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A l l O u r B e s t s !C r e a t i v e W r i t i n g !S u m m e r 2 0 1 4

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Table of Contents

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Foreword 4

Bridget Paganini—“Enfolded” 6

Bridget Paganini—“Garden Fresh” 7

Bridget Paganini—“Stop Staring at Me” 8

Lacee Hemingway—“The Perfect Proposal” 9

James Rumson—“Pitter Patter” 11

James Rumson—“O Wire” 12

James Rumson—“Hooblers” 13

James Rumson—“JagdTiger” 14

Kaley Poulicakos—“Battle (You and I)” 18

Kaley Poulicakos—“Erasure Poem” 19

Kaley Poulicakos—“Name Poem” 20

Kaley Poulicakos—“Change in Perspective” 21

Maureen Wheeler—“Pen” 22

Maureen Wheeler—“Fireflies” 23

Maureen Wheeler—“[Going to buy groceries on a Sunday]” 24

Jennifer Reebel—“Schism Remixed” 25

Michael Williams—“[A Bright Summer Day]” 26

Joanna Alexander—“Decadence” 27

Joanna Alexander—“Once Upon a Time” 28

Joanna Alexander—“How To” 29

Shannon St. Onge—“Toast and Coffee” 30

Crystal White—“Flying” 34

Crystal White—“Seasons” 35

Crystal White—“If Only” 36

Crystal White—“Above” 37

Kristen Doucet—“[A Scorching Summer Day]” 38

Kristen Doucet—“[Where Are You Now?]” 39

Kristen Doucet—“[Let Me Tell You About a City]” 40

Kristen Doucet—“[Wake Up Everyday]” 41

Amelia Pierpont—“In The Hospital” 42

Amelia Pierpont—“The Soul That Wouldn’t Leave” 43

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Foreword !!!!The poems collected here were written in the summer of 2014 during an eight-week online Creative Writing course through Manchester Community College. I’d like to thank everyone who participated in this course as well as the writers whose work you find here. In these poems and stories, I think you will encounter some startlingly original voices from writers who were both new and veteran to the craft. Thank you for reading. !Sincerely, Marc Paltrineri

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Bridget Paganini—“Enfolded” !!!

UP the wide cement stairs To a grey and white dignified house Three stories, in the air the smell Of old spice. ”How do you do?” echoes in the ear As sandpaper scours against my cheek Those shinny patent leather shoes clunking heavily with every step Hands and fingers stretched out, cookies, trace the velvet Walls, chocolate chips melting between fingers “Don’t Run!” Reaching out, finally, the feel of warm embrace from a brown-paisley apron Aromatic with fragrance of meatballs and ham. The holidays are here. !!

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Bridget Paganini—“Garden Fresh” !! !

Seeds dormant in ground Spring open life from within Bountiful harvest !!

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Bridget Paganini—“Stop Staring at Me” !! !

There they lay Sealed in cellophane container Staring at me I must resist My mouth watering; I can’t “POP” they’re free The smell of savory salt pours into the air It starts -one, then two, then five I can’t stop Fingers covered in a thick layer of grease The shame. The guilt. The whole bag Gone. !

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Lacee Hemingway

Lacee Hemingway—“The Perfect Proposal” !!!We were driving down that old dirt road with dust flying, we were singing along when a song came on the radio saying, “Will you marry me?” My boyfriend, Jason, glanced at me with those big brown eyes and a half smile. I thought nothing of it as he always said he would never get married. My heart was torn, but it’s his choice too. We arrived at Gunnison Lake, more commonly known as the Goshen Ocean; as we got out of the car I instantly got a whiff of the muddy pond scent. We searched for the perfect spot to swim but had no luck; the left side was crowded with people and the right side was rocky with a few men fishing, so we decided to take a seat in the freshly cut grass and chat. We could see for miles; we saw thousands of trees green as could be, the sun beaming off the Goshen Ocean, and Mount Sunapee which was dark and pointy with rolling hills in the distance. After several minutes passed, the lake grew more and more bare. We walked hand in hand down to the swimming hole; we could hear crickets chirping, birds whistling and people shouting. Jason jumped right in the water, but there was no way I was going to. The water was so frigid, my ankles felt like they were breaking. We both scurried out of the water in shock. Our feet were so cold we could barely feel the grass between our toes and the jagged rocks stabbing our heels. We strolled back up the hill to the car and dried our drenched bodies. I walked to the edge of the rock-strewn bank to look at the sunset. Jason took my soaking wet towel back to the car while I sat down on the bank in the blades of grass. He came back swiftly with bullets of sweat pouring down his forehead and suggested we take pictures because the sunset had so many colors: pink, purple, blue and orange lit up the sky. I stood in front of Jason and began snapping adorable pictures, then a few childish ones too. I said, “Ready?” to my boyfriend and I heard a quiet “yeah” because the crickets seemed overwhelmingly loud. The sound of his voice didn’t seem near me, so I spun around and there he was… on one knee shaking like a leaf.

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Lacee Hemingway

He blurted out, “Will you marry me?” holding a gorgeous ring with that half smile again. His cheeks were a bit pale, his eyes were glistening in the sun, his shoulders were broad and stiff and his hands were sweating profusely. I could no longer hear or smell anything I was so caught up in the moment. I grabbed his free hand snugly, pulled him up and held his body so tight. Holding back tears, I quivered, “yes”. We held onto each other for several minutes, so closely no air could even get between us. After we let go of one another, we giggled like we were little kids again. All I could feel was the cool breeze blowing and the passion between us. I felt like we were magnets that couldn’t be separated. Butterflies took over my belly; my heart was pounding out of my chest. Everything happened so quickly that it was hard to capture the moment. We sat down on the edge of the bank, and he wrapped his strong arms around me and we looked mesmerized in one another’s eyes, being bitten by mosquitoes but not caring at all. Listening to our voices for hours was breathtaking; all we could speak of was how much we cared for each other and how much we wanted to be together for an eternity. We watched fish jump out of the water; frogs leap into the water, flies swarm over the lake, and all we could feel were each other’s hearts as if they were beating as one. !!

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James Rumson

James Rumson—“Pitter Patter” !!!!

Pitter patter of the rain, I hold my umbrella in vain. Today looks to be so mundane, Who said that I was sane. O what a pain !

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James Rumson

James Rumson—“O Wire” !!

O wire, why so troublesome. I fix your leads and Tighten your screws, but still you come affray Will I see the day, That you will not fray. O that day, wire. Energizing Energizer battery silver black Negative and positive still Just 1.5V direct current Made to store power Alkaline, metal, plastic, electrons, Do not reverse direction Not friendly with fire Made in the U.S.A. Not one volt alternating Double A size battery A None rechargeable core Avertissment, advertcia all warnings Half inch size diameter Two battery's 3 volts Do not throw away Save for another day Don’t try to tame Please recycle dead batteries !

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James Rumson

James Rumson—“Hooblers” !!Before the boy knew it the hoobleers were hopping around the car. In a screaming rage he ran to clampnovoes. Then he saw the shanks flooding the skies. He shouted "come on wh" and before he could finish his statement he was hit. Angry and confused at this point he rolled down the street in rage, only stopping to avoid being hit by car or stepped on. Once back in the lab he plugged in his oxygen gun and filled his house back up. Then the boy went to bed hoping for a better day tomorrow. He went inside to find his old friend Ryan was inside. They chatted about his day as Alex went into painful detail of what had happened. Ryan responded with a nod and his famous line “I will be right back”. Geno herd this and hopped in panic to stop the now rampaging Ryan. Then the heavens fell on Geno and life was not the same. !!

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James Rumson

James Rumson—“JagdTiger” !!!Alex always gives me that smirk when he is about to say something smart. Before he could say

anything I brought up his bad advice. He responded with "how did I know it would send you to the

hospital?" I turned up the radio to drown out his explanation. Sue in the back turned it off and replied

"that is rude you know". I responded with an apology. They both smiled victoriously. Sue said out loud

"wake me when this nightmare is over". We all looked up at the night sky where the war still raged on.

The battle raged on and it looked like the humans were not going to win this war. Ryan woke and

started cracking jokes to lighten the mood. The jokes were broken by a loud yell bogey on our six. Shells

sheared across are tank. Zigzagging to avoid being hit we drove away. Sue turned the turret and fired a

round to try to break them off us. The medium tank behind us lit up in flames as she made the shot. The

tanks gave up the chase due to the fact they had their orders they had to fulfill. There were no words

spoken until we reached town.

The still burning town looked clear. Zack got out and walked in front of the tank watching for

any signs of an ambush. Alex yelled "abandon tank" as a ship was coming to bomb us. Running as fast as

we all could we ran into the burned out shoe shining store. The bomb hit and there was nothing left of

our tank. We could see the alien tanks pointing their canons at the town. Sue said with a smile "I forgot

my cheese doodles on the tank is it too late to eat them now". We all laughed but our laughter was cut

short by the sound of their high pitched squealing engines. We all laid low in the building hoping that

they would withdraw without seeing us. We spent the night in there. Alex told us about his life before

he decided to take a vacation on Earth.

Once I thought the others were fast asleep, I decided to take a look at my baby in the street,

well what was left of it anyway. Shifting through the remains I found nothing was left intact. What was

once a proud tank was now small fragments. Walking back to the store I caught sight of the tank

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James Rumson

museum. I ran with all my might and woke Sue and told her of my find and my new plan to get us some

wheels. In the commotion the others woke up and listened. We talked all night about it while Alex

condemned the plan saying there is no way any of them would be left. We walked up to the building, it

was in bad shape. Walking through what was left of the door frame we saw that tanks were damaged in

the bombing raids at some time during the war. We split up and looked for one that was in working

condition. The Tiger tank had a support beam crushing its front. Sue and I looked at each other and said

there has to be one. Then we both turned and saw it.

Next to Sue was a JagdTiger and a JagdPanther. Both were in bad shape but they both looked

like we could get them to run. Sue gave a loud bird call and the others came running. We all looked at

the tanks and got to work. Alex grabbed undamaged parts from other tanks. Sue kept looking for tanks

that could be used. After a day of working on the JagdPanther it was decided in the condition that is was

in we could not get it to run. The Maybach 210 was completely out of working condition and we did not

have the tools needed to work on such an old engine. The JagdTiger however, ran smoothly but we

needed to find another tank to support it. Sue explained since it did not have a turret it could easily get

ambushed. Alex smiled and said he had a plan. We followed stepping over building parts. He stopped

and smiled at the large massive tank behind him.

Alex yelled "the Panther" Zack looked at him with a frown saying "You just want to stand on top

of the building yelling that at the enemy". Alex hung his head. Then Sue stepped in and said it could

work. He looked up with a smile again. Sue worked all night on the Panther. I walked over to check up

on her progress. She somehow fitted the Panther with a Maybach 230 engine and it hummed with

might. She smiled covered in dirt and oil. We were ready to get back on the road. We set off engines

roaring. The JagdTiger setting the way. Sue looking out the top of it was followed by the Panther with

Alex laughing his brains out due to Zack's jokes. We never saw them hiding in the woods.

The decoy Sherman pulled in front of the JagdTiger as Sue yelled "stop". As the dust settled we

found that we were not the only ones who had raided the museum for tanks. There were two Tigers

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now staring us down. I could not believe my eyes it was John. He yelled his hellos as Sue jumped from

her tank to go see him. John told us to hide our tanks with leaves and come spend the night with his

crew in the woods. We were all around the fire as he told his story how he was shot out of the sky a

month ago. He was saved by a crew whose tank was stuck in a ditch a mile down the road. They visited

the museum and took parts in perfect condition to fix their tank. Sue, joking about John's lack of

knowledge of engines asked why he did not take any of the good tanks. Alex and I were used to such

arguments since we had grown up with the two siblings since they lived a house down from us. Later

that night I asked Alex why is it that these new aliens cannot get along with anyone. He began talking

about his people and the neighboring planets that he had traveled back to see around the same time I

moved out of the neighborhood. He went on to say that all the others got along fine. Ryan who had

fallen asleep in the tank now crawled out. We all watched the night sky as it lit up with ominous fire and

explosions.

Sue asked John if would come along for the ride with us but he said no. He went on to explain

that their group signed up for this battle and must stay to fight and not run away. We parted not

knowing when we might see them again. By the ninth night the engines were breaking down. Sue said

that there was nothing we could do. Alex, knowing that she was the only one who knew anything about

engines did not argue. We spent the next three days taking apart the Panther. We took what we needed

and left the rest. We pasted ten towns before we started looking for new tanks. Bill who was stranded,was

the newest member to our team. He did not know anything about war and just wanted to get somewhere

safer. Around two when we were thinking about stopping for lunch is when it happened.

A flanking tanks' shell ripped through are tank and killed Sue. Screaming I yelled orders to turn

off the road and to load a shell. Two more rounds sheared off our armor as we tried to turn. With a loud

scream our treads gave way. I told Alex they were not going to take me alive as I grabbed my side arm.

The tanks aimed their barrels at our doomed tank. Before I could blink both tanks were on fire. John and

what looked like the rest of the 31 armored brigade was here. I prepared to tell him the fate of his sister.

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I told him the news and we never talked about it again. We continued following them because

we were all heading in the same direction. Almost every night I would watch John sneak away to be

alone. We all wondered if he would ever fully recover from what had happened. A couple of months

later he found a girl and dropped out of the war. He moved out into the woods where no one could ever

find them. Before saying goodbye to him we helped him install hidden anti tank guns into his house.

That is the last time I ever talked to him.

When December rolled around the winter was hard on the tanks. Ice was the big problem. The

aliens did not plan to fight the war in the winter. They had only seen the warm climate until now. It did

not give either side an advantage but, no one like being out in the cold. We picked up another member

to our crew her name was Luna. Her eyes always seem to be big and shining. We would crack jokes

about how they will see us from a mile away thanks to her eyes.

In the summer the war ended and all was a wreck. The aliens had lost 2/3 of their population we

had only lost half. They dedicated a statue to Sue right in the middle of the town. Everyone from our

crew cried when we saw it. The crew broke up since there was no need for it now. I left the planet

because I knew there would be no coming back to a place with such sad memories. That was the last I

talked to them. I heard one of them ended up in jail for robbing someone at gun point. I will never go

back to check or find out. As for Alex he got married and went back to earth. As for me I joined the tank

restoration crew on Aconnix.

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Kaley Poulicakos

Kaley Poulicakos—“Battle (You and I)” !!You told me you and I had been in a battle. You said it seemed like you were two people. You even said you fought with the thoughts in your head, and couldn't get me out of it. As much as you try to imagine life without me--you say it's impossible. You told me you have a new life now--you even try to fool yourself with that same thought. You are dating someone else now, but I know you still think of me. A year has passed, and you are still questioning why I left you. Take charge of your life, and let mine go. !

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Kaley Poulicakos

Kaley Poulicakos—“Erasure Poem” !!Hello, boys. Baker here. Live and in the stereo. “I don't believe it” he said. More specifically, why my life ended. And if you're listening to these tapes, you're one of the reasons why. I promise. That sounds like a joke, he cried. Is this some kind of twisted suicide note? Before Hannah died, she recorded a bunch of tapes. The rules are pretty simple. Rule number one: You listen. Number two: You pass it on. Hopefully, one will be easy for you. She asks, "Can I listen?" !

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Kaley Poulicakos

Kaley Poulicakos—“Name Poem” !!

Kicking off the summer with Karaoke nights, Awaiting the next big concert to come my way, Loving every second of this nice warm weather, Even if I can only enjoy bits and pieces of it, Yes, this is the life of working full-time. !

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Kaley Poulicakos

Kaley Poulicakos—“Change in Perspective” !!It was like she competed for everything. She always thought she had something to prove. She felt like she had to show everyone she was prettier, or that it was her boyfriend. She made good grades, but only because she studied so hard. It was like she enjoyed the thrill of beating someone, at e v e r y t h I n g. I wasn’t even her enemy, and even I knew to stay away from her.

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Maureen Wheeler

Maureen Wheeler—“Pen” !!

This strange device with a point In which you write your mind As you hold it in your hand You make these funky lines Be careful what you write though My mother always said Once it’s on this paper It’s no longer hidden in your head I wish I‘d listened to her though Because then you wouldn’t know What I’d done !

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Maureen Wheeler

Maureen Wheeler—“Firefl ies” !!

Laughter filling up the warm, crisp air Mini lights flicker within the trees A small gust upon my face Not a single worry in the world A cold jar held tight within the palm of a hand It’s lid within the other A small beam of light that suddenly appeared How I wish I could go back to summers as a child Nothing but an ear-to-ear smile Oh—what I’d give to go back

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Maureen Wheeler

!Maureen Wheeler—“[Going to buy groceries on a Sunday]” !!!Going to buy groceries on a Sunday? What a mistake. It’s like some people are having a cart race. Running crazily down the aisles at a 30 MPH pace. All the good deals are wiped out precisely as the doors open. Children screaming at the top of their lungs, if I’m overwhelmed—they must be. Apples mixed with the oranges, and oranges with the pears. I can’t find what I need, anywhere. The aisles have been changed since the last time I was here. It’s like a zoo, minus the hippos and the bears. People like monkeys climbing the shelves. Females like lionesses fighting for the last package of chicken on sale. Like normal, I keep my head down trying not to make eye contact. The checkout lines are a mile long; this isn’t worth the bananas, butter and eggs I so regretfully forgot. Four hours later, it’s time for a nap.

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Jennifer Reebel

Jennifer Reebel—“Schism Remixed” !!I know the pieces fit cuz I watched them fall away Mildewed and smoldering. Fundamental differing. Pure intention juxtaposed will set two lovers souls in motion Disintegrating as it goes testing our communication The light that fueled our fire then has burned a hole between us so We cannot see to reach an end crippling our communication.

I know the pieces fit cuz I watched them tumble down No fault, none to blame it doesn't mean I don't desire to Point the finger, blame the other, watch the temple topple over. To bring the pieces back together, rediscover communication

The poetry that comes from the squaring off between, And the circling is worth it. Finding beauty in the dissonance.

There was a time that the pieces fit, but I watched them fall away. Mildewed and smoldering, strangled by our coveting I've done the math enough to know the dangers of our second guessing Doomed to crumble unless we grow, and strengthen our communication.

Cold silence has a tendency to atrophy any Sense of compassion Between supposed lovers/brothers

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Michael Williams

Michael Will iams—“[A Bright Summer Day]” !A bright summer day, enveloped by the suns warmth Like the blanket you dread leaving on a snowy morning. The stream was flowing slowly, across our feet like a breeze. Knee high at its deepest points. It didn't take long to abandon our fishing poles, the wilderness around us, pulling our souls in with its enticing splendor. He was eleven then, with a desire to explore the stream, as if it were an undiscovered frontier. Climbing rocks and swimming in deeper pools awakened the young boy that lived inside me. The whole day we spent, walking that stream. We could have mapped every stone and blade of grass, every bend and turn in that lazy river The whole day we spent, as if just a moment.

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Joanna Alexander

Joanna Alexander—“Decadence” !!I buzz through all the ferns Late spring unfurling, bringing sweet scents of Bee balm scarlet, the flower made for my kind Milkweed, the delicious wild vegetable, calling out to my senses I pass a stand of cattails, and see The lures of daisies and sunflowers Bloom

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Joanna Alexander

!Joanna Alexander—“Once Upon a Time” !!There once was a group of women who got together and finally succeeded in finding the solution to bring about all the changes in the world that they had ever hoped for. It was a momentous meeting, and they wept with joy at the wonderful future they could look forward to, and provide for the generations to come. Then they all dispersed to set their plans in motion. Before long, the world had changed in substantial ways. The conflicts around the world, some of which had been raging for centuries, gradually died down, and new and lasting peace treaties were made. The worldwide culture of violence towards women was halted, and equality between men and women turned out to be beneficial for everyone. The rate of unwanted pregnancies dropped dramatically, and fast. Cures for diseases were found so quickly that the world was stunned that solutions hadn't been found sooner. Humans stopped their destructive use of the earth's resources, and healing of the planet naturally followed. "We were on the brink, but pulled back in time," was the motto of the transition.

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Joanna Alexander

Joanna Alexander—“How To” !!Start with the filthiest thing This is often the stove Start at the highest point: the range hood or above the dials at the back !Spray it all down, then wipe Dump the cruddy food bits in the compost or the sink or the trash Scrape with the blade of the putty knife Spray again Wipe, polish Usually one more time spraying and polishing does it, unless they spilled oil over everything In which case, feel free to curse them soundly

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Shannon St. Onge

!Shannon St. Onge—“Toast and Coffee” !!It is mid-summer, and Mom always wakes me up early on Saturdays. “Come on, its time to get up and this house isn’t going to clean itself.” The sound of the Hoover and the smell of bleach wake me from my slumber. Mom brushes my hair from my face and pulls back the covers. She tells me I am beautiful and smart, and that she loves me.  How does her mind work?  She sits at the kitchen table with the brown lace tablecloth and blows smoke into a ring that kisses the lamp cover as it reaches the top.  I can see her from my bedroom, and as soon as she’s done her coffee, I will need to get up. When she’s done with the cup she washes it and places it neatly in the cupboard. Here she comes down the hallway, and my room is a disaster. She looks at me and points her fingernail that curves like a bird's beak.  Sometimes when she yells all I hear is the "caww, caww" of the birds beak. She tells me to wipe that smirk of my face, because this is serious.  This scares me and I start to tremble.  She has all the power in that beak pointing at me. I just want to go outside and play with my friends.  When Mom is done yelling at me for the messes I made, and she helps me organize my room, she says, "Now get your ass outside and play, it's too nice out to be cooped up in this house."   Outside is a wonderful place.   The cars are zooming by, and I hear the rumbles of jets passing overhead.  I want to look up at the sky and find a cloud that looks like a smurf.  I suddenly remember that I got kaleidoscope glasses at the fair.  I put them on, and the world is different.  There are cracks and stars in my vision, and everything is moving around.  There are four of the mailbox and three of my front door.  What a silly feeling when I put out my arms and pretend I am the jet flying overhead I get dizzy, but that is a fun feeling of the tickle in my belly. I hear the cars zooming by whoosh whoosh. "Marie!!!" my mother yells from the front door!   I feel her beaks tearing into my arms.  She shakes me hard then drags my limp body into the house.  "What the hell were you thinking, and how many times do I need to tell you to stay away from the road?"  She rips the glasses off my head, swiftly cracks my backside and sends me to my room.   I cried for a few minutes, scared more than anything.  Once I was calm, I settled into my blue beanbag and read a book or two.  My favorite books are the Golden books, but sometimes I peel the gold part off the spine.   I need to hide the peels, so Mom won't find them.  What would have happened if a car hit me?  Would I be like jelly on the road splattered like a broken tomato?  The thought gave me the

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Shannon St. Onge

shivers.   I was so distracted by the fear that I could have died in the traffic that I could not focus on the "Pokey Little Puppy".  What happens to people when they die?  Are they just no longer here?  Some of the wonders of my mind are so big that they scare me to think about.  I can hear my mother saying, "We are all going to die someday".  Oh, the thought terrified me.  The permanence, the finality, the end of all things called life.   I shuttered, shook my head and decided to get up and do something.   I realize that my Mom just saved my life, so I decide to go sit with her.  She is watching her soap operas on the TV with the rabbit ear antennas, and sitting on the soft velvet couch with her legs tucked under her.   "Go grab Mommy a Pepsi would ya?"   I scurry to the refrigerator and come back with a freshly opened bottle, steam rising from the small opening at the top.   "You want a swig?"   I take the bottle and take the biggest gulp ever; puffing my cheeks out, and feeling the bubbles rise into my nose.  I giggle and she taps the end of my nose, smiling that beautiful smile.  She says, “you know, honey you really need to stay away from the front yard, you could be run over by a car, and I don't know what I would do if you got hurt."   I start to tear up, fear bubbling from within "I am sorry Mommy, I won't do it again". She wraps her arms around my waist and pulls me in for a cuddle.  At this moment I feel so safe, like no one could ever run me over.  “I love you more than life itself, little girl”, she looked at me and I knew that she meant it. Summer came to an end, and we had to buy some new backpacks, brush up the haircuts and get ready for another exciting year at school. The first day was always the most exciting. Mom always makes us stand in front of the gold refrigerator for a Polaroid picture. There were termites in the school on the first day, and the place smelled of some sort of chemical. School always had funny smells. The soap in the bathroom is so scratchy like sand, and doesn’t even make bubbles. Wally and I sat across from each other, and we had the worst case of the giggles ever. I don’t even know what was funny, but it just was. We sat there at least once a day and laughed about nothing. It was mid-way through October and we got a phone call from NY. My grandmother had cancer. They all acted like I was not there, and sat on the couch, crying. What the heck is cancer? I wondered why it was so bad? Was she going to die? I loved my Mom-mom, so I was hoping that she would be ok. How did I know that this would be the hardest few months of my mother’s life? We went to NY any chance we had. My parents talked about the money and the plane tickets and the gas. We made so many trips that my parents knew every hospital on the way, because I would need that medicine for throwing up the whole way.

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Shannon St. Onge

We arrived in NY to the house where my grandmother was, and it was not like I had remembered from a few months ago. The walls were yellow and there were cobwebs hanging from the vents that let the heat upstairs. There was a smell; it was musty like vomit and mildew mixed with wet dog and smoke. The coffee was perking on the stove swishing and popping. The floor in front of the stove was worn completely off from Mom-mom making trips to the stove, dragging her slippers along. I loved having coffee with her. I was just a little girl, but sitting on her lap dipping my peanut butter toast in a nice cup of coffee was just divine. I felt grown-up, even though she would sit, and tell my stories that she made up, drawing pictures to go with them. A mother of nine, she must have told lots of stories. She looks like an alien. She has no hair. She screams when she pees. How can we help her? My mom is always tired. No one is paying attention to me. Maybe if my aunt and I do the dishes, someone will notice. She is only eleven months older than me, so sometimes we fight like sisters. We play for hours in the dirty dishwater, noodles floating and flicking water at each other, giggling while the adults talk on the porch. We made more of a mess to notice than anything else, but it was fun to play in the fluffy bubbles and stop thinking about how different things were. Exhausted from the trip and all the excitement, we go to bed. While lying in the cool sheets I wonder what is happening? Is this the last time I will see Mom-mom? She is Mommy’s mother. I feel a tear in the corner of my eye, and heaviness in my chest, as I remember the permanence, the finality, and death. The fear I feel overcomes me. I cannot open my eyes. There is a branch that keeps touching the window, scratching; there are flies between the panes of the window near my bed. I lie there for hours, then the sun wakes me up, and the flies are still there. I scurry down the stairs to have coffee and toast with Mom-mom and sit on her lap one last time before we have to go home. She is squishier than Mommy, and she coughs a lot, but we are best buddies. I ask her if she is going to die. She says “well of course, honey everyone dies some day, but if you don’t come to my funeral I’m going to haunt you.” My Mom laughed, and I laughed, and we had our toast and coffee. I wish I knew that was the last time. I did not make it to the funeral, and now she haunts me with memories of her. I dream that she is chasing me around a building, and she shoots me with a needle, then I turn into an orange and split into six pieces. I see her face when I am going to sleep at night, and mostly, I feel her near me almost every day. I love to sip my coffee and dip my peanut butter toast into it. That is the permanence of her presence, the memory of a grandmother’s

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Shannon St. Onge

love. I see her in my mother every day, and yes, that is permanent and final. The love that has been passed on is the toast and coffee of life.

�33

Crystal White

!!!Crystal White—“Flying” !!

Clouds suspended Land so still Glowing lights indicate life People there, but unseen Cars move slowly, small as bugs !

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Crystal White

!Crystal White—“Seasons” !!!

Chilly is the night air Rain drops hit the ground Yard is green from spring to fall Sunlight beams through glass Tall trees block the wind All year we yearn for summer Lastly frost sits in

!!

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Crystal White

Crystal White—“If Only” !!!

Why do you make her wait so long why must she walk so far why does she have to arrive so early only to wait And then wait some more If not for you we’d have had more time, But if only

!!

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Crystal White

Crystal White—“Above” !!!

Disappearing Clouds floating, soft, Hard, unforgiving Mountain tops covered in snow, Still, yet flowing, River winds and bends !

!

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Kristen Doucet

Kristen Doucet—“[A Scorching Summer Day]” !!!

A scorching summer day, as sand burns my feet, the cool ocean awakens me.

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Kristen Doucet

Kristen Doucet—“[Where Are You Now?]” !!!

Where are you now? It's hard to believe you are no longer mine !!I never thought I would go a day without you, Now it's been 6 months However; it feels like forever !!I miss you, And I hope you feel the same !!I will never forget you Or the amazing memories we shared !!I want the best for you But I want the best for myself, too !!I wake up everyday It feels like I'm living a dream But, this is real And this is my life.

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Kristen Doucet

Kristen Doucet—“[Let Me Tell You About a City]” !!!Let me tell you about a city So incredible you wouldn't even believe Thousands of people wander the streets Everyone so welcoming, You will never want to leave That garlic scent of goodness You can smell from blocks away These restaurants are so classy, you never eat for free. And shops you could only wish to see Everything designer, so posh and so clean This place is so lively it doesn't ever sleep Let me tell you about a city- You can only dream

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Kristen Doucet

Kristen Doucet—“[Wake Up Everyday]” !!!

Wake up everyday, Thankful to be alive Because you don't truely know How short life can be !No point in being sad Because it's so much better To be happy Dig yourself out of the slump Be grateful for what you do have !!And always remember- There's somebody that has it worse These bad days are sure To soon pass !So don't dwell on what you can't change And start worrying about what you can Because you are the one Who determines your happiness And the life you want to live.

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Amelia Pierpont

Amelia Pierpont—“In The Hospital” !!!Bright lights like the blinding sun, Loud sounds as if death is knocking on a door, And that smell-- You know the one, Strong, pungent odor-- Antiseptic, blood, life, and death. In the hospital again. Voices, yelling, crying, Tears of joy, tears of despair, You know that smell-- Antiseptic, blood, life, and death, In the hospital again. Doctors rushing in, nurses rushing out, A new life has begun; an old life has perished You know that smell-- Antiseptic, blood, life, and, death. In the hospital again. !Another day to save a life, Another day to cheat death-- You know that smell-- Antiseptic, blood, life, and death. In the hospital again. !

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Amelia Pierpont

Amelia Pierpont—“The Soul That Wouldn’t Leave” !!!

I couldn't get over that smell, it was like rotten food, vomit, trash, and chemicals all rolled into one. There seemed to be a sort of miasma over the room, and the silence was deafening. I tried to look, to see where the smell was coming from, but I couldn't move. I felt almost frozen in my spot, my limbs heavy with fatigue, and I wondered how I got into this predicament. Finally, I heard a noise; the dull sound of footsteps, yes! I will finally get out of this place, I could hear them now, the voices were foggy, but I knew they were coming for me. The smells got worse, the noise got louder, and I tried to shout out, but my voice wasn't working. I must be in the hospital paralyzed, I assumed, and I waited and waited for someone to call my name, and finally they did. A gravelly male voice said, "Here's Ava, age 25, she arrived here yesterday. She was found buried in an unmarked shallow grave in Portland, Maine; we are here to do an autopsy to figure out the cause of death. We estimate her death occurred 15-24 hours ago, but we need to run some tests to confirm." They’re talking about me, but that can't be I'm not dead I'm alive, I try to scream, to move, to do anything to alert them I was alive, but nothing worked. I finally knew deep in my soul that I wasn't in the hospital, I was in the morgue, and quite possibly dead. The Medical Examiner grabbed a sharp, cold, scalpel, and I could see him move with perfect grace over my body. He pointed the scalpel at my chest, and with a flick of the wrist he proceeded to cut into my cold, lifeless body. I was expecting pain, a lot of pain, but there was none. I lay there, lifeless, dead, no heart beat, no brain waves, just a body, with a soul that wouldn’t leave.

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