Tributaries
Summer Bliss
By Alicia Craft
The sun beats down
Another bead of sweat
Rolls down my cheek
The flowers stand tall
Basking in the sun
But I sit parched
Dreaming of a refreshment
Splish Splash Splat
A handful of ice
Rolls into a tall glass
Pink lemonade
Pours over the ice
Garnished with fresh fruit
One sip cools the soul
Ahhhhhh
Oh how the winter weather
Brings back fond memories
Of the hot summer days
Buckets With The Tre-Meisters
By Aidan Lochner
The Tre-Meisters are so lethal
T-Mac can do anything he wants
Sugar Ray is wet like water
Uncle Drew cooks Curry for dinner
They are unstoppable so they think
But there are only Two people
Or animals
That can stop the Tre-Meisters
That of Harry Bird and Praying Mantis
Harry has limitless range
Makes any shot he wants
No rebound is safe
The long, lengthy arms
Of Mantis Man
Tween Tween the Bird does
The ball touches nothing but this net
Snapped in Sugar Ray’s teeth
Mantis goes to the Baja
Cram time he says
The buzzer has sounded
The Tre-Meisters have fallen
An Empty Swing!
By Aidan Turbiasz
An empty swing, swaying in the breeze,
A lonely sight, among the trees.
Once filled with laughter, now with none,
It sways and swings, in the setting sun.
The chains that hold it, creak and moan,
A haunting sound that echoes forlorn.
A reminder of the times we had,
The memories that made us glad.
The wind whispers secrets in its ear,
Of children’s joy and laughter dear.
But now it’s silent, still, and alone,
An empty swing, a lonesome stone.
The leaves that rustle, in the breeze,
Are the only friends, it will ever please.
It swings in silence, till the end,
An empty swing, without a friend.
But still it swings, with grace and pride,
A symbol of the joys, that can’t be denied.
Although it’s empty, it will always be,
A testament to the memories.
Tongue
By Abriel McGuire
The softness of the blanket
As looking at the treats
Oh so how many there are
The beautiful heart that is before me
The sweet smell of the savory cube
It does not want to be contained
It wants to explore the different flavors
The smoothness of the hardwood floor
When my whiskers stand up
I’m in heaven in a world full of delicious smell
My stomach growls
As I meow
To my humans to let me free
The magic words to feed is
Go eat!!
Days Like These…
By Lexi Carter
Oh the rain,
So beautiful as it pours in glory.
Such translucent droplets on the windows, ground, and steps.
Drops of rain dripping…forming big puddles.
Drops of rain dripping, dripping into the rivers.
Clouds with highlights
Oh so blinding.
Some taking shapes
Such as planes.
As I look up, I feel awakened,
Such a good day!
Days like these make me calm,
Not too drowsy, but not too bright and overpowering.
Oh the rain.
Oh the clouds.
Oh days like these, I really do love.
The Walk
By Christopher Price
The Man and his Wife take a walk
Their feet crunching as they talk
The Man thinking of the life he’s had
The Woman trying to forget all the bad
As they walk, the forest flutters with life
Just the man and his Wife
Oh the adversities, they’ve carried forever
And still, the Man and his Wife are together
They say getting old is up to how you feel
Well, if that’s so, then it’s up to how you heal
They say, breaking a bone makes it stronger
Then the Man and his wife should live longer
Years and years of wear and tear like an old shirt
Just to end up in the dirt
Le Skateboarder
By Damian Cruz
There was a skateboarder so bold,
Whose fake hair was a sight to behold.
He donned the goofiest of gear,
And tried to kickflip without fear.
But alas, his attempts were in vain,
His board always caused him pain.
He´d wobble and stumble, then fall,
And his fake hair piece would go flying off the wall.
He’d try again and again with no luck,
While his friends just stood and clucked.
They’d laugh and make jokes at his expense,
Behold you are the worst skateboarder ladies and gents.
He thought he looked cool with his fake looks,
And didn’t care if he fell on his buttocks.
So the moral of the story is plain,
Don’t be like the skater with fake hair and no brain.
Earth
By Angelina Brandt
From the days of old
The ground was fresh and green
Leaves of green turn red and yellow
Now are burnt and rotting
The trees turn gray and lifeless
The only green shade,
Greed
The greed of human-kind
Who only see the earth as a their subordinate
But,
the trees
the ground
the flowers
the plants
The earth is living
Government sucking the earth dry of its life
Killing the animals that were here before us
As we burn those creature who
Now fear us
Because of the damage we caused
Government’s denial of the oncoming death
While others plead to leave her alone
They don’t listen they just keep drilling and burn,
Torturing her
She is now gray and dying,
Still, hanging on to the little life she has left
Hoping that someone will help her
There are ways to help
Not throwing grease at paintings
But, continue to protest,
peacefully
Till the government sees
If they do not, her death will
kill us all
We can’t just go to another planet
We would kill that planet in time
The human greed is ever ending
We must atone for our sin
It will take a lot of work
It will take time
To revive are plant earth
She will have scars
But, she is stronger
Make her stronger
Save her
Save our home
A Disaster
By Alicia Jones
I run around the park as the two of us play tag
Children ranging in age, laugh and play, capture the flag
The swings are a contest on who can go higher
As the band begins in the background, they start the fryer
My childhood is full of laughter and music
I grow up at that park, opting to hang instead of play
Once drama-free and excited to grow, now drama surrounds, and we delay
We slightly push against the ground on the swings
Looking out at the water, I worry about what the future brings
Happiness and Sadness both beg for my attention at the situation
Few years more, the village hysteria is setting in
I swing so high, the chain pinches my skin
The river has flooded, causing us to evacuate
I look at my friend, she makes a face to say it will evaporate
Chaos is all that I remember
Art thou, Mr. Cow
By Elizabeth Baldes & Lucas Misetich
Art thou, Mr. Cow
You look so good, take a bow
Alone in the field
Like you want to be healed
The triangle on your head
Shows the illuminati wants you dead
The wire in the field holds you in
And the sky above relieves you of sin
The field is alive and bright and green
Maybe that makes you feel seen
The plant next to you is filled with color
With all that space you have to wander
Wander around with all those spots
Make sure you think only happy thoughts
Art thou, Mr. Cow
You look so good, take a bow
My Classroom
By Benjamin Cruz
A classroom is a jewel
Among one of the beauties to dwell
A classroom is a place where teachers teach
Professors preach
The tables are colored in red
Although they are not as soft as a bed
A classroom is used almost every day
Although in many ways
Boys come here to drool
Girls get hit with a rule
The classroom is the best
Leaving behind all the rest
Together with all my teachers and friends I pray
To be in the classroom every day
Makes everybody say, Yay!
Employee of the Month
By Emily Robbins
Everyday is the same
Same cycle
Same view
Same people
Nothing new
Always saying my ritual verses
To the people that could care less
Scanning item after item
Bagging it for them
I ask how they are
But they must be better than me
Having to be stuck behind this counter
Trapped like an animal on display
Working day after day
Knowing everyday is the same
All Alone
By Emily Everitt
The chairs empty
Empty like that constant feeling I get
No one has shown
Why, why do I feel so alone
The silence is so loud
But how if there’s no crowd
I can feel the lump in my throat
I can feel the stones on my chest
I can’t breathe, I can’t see
Everything is blurry, the room is spinning
I try to yell for help but there was no sound
It’s mute
That feeling of water rising in my lungs
I’m drowning
But then everything stops
No more hurt
No more pain
I wake up
I hope it was a dream
We Were Just Kids
By Ethan Danao
We wanted to be a doctor or something
We were just kids
Innocence flared like a lie
Speaking codes, ‘cause 9-5 can’t afford abc’s
Can’t even stay home, troubled waters, debt too deep
We were just kids.
We wanted to be a doctor or something
Big dreams for a lil heart
Want more life to offer or something
Just kids, but that’s not how they tell us apart,
But we were just kids, so it don’t matter what they think about US
We were just kids, but all grown up now
We were just kids, could’ve been a doctor or something
We were kids, just forced to grow up faster
We were just kids
Piano
By Emma Banahan
Black and White tiles
Encased by wood
Whenever played causes great smiles
Two hands float over the keys
A melody of life expressed through song
The wood damaged on the sides
The tiles scraped at the bottom
It’s entirety bathed in use and love
With a press of different keys is another emotion
Playing piano is a doorway, egress for the emotions
And reflections of the personal spirit that resides in everyone
A mellow tone has fewer upper harmonics,
With stronger fundamental or true tones.
Vibrations caused by the strings and the impact that has on the wood
And therefore the impact on the rest of the body
Rhythmic, Beautiful, Electric, Warm, Lyrical, Melodious
Finding Your Tree
By Faith O’Brien & Michael Pecora
The woods seem to be long and complicated
Sometimes you can’t find the trail
You get lost
Then you find a strong tree
You believe that if you stay with it, it will keep you safe
The roots are strong
And you hope it will always be there
Over time, the branches break
The roots aren’t as strong as before
The tree falls and you feel completely vulnerable
Somehow through your tears
You see past the broken tree
And the broken branches
And the uprooted roots
And you see the trail
The trail provides many other challenges
More trees break over the trail
Somehow you have to climb over them
And eventually
The trail becomes clear
Now you find yourself completely on the other side of the trail
A completely different side of the woods, really
With new trees
New branches
New roots
And you forget about the past trees
That made your trail so difficult to surpass
And you focus on the new
With the new comes challenges
You have to water, care for the trees
Make sure the roots grow deep in the ground
Make sure the branches are strong, as well as the leaves
Sometimes it’s hard to water everyday
You don’t want to take care of it
But you know the tree will die
Everything you worked for will die!
White Mountain
By Hannah Ryan
Winter is the time for hiking
Everything black and white is brightening
Green trees are highlighted, the white brings it out
Going through the empty forest, three deer spring about
Their heads once close to the ground, now looking up at you
Watching your every movement through and through
You look around, the trees are bare
Only branches and structure stare
You take a step forward, and the deer run
Into the forest, near the pine trees, having fun
There is the urge to follow them into the trees
Doesn’t matter the snow nor the chance to freeze
Going through the dark woods, there’s the clearing
Where the trees spread apart and the light brightening
You continue to walk, the snow creating your story
You pass the open space to see the cliff in its glory
The stream cascading, the sound of water hitting the rocks
Echo through the valley, wonder if there were more spots
The rocks make a brick pattern down
You wish it was your hometown
When you look at this, everything is right in the world
Your head clears and everything is unfurled
The Final Rush
By Hannah Vanderzee
6:00 pm
He came in the same time
It was everyday, like clockwork
Crowded or not
Not a day he forgot
The place we would eat at
Now the place I work at
I hope I never see you again
In a busy restaurant
My busy restaurant
Saying the words
“Table for two”
Seeing you with her
Sitting at our corner table
Never being able
For it to be us again
Would be too much to regain
9:00 pm, closing time
Time to say goodbye
When it Fades
By Hailey Tracey
As winter fades,
I start to play,
My guitar,
As I hide in the shades.
The snow will stay,
Until a warm Summer day,
Where then it will melt.
The cold breeze had been felt,
Puddles along the way,
With trees bare
No longer having their hair,
Chills start to run down my neck.
This is when I check,
That I had been masked,
In order to last,
With my breath,
I could see in the wind,
That it was the death,
Of the cold Winter kin.
The Old Fisherman
By Howard Engel
I can see the shine behind your waning crust, The stainless steel, a shield of rust.
Leaves collect where the old fisherman dwelled, The lake’s swell, the dinner bell.
He beaches his vessel and greets his wife, The onions simmer, the slice of her knife. The old fisherman sits after a honest day’s work, He grabs a glass, the wine bottle cork.
He fills his stomach as she rubs his back, The cod is seasoned, the pepper black.
She asks about her cooking and he says it’s the best, She leans for a kiss, puts a knife in his chest.
It was his time and his life is now over, She licks her knife, stores his leftovers. “I really loved you,” and slits her neck, A shack in the woods, an eternal rest.
The Rain Fall
By Jaeda Ghidei
The rain falls in the night sky
It pours from dusk to dawn
Storms feel like the time to cry
It’s like they’re here then they’re gone
This is the time to online shop and buy
A time where we feel tired and withdrawn
This is the rainfall
Wet and muggy but calm and dark
Time to shop at the mall
And when the wolves howl and bark
With the rain fall
I sit at the park
With a friend named Paul
Then we go to The Clarke
Where all the snacks are, it’s like snack hall
Winter To Spring
By Jaden Paljusaj
The melting snow on the ground
The grass getting greener
The trees growing leaves
Sun shining bright
The trees consume the light
But the lake still frozen
Melting snow on the forest floor
Uncovers chains of small islands
Sunshine on the patches of grass
Crumbled up leaves on the ground
The snow on the lake
Looks like a delicious cake
Even though a tree bark
Remains so dark
The glitter, the glimmer, the sparks
Everywhere shining like stars
Seasons changing, hear the ring
Winter is slowly turning to spring
Hide Out
By Harmonie Greenwood
I put on my jacket as outside it is chilly
The crisp air hugs me tightly, I know it sounds silly
The leaves falling in the Autumn season
Much like ice cream is cold and comforting being eaten
Colder the day, the more comforting in a way
I go to the forest where my treehouse resides
The scent of the rain subsides
The smell of maple sap consuming all other smells
A reminder of pancakes and maple syrup, my favorite that the diner sells
The smells of the forest fill my soul with a joy like nothing else
The treehouse is a good hide-away for when it gets morbid
The treehouse is burnt and she understands why her mother would forbid
She doesn’t even realize that she is no longer alive
When the ambulance arrived it was too late, she didn’t survive
Something isn’t always as it seems
A Disaster
By Alicia
I run around the park as the two of us play tag
Children ranging in age, laugh and play, capture the flag
The swings are a contest on who can go higher
As the band begins in the background, they start the fryer
My childhood is full of laughter and music
I grow up at that park, opting to hang instead of play
Once drama-free and excited to grow, now drama surrounds, and we delay
We slightly push against the ground on the swings
Looking out at the water, I worry about what the future brings
Happiness and Sadness both beg for my attention at the situation
Few years more, the village hysteria is setting in
I swing so high, the chain pinches my skin
The river has flooded, causing us to evacuate
I look at my friend, she makes a face to say it will evaporate
Chaos is all that I remember
Our Lifesaver
By Jaymie Carkner
Oh fire hydrant, how we love you so.
Your red cao and your ever readiness.
You’re a lifesaver, not just for us, but for others too.
You’re a convenience to us,
For without you, we’d be out of a job.
You’re easy to use, you just turn a knob.
Some people may misuse or mistreat you,
As a toilet, trash can, or even a flier post,
But to us, you matter most.
You flow water so quickly, in an instant.
Without hesitation, you do your work.
You make our job so easy.
There’s a reason why you deserve such high praise,
Or maybe even an upgrade.
Even if we treat you like crap,
At the end of the day, we’ll always tip our cap.
So from a firefighter, you’re a lifesaver to save the least.
Because when we’re ready, you are unleashed.
Take Flight Little One
By Jenna Grogan
Small, Fragile, Afraid
Resting upon a leaf
It’s wings slightly frayed
Battered, Broken, but not yet Defeated
Recovering from vast journeys
Thou shall never again be mistreated
Take flight butterfly
Don’t let them hold you down
Take flight butterfly
Travel all around
Take flight little one
There’s so much more in store
Take flight little one
Show me how you soar
Take to the sky
I know you’ll fly high
Prove wrong the hate
Show the world you’re great
Best Friends
By Lex Leto
The perfect duo
Like yin and yang
With nothing between each other to owe
Only they hear the words they utter to one another
They may have small bouts and silent opposition
Though only the harshest actions could rip them from such positions
To others, they are just two people
To each other, they are brothers
They wish they didn’t have different mothers
Like dogs, a man’s best friend
They are each the dog and the man
A relationship built on pure passion and happiness
They may not be the same
They could even be polar opposites
Together, nothing could stop them from playing their game
The Checkout
By Julianna Musso
The end of the line
What you’ve been waiting for
After you spent so much time
Finding what you were looking for
We see them in stores
We see them in our own lives
And we got what we needed to survive
After we don’t want any more
We see them in our own lives
The line can be long
People checking out in the front
And then they’re gone
The end of the line
You found what you were looking for
Now it’s time to say goodbye
And walk out of the door.
The Beauty of Nature
By Marilyn Duarte
The Beauty of Nature
The sound of the water
A ripple
In the middle of nowhere
Surrounded by different shades of green
The sound of the birds and insects
A sense of feeling calm
No one around
Only yourself
With the beauty of nature
A never ending pathway of trees
The rush of the fall
The rocks scattered around
Bent and broken sticks and logs
Dirt trails
The air standing still
Nature is quiet
Serene
That’s the beauty of nature
Time Machine
By Max May
Year after year, time after time, we journeyed through life’s chime
Kept in tow by things we own, some trinkets left behind
Hues of green and yellow, like a lime, darker each time
2019, marked a new start, but four years gone, how fast time flies
We were labeled “fresh men”, dead meat to some, but one did rise
He carved his own path, made his own time, defied their lies
His backpack was his machine, filled with books that held our ties
“Yearbooks”, they called them, filled with memories that never dies
Pencils of the past, sharpened to break through time’s disguise
The backpack held us tight, kept our time from slipping by
Now our time is ending, but the fresh man’s duty is to defy
To keep our memories alive, to ensure they never die.
Eyes on Me
By Kassidy Green-teRiele
Day to night
Night to day
I watch as he paces
Back and forth
Trying to find a purpose
He yearns for attention
He yearns for love
I watch as he settles
On a chair covered with hair
My heart hurts for him
Chained to a stump
From season to season
Winter to Summer
He is always there
Watching me with eyes
that speak a million words
One day he will be free
Free of neglect
Free of heartache
But everyday he stays
Wagging his tail
Trying to find a purpose
What are Chickens?
By Nathan Ryan
Chickens are wildlife
Roaming across land
They try to live their best life
Without forming a band
They scavenge for their food
From playgrounds to farms alike
So they don’t get in a bad mood
You may be able to see them while on a hike
But be aware
As although they seem harmless
They will attack your hair
Trying to make you a mess
But as long as you don’t provoke their peace
You can walk away in one piece
Chickens are a creature of the wild
The Top of the Mountain
By Megan Dalbec
At the peak of the mountain,
Covered in icy snow,
Frigid wind is blowing,
Whirring in the valley below,
Looking into the distance,
Our vision is blurred,
A blanket of falling snow,
No sound is even heard,
Our faces frozen,
With glassy eyes,
Skies full of glistening crystals,
And starting to see the fog rise,
Nothing can seem to disturb this time,
The wooded area seems to never end,
And soon enough we’ll have to go,
Back towards where we started as we descended.
Silent Cold
By Nevaeh Thompson
My footsteps crunch against the snow
The air around me was cold.
Every step I take
Crunch, crunch, crunch.
The snow is tightly packed
Crunch, crunch, crunch.
I can hear the wails of something ahead.
Crunch, crunch, crunch.
I stop dead in my tracks.
Looking at the scene before me.
A poor white rabbit lies,
In the imperfected snow.
I slowly turn away, to make it to the tree line.
I can hear the cries and wails of something in the distance.
Crunch, crunch, crunch, crunch.
Those footsteps aren’t mine.
Crunch, crunch, crunch, crunch.
I hear another wail.
Crunch, crunch, crunch, crunch.
I pray to the lord in hopes that whatever is near passes by me.
Crunch, crunch-
It stops.
I froze in place, in hopes it’ll move on to other prey.
Its tall figure looming over behind me, I can make out its shadow.
The large pair of horns it bears, and its contorted body.
It wasn’t human anymore.
Crunch, crunch, crunch, crunch.
I hear it walking away.
Crunch, crunch, crunch, crunch.
I let out a sigh as I turned slowly to see it no longer in view.
Making slow steps, I start to head in the direction of the tree line.
My home is there in view.
The door left wide open, as I saw a short woman wave to greet me.
Crunch, crunch, crunch, crunch.
Prey can be too trusting,
Too friendly
Too loving
But, never too meaty.
Never too sweet.
Some of the snow falls from the trees,
As the bones crunch and the marrow is tasted.
It always tastes so sweet,
I have the perfect hideout until springtime.
The winter is quiet,
I curled up near the fireplace, cleaning my hands
Of any red stains that had been left behind.
Into….
A deep….
Slumber…
Driving Back
By Roksolana Voronko
Driving back home from Dubai
How did the weekend getaway, go by in a blink
When the drive home feels like forever
Driving down an endless road
Same trees all the way down
Same cars it seems
I feel myself start to drift off
I feel my eyes getting heavy
My brain starts to slow down
I want to think, but I can’t
Pitter, Patter
Pitter, Patter
Water drops fall on top of the car consistently
I doze off to the sound of the soft rain
It’s almost like a lullaby to my tired body
Like a song to my exhausted ears.
White Mountain
By Hannah Ryan
Winter is the time for hiking
Everything black and white is brightening
Green trees are highlighted, the white brings it out
Going through the empty forest, three deer spring about
Their heads once close to the ground, now looking up at you
Watching your every movement through and through
You look around, the trees are bare
Only branches and structure stare
You take a step forward, and the deer run
Into the forest, near the pine trees, having fun
There is the urge to follow them into the trees
Doesn’t matter the snow nor the chance to freeze
Going through the dark woods, there’s the clearing
Where the trees spread apart and the light brightening
You continue to walk, the snow creating your story
You pass the open space to see the cliff in its glory
The stream cascading, the sound of water hitting the rocks
Echo through the valley, wonder if there were more spots
The rocks make a brick pattern down
You wish it was your hometown
When you look at this, everything is right in the world
Your head clears and everything is unfurled
Education
By Olivia Craft
I walk the halls
Day in and day out
Six hour days
Five times a week
The workload gets heavier
The material is different
But I’m still stuck in a repeating loop
I watch the years go by
As people walk across
Those same green and gold tiles
They fill the space
Where I sit alone
A place where I am supposed to be heard
When everyone has ear plugs in
Paths to follow
When all the doors are shut and locked
I’m trapped in a place
No one wants to be in
Numb to life
And belittled by all
Feeling degraded
In a place Where growth occurs
The laughter has faded
And our safety is invisible
On the news we see violence and destruction
Of a place where learning takes place
At least I’ll end up with a diploma in my hand
Walk across the stage in my cap and gown
So my parents can finally be proud
If Dogs Could Talk
By Sara Hotaling
If dogs could talk, what would they say?
Would they be beggars, “Please can we go out and play?”
Would they be joyful, “A ride in the car, Yippee Hooray!”
Or would they be lonely, “Why do you always have to go away?”
If dogs could talk, what would they say?
Would they be angry, “Stop patting my head you oversized fool!”
Would they be silly, “Give me your cookie or beware of my drool.”
Or would they be frightened, “Please turn off that loud scary tool.”
If dogs could talk, what would they say?
Would they be dealers, “I’ll give you some huggies, if you buy me a cone.”
Would they be grateful, “Thank you for my tasty new bone.”
Or would they be snooty, “Why can’t you just leave me alone.”
If dogs could talk, what would they say?
Would they be needy, “Get back here and scratch my tummy!”
Would they be hungry, “This table food is way more yummy.”
Or would they be naughty, “Who cares if I leave your floors all crummy.”
If dogs could talk, we can only guess.
“Sorry about my water bowl mess.”
“Feed me more, don’t feed me less.”
“No way am I wearing that little pink dress.”
Cookies are Life
By Hailey Schwartz
Cookies can be crumbly, sweet, hard, overcooked, overdone and so much more,
but in the end, it’s a good cookie.
Life can crumble and break.
Life can be sweet.
Life can be hard.
Life and cookies have so much in common.
Not everyone sees it.
Just like not everyone sees what your life is like.
Cookies are like life.
Life can become chaos like cookie dough.
But after you get through the cookie dough the cookie is amazing.
After every sticky situation comes to a sweet solution.
The Path of a Lifetime
By Jeanne Stupplebeen
Apples, perfectly imperfect
Bloomed from an elegant flower
Into a mystery fruit
Newly blossomed apples
Each with unique qualities
Silky soft Macintosh
Granny smiths Mouth puckering sour
Charming colors of a Honey Crisp
Pink ladies offering a crisp bite
All apples
Beginning from a seed
Branching out from luscious blossoms
Each flourishing
Into individuals
Each paving their path
Time is Blossom
By Blaine Apa
It’s love as if
The seasons don’t tell time,
As the snow-sheltered peach tree
Hastily ripens.
The Pit of my Heart
By Angelina Morris
You pick the pit out of
My berry
You slice it
And it gives you sweetness
And sourness
My feelings you take from me
So you can watch the blood
That spills on the table
It stains my hands
Maybe comprehend and understand
The pit of the cherry
All over your hands
