Photos by D.R. WagnerThe constraints here were to use the sestina form to write a poem showing social consciousness. The results were impressive.
Errin Hadnot
Anorexic
She finds the slightest imperfections
Wanting fix her outer self
Tears trickling of mirrors reflection
A distorted body image
Maintaining an unhealthy body weight
She is not above in this world of anorexia
Often denying she has anorexia
Always thinking about her non-existing imperfections
Refusing to gain any weight
Needing support to love one’s self
Being skinny doesn’t have to be the best image
A relentless search for that perfect reflection
She deserves to happy with her reflection
The purging type of anorexia
Vomiting food to keep a certain body image
Low self-esteem uncovering imperfections
Disgusting of the thought of what other people will think of herself
Stressing over her weight
Terrified of gaining of weight
Pressure to have a flawless reflection
She only needs to be confident in herself
A serious eating disorder, anorexia
Learning to value her imperfections
Emotions begin to distract her from her image
No more dieting in pursuit of a thin image
It’s only a number, weight
Slowly realizing the beauty of her imperfections
Moving numbers on the scale have no important reflection
Many treatments to cure anorexia
Still a little conscious of one’s self
Eating to satisfy herself
Trying to repair the negative self image
Her life does not lie at the heart of anorexia
Self-starvation doesn’t take care of weight
Not concerned of her reflection
All smiles regarding her imperfections
Self less love overpowers anorexia
Imperfections causes an image to change
Lightweight not being a reflection of existence
Zeeniya Yahiya
Open Your Heart
I think they have no heart
Those who harm and hurt animals
What is it that they cannot see?
Why is it that they cannot love?
Domestic or not, I don’t care
This world is all of ours to share
We all may have a story to share
That lingers deep inside the human heart
We all would love the world to care
They can feel too- them animals
What they want from us is just the love
For they can’t tell us, can’t you see?
A creature in pain, I can’t see
Its pain it does not know to share
How can you cannot love?
Such a pure and innocent heart
Humans are not like animals
And abuse is never care
How many of us would really care
Take real action, you see
When what are being abused are animals
Their pain and tears they cannot share
Why do some humans have no heart?
What do they think is love?
A new born kitten needs the love
Just like us it needs its mother’s care
My neighbor had no heart
Threw him out in the winter you see
Had no love, food or warmth to share
Should he not live, an animal?
We rescued him, this animal
We gave him warmth, food and love
Our home was his to share
All he ever needed was care
But it was all too late you see
He left us with a heavy heart
He has my heart, they all do, them animals
For they can see, and do and feel love
It does not take much to care; a thought is all you need to share
Greg Tam
The Choice
Words: weed, fun, friends, smart, choice, way
I know a lot of people who smoke weed.
I feel like I can have fun
Without smoking weed with my friends.
It does not mean that they are not smart,
It just means that they took the other choice.
I guess I decided to choose the “no drugs way”.
Even though most of my friends encouraged me to go their way.
But I am honestly okay with them smoking weed.
Even though we always end up eating at Fresh Choice.
My friends always eat a lot, and have a lot of fun.
They get high and go to buffets thinking they are really smart.
I am always sober but I have just as much fun as my friends.
It seems that all the people I know that smoke weed are friends.
Getting together in a room seems like a great way
To get high, even though they might get caught. Hmm, not smart.
It is interesting that something can bring people together like weed.
Some of my friends get together at the arboretum and have their fun.
I would personally rather watch a movie or something when I have the choice.
It is not that they do not have a choice.
It is just that they want to get high with their weed smoking friends.
Sometimes to me it seems like nothing else to them is fun.
I know that if I ever asked them about that they would say “no way”.
Of course, right after I ask them they would go into their room and smoke weed.
Before judging them, I have to remember that they really are smart.
Some of my straight edge friends that are also smart
Are on the same path as I am, and have made the same choice.
They have decided to stay away from weed.
That does not necessarily make them better friends.
It is just like finding a common interest with someone headed the same way.
It can possibly make you closer though, and make the friendship more fun.
That way you can do things that do not involve weed, and still have fun.
It does not make you smarter than the people that smoke weed that are also smart.
It just means that you decided to choose the drug-free way.
I am definitely glad that I stuck with my choice.
The people I know that smoke weed, and I, can still be friends.
I will just be doing something else when they are getting high off of weed.
In the end, it is really your choice whether you want to smoke weed.
With or without weed, there are many ways to have fun.
Even if you do not smoke weed, you will be able to make many friends.
Just make sure you watch over yourself, and be smart.
If you are still not sure about your choice,
Do not worry, you will eventually find your way.
Katelyn Decoste
SILENCE
I thought that it was going to be like every other night
A night that ended with a kiss
And then his arms, letting go of me
My lips
Swollen from his touch
And a goodbye lingering on his breath
However, this time there was no goodbye on his breath
Hot and nauseating it claimed this night
Cornering me, with the strength of his touch
Throwing away the last kiss
Like it didn’t matter, he wanted more, engulfing my lips
Demanding every part of me
Controlling me
My tears ignited by the fire of his breath
Quivering, were his greedy lips
The night
Shivering by the force of his kiss
And fighting for freedom from his touch
My lips, my neck, my hands, my breasts, wanting to escape his touch
Pleading for someone else to find me
Here in this moment, no longer my kiss
But his alone, invading my body with his sticky breath
Crying to be heard in the dark of the night
Yet unable to speak, were my stupid, helpless lips
Frozen with the venomous salvia of his lips
Paralyzing my body with a single touch
As you sleep, through this night
He takes everything from me
My self worth, my dignity, swallowed by his breath
Smothered by a kiss
A selfish kiss
By selfish lips
Crawling towards my hips, his invading breath
Commanding my lips, to pleasure with their touch
Asking for all of me
To be sacrificed tonight
The darkest night
Hiding every kiss
Night’s hand, beating me
A punch to the face, my bleeding lips
Drying with morning light’s touch
As silence casts over my surrendering breath.
Nancy Pulciano
Saturday Night
Saturday night I’m feeling good.
We love to go out.
One, two, three and we’re a crowd.
Tonight we will dance and laugh.
Free from the pressures of life.
I’m feeling lucky it’s a Saturday night.
It’s an offbeat night.
I pretend to feel good.
I just want to enjoy life.
Slight intoxication but not enough to pass out.
It all starts to set in as I laugh.
Nothing better than partying in a crowd.
In this house there is a big crowd.
I take one last look into the night.
I start dancing and begin to laugh.
I feel like I’m on ecstasy, I feel good.
I hold my drink and the lights go out.
In this moment I start to feel life.
But death isn’t so far from life.
I walk away from the crowd.
I just wanted some air and to get out.
Don’t go back said the night.
Being outside felt so good.
But I wanted to go back and laugh.
It must be the drink that’s making me laugh.
I feel like death but this is life.
I no longer feel so good.
I’m alone without a crowd.
All alone without the night.
He took me when I knocked out.
This is much worse than a black out.
He took more than my laugh.
Then threw me back into the night.
To him worthless was my life.
I was unseen in the crowd.
I won’t ever be good.
And I won’t ever feel good.
Now I hate going out.
Never stray from a crowd.
But don’t forget to laugh.
There is nothing more beautiful than life.
So protect it from the dangers of night.
Callie Baramki-Azar
Tangled Course
When we are young we have great dreams
We know of all we can achieve, to time we extend our hand
But life runs through its rugged course
Twisting, turning and caressing
You may find that the way is lost
And with a blink its past
You caught his eye and forgot your past
So young it must be a dream
A glint of his smile, all else becomes lost
To him you promise your hand
You think of life as it is now, full of sweet caressing
Your life is planned and on exciting course
But oh, how misleading a course
Your mind wanders to a life past
Three kids you have now that whine for caressing
You have been jolted awake from a reminiscent dream
A kick to small legs and a swipe of the hand
So angry over your life lost
Two years before, he stepped out and got lost
Perhaps to redirect his course
Look down to a small child tugging your hand
But all you see is a reflection of the past
The haunting reminder of a faded dream
You grip the leather belt that you’ve been caressing
Three sweet children that hope for caressing
Their cries and pleas completely lost
For they are the captures of innocent dreams
That got left behind on tangled course
Their present is your past
And they know nothing of love but sharp hand
To then time has not extended his hand
All that live here long for caressing
You hate your present and lament over the past
Potential life squashed by life lost
Time is tripping through cruel course
And all that remains are flickering dreams
You dreamed but extended your hand
To a course which led you to times harsh caressing
Now all are left blinded and lost, trying to catch a slipping past.
Salena Huang
Over and Under
Paramore-Pressure
We all cannot seem to escape
The compilation of obstacles in life
With friends we find support
Full of rejection we fear to be lonely
As opinions are of great influence
Our consciousness subsides towards peer pressure
But undeniable benefits arise from pressure
Possibly our sweet escape
As such a motivational influence
That calms the roller coaster of life
Feeling a little less lonely
With warm reliable hands of support
Or shriveled lack of support
Forced to do drugs and alcohol, the pressure
Is not worth being emptiness left lonely
Too high to escape
Fogged memories of an imaginary life
Sweeps through under the influence
Achievement over the influence
Without anybody's support
Can send unconditional love in life
And be free of pressure
Without a need to escape
From being lonely
Tangled at a party and bottled up in lonely
Prepared to leave, then influenced
To rob the neighbors and escape
Brings Instant regret and no rail support
Settles hands on the wound applying pressure.
If caught by cops, behind bars for life
What is the meaning of life?
When the world is massive, but yet so lonely
Building up under pressure
Searching without an influence
Without a thread of support
Just simply escape
It is not easy to escape temptations from life
Blessed with support to seize the lonely
Reside over the influence and concur the beating pressure
Nicole Yang
Animal Cruelty
Fur stripped leaving only skin
Taking his last breath of air
Traumatized and only able to blink
A thousand and one emotions start
To boil from my stomach up ¨What kind of world is this?
How can anyone tolerate this?
Goosebumps appear on my skin
Trying to hold my head up
And clear my mind with fresh air
The action against this must start
Faster than I can blink
If only I can change it all in a blink
But how for something so hard as this
Donations, petitions, it’s a start
But only scratches at the skin
Seems to be a fight with air
When things have to be shaken up
All the voices must speak up
For precious lives lost in a blink
Faint hint of hope in the air
Of stopping cruelty such as this
Really getting under the skin
Is the only way to make a start
The biggest step is the start
Fight animal cruelty from the bottom up
Making sure to hold on to the skin
Of the issue at heart without giving a blink
To the other distractions to this
That lull in the air
Seals, dogs, birds in the air
They are only the start
Of the extent to which this
Multifaceted issue comes up
Faster than you can blink
And right under your skin
Facts laid out like bare skin
Exposed to the open air
Forgotten with every blink
Until the memories start
And tear you up
Yes, Hell is this
Allison Ferrini
You can tell by his breath
she was taught to always be nice
and now she's at the party with the frat boy
and he's leaning over her with his stale beer breath
her friends tell her to go and have fun
she may have had a bit too much to drink
and now he's bending further in
he thinks they should go outside, she wants to stay in
he pulls her out and asks "now isn't this nice"
she stalls, asks for another drink
he gets her a beer, such a nice boy
he asks her if she's having fun
and soon they're getting closer, his hot breath
he moves in for a kiss and she holds her breath
its not that he's not cute and she wants to fit in
but she just thought her first kiss would be more fun
the music's too loud, her head hurts, she doesn't feel like being nice
but she's here, and he likes her, this boy
she wishes she hadn't taken that last drink
and she wonders how much he's had to drink
she hopes he can't smell the alcohol on her breath
she hopes he won't try it, but oh boy
his hands in his hair, his lips, his tongue almost in
he's rough, too fast, choking, this isn't nice
her friends dressed her up, they had too much fun
and when they were done, they promised she'd have fun
if she let herself relax, tried some of their drink
so she sipped it until it started to taste nice
and now she's here with this boy and his impatient breath
his bleary eyes she tries to look in
to see exactly who is this drunken boy
who'd have thought she'd end the night with a boy
when she wanted to go home and with her friends have fun
talk about who they saw and who needs to keep their boobs in
and who threw up because they couldn't handle their drink
he makes her feel pretty and wanted and if it wasn't for his breath
she could convince herself it was nice
she can't tell if he's a nice boy
and by the smell of his breath he's here to have fun
but she's had too much to drink so she let's his tongue in
