The Garden of Eden
by Maya Gouw
(9th Grade - City of Medicine Academy, NC)

The pattering rain whispers
a melody of sweat and blood,
utterly paralyzed
by the breath of adulthood.
Spit and spite mix
relentlessly on the pavement.

Time and time again,
our love is painted with
a potpourri of sweet corruption.
Here, in this melancholic midnight city,
reality stains the canvas black.

Let’s look for love
right around the corner—
‘round the Garden of Eden
drifts the blushing aroma
of dusty roses.

Stardust paints the empty canvas;
the cordial winds blowing your cocktail dress
back into utopia.

Though your thrown voice
remains small and stifled,
You proudly strut
your fearless smile in a transient world,
blooming like the camellia
clasped between my fingers.

We’ll go ‘round and ‘round,
making our two faint hearts one.
In the Garden of Eden.
We’ll find love once more.

-

Prayer
by Maya Gouw
(9th Grade - City of Medicine Academy, NC)

A shrewd whistling
pierces through the shutters.
Shards of perception
shattered,
upon the bed where I lay.

Moonlight taunts logic,
cascading through
the silhouette of my hands.

Into the horizon,
the night is frozen over.
The wind's hushed melody
wraps my body in a muted hope.

Only a potpourri of nostalgia and aggravation await
should the whistles of a prayer
fail to comfort.

Louder and louder,
deafening whistles drive me
to the heels of my feet.
An insecure smile
floods the face
of the reflection in the
shards of glass beside me.

Not wanting to see,
I clutch them in my hand.
Perhaps,
it even feels warm.

The sun peeks out
behind the horizon I thought was lost.
The shards in my hand,
tossed aside,
are once again cold.

But we'll overcome suffering
and rid tomorrow of agony-
It’s our prayer.

-

The Girl is Me
by Emily Hartwell
(10th Grade - Central Bucks East HS, PA)

She looks to the sky
not to gaze at the clouds
but to ask God why
why things turned out this way
why every hour feels like a day
she lives a lie
every day that passes by
she knows this isn't right
that she must struggle, she must fight
just to go to sleep at night.
look into her eyes
and you'll see her own demise.

-

Untitled
by Emily Hartwell
(10th Grade - Central Bucks East HS, PA)

Is home, simply, a place to call your own?
Is it the same if you're alone?
When it's my turn to die,
My home will be the sky.
I'll ascend into the blue,
all the while looking back at you.
The clouds will be my bed
and the rain will fill my head.
I will dance and laugh and play
with not just the sun to brighten up my day.
And the stars will shine bright
with the promise of a never
ending night.

-

My Hello
by Nicole Bell
(10th Grade - Sussex County Technical School , NJ)

A flutter in my heart,
a choke in my throat.
My memories flash before my eyes.
My mind races
as my heart slows.
I start with a breath,
I end with a bang.

Doubts set in place as I stare at the crowd.
With my eyes going gray I become
another person, a performer .
For the crowd,
I speak
For my love,
I wrlte.
And for you,
I'll recite my thoughts,
like this.

-

Overcome
by careya
(11th Grade - Overbrook HS, PA)

They say fulfill your dream,
because it seems,
just between your dreams is death and failure.
But prove them wrong,
because all along,
you werent singing a song,
you just went along with the prongs,
or should i say the fork in the rode.
You chose your path and made regrets,
still you never looked back,
to what was the past,
for what had to last you in the future was before you,
before the world.
Just look ahead and there is no death or being dead.

-

diamonds through the sun
by Claire L.
(11th Grade - King's Fork HS, VA)

the dark days are gone
we shall live!
freely, bright,
spinning and traipsing and grinning
sticky grins
this is summer,
       into the light and forward to life,
bursting like light bulbs,
we shall climb your mountains
            pick the flowers at the top,
                        and cartwheel down to the
next GREAT ADVENTURE.

-

I Love You
by Sophia
(9th Grade - Nikolaevsk Elem/High School, AK)

How can I say anything when you won't listen to me anyway?
I'm wanting to scream my thoughts out,
but I can't find the courage to do so.
I'm crying inside,
but you can't hear me anyway.
I write me feelings all away, but somehow I end up thinking of you.
Maybe it's a curse
because I think I'm falling in love with you.
I can't handle this nonsense anymore
so I might as well tell you everything right now.
Maybe it's true,
about how I feel about you.
So I give up,
I'm not going to hide it anymore.
My feelings are at ease,
once I tell you this:
I love you.

-

Do
by Tiara Lewis
(Freshman - Idaho State University)

Do what you say and say what you do.
Live with each breath and love each move.
Strive for success and smile with satisfaction
Because no matter what anyone thinks
You are doing the best you can do.

-

Dance
by Tiara Lewis
(Freshman - Idaho State University)

Dance with your feet
Dance until your bones feel weak
Release your energy
Release your stigma
Feel the music
Feel the crowd
Move with the lights
Never look down
Close your eyes for a second
Then open
And realize
Your frown is now curled
To a heart felt smile
A moment
A cure
A resolution
All yours.

-

Anti-Tongue Twisting Spell
by Natalie Nelson
(12th Grade - Cheltenham High School, PA)

Anti-Tongue Twisting Spell
Fairies, mermaids and other sprites
come to me
set the confusion of mine free.
Let it flow far, far away,
please don't let it stay.
So use the magic and let it go,
show the magic and let it glow.
Help me say the words that follow,
around a fallen tree, so hollow.
The wood nymphs' dance with free-mind and skill,
so much power is around me still.
So if this isn't enough
I am losing my breath and that is tough,
want the tongue-twisting days of mine to end.
I know you all can hear me
so don't pretend.
Reveal your inner gift, let it fly
along with my tongue-twisting days
so I can say goodbye

-

All The Way
by Anthony Blando
(3rd Grade - Washington Elementary School, WI)

Pigskin flying through the air
Going towards a wide receiver
I know he's going to catch it
Because I'm a real believer!

He's running towards the end zone
He's really sprinting fast,
He could go all the way-
Six points on the scoreboard-
That was a blast!

-

A Sea Storm
by Toni Betts-Ramos
(7th Grade - Ames Middle School, IA)

Violent shades in the now darkening sky,
Rock my ship from side to side,
The edge seems close,
And the water high,
I'm deafened by the sound,
Of thunder crashing,
The lightning rips the clouds,
And the water is thrashing,
Suddenly there's a crack,
And down comes the mast,
I get a life boat,
It's my only hope,
I drift through the sea,
Holding on tightly,
In the distance I faintly see land,
And a city shines brightly,
I reach the shore with white sand,
Now a group of people form,
The story of a sea storm.

-

The Whispers Colloquy
by Rebecca Brown
(8h Grade - Princeton High School , NC)

Written are the words of whispers-

Whispers of the wind reform

And down upon the papers they transform

Into souls hidden in ink

Ink that is like color hidden

And,

The night I listened to the whispers colloquy

I found something lost

Something hidden and whole

Greater than the paper

Greater than myself-

I find it within.

Only midnight whispers held,

The colloquy buried beneath the folds

The folds of the paper unjust

And yet when the stars collide

And the sun glides

I find no real whisper in my mind

But in my heart, as if

It had flown there by chance

And it deceived me

And whispered things that only the stars would know

And the sky shivered at my touch then

And the moon came down to meet me

And the sun glided into my quivering fingers

And the movement of stillness came

-

Nature
by Dung Doan
(12h Grade - James Bowie High School, TX)

Between the doorway
Upon the forgotten road
Determined ants worked.

-

Eleven
by Callie MacDonald
(6th Grade - Hanover Middle School, MD)

For now, I stand here with no voice or knowledge
Listening to the thoughts of others.
I stand here - a trapped, stupid, screaming voice.
I pour my heart into nonsense things
With no access to the world outside
I am a pointless letter, unopened.

-

Our World
by Carter Renta
(1st Grade - Montessori Children’s School, OH)

Our World has many friends.
Animals, trees and people too.
We must love them all we can.
Peace On Earth is the plan!

-

Friends Are Like Diamonds
by Alexis Sterns
(6th Grade - Overbrook Educational Center, PA)

Never take a friend for granted
Hold every friend close to your heart.
Because you might wake up one day
And realize that you've lost a diamond
While you were too busy collecting stones.

-

Life is What You Make
by Alexis Sterns
(6th Grade - Overbrook Educational Center, PA)

Life is too short
Grudges are a perfect waste of happiness
So Laugh when you can
Apologize when you should
And let go of what you can't change.
Love deeply
And forgive quickly
Take chances
Give everything
And have no regrets.
You have to take the summer sun's gaze with the thunderstorm.
Smile when your heart is broken.
Love what you got
And always remember what you had.
Always forgive but never forget
Learn from your mistakes
But never regret
People change and things go wrong...
But always remember
LIFE GOES ON!!

-

My Love
by Osagioduwa
(11th Grade - Eleanor Roosevelt High School, NY)

My love is like a desert rose
It blooms and blossoms as it grows
Through hail and fire, wind and snow!
a love like mine, you'll never know
My love can rage just like the sea
At the same time flow so peacefully
My love will never just depart
for, you see, it flows straight from my heart
My love will stand the test of time
Until you say that you are mine
For in my heart, there burns a fire
that'll fulfill your hearts desire
I'll perform most any task
before you even think to ask
So, please my darling, just say yes
The sooner speak thee, my pain the less

-

The Children of Our World
by Sophia
(8th Grade - Nikolaevsk Elem/High School, AK)

Nothing is going to stop me
Cause I'm going to come one way or another.
I going to find someone to love me,
Someone to tell me right from wrong,
Someone to tell me that everything is okay,
Someone to tell me that I'm important,
Someone to tell me that life is going to be just fine,
And someone so I can tell them how much they mean to me.
With tears in my eyes
I promise I'm gone but I'm coming back.

I'm going around the world,
Traveling the streets of foreign places,
And going to place I'm scared of
Just to find them.
I may be gone for now
But I know that I'm coming back to a home worth living in.
My heart wants something that it can get
But somewhere along the wondering
I'll find them at last.
I may be gone for a while
But I'm coming back home.
Soon.

-

Day...Dream
by Avione Williams and Aiesha Muhammad
(6th Grade - Overbrook Educational Center, PA)

Prisoned inside the mind
By the raving school books
Unsuccessfully smothering
The visible windows
I tap my pencil
Keeping a steady beat      A         nome
As metro-                 would
I gaze into the golden light
Emitted by the windows
As it dances in my eyes as Shiva would
I gaze deeper and                    deeper
I'm sailing deeper and                                   deeper
Into the golden glittering light
Serenity
The droning voice of the teacher
drones                     drones                                   droning
Ptf! Click! Schhh!
Last thing I recall is my pencil dropping and…Shiva
I look at the floor
My crayons
My markers
My pencils    c       t        r
S     a        ter     ed
About on the floor
I feel my cheeks getting hot
I feel a thousand eyes on me
The droning voice stopped
I y a w n
And I'm appalled
I thought my days of this passed
I fell asleep in class!

-

Apocalypse
by Avione Williams and Aiesha Muhammad
(6th Grade - Overbrook Educational Center, PA)

I see the whites of its eyes
As it hides behind the bush
Created in our minds
To block us from the real
The truth
It gives us lies
It makes us blind
Yet we are the creators of own
Destruction
Wars, global warming, shall I say any more?
Destruction is here and it's ready for war
But there is hope…Always hope

-

Background
by Avione Williams and Aiesha Muhammad
(6th Grade - Overbrook Educational Center, PA)

Backgrounds are the roots of the existence
Of everything
What are we without our roots? Our backgrounds?
Nothing…that's what
Backgrounds are everything
Everything has backgrounds
Backgrounds are our foundation
The ankles of Achilles
Once his ankles were hit he was no more
Once the ankles, our foundation, our background is gone
So are we…dust in the wind is what we'd be
We'd be the sand on the shore that's washed away
We'd be the sun that has lost its blaze
Without our backgrounds we'd have no ways
So appreciate them today

-

Ends Escape
by Tiara Lewis
(12h Grade - Sugar Salem High School, ID)

The air is thin, my heart is full
I let out a deep breath and open my soul.
you tell me you want to end this life
I break down and hope you don't have a knife.
fear crawling in, tears falling out.
insides tangling up, my mind screams loud.
every time you hurt, I hurt too.
This slap across my face is more than a bruise.
your my best friend tied to my heart,
your someone i couldn't loose.
Give me your hand bud and I'll share with you my heart.
There's so much ahead of you.
Please don't waste this brand new start.

-

Fireflies
by Julia
(4th Grade - Souderton Charter School , PA)

Fireflies! lights are as bright as the moon.
They shine through the darkness,
as they move to the woods.
When the sun goes up,
they turn off their light as they wait for the night.

-

A Battle in the Sky
by Jared Leeds
(2nd Grade - Monte Vista Elementary , CA)

I was looking at the stars one evening
When all the clouds were hiding
'Till it came to appear
That the sun and moon were fighting!
My eyes went big
And my mouth dropped
As the sun yelled and shouted
The moon got sad and began to get mad
As he twisted, turned and pouted
When all my friends said, "You're lying today."
I think of the battle all over once more"
No matter what..
I saw the fight," I say
It was fun to adore
But they didnt' believe me
Not one single time
They just shook their heads and said, "NO"
They took off their grins and soon walked away
Walked away very slow

-

Inspiration
by Kelly Harrington
(7th Grade - Penndale Middle School, PA)

We have the teamwork to institute smiles.
We have the power to build a foundation.
We have the persistence to keep walking miles.
We just need an inspiration!
We have the kindness to spread around.
We have the ability to feed a nation.
We have the secrets that have never been found.
We just need an inspiration!
We started the joy and the grins.
We started the happiness and the elation.
We started helping out with friends and kin.
Kindness was our inspiration!

-

Lost Among the Streets
by Anna Mosko
(12th Grade - Cheltemham High School, PA)

Erie street lights
Identical roads
Signs ignored
We drive and laugh
People walk the streets
2 AM
We are alone
Disoriented
Afraid to call
Then, a ring
Hope
A way back home

-

Untitled
by Maggie Blair-Kraybill
(12th Grade - Cheltemham High School, PA)

The sour, sun drenched others
Drifting too close to my sandpaper grave.
Gasping, Choking, plotting to make a path though the bodies,
and get into each other
Under the oceans crash.
The stormy sea is weak
Compared to this pulsing mass of stormy people.
Sun streaked lagoon of paradise, they say
Place where you can stretch out and relax they say
I am sure that if I let my guard down I will be sat on.
I will leave this inferno
Where they spread makeup over burns,
Laze away their work
But can't breath.
I will escape
To where the air
Is sweeter.

Heartless
by Destiny
(11th Grade - Overbrook High School, PA)

I have no heart left because I gave the rest to you.
The other part I had, I watched it die like a little butterfly.
I will always love you as the person I gave my heart to.
But now I have nothing left to give.
I'm not regretting anything we had but wish we could've had more.
I am now heartless but not sad because I give it to you,
hoping it can still make you smile.
Have no regret about my pain because
I took that risk so no one is blamed.
I will heal for that's what I hope,
Till that day a heartless is what I'll be.

Untitled
by Shalee Martin
(12th Grade - Chester Area School, SD)

They push and they pull me,
This way and that,
Unsure of where I going.
I have lost where I am at.
Everyone seems to want something,
Yet I have nothing I can give.
I use every last breath,
In order to live.
If I give what I have,
What was left of me is gone.
When will it end?
I just want to move on.
I am only one person,
It is just me, you see?
The pushing and pulling,
Will be the end of me.
I will cease to exist,
My soul will be gone,
The music will die,
They have silenced my song.

-

Winter
by Inayah
(4th Grade - Overbrook Educational Center, PA)

Winter is so fun.
Winter brings joy to everyone.
In winter comes Christmas time
bringing happy families and presents and time.
Winter is so fun.
I hope it brings joy to everyone.

-

Untitled
by Calia
(4th Grade - Overbrook Educational Center, PA)

I am not a quitter.
I will fight until I drop.
It is just a matter of having some faith
in the fact that as long as I am able
to draw breath in the universe,
I have a chance.

-

Snowflake
by Calia
(4th Grade - Overbrook Educational Center, PA)

I saw a snowflake
It was a pretty diamond
Winter is coming

-

Forever and Ever
by Fabrice Agbadan
(9th Grade - Cheltenham HS, PA)

I know you,
but am blinded.
I know your favorite color, foods
your crushes, your life
but am blinded.
How can you betray me,
why do you,
trap me in darkness,
for I've watched over you.
But am blinded,
by my foolishness,
for believing you've changed
Blinded by our friendship.
You are my friend
But I don't know you.
I will keep fighting,
for our friendship,
and for the light,
for I remember,
When we first became friends.
We swore
with our souls,
to be friends forever
and keep the darkness away.
You are my friend
So I shall fight for you,
Forever and Ever.

-

My World
by Fabrice Agbadan
(9th Grade - Cheltenham HS, PA)

I love you,
I've loved you,
I will love you,
cuz you're my one and only girl.
You're my heart,
you're my life,
you're the angel
who'd saved me from hell.
I wish to be with you,
I wish to marry you,
to have a family with you,
to live and die with you.
But now, I must wait,
for I am shy and young.
I see you
walking in your godly body,
I wish to go out with you.
But I must wait,
wait for the day,
I will break my silence,
wait for the day,
I will hold you
close in my arms.
But now, I must wait
for you are
My girl,
My heart,
My friend,
My world.

-

Bug's Away
by Reid Kleinman
(5th Grade - Philadelphia, PA)

I'm sitting on my porch,
resting in my chair,
but then I hear a buzzing
which is really rather rare, my house is usually quiet
because I live in nowhere.
I run across the house,
looking for bugs, I look in the kitchen,
the bedrooms,
and the rugs.
Finally I check the attic,
for bugs making that racket.
Finally!
I found them!
50 flies!
Then I let them free now I know those bugs,
will surely let me be.

-

Noise
by Mira
(5th Grade - Philadelphia, PA)

"Snap"
"Crackle"
"Pop"
The twigs are breaking.
"Swish"
"Scrish"
"Slish"
Leaves are falling.
"You”
"Can"
"We"
People are talking.
Are you listening?

-

What Halloween May Bring!
by Mira
(5th Grade - Philadelphia, PA)

Ghostly goblins glowing glitter,
Haunting hogwarts howling, hissing hurricanes.
Midnight madness masquerading moonlights,
Sizzling sycamores startled sltihering snakes.
Weeping widows waiting, wizard's wind whirls,
And I see it all on one special night ........ HALLOWEEN!!

-

Midnight
by Joey Centeno
(Flowertown, PA)

I walk down the street
At midnight
I hear the wind bellow an errie moan
At midnight
I see goblins dancing in the moonlight
At midnight
I see my tombstone
At midnight

-

Leaves
by Andrew Sax
(Philadelphia, PA)

In their glory days.
Lights, cameras, press.
Everyone knows who they are.
Like a leaf. Big and green, but when they're done.
They fall, brown and wrinkled.
Just a memory, just a memory of the past.
Rarely coming up in conversations.
Forgotten.
Forgotten they are.
Famous once.
But no more.

-

Live Your Life, Love Your Bathtub
by Meg Pierce
(Merion Station, PA)

Learn
Explore
Our undiscovered universe
A world of startling beauty
Forget
Release
Self Absorbed Agendas
Hectic Days
People Suffer a Lifetime
Critical Thoughts
Who thinks about the natural laws?
Oxegenation
Circulation
Relaxation
Live your life, love your bathtub.

-

Three Nights
by Chloe Howland
(Sheboygan, WI)

I.
A bat soars like a night sky
a night soars like a bat.

II.
My eyes open wide
like the milk of the moon,
I drink the cool night.

III.
A wolf's eye, black as night
jumps upon a flying star.

-

In the Wind
by Chloe Howland
(Sheboygan, WI)

Horses prance in the grass
take a bath
in the wind.
The pond glitters as hearts circle in the wind.

-