Pinnacle
Award Winners Art - Brynly Wilson ’14 and Catherine Minnis ’14 Photography - Rachel Hedeen ’15 Poetry - Hailey Schilling ’16 Prose - Julia Henninger ’16 Music - Conrad Gagnon ’16 and Eric Wright ’16 Collection - Margaret McGuirk ’14
Outside Cover Art - Vanillae Tong ’16
Cosmos Pinnacle 2014
“I realized then that even though I was a tiny speck in an infinite cosmos, a blip on the timeline of eternity, I was not without purpose.�
~ R. J. Anderson VOLUME XLVII
Staff Editors in Chief ~ Kathy Deaver and Rawlison Zhang Art Editor ~ Nikki Ishak Layout Editors ~ Dooriya Kane, Eleanor Werneke, and Vanillae Tong Photography Editor ~ Hailey Ishak Proofreading Editors ~ Katie Benisch, Alex Nyce, Angela DeCarlo, and Billy Jump Publicity Editor ~ Jamie Teramani Moderator ~ Mr. Eric Sutton
Colophon The 2014 Pinnacle was designed solely by students using the Adobe InDesign software. 800 copies were printed by School Publications Company in Neptune, New Jersey. The cover was printed on 100 lb. glass paper, and the inside pages were printed on 80 lb. gloss text paper. The Pinnacle selects material for publication from the submissions of John Carroll students. Works are selected for publishing based on their individual artistic merits. Works in any medium are considered.
Special Acknowledgements The Pinnacle Staff of 2014 would like to acknowledge Mr. Sutton for his neverending support as our advisor for the first time during this production. We wish him the best of luck in advising future publications.
The Pinnacle The John Carroll School 703 Churchville Road Bel Air, Maryland 21014
Contents More than a Speck
“Cello Sonata in D Major” Eric Wright ’16 Ed Sheeran Katherine Flanigan ’14 How to Write a Poem Charlotte Molali ’15 Oswald Christine Kim ’14 Burning Rachel Amrhein ’15 Treasure Ashley Bain ’14 Reminder Hailey Schilling ’16 Watercolor Thomas Jednorski ’14 Face Catherine Minnis ’14 Gonna Hit You Emily Waite ’14 Dear Friends Charlotte Molali ’15 Panic Disorder Grayce Moran ’15 Apology Julia Henninger ’16 Tears Brynly Wilson ’14 Learn Charlotte Molali ’15 Untitled Madison Meyer ’14 Janus Nikki Ishak ’15 The Inevitable Hailey Schilling ’16 It’s Only You Madison D’Ambrosio-Day ’14 Butterflies Nikki Ishak ’15
7 8 8 9 10 10 11 11 12 12 13 14 15 15 16 17 18 18 19 19
Natural Order Awakening Julia Lindemon ’14 Sunset to Night Lights Rachel Hedeen ’15 On Broadway Hailey Ishak ’17 These Walls Ashley Bain ’14 Snowy Landscape Margaret McGuirk ’14
20 20 21 21 22
Pinnacle 2014 Black and White Julia Henninger ’16 The Tin Men Alex Nyce ’16 Snow Jamie Teramani ’15 Snow Day Morgan Ray ’14 Worm Justin Hawkins ’15 Hunter Nikki Ishak ’15 Dirt Margaret McGuirk ’14 Violets Margaret McGuirk ’14 Flower’s Peak David Carrier ’16 Flowers Catherine Minnis ’14 San Diego Katie Benisch ’15 Dark Waters Julia Lindemon ’14 Waves Julia Lindemon ’14 Key West Sign David Carrier ’16 Mind on Summer Emma Kleinberg ’15 Crash and Burn Rachel Hedeen ’15 Palm Trees Hailey Ishak ’17
23 24 25 25 26 27 27 28 28 29 30 30 30 31 32 33 33
Far Reaches Traffic Taylor Hoch ’14 34 The Race Kirsten Flanigan ’16 34 Explosives T.C. Sanders ’15 35 Skull Thomas Jednorski ’14 35 Girl Emily Goheen ’14 36 Black Disc of Life Edward Benner ’17 36 Demons Rachel Amrhein ’15 37 Tiger Brynly Wilson ’14 37 Slaying the Leviathan Justin Hawkins ’15 38 Dragon Emily Goheen ’14 38 Jealous Monster Emily Waite ’14 39
Cosmos The Bloodsucker Strikes Madison D’Ambrosio-Day ’14 Sunset Gracie Hunt ’14 The Big Mac and The Peacock Ben Tasel ’16 Tree Faith Behr ’14 “Hymn of the Astral Whale” Conrad Gagnon ’16 My Neighbor Scott Pajerowski ’16 Falling Asleep Julia Henninger ’16 View From Above Rachel Hedeen ’15
- Eric Wright ’16
40 40 41 41 42 42 43 43
Pinnacle 2014
How to Write a Poem How to write a poem Interesting title by some hopeless whiny teenager Over exaggeration of the darkness closing in around me Expression of no way out Dramatic synonym for no-one-under-stands-my-life! Statement of longing for something more than high school Justification of why I should be allowed to do whatever I want because at 16 I clearly know what’s best Ornate style of “I am drowning in metaphorical water” The water is as cold as my pain I deserve an award
Ed Sheeran
- Katherine Flanigan ’14
- Charlotte Molali ’15
8
Cosmos
Oswald - Christine Kim ’14
9
Pinnacle 2014
Burning
Treasure
- Rachel Amrhein ’15
Ashley Bain ’14
The shelf rose impossibly tall, towering over the small child. The child was reaching, stretching, hoping to grab the object that had been tucked away, hidden from her view. She moved the creaky wooden chair over to the shelf and clamored her way up to stand on it. From the top, she could see the desired object. She reached up again, her shoulders aching with the stretch of her tiny arms. The tips of her fingers gently grazed the edges of the object. She leaned forward, her body pulled like a magnet. Her hand had a shaky grasp on the object, but her bare feet lost the grip on the chair beneath her. She tumbled to the right and fell with the object in her hands. It shattered on the ground beside her. A scream tore from her lips. Immediately, a commotion was heard coming down the stairs. Arms came and scooped up the child. The woman pulled the child close to her chest.The little girl instantly went limp and sobbed soundlessly into the woman’s neck as she looked at the remnants of the shattered object on the floor. The woman should be angry. She would be angry later, but right now she held tightly to the child, the only real treasure that she could not lose.
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Cosmos
Reminder It starts with a small incision That slowly becomes longer Almost like the drag of a zipper Or the slow stretch of velcro That evolves from steady to swift Like the pull of a bandage From still sensitive skin
Apart each individual rib until the cage Is open and the heart is on display Such a leap of faith So far out of comfort the heart Shies away, but not before It is attacked by the world Bombarded by weapons What it has been exposed to Is tearing it to shreds
Beginning just between collar bones Tugged downwards to rest Right above where hips cradle The torso like a nest The line now has become a hole Leaving the body gaping Yet remaining numb
In retreat, the barely pulsing heart Backs into its former place Ribs are forced back to form The cage to contain it once again The open wound is molded Back together with stitches Eventually leaving a scar unfading
The body is newly open to all Cut to a raw vulnerability Taking the good and bad And consuming them both Fingers reach in and begin to pry
A reminder Of what the world can do - Hailey Schilling ’16
Watercolor
- Thomas Jednorski ’14
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Pinnacle 2014
Face - Catherine Minnis ’14
Gonna Hit You - Emily Waite ’14
You never know when it’s gonna hit you Or if you’ll barely feel it like a snow’s first fall You’ll never know what’s coming For all you know, it could be dangerous You just wait, it might leave you begging You never know what age it’ll hit you Maybe it’ll come at you like a freight at age 17 Or just a trip at age 21 This is the time to give it all you got You never know what might happen It’ll leave you frightful or successful Life can be kind or cruel
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Cosmos
Dear Friends, I often tire of hearing my friends weep about their broken hearts caused by teenagers who lack the emotional capacity to love. All I want is for them to rub eye shadow on their cheeks like war paint and ferociously find themselves, realizing “love” is meant to cause happiness and if the one who owns your heart is causing pain you are better off alone because I will always be there to eat ice cream with you, jump on the bed, and look at the stars while you spill your heart out and cope. Just because someone who hurt you is not worth the time of day, does not mean you shouldn’t give it, just so you can healthily move on. Care for yourself first. You are the star, friend, and I am the sparkling trail behind you, illuminated by your brightness. Never let your light go out. No matter what happens. Fasten your pride to your back as your strongest weapon Arm yourself with a smile as your toughest shield Bandage your aching wounds with my love Shine bright, rub eye shadow on your cheeks like war paint and go forth. - Charlotte Molali ’15
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Pinnacle 2014
It was the worst experience I’ve ever had. Terrible, awful, just completely bad. Will I forget it? Probably never. It might as well have been the most agonizing trip ever.
Panic Disorder
I didn’t actually go anywhere Or even leave the inside of my house But I swear my mind went everywhere All my fears and my obsessions clawed their way out. I could feel my heart thundering, the uncontrollable shaking of my hands. I felt so far away from everything - stuck in this quicksand, Unable to escape the notion of complete and utter dread It felt as if someone had taken a brick to the side of my head. Imagine constantly feeling completely unreal Like you’re floating through a dream. And all you want to do is to feel Something more than anxiety. It’s like everything is one big blur, so far. Everything you’ve seen, even who you are. Just sitting there pleading for your sanity back Yet, this psycho trip was caused by a simple panic attack. - Grayce Moran ’15
14
Cosmos
Apology I am leaving this here So that you will know That it’s plain when I’m near You’d rather I just go I am sending this to you So I can apologize For all the things that I often do For all the times that I lied I am sorry for that thing I said But just know that I don’t need Your criticism still in my head Because then I would rather leave - Julia Henninger ’16
15
Tears
- Brynly Wilson ’14
Pinnacle 2014
Learn When something is broken we are taught to pick it up and throw it away, hide it, because if there is no evidence of our fault no one can get mad at us; but it makes the pain inside sharper, the guilt stronger, and leaves the soul shattered when something inside breaks that you can’t just clean up. Yet you still find yourself hiding it. But if we can accept ourselves the way we are Love ourselves, Embrace ourselves, Find a speck of beauty in the things we drop, Look at the way the light hits the angles The way the shadows dance across the floor, Then perhaps, We don’t have to hide the things we break. Just learn something from them And Move On - Charlotte Molali ’15
16
Cosmos
Untitled
- Madison Meyer ’14
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Pinnacle 2014
Janus -
The Inevitable - Hailey Schilling ’16
Nikki Ishak ’15
We become increasingly fractured An unavoidable separation, bound To destroy the bonds that used to be Holding us together, our hands Clinging to each other while the storm raged And to the unanswering wind we cried Out in what used to be unison And is now a foreign language spoken In vain to each other's confused ears The pieces of us become smaller Tossed at the furious winds That tore at our foundations in the first place Our fragments blending in with the falling snow, The void now between us becomes as natural As the white flakes drifting towards the ground
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Cosmos
It’s Only You I wasn’t looking for love. I didn’t want anyone in my life. I had completely given up. I just wanted to run away and hide.
I never could imagine I would find all of this and so much more You’re the best friend and lover That I could ever ask the good Lord for.
Suddenly I was thinking. I knew I needed to give you a chance To break down the wall I built And you tore it to pieces with one glance.
You’re a friend I can count on, To listen to me and to understand; A lover for me to hold, I swear I’ve never met a better man. You give me strength and faith That fills my heart and gets rid of my fears. You give me hope and courage That erases every one of my tears. It is you who makes today So great and tomorrow even better. During the times we share together. I love to see you smile, There is nothing that I don’t love that you do. I mean it when I say this, You’re my one and only and dream come true. You’re the most special guy. You help me through life’s unexpected curves. I can’t help but to think that You’re really so much more than I deserve. It is my heart who told me That really no one else could ever do. You are the love of my life. I hope you know I will always love you. I was never happier
- Madison D’Ambrosio-Day ’14
Butterflies
- Nikki Ishak ’15
19
Awakening
Pinnacle 2014
Julia Lindemon ’14 We lay intertwined in the snow. Nothing in that moment could make us move. We were stuck in an eternal slumber, slowly dusted as the night moved on. Soon we would be completely covered, white lumps in the smooth laying blanket. We were not affected by the humanly implications that befell our skin. They felt foreign to our limp bodies, for our souls were the real life that blazed within; the fire that could melt all our worries away. “Could we lie here forever, never growing forward and never looking back?” she thought to him with slight desire. “I should love to sleep eternally within this white painted hug.” “But how is it that you will not long for the trees? The flowers and the warmth, the kissing sun?” he replied, deep within his mind. “Why is it that you never want to grow?” What would it really mean to grow? she wondered. My thoughts would grow like moss on a tree. My body would grow older as the universe makes his slow trek into time, showing change with each coming day. I would grow with the plants, craving sun like sleep. But… what does it mean to grow when night falls and darkness stumps every emerging blossom? When snow cascades around me like a rustling waterfall? What does it mean to grow when you have spent a lifetime of never moving forward? “Perhaps it is the night that whispers these thoughts into my ear and tickles my mind. Maybe it is only my thoughts that grow as my body freezes in the darkness,” she pondered as a small white snowflake encrusted her eye. It seemed as if every prevailing thought shared between the two slowed the steady fall of snow. The conversing of growth caused a stir of something deep within the earth. Something that was yearning to be let free; to flourish, to thrive. The sky above began to turn the slightest shade of pale blue. Was that green showing beneath the clear ice that lay beneath their warming bodies? “Do you see what has begun to happen around us? The very thought of life has filled our worlds with existence. We no longer remain still; never moving forward. hidden. asleep. Open your eyes and see the good of a growing world. Wake Up!!! You can no longer be ignorant to the magnificence of awakening. You will learn to grow with the flowers and dance with the trees. Nightfall will no longer be feared, for your dreams will be as rich as the day,” said he as wise as an ancient tree. His comforting words awoke a light within her. She realized staying hidden was only a dream. She had once only known a life that was lost from all of the world. Slowly, she grew with every light-filled day. Blossoming and growing like a flower, she learned the ways of her awakened soul.
Sunset to Night Lights
- Rachel Hedeen ’15
20
Cosmos
These Walls They are sheets of white. They do not blow in the breeze. They are solid, made of wood or of rock. They may crumble. They surround me, constantly, enveloping me on all sides. I feel cool breeze bounce right off of them. They are blank and empty. I see them everywhere. I sit, My eyes cannot escape them. They are choking me. - Ashley Bain ’14
On Broadway
- Hailey Ishak ’17
21
Pinnacle 2014
Snowy Landscape - Margaret McGuirk ’14
22
Black and White
Cosmos
Julia Henninger ’16
Shrouded in black, he danced low to the ground, eyeing his opponent. A black ball of flame flickered in dark shades from the palm of his right hand. It seemed to suck the life from the air around it, making everything seem darker. In his left was a staff, carved from glistening black wood. It depicted scenes no man could truly understand the gravity of. An angel’s wings were torn away from him as he fell from the clouds into the hungry gaze of creatures longing for their pound of flesh. And there was war, each side controlled by these creatures, both sides sure that they were doing what was right. The fallen one sat watching from a throne made from the corrupted he had claimed. Where his staff touched the ground, the black spread through the cold earth like oil, moving the way a sheet of glass cracks. Standing opposite to him, her white hair falls gently to the small of her back, which was straight and proud. Her face was pale and perfectly unmarked, nearly fading in with her nearly colorless locks. There was a calmness in her features, one of absolute peace. Unlike her opposite, she held no staff, instead cupping her fire in both hands, sheltering it yet still letting it be seen. In her hands, it flickered, going from a pure white light to a flame of every color all at once, and each was as beautiful as the last. A white, golden warmth came easily from her, stopping the ink spill flooding from her counterpart’s staff. The ground was cold underneath her bare feet as the two slowly circled each other. As she stepped onto the cracking dead grass, it awakened and began thriving with life. She regarded him with a cool smile; his answer was hidden by the hood that placed his face shadows. Her dress glided softly against the ground, staying pure and clean. With each step around the circle, they moved in towards each other, crossing the length of the open field quickly. As if by command, they both stopped just out of arm's reach from one another. So the day has finally come, his voice came into her mind with a metallic rasp. It was written, and so it shall be, she replied calmly. Are you afraid? A smirk settled across her face as the flame in her hands began to glow brighter. Are you? He raised his staff into the air and slammed it into the Earth, the blackness rapidly spreading from the end of it, rushing towards her bare feet. She could feel him grinning wickedly in her mind. Keeping her flame in one hand, she knelt with grace, pressing her hand to the ground and sending off a white energy. The blackness crept timidly towards him, and she lifted her head quietly. How very little faith you have in my strength! Now enough with these games. She stood up with a regal air, staring evenly at his shadowed face. The flames that they both cupped gently grew and grew in their hands, twisting and dancing in the air. Time had no weight or meaning as the two stood facing one another. The two flames grew closer and closer in the air and intertwined in midair, wrapping around each other like a ribbon. Each fought for dominance, feeding from the energy of their caster. With a swift and sudden movement, he drew back his flame and charged towards her, the black fire reaching towards her skin from his outstretched hand. Her right hand came forward, crossing her chest to catch his arm. She pushed his arm away, carefully keeping the black flames away from her pale skin. Let there be light, she whispered fiercely into his mind. She ducked gracefully under his arm so she faced his back. Cupping her own white flame, she drove her left hand smoothly forward and pressed the fire into his back. And it was good. She pushed her words into his mind as the white flame licked viciously at his insides. He gave a dying gasp through her thoughts, sinking heavily to his knees, falling apart as it began to snow. Gentle white clumps fell quickly, covering the ground around the last of what was left of him. Her white hair lay easily on her straight back as she left, disappearing in the white of the snow. And all that remained was a black-as-night cloak, standing out from the perfect layer of white.
23
The Tin Men
Pinnacle 2014
Alex Nyce ’16
The sky, overcast with clouds, bulged with the approaching storm, threatening at any moment to release its contents onto the small village below. The village’s only bridge, spanning the distance across the village’s only stream, was now the center of attention. And on it, the five Jewish prisoners were assembled, each accompanied by a German soldier who was aiming their gun stiffly at the man, women, or child in front of him. A total of eight, consisting of five men, two women, and one child. Her name was Ella, and she was ten. It began to snow. She stuck out her tongue and felt the cool sensation of a single snowflake slowly landing on it and melting onto that warmness. She tried to lean her head back to get more but was swiftly hit in the gut, doubling her over while some order was barked in a language she didn’t know. She was alone. She tried to turn her head to look at the others on the bridge, but the blindfold prevented her from seeing. She desperately looked for the slightest hole in the impenetrable darkness but found none. The pain in her stomach subsided, and she straightened herself back up. For now, she waited. The words came, and she sensed movement in front of her, but she saw nothing. Another word was said, and a clicking noise, almost like a door locking, was blurted into the world in front of her. She heard the faint whispers and cries of the others on the bridge next to her, but to her they sounded a million miles away. She stood completely still, not knowing what to do or what was coming next. Time seemed to stand still; she felt the slow, rhythmic landing of snowflakes on her hands and face. She stuck out her tongue again, and this time was rewarded with something hard hitting her in the jaw. She bit up and right through her tongue, giving a small cry in the process. This was soon cut off by another sharp blow to her stomach, and she fell to her knees. Even more words were yelled in a language she still didn’t understand, and she felt herself being forced up to her feet. She felt something warm and sticky running down her chin, but could do little to stop it. She felt the warmness begin to gather in her mouth, and so she spit it out. She heard a yell, and this time was hit across the forehead. She fell backwards, but was caught by a hand, which then threw her forwards. She landed hard on her chest, which knocked the wind from her lungs. As she was struggling to breathe, she was again raised roughly to her feet. This time she knew she had a gash on her forehead, for the blood slowly trickled down onto the blindfold, where it soaked in. She stood there, waiting for another blow, which never came. Her world stopped. Instead another strange word was yelled out, and all Hell broke loose. She heard the scream long before it started, a roar so deep that it was more felt than heard, coming out of the others on the bridge, out of the surrounding village, out of the world. She felt the man to her left brush by her and heard a soldier yell in surprise. Several loud noises went off, like thunder claps. Yells followed, and more screams echoed around the village. She then felt a pair of hands on her waist, which hoisted her up and threw her through the air. She felt weightless, falling through the air like a leaf gently blown in the autumn breeze. Then a pair of rough hands caught her, and she was put down hard onto a wooden bench. She waited for what would happen next and felt whatever she was in move as more people got in. Then they took off her blindfold. She was sitting in a truck of sorts, with two long wooden benches facing each other in the back of the truck, with no canopy over top. She looked to the front of the truck and saw a small window where the driver and passenger would sit. She felt someone put a bandage on her forehead wound, and another told her to open her mouth so that she could inspect her tongue wound. She complied, all the while looking at the people who were in the truck with her. She saw the two women from her village; one was taking care of her now and one was huddled in a corner shaking. She then saw three others, all men, who were looking around nervously. She looked at the driver’s window again, and saw a man and a woman sitting in there. The truck slowly began to move, and the woman in the front of the truck looked back and met her eyes. She smiled, a sad sort of smile, and turned back around. The woman inspecting her wounds finished, and Ella turned to look out of the back of the truck and stare at the bridge she was just standing on. It was littered with bodies, and some appeared to be sleeping if she didn’t look at the pools of red liquid slowly dripping down through the cracks in the boards and staining the river underneath. She took all this in, not knowing what to do.
24
Cosmos The truck contined to move, and Ella looked up at the sky. She saw a small metal object glittering in the sky. As it got closer, she saw that it looked like a bird. The others saw it too and began to scream for the driver to speed up. She thought it was called a plane, and she couldn’t understand why anyone would be afraid of one. She saw a hatch open on the underside of the plane, and a metal cylinder was dropped out. It glittered as it fell, until it hit the ground some twenty yards in front of the truck. A fire wall travelled towards the truck and engulfed it like a wave. She closed her eyes. The sound was like an explosion, and she felt something hard hit her chest and begin to twist its way into her. She felt it rip through her, surprisingly hot, and the pain was unbearable. The constant twisting of the object tore its way through her chest and finally left her body out the right side of her back. She immediately fell backwards, not even having time to scream. She thought she heard other sounds ring out as well, but she wasn’t sure. She began to watch herself fall into the river, as if she were outside her own life looking in. She didn’t even feel the pain anymore, only the warm numbness that she knew as being close to death. Then she hit the water. The shock of the icy cold water was enough to revive her for a short time. She struggled to stay afloat and keep her head above the water, but she couldn’t help but notice the ever-spreading pool of her own blood in the water around her. She slowly started to faint, but she hit her leg hard on a sharp rock, rousing her again. As she began to float under the bridge down the river, she saw two other bodies drop into the water…neither surfaced again. As she floated under the bridge, some warm liquid fell down her face. She tasted it…it was blood. She then floated on her back as she was going down the river, and she turned so she could see the soldiers standing on the bridge. She could make out some other bodies on the ground, not moving. Then she looked at the soldiers’ faces and was surprisingly reminded of her little brother’s toy soldiers, made of tin, which were positioned in different poses to act like a soldier. She had always noticed that each had almost the exact same face. And she now remembered that those faces seemed lifeless and cold. This is what the soldier’s faces were like: totally expressionless. As she drifted farther and farther away from the bridge, she couldn’t see the soldiers anymore, and she soon began to slip away again. She tried to rouse herself, but couldn’t. She saw the river end in front of her before she fell down into the basin. It wasn’t a large drop, only about ten feet, but to her it felt like a hundred. While she was still falling she closed her eyes, thinking of the soldiers and their faces, thinking of the others on the bridge, and thinking about why the sky stopped snowing. She hit the water, but she was already gone.
- Jamie Teramani ’15
Snow falls softly on the roads. Excitement starts to grow; pajamas inside out and a spoon under the pillow. Thick white flakes pile on the window. I go to bed and say my prayers hoping that I can wake up and continue to snuggle with my bears.
Snow
Snow Day
- Morgan Ray ’14
25
Pinnacle 2014
Worm Look at you, you pathetic little worm I tell you one thing, Don’t ever betray me. But you silly little worm, You betray me nonetheless. You build there thy tiny castle of ignorance, You think you can save thyself with these walls of dirt? You know nothing of my power, I hold thy life in my palm. I grasp you, I raise you out of the dirt. Your walls of ignorance come crumbling down, No longer can you ignore the raw power of the palm of death. I give you but one instruction, Don’t cross me. Yet you can’t do that, You betrayed me for the putrid lies of ignorant dirt. Ignorance is bliss, For those who know nothing. Unfortunately for you, you can now see the hand of death around you, You now know the foolishness of your ways. Too bad it’s too late, I hold your fate in my hand. I grasp you, I crush you. You did not know my power until it was too late, For I hold over you the hand of death, And all life will obey. - Justin Hawkins ’15
26
Cosmos
Dirt Under broken fingernails, with formerly sparkling paint, now chipped and grown out to only small patches on the tips of her nails, like half-forgotten memories Black dirt brings out the uneven angles, the places where she trimmed the nails too short, the places where she has caught and pulled, or absent-mindedly bitten, a bit of herself left behind as she goes Uneven lines, chipped paint, caked dirt: a story of places visited, experiences remembered, small white scars accumulated
Hunter
Times of beauty, and times of grit and dust break and chip at her nails and her heart, but always succumb to the numbing persistence of time.
- Nikki Ishak ’15
27
- Margaret McGuirk ’14
Pinnacle 2014
Violets the blue petals cloak the dirt-brown cobbles: a splash of color in the tired landscape.
the empty symphony drowns the individuality, and the petals are trampled by the plodding feet.
the weary eyes unmask exhausted hearts, and the trudging feet drum out a symphony of monotony.
there: blue eyes, but the dusty air and the weary streets cloak them in beige, hiding, absorbing the differences.
Flower’s Peak - David Carrier ’16
- Margaret McGuirk ’14
28
Cosmos
Flowers
- Catherine Minnis ’14
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Pinnacle 2014
Dark Waters Swimming in the ocean on a cloudy day, The water is dark, liquid black, Velvet lapsing on my skin. There is a brief moment of overwhelming nothing As I am forced to dive into the darkness. Deep. Deeper. And in that moment, fear of the unknown is my only companion. I am lost, lost in a whole new Sense. I cannot tell left from right. I cannot see, even as I peel my eyes open as wide as they will go. Is this what it is like to be wiped clean of all sense of reality? This is it. The pure nothing I search for in my darkest dreams.
San Diego
The world around me returns. Senses wash over me like the wave that is now behind me.
- Katie Benisch ’15
Waves
- Julia Lindemon ’14
- Julia Lindemon ’14
30
Cosmos
Key West Sign - David Carrier ’16
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Pinnacle 2014
Mind on Summer Remind yourself of breezy days in warmth. When gloom casts shadows, rain falls from your eyes— imagine birds, they sing a tune to lift. And up; they lift, and up; they think, they fly! Quit looking down, pavement does not lead home. The sand, the waves, whatever makes you smile— keep that in sight; and pay no mind to gray. Sun-kissed, sand-stained, pink-cheeked, salt taste, and warm. Who knows what comes to life in years ahead? Keep track of only things in what is now. You’re smart, you’re good, you’re blessed, today’s a gift. It will all be okay, don’t think it won’t. Breathe in, breathe out, remember holding hands, blue skies, a smile, and kisses on the nose, freeze pops, sweet tea, ice cubes, refreshed, bare feet, late nights, with friends never a fight. Remind yourself of breezy days in warmth. - Emma Kleinberg ’15
32
Cosmos
Crash and Burn - Rachel Hedeen ’15
Palm Trees - Hailey Ishak ’17
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Pinnacle 2014
Traffic
- Taylor Hoch ’14
The Race The sound of feet that stood no longer still. The rush of breath that was now in short gasps, as arms moved in an upwards motion. Feet skid and slide and slush along the ground as it heaves when one foot touches it and the other leaves it, I run. - Kristen Flanigan ’16
34
Cosmos
Explosives A missile streaming through the air The slick sound of its jet stream As the missile hits its target The sound of thunder is all we hear The crashing sound Pierces the air The vision of red dust Fills the sky The vision is great The sound is violent Missiles are fierce and fast Explosives are deadly - T.C. Sanders ’15
Skull
35
- Thomas Jednorski ’14
Pinnacle 2014
Black Disc of Life I flipped the switch and the intense black disc began to spin, preparing for the needle to befall it. As the needle lowers, I see myself between those ridges of black. I am mesmerized by the sounds it transmits and its swift motion. The needle runs over me, piercing my soul, finding my true grooves and pressed feelings. As the needle runs its course, it moves closer and closer to the core. The needle runs over me, piercing my soul, finding my true grooves and pressed feelings. The needle moves swiftly, sliding over the ridges of life, stopping at its fateful center. The needle runs over me, piercing my soul, finding my true grooves and pressed feelings. Sadness is only temporary as the needle is raised and moved to the beginning Girl again, rebirth. - Emily Goheen ’14 The needle runs over me once more, piercing my soul, following my grooves and ridges. This object of the past will surely last as it explains the true feelings of life. - Edward Benner ’17
36
Cosmos
Demons The demons beat her They claimed her long ago when she was only a child But she was a brave child so she fought them She tried to pull away But they pulled harder It was a long painful battle She was weakening And they noticed They used their full strength And they won They made her destroy herself Forever The pain within her was transferred to everyone who loved her Her friends and family Now battle their own demons They loved her and they lost her The demons won But it is not over The demons will not be able to beat the people who loved her The people have witnessed the power of the demons And will never let themselves be destroyed The demons will not win again And the girl Will never be forgotten - Rachel Amrhein ’15
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Tiger
- Brynly Wilson ’14
Pinnacle 2014
Slaying the Leviathan Lo! You ancient creature that does feed upon the soul of man! Abysmal creature of primal fear! You crawled out from the pit, And to the pit I shall return thee. Lo! There you lurk, In blinding darkness you do thrive. Demon! You are there, I have determined to rout you out and, By the Eternal, I will rout you out! If in violence you do live, Then in peace you shall die. If in lies you do live, Then in truth you shall die. If in fear you do live, Then in courage you shall die. You are strong, and I may fail, But if I do nothing, then I only feed you. Therefore I must try, I must slay the Leviathan. - Justin Hawkins ’15
38
Cosmos
Jealous Monster The venomous spew of jealousy Sat in the crevice of its mouth It dribbled its way down Leaving a slimy unfledged trail A hellish form crawled its scaly body Upon his fractured soul, in one final moment It took the spineless soul in its grasp, a shrill filled The air as the life was excused from this heavenly body The jealousy grew and evolved Green brightened to a vibrant red Running through the veins Grudge words flung from his mouth Such a monster, green eyed monster Trailing through the hearts of all - Emily Waite ’14
Dragon - Emily Goheen ’14
39
Pinnacle 2014
The Bloodsucker Strikes The wolf sat and let out a cry, Now you know the sun has died. The light dimmed, smile deranged, Eyes glared haunted and estranged. Blood drips tonight with splashes, Demon scratching Angel’s rashes. The Vampire comes to take her, We need to find the blood maker. Everything faded in the dark, Fangs pierced into her bleeding heart. Naked skin all pale and white, As darkness turns into light. She lies there in pain alone, Emptiness aches lifeless bone. Come back, whoever you are, We wish upon a falling star. Nothing occurs, she’s really dead, Why not the blood sucker instead? - Madison D’Ambrosio-Day ’14
Sunset
- Gracie Hunt ’14
40
Cosmos
The Big Mac and The Peacock One comes from a McDonalds drive thru, Another comes from a grand forest, One has dozens of sesame seeds all over it; The other has tons of prints all over its feathers, One makes people from all over the world flock that are hungry, One makes children go to the zoo, One makes Burger King look small in its glory; The second makes other birds look bare and stupid, One appeals people until it’s eaten, The other appeals when it walks and acts, They travel the world, helping one hungry person at a time; One makes the world more colorful, one bird at a time. - Ben Tasel ’16
Tree
41
- Faith Behr ’14
Pinnacle 2014
My Neighbor Hymn of the Astral Whale - Congrad
Gagnon ’16
He is very religious, But he doesn’t have a religion. He lives across the street, But sometimes across the country. He plays soccer for two teams, But for the same team. He works out, But not at the gym. He is really tan, But he doesn’t like the beach. He always seems to have homework, But only when I can hang out. He has two older brothers, But he doesn’t like to fight. He plays basketball, But only in the neighborhood. He likes ice cream, But is lactose intolerant. He is very good at building, But never has the time to use the skill. - Scott Pajerowski ’16
42
Cosmos
Falling Asleep DuskWhispering past, Bringing the stars; I fall into them. - Julia Henninger ’16
View From Above
- Rachel Hedeen ’15
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“Imagination will often carry us to worlds that never were, but without it we go nowhere.� ~ Carl Sagan