. It’s clear that no fairy godmother of mine can fix a heart broken and entwined with another’s who’s respect is gone, unfaithful, pitiful, completely wrong.
Flower
Gabrielle Bijou
Acrylic 22
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The Anti-Poem Giulia DiGuglielmo
What do I care about Dickens? Why am I hearing about Poe? There’s nothing to learn in these stories That I can’t go to find on my own! Reading is not an adventure, No matter what teachers may say; Unless I create my own mystery, I won’t understand anything! I could be traveling the world, But, alas, I am cooped up at school. Studying Shakespeare, Longfellow, Steinbeck: How will this get me to the moon?! Listening to Gatsby, my mind sails to outer space. Where on Earth would I choose to be If I wasn’t in this place?
Cut Off
Ron Geraghty I feel like there is something missing. I’m thirsty for something. But don’t know what that something is. This feeling of emptiness. I need to fill the emptiness. But with what! My skin is going to collapse in. I’ve tasted this before. I know I have. That’s how I know it’s missing. What is it? What is it that I am missing, I need it, or else I’ll collapse. RSVP Spring 2013
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An Exotic Place Brandon Flynn
With water clear as glass The sand as light as snow The cloudless bright blue sky The ocean’s soft smooth flow The rich accents of the natives And fruits up in the trees The warmth of the beach The cool of the seas The weather always perfect Never storm, wind, or gale If only this paradise did exist I’d drop everything and sail
Taj Mahal Allie DeMarco
Photograph 24
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One Time, No Side Effects Anthony Dennis
When is the last time I had some adventure in life? Never. That’s when. What is the definition of a friend? I’ve been places with them, Shared spaces in time with them. You say that you’re my friend. Definition of travel: To go somewhere. I get it now, you’re, Not like the rest, You think you, Can just shut the door, Into the face of your humble guest. Let’s go outside the boxAnd cut to the chaseDon’t look at the clocksWe could do it>---------------------::-----------------------<Go to outer space Think of something; wild Don’t be scared, my childDon’t add to that list of seven, It would be One more thing to wonder: We are the detectives: Just another one of our May journeys, It can be forgotten: Our mission, that we, as friends, MUST complete: Solve this mystery. RSVP Spring 2013
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The Truth
Steve Parlamas This is the truth, I am not lying, Although I don’t have an alibi, I took a trip to outer space, Oh, how it was, such an exotic place. How I got there, I do not know, My travel plans are a mystery, You’ll believe me, I know you will, Just let me have a chance. It was quite an adventure, you see, Because I saw the galaxy, I did not see an alien, although, Wouldn’t that have been quite the show? You are not the first friend I’ve told, I’ve kept my travels no secret, But everyone else has told me, “There’s got to be something wrong with you.” My science teacher informed me, It’s not possible unless you prove it, And since I have no proof, remember, I am bringing it to you.
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Ant’s Eye View
Katie Gill
Body as a Battlefield Samantha Samuel
Colored Pencil RSVP Spring 2013
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Lena
Maddie Fabricant To the moon and back Lena dreamed she’d go, Where the stars were all aglow. She had visions of outer space, The thought brought a smile upon her face. Lena was not a “normal” girl, She did not dream of dolls and pin curls. Adventure was what she wanted, She thought nothing of the boys whom taunted. By the time Lena was twenty she wanted to uncover mystery, She wanted to be the face of history. When she was ten she traveled to the space museum, Her own personal Roman Coliseum. Lena saw her dreams in front of her, She knew which career she would prefer. She created her ideas and made her plans, She knew she would have many fans. Now, Lena looks back on the past, She has become and astronaut at last. A famous one at that, She has the job down pat. Lena knows her future daughter will be proud, She wants to scream it out loud. That a girl can do absolutely anything All while doing so without a ring.
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The Beginning... Madison Pflaster
At five feet six inches, he appeared to be A giant- bigger than life. His strength and fortitude empowered His journey to Palestine. He never realized what an integral role He would play in creating the state of Israel. A merchant marine he would be, until He traded his seaman’s cap for his Dancing shoes. Arthur Murray Dance School in NYC led him into the heart Of Mildred Arnold. At five foot six, he became the man Of steel standing so tall, with all his appeal. The beginning…
Summer Trip to Outer Space Franki Toto
Last summer I traveled into outer space I’d never seen such an interesting place With stars and planets, big and small It was entirely impossible to count them all My adventure only uncovered half of the mystery That’s behind our enormous universe’s history
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Stone Garden Whitney Kelly
Oil Pastel 30
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Into the Lionâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Den Joseph Esquivel-Murphy
There is an ominous cave in the desert, barren and mild That is the place of the lionâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s den A man named Daniel traveled and reprieved in the lonesome place of the wild The cave was filled with skulls and bones, with room for the flight of a little wren A thunderous roar boomed through the cave, giving Daniel a fright Out stepped the lion, his golden mane making him quite a sight Daniel knew he was in the palace of a great king He looked away from the great beast, trying to not show his flaws Daniel slinked slowly toward the exit, avoiding the urge to sing The king struck Daniel, slashing his body with his mighty claws The corpse of Daniel proved to be a great warning For all the careless wanderers that are not pondering The idea of an abandoned cave might just hold The sort of trouble that could unfold
Regular Rhythm Allie DeMarco
Photograph RSVP Spring 2013
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Summer
Charlie Sabaitis How can something be so close And yet so far away Like summer vacation Although it’s not even May Looking toward the beach When we’re stuck in the teachers’ room Doesn’t it seem like There’s nothing but gloom? But keep your head up It’s almost here Summer vacation: 2013,
Cabo, San Lucas Paige Place
Photograph 32
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The Aeronautic Adventure Hunter Pearl
I gaze at the stars And the moon up high, Five thousand balloons On mom’s car I tie. I strap myself in And prepare for the ride, O’er the whole country Is where I shall glide. I’m traveling fast And feeling distraught, Fifty miles high I have overshot. Now I am scared With a pale face, I brace For a misadventure Out in outer space. Oh no! This is bad! I am going to die! I roll open the hood And quickly untie. The balloons fly away, One, two, three four five, The ascent slows down I can’t believe I’m alive. How I went up, And how I came down, Is a mystery that’s the talk of the town. As I look on it now, I think, for what it’s worth, I really am glad To be back on the earth. RSVP Spring 2013
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Phase
Rachel Patel This dimension is vast. Alone, I am, floating in this Bubble. Right here. Right now. Nothing exhilarates me more than speckles of dust, rock, and Solid rays of golden sunlight. Long travels pay off in return fork Beautiful adventures, Where everything thrives And blooms. Yes. In outer space. Can I carve this black hole out of my soul? Just this one last spot… It’s burning. How do I extirpate it? I desire outer peace. Perfection will uncover the mystery inside me, As long as it is a golden year.
Worlds Away Shawna Singh A hidden world Undiscovered, unexplored I don’t know where But it’s somewhere out there A journey to find A place to call mine An exotic place Where I can escape From reality A world full of fantasy Faraway 34
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As the Dusk Faded into Darkness Elisa Stavola
As the dusk faded into darkness The night animals converged They crept amongst the sleeping living Like predators they did creep As the darkness deepened The moon rose high in the sky A dark bright circle A light to guide thine eyes As the dark turned to dawn The creatures scurried into hiding Traipsing along to their lodgings Awaiting the sunâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s return As the darkness faded A great light appeared At first bright red Then yellow as it ascended more As the sun crept up to meet the morning The night creatures disappeared Yet few would walk among the living Their nightly escapades, to the world unknown As they stand amongst living They walk Inevitable it is They walk amongst the living forever more, they walk
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Antâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Eye View Sabrina Schlesinger
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It's Not Quite Space Sarah Klein
I wonder what it will be like Where we are going, Its inhabitants are considered Quite strange They have a style quite peculiar, Alien even. The population certainly depends On its electronic population. If we are lucky we may encounter some of The horrifying creatures In their native attire. I wonder what it will be like Where we are going
We zoom through the darkness Into an unfamiliar world A futuristic world A glimpse of light Twinkling
It is Not quite space but .... It is New York
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The Train Grant Parker
As the train rolled gently along The lights flickered on and off On a rainy, cold, empty, night The train hopped slowly, from station to station The train continued through deluge But on one curve on the cold, unkind, night The lights flickered but never returned The train began to slow The time the train had realized it could go no further The train gave up hope And stopped, on a cold, inhuman, night The train no longer felt the persuasion to continue Spiritless, melancholy, despondent, downcast There, the train sat, on a dark, cold, bitter, night
Ski
Jake Palecki It takes several months To research terrain, Find the perfect mountain, And get seats on a plane. It takes many hours To book the perfect lodge, Update your equipment, And move it from the garage. It takes a couple minutes For the lift to ascend. Reaching the highest summit, Your daydream will now end. In what feels like seconds, I rush fast and free, Down to the bottomâ&#x20AC;&#x201D; I love to ski.
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Subway
David Longo
Photograph RSVP Spring 2013
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The Name of My Country and the Country of My Name Ireland Clancy They wished me luck as I boarded my flight Unsure that this six hour ride would be alright I flew over the ocean that seemed to be bubblin’ And then I saw if from the air, the city of Dublin People told me it was rough, and I took that warning But when I landed I was greeted by a kind “good morning” I got there; it didn’t seem that bad In fact, there was quite a charming lad At first my mom said we were going to Trinity To be honest, I went unwillingly After that, we took a trip in a horse and buggy To my surprise, it was quite lovely We went to Dublin for a ride We traveled all throughout the countryside Now, here before you I stand To tell you all, Ireland is grand
Florida
Anne Marie Weiland Florida Sun The Beach and the Fun Can’t wait till summer comes The smell of the fishermen catching chum Sports and activities all day long While listening to my favorite song Friends and Family join together To make new memories that’ll last forever Laying in the sun While listening to the strum Of the beach player’s guitar As the sun sets I will see the first star Warm evenings by the beach bon fires Makes me take a deep breath and think about the things that I aspire 40
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The Jersey Shore Maddie Fabricant
The shore, the summer, the air, Available to many for just a small train fare. The waves, the sand, the children play, Happy to be away from the school day. The heartache, the high, the smell. Listening to the mothers yell. The beach, the life, the bathing suits, Everyone happy to be out of snow boots. The storm, the horror, the destruction, All seemed like a big theatrical production. The work, the building, the picking up of pieces, To make sure the existence of the Shore never ceases. The concerts, the charity, the big stars, All playing on their guitars. Happy to be home at last, Hoping to make the storm seem in the past.
Tuscany Dana Rizzo
My home, my summers, five minutes away, Will always be there at the end of the day.
Photograph RSVP Spring 2013
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Time
Whitney Kelly Tick, Tock, Tick, Tock, The world, it turns While I watch the clock It turns and turns And never stops … and time stops for no one In and out In and out The tide comes in And goes about The sun, it sets Beneath the clouds … and time stops for no one To and fro To and fro The trees, they sway In twilight glow. Through my hair The wind does blow … and time stops for no one.
Sunset
Victoria Renner
Tick, tock Tick, tock … and time stops for no one.
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“you”
Josh Weakley I look at you and I see many things I see a hater I see a lover I see stupidity and I see brilliance I look at you and I see chaos I see peace you love everything and nothing all at the same time I look at you and I see someone so very old while being so very young you are lonely, but have everyone you could ever need I look at you and I realize you cannot have love without once having hate brilliance without stupidity there can be no peace without there once being chaos you can never be old without having been young and you cannot have loneliness without once having everyone I look at you and I see him I see her and I see you always wanting to be what everyone else already is always wondering how to do this or how to do that why do that when you can do this I look at you and I think who are you? and he answers “I am you”
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Trees
Monish Rachuru
Watercolor 44
RSVP Spring 2013
PROSE
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Body as a Battlefield Sabrina Schlesinger
Colored Pencil 46
RSVP Spring 2013
The Prisoner Maddie Young
Screech--Slam! Clink, Clink The Prisoner studied the damp and heartless chamber, taking in the sweet smell of blood. He noticed the bruises and scars men before him had desperately scrawled across the wall. Each made with the pleading hope of an unstable mind. The Prisoner felt the steady gaze of a thousand forgotten and troubled eyes, The Prisonerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s ear did not twitch at the screams of the tormented and tortured souls Their cries for mercy, for justice, for revenge, Welcoming him into their hell. The stench of fresh meat grew stronger within the confines of his lonely cage. His eyes glinted and flickered, deep inside the Beast stirred and sparked a tiny flame in the damp grey of the cell. Eyes had witnessed terrors and darkness Deep, endless voids which did not blink, but stared into the soul of Fear and Death Which did not cringe from even the most horrible of nightmares. He grinned. This was going to be fun.
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The Sphinx’s New Riddle Noah Goldstein
Finally, thought Ampelios with delight. This is the easiest part! It had been
years since his great-uncle, Oedipus, had died. Almost seventy years later, Thebes was once again at the mercy of the Sphinx, the terrible monster Oedipus had outsmarted and slain years before. The fearsome beast had somehow returned, and she was just as menacing as she was so many years before, with the body of a lion, the wings of an eagle, and the head of a woman. Her true claim to fame, however, was her infamous riddle. "What walks on four legs in the morning," Ampelios recited out loud, "two legs in the afternoon, and three legs in the evening?" He chuckled quietly as he walked. "It's a man, of course. A baby walks on four legs, a grown man walks on two, and an elderly man walks with a cane, making three." He had been traveling to the lair of the Sphinx for about thirty minutes now, and he had recited the riddle to himself every few minutes to make sure he wouldn't misspeak. Answering the riddle wrong, he knew, would cause the evil beast to devour him. Soon, the majestic columns that mark the entrance to Thebes came into view, rockbound and blurred by the Greek summer heat. Ampelios cautiously slowed his pace and scanned for the horrible creature. He was almost upon the entrance when, with a monstrous thump, the Sphinx descended, landing right in front of him. The sudden appearance of the beast gave the young traveler such a fright that he yelped and fell backward, staring up into those fearsome eyes. She was enormous, even for a lion, with a wingspan to match. Her face was beautiful and catlike, with tanned Greek skin and neatly braided brown hair. "WHO PLEADS ENTRANCE TO THEBES?" she boomed, with a lionlike roar. Regaining some of his composure, Ampelios scrambled to his feet. “Am-Ampelios,” he sauntered. "I’m here to solve your, urn-Your riddle, I'm here to solve it.” “Very well," replied the Sphinx: now adopting a tone like that of a hissing cat. It was less terrifying, but no less threatening. "Are you ready for my puzzle?" "Yes, I am," answered Ampelios, gaining confidence. The Sphinx cleared her throat, and began:
“You take me every day, But you can hardly hold me. The faster you give chase-” "Wait, wait, what?" he interrupted. His stomach immediately dropped as he realized the potential danger of his rudeness. The Sphinx looked at him as though she knew he would react this way, so he continued. "Isn't the riddle something about four legs in morning...?" 48
RSVP Spring 2013
"It was," the Sphinx replied with a feline smile, "but everyone knew that one. You can't have thought it would be so easy, could you?" Ampelios felt sick. His knees were going weak, his face drained, and he broke out into a cold sweat. "O-Okay...," he muttered, barely able to articulate. "Good. As I was saying:
“ You take me every day, But you can hardly hold me. The faster you give chase. The harder it is to catch me. Like water, I am necessary, But we cannot be taken together. What am I?”
Recognizing that it was his only chance, the young man swallowed and said, "Okay, so...'You take me every day'... Um, can you say it again?" The Sphinx complied. '"You take me every day'... What do you take every day? A walk? No, no... Maybe it's pee? You take one every day, and can't really hold it long... But then, 'The faster you give chase' doesn't make sense. Do I have a time limit?" "However long it takes for you to solve it," she answered, "or to give up hope. Do you want to hear it again?" Ampelios nodded, and she repeated the riddle. "So what are things that are necessary?" wondered Ampelios. "Water, food, shelter, air.” You can take food at the same time... but air? Oh, air! AIR!" Gaining confidence, he continued. "You can't inhale underwater, so they can 't be taken together. Okay. ‘You take me every day'... You take air, every day, yeah, and you can't hold it." The Sphinx furrowed her brow, and Ampelios knew he was getting close. "Wait, not air, breath! You take breaths every day, but can’t hold your breath long! YES! And 'the faster you give chase'.. . Yeah, the faster you run, the harder it is to catch your breath! Breath, the answer is breath!" "You!" growled the monster. "You're a descendent of the Solver of many years ago, aren't you?" "I am Ampelios," he declared, "and Oedipus was my great uncle. I believe this is the part where you kill yourself, right?" “A foolish tale, perpetuated by cocky mortals," spat the Sphinx. "You have bested me today, but I will return. Congratulations for besting me, but don’t get cocky. You'd best hope that your descendants prove as able as you and your uncle."
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49
Portrait
Joyce Dayan
Clay Sculpture 50
RSVP Spring 2013
A Mystery
Jimmy Samson John was finishing his report at his new job when his boss walked in the room. He still couldn't remember the man's name, which was probably a bad thing. He took his eyes off the computer monitor and asked, "What can I do for you?" "We need someone to go to Texas for us to represent our sales division." he replied. What was his name again? "That should be alright, but isn't there anyone who has been here longer to represent us?" "Well, there are some, but you have been putting significantly more effort into your job than anyone else in this building. We want you to go." Sebastian, that was his name. "Alright, I'll leave tomorrow." said John to end the conversation. The next day at the airport went smoothly, considering it was a Monday. John had just gotten through security when he noticed a man in a suit and black sunglasses. He was standing about thirty feet away talking on cell phone and leafing through an old newspaper. By the man's side was a black briefcase with a lock by the handle. Nobody was paying him any mind, but John was certain, the man was following him. John began to look around at other travelers to take his mind off of the mysterious man. This worked, until he turned back and the man was only a foot away. Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll give you 5,000 dollars in cash if you bring this briefcase to your destination and never open it" began the man in a quiet, yet stern voice. John's response was not the obvious one. In truth, he could use the money to pay off some of his debts, but he had no clue who this man was, and no idea what was being asked of him. He needed time to decide, but he didn't have it. The plane would be departing soon. Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll do it," was his only reply. The flight was only three hours, but to John, it was three days. He was forced to sit, shaking, with the briefcase sitting placidly by his feet. His only thoughts were of curiosity, and fear. What was in the box? Have I been set-up? When he finally landed, his nervous thoughts left his mind as he got together his luggage and made his way off the plane. John walked out of the airport wondering when another suited man would approach him and take the suitcase off his hands and give him his reward. He was leaning against a wall watching taxis drive by when a firm grip pulled back his arms and handcuffed him... RSVP Spring 2013
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Letter to Arthur Dimmesdale Henry Miller
Yo Arthur D, you know who this be, it’s your main man, Mr. Snoop Doggy Dogg. So I heard ‘bout this situation you got going on with that fine thing Hester Prynne. Don’t worry ‘bout it. It aint nothing but a G Thang. But there are many things to do, man there’s such a variety, but just don’t go get yourself shunned by society. I know that you’re feeling a little under the weather, but that’s not gonna stop unless you treat Hester better. Think of all the things she’s done for you, like kept your little secret out of public view. I know that you and Hester might not want to associate, but if this story gets out, man, you might have to litigate. You know the facts, this whole thing is whack. And the funny thing is about that, she’s been watching your back. She deserves some lovin’, and she’s looking for yours, and it’s all good brotha, just keep it behind closed doors. What’s with this whole thing ‘bout Pearl, man, c’mon, that’s your little baby girl. She should be the most prized thing in your world. All she wants is to just stand by your side; the least you could do is just take her for a carriage ride. I don’t like to reminisce about business, but I remember when I was straight chillin’ with Dr. Dre, we would just talk and get our differences out of the way. I suggest you try that with your new daughter, and maybe one day she’ll remember all the things that you taught her. Now lemme tell you what’s up with this Chillingworth fool, don’t you realize that it’s your life he’s trying to rule. So stop stuntin’ and get up and confront him. He is one of your only enemies. He’s trying to make you sick with his phony herbal remedies. When C-Shizzle is near, you don’t have to fear. He loathes you but he won’t expose you. He’s the only one who knows what you’re about, but he’s too nervous to open his mouth. I understand you’re stressed that you didn’t confess, but your religious finesse will keep you out of distress; and prove this by keeping your arm over your chest. Yo dogg, you must be tripping, ‘cause I heard you partake in a little self-whipping. It’s not up to you to punish yourself for your sins, the best thing you can do is go to church and sing hymns. I hope my advice helps you to escape your vice. You’ll always know where I’ll be, obviously, it’s the 213. Representing LA every day, all the way. Peace, Snoop Doggy Dogg
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Girl in Glass Julia Palecki
Photograph RSVP Spring 2013
53
Canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t Take It Danica Lenge
Acrylic Paint 54
RSVP Spring 2013
A Different Kind of Fairy Tale Steven Jacobson
When Joe woke up, he began his day in the normal fashion, raising himself out of his dull bed, stepping out of his soporific room, imbibing a bland breakfast, and plodding off to his monotonous job, glancing up at the gray sky that only seemed to hang over his pedestrian house. Even the one lonely tree on his property looked melancholy and drooping. When Joe checked the tree, however, he discovered that it was actually dead. Joe strode down the road past the seven dwarves' place, crossed in front of the tower that Rapunzel stayed in, and took a shortcut through the woods by where Hansel and Gretel lived. Joe passed the castle of his former employer, the King and Queen. He had once been a messenger for the royal family, and had actually saved their son many years ago. When the son was only an infant, a little man had come along and told the Queen that he would take her son unless she could figure out the little man's name. It had been Joe who the Queen had dispatched to somehow deduce the little man's name. And it had been Joe, who in three days time, had discovered that the name of the impish figure was Rumpelstiltskin. Apparently, when the King and Queen said that they were indebted to him forever after this discovery, forever only signified twelve months, for in a years' time Joe had been let go after the Queen mysteriously lost her ability to spin straw into gold. People around the kingdom often lauded the king and queen's cunning, and remarked how smart they were to defeat the wicked little man. However, nobody ever praised Joe for carrying out the real deed. All they ever remembered was the Queen's utterance of one word. Now, Joe worked as a fisherman, fishing at place called Lake Four. Joe had no idea why it was called that, but he suspected, with his luck, that it was because it was so uninteresting that nobody had ever bothered to give it a proper name. Joe couldn't blame them. He was lucky if he caught one fish there per day. He used to have a friend there, a frog that he had liked to talk to. But the frog had since disappeared. Joe heard that he had married a princess. After four hours of no action, Joe felt a huge tug on his fishing pole. Maybe his fortunes were turning around! He reeled, and reeled, and reeled with all his might... And the pole slipped out of his hand, and was pulled into the lake. Joe wrung his hands in frustration. He had sunk to rock bottom in his lowly life. There was only one thing to do now-one person who could help him. Joe only hoped that he would be willing to do so. * * * "Who is that? Who is there?" snapped the crabby little figure. If there was one person more miserable in this land than Joe was, it was Rumpelstiltskin. Joe had journeyed underground to Rumpelstiltskin's jail cell, in which he had been held for years. "Oh, it is you," he sneered. 'What is it that you desire with me?" Joe knew that Rumpelstiltskin had no idea that it was he who had betrayed Rumpelstiltskin's epithet, and he wanted to keep it that way. He did not desire the wrath of Rumpelstilskin on top of his humdrum life. Despite his imprisonment, the wizard still had very powerful magic. "I wish to leave this place," stated Joe. "I advise you to see your way to the door, then," responded the surly imp. "That is more than I can do." "I mean, I wish to leave this land," clarified Joe. "To get out. Eradicate myself from its presence forever. There is nothing left here for me. Can you do that for me? Is your magic still strong enough?" Joe also flipped him a gold coin, his entire savings. He didn't care.
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This bit of pay enticed Rumpelstiltskin to talk. "I myself cannot do this, but there is such an entity that can. You must proceed to the Deimos tree, located in the land of Phobos. Once you reach it, pull four branches off the tree. Once this task is completed, you will be here no more. " "Where will that take me?" inquired Joe. "It will transport you to a place, that people know of us, and recount the tales of our affairs, but we do not know of them," said the little man, with a hint of his old wicked smile on his countenance. "Myself excepted, of course. They are an unpredictable lot, quite different from the universe heretofore that you have known." The wily old trickster refused to divulge any other information. So Joe set off for Phobos, about two days' journey by foot. He traveled through the Kingdom of Olympus, the estate of Asaph, and the lands where Emperor Henry and then King Madan ruled. Finally, he reached Phobos. He found this tree, which was very distinctive looking. Situated between two oddly shaped rocks, it was enormous and crimson-colored. Joe snapped off one branch, two branches, than three branches. The fourth was the most difficult. Finally, with a huge amount of effort, the final barrier between Joe and the chance at an exciting life was extinguished, and with a whirr and a swirl of dust, Joe disappeared from the land of Phobos. * * * When Joe woke up, he didn't begin his day in the normal fashion, raising himself off the sandy ground, stepping his feet across the expansive land, accidentally imbibing a load of dust, and plodding off in the direction of the monstrous mountains, glancing up at the brilliantly- colored sky that seemed to stretch as far as the eye could see. It appeared that he was in some sort of desert. While Joe had been in deserts back in his homeland, what was beyond this desert startled him. On the very horizon, steely, tall structures loomed. Another structure that did not quite seem alive zoomed across the sky. An animal scampered across the desert floor. "Hey, you there! Animal! Say, what is this place, exactly?" inquired Joe. The animal-which looked somewhat like bear, but on four feet, much smaller, with larger ears, and a tongue that constantly hung out of its mouth- ignored him and ran away even further. This baffled Joe. Why wouldn't this animal talk to him? All of the animals talked to everybody where Joe came from. This must have been an extremely rude animal. Or perhaps it just hadn't heard him. And so Joe went chasing this bear-thing across the desert, shouting at it, as it merrily continued its journey across the landscape, all the while completely ignoring Joe's presence. Finally, it reached one of those steely structures and found its way in through an open door. Joe, once again, followed it. That was when he saw them, and he fainted from shock "Oh gosh!" one of them said. "It looks so funny! And what is it wearing? Ha!" "I have no idea," said another. "Where are its other eight arms? And what about itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s other head? It's missing another leg, also." "You know what?" chimed in a third. "It looks like something from one of those creatures that we know about, but don't know about us. From the green and blue planet. The next planet over." The third pointed through the open hatch of the flying saucer at its planet's closest celestial neighbor, a place its natives called Earth. You could see it through their own planet's red sky. A fourth, who was a humanologist, scratched his fifth chin. "The anatomical makeup seems right, but that clothing is not of the time period that humans occupy. Even though the species is extremely primitive compared to us, these garments are from an even simpler time." All four of them gazed at the oddity with each of their sixteen eyes as the humanologist absentmindedly patted the pet's second nose.
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This bit of pay enticed Rumpelstiltskin to talk. "I myself cannot do this, but there is such an entity that can. You must proceed to the Deimos tree, located in the land of Phobos. Once you reach it, pull four branches off the tree. Once this task is completed, you will be here no more. " "Where will that take me?" inquired Joe. "It will transport you to a place, that people know of us, and recount the tales of our affairs, but we do not know of them," said the little man, with a hint of his old wicked smile on his countenance. "Myself excepted, of course. They are an unpredictable lot, quite different from the universe heretofore that you have known." The wily old trickster refused to divulge any other information. So Joe set off for Phobos, about two days' journey by foot. He traveled through the Kingdom of Olympus, the estate of Asaph, and the lands where Emperor Henry and then King Madan ruled. Finally, he reached Phobos. He found this tree, which was very distinctive looking. Situated between two oddly shaped rocks, it was enormous and crimson-colored. Joe snapped off one branch, two branches, than three branches. The fourth was the most difficult. Finally, with a huge amount of effort, the final barrier between Joe and the chance at an exciting life was extinguished, and with a whirr and a swirl of dust, Joe disappeared from the land of Phobos. * * * When Joe woke up, he didn't begin his day in the normal fashion, raising himself off the sandy ground, stepping his feet across the expansive land, accidentally imbibing a load of dust, and plodding off in the direction of the monstrous mountains, glancing up at the brilliantly- colored sky that seemed to stretch as far as the eye could see. It appeared that he was in some sort of desert. While Joe had been in deserts back in his homeland, what was beyond this desert startled him. On the very horizon, steely, tall structures loomed. Another structure that did not quite seem alive zoomed across the sky. An animal scampered across the desert floor. "Hey, you there! Animal! Say, what is this place, exactly?" inquired Joe. The animal-which looked somewhat like bear, but on four feet, much smaller, with larger ears, and a tongue that constantly hung out of its mouth- ignored him and ran away even further. This baffled Joe. Why wouldn't this animal talk to him? All of the animals talked to everybody where Joe came from. This must have been an extremely rude animal. Or perhaps it just hadn't heard him. And so Joe went chasing this bear-thing across the desert, shouting at it, as it merrily continued its journey across the landscape, all the while completely ignoring Joe's presence. Finally, it reached one of those steely structures and found its way in through an open door. Joe, once again, followed it. That was when he saw them, and he fainted from shock "Oh gosh!" one of them said. "It looks so funny! And what is it wearing? Ha!" "I have no idea," said another. "Where are its other eight arms? And what about itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s other head? It's missing another leg, also." This bit of pay enticed Rumpelstiltskin to talk. "I myself cannot do this, but there is such an entity that can. You must proceed to the Demos tree, located in the land of Photos. Once you reach it, pull four branches off the tree. Once this task is completed, you will be here no more. " "Where will that take me?" inquired Joe. "It will transport you to a place, that people know of us, and recount the tales of our Affairs, but we do not know of them," said the little man, with a hint of his old wicked smile on his countenance. "I accepted, of course. They are an unpredictable lot, quite different from the universe heretofore that you have known." The wily old trickster refused to divulge any other information. So Joe set off for Photos, about two days' journey by foot. He traveled through the Kingdom of Olympus, the estate of Asp, and the lands where Emperor Henry and then King Madam ruled. Finally, he reached Photos. RSVP Spring 2013
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He found this tree, which was very distinctive looking. Situated between two oddly Shaped rocks, it was enormous and crimson-colored. Joe snag piped off one branch, two branches, than three branches. The fourth was the most difficult. Finally, with a huge amount of effort, the final barrier between Joe and the chance at an exciting life was extinguished, and with a whirr and a swirl of dust, Joe disappeared from the land of Photos. Structures loomed. Another structure that did not quite seem alive zoomed across the sky. An animal scampered across the desert floor. "Hey, you there! Animal! Say, what is this place, exactly?" inquired Joe. The animal-which looked somewhat like bear, but on four feet, much smaller, with larger ears, and a tongue that constantly hung out of its mouth- ignored him and ran away even further. This baffled Joe. Why wouldn't this animal talk to him? All of the animals talked to everybody where Joe came from. This must have been an extremely rude animal. Or perhaps it just hadn't heard him. And so Joe went chasing this bear-thing across the desert, shouting at it, as it merrily continued its journey across the landscape, all the while completely ignoring Joe's presence. Finally, it reached one of those steely structures and found its way in through an open door. Joe, once again, followed it. That was when he saw them, and he fainted from shock "Oh gosh!" one of them said. "It looks so funny! And what is it wearing? Ha!" "I have no idea," said another. "Where are its other eight arms? And what about itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s other head? It's missing another leg, also."
Sleeping Beauty Casey Wolfe
Acrylic Paint 58
RSVP Spring 2013
Cityscape Ilayda Takil
Charcoal
Waiting for Godot Grant Parker
The train ground to a halt, which many would have anticipated to be a welcome sight. However, the train was nowhere near a station; it was far, far out of the last station and far, far out from the next. The train sat patiently at first out in the cold country waiting for the possibility that somebody would come by, but it was as if the train was waiting for Godot. The train sat restlessly, as hours turned to days. Without ware withal, it gave up hope. It gave up hope for returning to normalcy, gave up hope for somebody to come by, and gave up hope for its life of movement. And the train, never became anything more. RSVP Spring 2013
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Trip to Thailand Rachel Bernstein
When I was ten I traveled to Thailand with my entire family for my uncle’s wedding. It was hard for me to understand at the time just exactly how far Thailand was from New Jersey. We were on the plane for over twenty hours, and I couldn’t wait any longer to arrive. When we got to the hotel it was like we were in an entirely different world. The weather was so warm, and the people’s personalities matched. Everyone was so kind and it was different to see people who looked so different. The customs of the people were very different from our own, and it felt strange to have to bow every time you greeted someone. The Buddhist wedding was definitely the most interesting part. The ceremony was not what you would think of when you think of a wedding. The bride and groom have to give thanks to their parents, and stay on their knees. After a few days of the wedding festivities in Bangkok, we flew to Phuket to stay for a few days. We visited the summer after the tsunami hit in Asia, and there was still a lot of wreckage on the beach. Except, even though it wasn’t perfect anymore, it was still the most beautiful thing I have ever seen. The sand was so white and so warm, and the water was so clear you could see straight down to your feet. Despite all of the destruction that had just occurred months before, I had never felt so serene.
Toledo, Spain Brynn Bresnahan
Photograph 60
RSVP Spring 2013
All the Money in the World Chris Farkouh
Since I donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t play the lottery, presumably I have all the money in the world because I've worked arduously at something I'm passionate about. For me that would be science, and within science, hopefully I've made a significant impact on the world population's overall health and life expectancy. In furtherance of pursing that which fulfills me most, I'd make the largest global impact possible, and to do that I'd follow in the footsteps of some notable entrepreneurs like Anil Ambani of Reliance Capital and fashion icon Tory Burch, partnered with Accion. Each of these hugely successful individuals recognized a serious problem in their respective communities, and each, having more money than they'd ever need, used their own finances to attempt solve that problem. Launching an unprecedented microfinance initiative in India, Ambani targeted underprivileged, indigent women in his country, and Burch, having climbed to the top of the global fashion industry on her own metal, targeted women-owned, start-up businesses in the U.S. Although the target populations of these two moguls originated from significantly different demographics, the moguls' ultimate goal was the same, to empower people at the grassroots level who in tum could make a further difference and positive impact in the world. Consistent with the theme of making a positive difference in the world, the specific focus of my microfinance initiative would be to fund medical research that had the potential to limit the incidence of disease and to increase the world population's life expectancy. Although my initiative would not be limited to any specific area of medical research, my personal interest lies in genome sequencing. I became keenly aware of the possibilities that genome sequencing could bring to bear on human health when I read a July 7, 2012, New York Times article entitled In Treatment for Leukemia, Glimpses of the Future. This article outlined the unprecedented success achieved by Washington University's Genome Institute in sequencing the genome of one of its own doctors, Dr. Lukas Wartman. Diagnosed with the very cancer he was researching, Wartman failed to respond to traditional chemotherapy treatment and was ultimately the subject of the Institute's successful genome sequencing. Discovering that a normal gene, FLT3, was in production overdrive and spurring the cancer's growth, doctors administered a drug used to inhibit FLT3 in kidney cancers to keep Wartman's leukemia in remission; an unorthodox and untried treatment for this particular type of leukemia. Although the obvious success of the Institute's research is that Wartman is alive and his cancer in remission, the larger, more important significance of the Institute's discovery is that individual genome sequencing is possible, which in tum means that cancer and other disease treatments may be individualized in the foreseeable future. Capitalizing on the underlying principles of the Institute's research, scientists around the world are exploring its possibilities. Strides have been made to uncover whole gene sequencing of tumors in colon cancer, and several genes linked to uterine and serous endometrial cancer have been identified. In addition, others have sought to map the genetics of diseases including Gauchers, Parkinsons, Cystic Fibrosis and other neuromuscular diseases and neurological disorders, as well as conditions like ADHD and Asthma to reduce their rate of incidence. Just recently I read the research paper of a Siemans Competition Regional Finalist, the subject of which was epigenetic control of cancerous tumor formation. Her research demonstrated that a new synthetic molecule, SQ037, inhibited the overproduction of the enzyme EZHQ, and has promise as a future epigenetic treatment for cancer. Research like hers, as well as the other research described above, is the future of medicine, and although only one life has been saved to date, its possibilities are endless. Providing the micro-financing for scientists like these who might not otherwise be able to fund their research could potentially save the lives of many and have a positive impact on the world. If I had all the money I'd ever need, I'd dedicate my life and my money to the greater good of the world in this manner. RSVP Spring 2013
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Bahamas
Samantha Chiarello Walking along the path towards the sun-loving beach, I whipped off my cover-up and started to run with excitement fueling my every step. Paying no attention to the calls of my parents, I kept on going. Finally, after ten minutes of searching, I found the perfect spot for my family to relax. When they finally caught up with me, we all spread out our towels to begin enjoying the vacation that we’d dreamed of for so long. As I lay there, I realized that the Bahamas was truly a beautiful place, and to this day I still plan to return in the future. I eventually got bored of lying on the hot sand, so I begged my sister, then brother, to go into the water with me. After two rejections, I turned to my mom, who I noticed was talking to a man wearing sun glasses, a bathing suit, and a huge sun-hat. “No, thank you, really,” my mom repeated. “Come on! It will be fun! Your children will love it,” the stranger insisted. “What will be fun?” I interrupted. “Renting some wave runners for a couple of hours and taking them out on the ocean together!” he replied. After begging and begging, my mom finally caved and said we could do it! I was eager to try driving one, but being only 10, I knew it wasn’t likely. We decided to rent two wave runners since my dad lacked the nerve to go, even with all of my pleading. Two people could fit on each wave 62
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runner, so we had to pair up. Unfortunately, there was only one itty-bitty problem: my mom was the only one out of the four of us who was actually old enough to drive. My sister, who was 16 at the time, tried to tell the man that she was 18, in hopes of being able to drive. Foolishly, I blurted out “But she’s only six…” My mom thrust her hand over my mouth to shush me, and I eventually got the hint. Less than an hour later, we were in our life vests wading out into the ocean towards our two wave runners. My sister and I agreed to ride together, leaving my mom and brother to pair up. Smoothly, my sister hopped onto the wave runner and I copied her movements, which wasn’t unusual for me to do. “Are you ready?” she yelled over the roar of the engine. “Let’s go!” I shouted. A second later, we were off, racing through the sea at a speed that seemed way too fast for a beginner. We drove and turned and flew all around for about an hour, laughing and screaming as each wave came our way. Even though the sea water stung my eyes as it flew up every time we moved, it was all worth it. It was one of those moments in my life that I remember as a time my sister and I truly bonded. I had to hang onto her the whole time, and even though she wasn’t too thrilled about it at first, eventually we just enjoyed being together. Before our time was up, she surprised me by telling me to switch positions with her. I was ecstatic, thrilled to have this unexpected opportunity to drive! Turning the handle to full speed, off we flew. My 15 minutes of driving time was truly great. This memory is still the first thing I think of whenever I hear someone mention the Bahamas. It was one of the most fun experiences I’ve ever had! RSVP Spring 2013
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The Trip of a Lifetime Gillian Veralli
I thought moving to Oregon would be a horrid thing. A few months before I turned 15, my father had heard of this great new place called ‘Oregon’ from the Parkers. It was relatively unoccupied, and was a great new place for farming. At the time we lived in Georgia. My father ran a small, non-plantation-like farm. We kept on losing money to the larger plantations, who attempted to grow cotton too. The only way to save the farm was to move to Oregon. At first I was hesitant to go and my sister, Elizabeth didn’t want to go either. You see, we were the oldest (she 16 and me 15) and we wanted what was best for our family. My two younger brothers, Jason (5) and Stephen (6) didn’t really know what to think of Oregon at all, so they mainly just agreed with Dad. Finally, we decided to pack up our wagon with only the necessities. The Parkers and we left in 1851, the horses pulling our wagon further and further away from our farm. The first few days were hard. We just sat on barrels of hay and played, occasionally stopping to give our horses a break, bathe in a body of water, or to walk around a bit. Dad commanded the horses in the front of the wagon. The Parkers were right in front of us as we made our way to Missouri… Nancy Parker was my age and really, really liked me. It was both awkward and humorous because Nancy’s face always resembled that of a rodent. Her brother, Jonathan, was 10 and was hated by my brother Stephen because he always boasted of how much money he had. I really don’t like any of the Parkers (not even Mrs. and Mr. Parker). So, as we steadily approached Missouri to enter the Oregon Trail, you can imagine I thought the trek to Oregon would be a long one. We stayed around 3 days in St. Louis, Missouri, and while there, we restocked on goods. The second day, father sent me to pick up milk, cheese, and eggs at the Soulard Farmer’s Market. While entering a general store there, there was only one ray of light from a small window. And into that ray walked the most beautiful girl I had ever seen. She had chestnut colored hair, and chocolaty skin. Her hair was long and wavy, and had a tint of gold to it. Her face was short yet thin, and she had piercing light-brown, almost Hazel eyes. It was almost like everything in the room was drawn to her (including me). I asked her the basics: her name, lifestyle, hopes/dreams. She said her name was Emma (her name almost as breathtaking as herself). She said she was a slave girl, doing errands for the master. She went on to explain about how she dreamed of on day becoming a doctor. She asked me about myself. I said that I was moving to Oregon for new farming opportunities. I told her that I would love for her to accompany me on my other errands: to get hay for the horses, to look for new toys in any store in town, and to get lots of water. We went on an adventure.
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Our first stop: An open barn for more “borrowed” hay. She acted as a look out, and I grabbed as much hay as I could. Then suddenly the loud bang from a bucket knocked over startled a cow. It started to charge towards what it thought caused the noise. It locked on its target: Emma. I yelled, “Look out” but she didn’t respond quickly enough. My adrenaline kicked in. I started running and tackled her to the ground. We tumbled out of the barn, and onto the grassy field surrounding the farm. When we stopped she breathed, “You saved me… but it was your fault in the first place.” I laughed lightly, “Really? Maybe next time I won’t save you from a mad cow.” I teased. “You know maybe you shouldn’t be teasing when there’s grass all over your face.” We both laughed. “Where,” I said while through my blushing. I tried to get it off, but ended up moving the grass into my hair. “Here,” she said, as she gently removed the blades from my head. “Thanks” I said, although I hate being babied. Afterwards, we went to the river, and even went for a dip. After a splash fight that went on for half an hour, we finally looked for toys for Jason and Stephen. We went into another, larger general store, and she picked up a book of stamps. “Bert, will this do?” she kidded. “Yah,” I said, “If they want to stare at horses more than they already do.” We laughed. We managed to find Jason and Stephen a little wooden boat. By the time we left the store, the sun was starting to set. After a fun filled day, we sat and watched the sun go down. We started talking again…, “You know, this has been the most fun I have had in a while. I would love to do this again sometime.” I blushed. “Me too. But I am moving all the way to Oregon, and we may never see each other again.” In response, she said, “How will I know you’ll never forget me?” And with that we kissed. Later I told her in a rush of courage, “You know Emma, you are the only girl for me.” It was foolish to say after only 5 hours of companionship, but it was so true. “I will never forget you,” she said. I said, “If it is meant to be, we will meet again.” And with that, and a final embrace I departed from St. Louis, with a final glance back at the prettiest girl ever. After over 5 months of traveling, we finally reached Oregon. We settled down in Portland and began our life on a new farm. Two years later…. I received a knock on the door to my store. In a single ray of light appeared Emma. She was still the most beautiful women I have ever seen. She exclaimed, “Bert! I knew we would meet again.” She told me that she had settled down in Oregon, looking for a certain fellow that had changed her life. I blushed, just like I used to when I realized she meant me. We went onto date, and finally got engaged. ..… She walks down the aisle, she looks as stunning and breath-taking as the day I met her. Her Beautiful brown-Gold hair cascades over her beautiful dress. Her eyes, brown or hazel, are fixed on me as she approaches. I always knew she was
the one for me.
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Stage Light Casey Wolfe
Acrylic Paint 66
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The Time I Met the Queen of England Soroya A. Dookie
"Dad we are going to miss our plane if we donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t leave now!" I said frustrated. I hadn't expected anything different of my family because anytime we go anywhere we are always a few minutes behind. When we finally left the house, we had not even arrived at the end of the development before; "I forgot my wallet!" was yelled by my father. After retrieving the object of delay, we were able to continue on our journey to England that would hopefully result in permanent residence there. "Dad, I know you're going to love Oxford just as much as do. I can't wait for you to see it, it's beautiful!" I said as we drove to the airport. Upon arriving at the airport, hearing the bustle of the people increased my excitement and anxiety to arrive in Cambridge. After struggling through the revolving door with my four bags, I saw the crowding of people around the next exit, with cameras flashing and the swarming of paparazzi. "Dad, what do you think is going on over there?" I said puzzled. "I don't know, but if we stop to look, we'll be sure to miss our flight." he said with assurance. "Oh, now you're worried" I whispered under my breath and rolled my eyes. We arrived at our terminal easily after dealing with the rules and regulations of TSA that delay most people for a simple nail clipper found amongst their personal items. After sitting down in the terminal gate I sighed with relief after looking at the time and seeing we still had 40 minutes to spare. Within in the next five minutes my life changed forever and here's how. "Soroya Dookie to terminal C, Soroya Dookie to terminal C" said the loud speaker. I looked at my dad baffled and wondered what on earth they could need me for. I began my walk to terminal C with my heart slightly racing anxious to know what I was needed for. As I approached the terminal I saw a long red velvet carpet lined along the floor with black, velvet stanchions lined along the side. When I looked down at my feet I suddenly had my baby pink ballet slipperSon my feet and the ribbons wrapped around my ankles. It was as if the wind jolted me forward and I began to dance all the way until I reached the end of the carpet, looking into the eyes of an elderly woman with gray hair, wearing a dazzling crown. She said, "Do you know who I am?" and I responded, "Yes, how may I be of service to you?" "I need you to come to my castle immediately and perform Moonlight Sonata at my Grand Ball." "Soroya, wake up! You're late for school!" said my mom. I woke up and looked around my room disappointed to know that it had all been a dream. RSVP Spring 2013
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Divorced, Beheaded, and Died/Divorced, Beheaded, Survived: A Story of the Tudors Tessa Payer
By the time I was sent to court, the age of Katherine of Aragon was over. It was now the time of The Most Happy. Anne Boleyn had danced into the king’s heart some years before, and he had moved the dark eyed French maiden to center stage as Queen of England. I became one of her maids of honor, singing and dancing for her pleasure. She was kind, even if she was proud and had a temper to match the King’s. I was young and naïve and my heart would burst with every “Lovely, Margaret! Sing again, Margaret!” However, the love of us ladies-in-waiting was not enough to secure her place next to the King of England. After her last miscarriage, everything went downhill. “Margaret,” I remember her saying, “Take care of my daughter, if the King is ever rid of me. Look after my darling Bessie.” Queen Anne doted on her only child, no matter if she was a girl, and my heart went out to them as the Queen elegantly ascended the scaffold on that May morning in 1536. After Anne’s death, I tried to bring myself to hate Jane Seymour, the King’s newest wife, but could find no way to. She was a peacemaker and was kind to everyone: the Lady Mary, Anne’s sister-in-law, Lady Rochford, even little Lady Elizabeth. She was kind to me; giving me a place in her household even after I had sided with Anne Boleyn for some time. Jane did not last long, though. A fever took her only a few days after she bore the King a son, Edward. She was proclaimed “The King’s true love,” though I knew that Anne would’ve been given this title had she given the King a son. A few years passed, and I matured, turning into a comely young lady instead of staying a mischievous little girl. This all happened by the time Anne of Cleves came to court, and I was sent to teach her to become English. I pitied her, of course. She had only just been brought to a foreign court and had already earned the hatred of the King. To him, she was a Flanders Mare, a woman who looked like a horse and spoke English with a heavy German accent. Knowing the King’s hatred for Anne of Cleves, I was not surprised when Katherine Howard earned the King’s favor and married him. What surprised me was the fact that she was seventeen. A seventeen year old girl marrying a forty-nine year old man, and she was Anne Boleyn’s cousin as well! If I had remained the bubbly little girl I was some years ago, trotting after Anne Boleyn in my maid-of-honor’s gown, I would’ve gotten along very well with Katherine Howard. We both loved dancing, parties, jewels, dresses, and other fine things. I was an adult now, though, and I tried to convince her to mature, to realize the dangerous position she was in now. I was too late though, Lady Rochford was already conspiring with her. 68
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“You’re just a lady-in-waiting, Lady Margaret.” Lady Rochford would tell me. “As are you, Lady Jane.” I would respond. She might’ve been older than me, but I wasn’t afraid of her. No matter how much I tried to warn the Queen, tell her that she might follow her cousin to the grave, she waved me off and continued her flirtatious ways. She was soon found to be having an affair with a man, the King’s groom, Thomas Culpepper, and was executed like her doomed cousin. I attended her and Jane Rochford’s executions, like I had done with Anne Boleyn, and watched as her promising life was cut short. Catherine Parr was a smart, religious woman. She supported the Protestant religion and had even written a book. Once married to the King, Catherine continued what Jane Seymour had started, and invited the King’s two daughters to court often. She was kind to all us ladies-in-waiting, and I soon became close with her own sister, Anne Parr, who had served alongside me in the times of Anne Boleyn, Jane Seymour, Anne of Cleves, and Katherine Howard.
Broken
Jessica Nicholson
Oil Pastel RSVP Spring 2013
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Circus
Danica Lenge
Acrylic Paint 70
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Investigative Report Notes of Detective Jack B. Quick Victim: Humpty E. Dumpty Matt Elkwood
The scene is almost too gruesome to describe. Yellow egg yolk flows through the gutters, carrying jagged pieces of golden shell with it. The victim's beautiful blue suit and cane, which he was so very proud of, are now coated with a slimy skin of his own innards. The only identifiable feature of the egg is the one curl on the top of his shell. It seems that this was the only piece of his body that wasn't completely shattered. Mr. Dumpty's remains were first discovered in the alley at Drury Lane by a so-called Muffin Man. He claims he went outside to investigate the sour, sulfur smell that was lingering into his shop. I won't include him as a suspect. I mean, the guy is harmless; all of his time is spent baking. The discovery occurred at 6:43. The king's men and I arrived at 6:57, not enough time for someone to disturb the evidence in any serious way. I'm staring dumbly at the wall when one of the knight's becomes sick. They shouldn’t allow these rookies to come on such graphic investigations. Back to the wall: it can only be six feet tall at most. Dumpty must have climbed up with the ivy that was on it. I take the path that I believed he took. The ivy is strong and wouldn’t have broken underneath the egg. I examine the ledge when I notice a golden streak that is scratched onto the bricks. I stare down at the remains; the suit pants have golden buttons on the bottom and one has some of its paint removed. That proves that Dumpty was sitting on the wall when he fell, not climbing up. Also, the pants were facing front-down. He must have fallen forward, but the shells were found too far from the wall. One, maybe two, feet would be expected, but four feet from the wall is something else entirely. I am truly beginning to put this crime scene back together again. The victim also could have caught onto the ivy if he was falling forward; even from this height he might not have broken, maybe just cracked. The breaking of the shell was far too dramatic to be caused by gravity. Based on the button's streak and the forward momentum of the victim, this was no accident. I look over the other side of the wall and notice something strange. A tall tree with, what was it, a cradle on its bough. I quickly slide down that opposite face of the wall and grab the baby’s cradle just before it falls from the wind. What kind of person would put their own baby in the top of a tree? As I am climbing down, I notice a small bench that is perched underneath the shade. The seat isn't more than twenty feet from the wall. Under this buffet is a bowl but its contents are spilled on the ground, the small scratches on the inside of the ceramic dish hint that the eater had very shaky hands. The closest cottage has its door open and my investigative training draws me to it. Through the crack of the door I see her: Ms. Mary Moffat. She is crying and trying to wipe her hands on a piece of sheep skin. I knock and address her directly, "Excuse me ma’am, is something the matter." She turns to me and I understand everything. He eyes are filled with tears and her hands are coated with the thick yolk of a poor fellow. "I didn't mean to do it. There were just so many spiders. They were going up the wall and into his shell. Crawling on me and my baby, I had to make them go away." After some further questioning, Muffet is taken away. Hopefully she can get the help she needs now. RSVP Spring 2013
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My Dream Trip Vincent Morano
Gliding along a city street, the car made its way onward. The day was oddly ordinary. There was a blue sky with some meandering clouds and an unanticipated warm sun. This was not my first trip into the city; I had visited several times in the past, years ago. So much later, the buildings were unfamiliar, awkwardly balancing on rickety bases. A web of winding wires strung them together, suspending them as a clothesline could. Unaware of signs, traffic, or stoplights the car continued. I cautiously counted y fingers. One, two, threeâ&#x20AC;Ś Though the specifics were wrong, the details skewed, the whole was pleasant, even nostalgic. Though fearing to confront the reality of a fiction, the moment to face the music had arrived. The radio turned on tore me from the water.
Wellfleet, MA Ethan Daniels 72
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Photograph