Shannon Moriarity

I waited in the distance,
You were close, yet so far away.
I could feel your breath,
I could hear every step you took.
But as soon as you got too close,
You turned your back,
And walked in the other direction.
Leaving me standing there,
To break into a million pieces.
It’s like I’m a puzzle,
Ready to be pieced together,
Can’t someone save me?
Can’t someone bring me out
From these shadows that surround me?
I know it won’t be you,
With your back turned,
I thought you would be the one to save me.
But instead, it’s her.
It’s her you save.
And you think everything is perfect.
Until she turns her back on you,
Like you did me.
It’s karma, isn’t it?
Now you’re the puzzle,
Broken in pieces,
Waiting to be put together.
You turn to walk back towards me,
And you honestly think
I was to wait for you?
When that was all I did before,
Was wait for you?
And you honestly think
I’m going to put you back together?

She Stands There

By Shannon Moriarity
Benson Village School, Grade 8

She stands there
Words spilling from her mouth
Creating a pool of lies around her.
Drowning anyone who gets too close
Making them believe
Every word she speaks
Every lie she tells.
They fall for her trap
Fall for her lies.
She stands there
A pen in hand
As she scribbles out the truth
With words of her own.
The paper’s tacked to the wall
For everyone to see
For everyone to believe
That the real truth is fake.
That’s she right
We’re wrong.
When it’s the other way around.
She stands there
Taping over our mouths
So we can’t speak
So we can’t prove her wrong.
Our screams are silenced
To just a whisper behind the door.
She stands there
Blocking us from getting through.
A barrier keeping out the truth
Forcing us into the shadows
Into the corner.
She stands there
Pushing us off the cliff.
And we keep falling
Farther and farther.
Until we crash far below her.
Defeated.

Walk Away

By Shannon Moriarity
Benson Village School, Grade 8

I don’t care what they say,
I’m in love with you.
They tell me to walk away
But it’s all too hard
(I can’t…)

You leave me here,
Alone and cold.
You don’t take me in your arms
To protect me from the cold,
But something makes me come back.

I don’t care what they say,
I’m in love with you.

This Lullaby

By Shannon Moriarity
Benson Village School, Grade 8

This lullaby I hear,
It repeats itself,
Like a broken record
Playing in my mind,
Over,
And over again.
It’s like a beat on a drum
Beating softly in my ear
Distracting my thoughts.
It never seems to end.
This lullaby I hear,
It’s soft and sweet,
Like a swiftly flowing stream.
It echoes from the distance,

I’m always left out,
To suffer alone,
To sink into the darkened shadows of their fame.
It’s their fault
They lied,
They deceived my dignity,
And left me alone in this freezing cold.
I try to reach out,
Through the ominous dark,
For that distant light
As I silently fall,
And break into pieces.
Like pieces to a puzzle,
A puzzle that can’t be solved.
I scream out loud,
But no one hears,
These cries of pain.
No one is catching me
As I fall harder.
They stand there and watch,
Their laughs echoing around me.
Please…
Someone save me,
I can’t breathe.
Someone catch me,
I’m falling.
Hold out your hand,
And take mine in yours.
Pull me out of this water
I’m drowning in.
Take me in your arms,
Bring me away,
And don’t let go.
Hold me tight,
Keep me warm,
Take the pain away,
And don’t let go.

What are dreams?
A figment of your imagination?
A random thought,
That floats in your mind?

What are dreams?
A wish that wanders?
A hard-thought prediction,
Of the distant future?

What are dreams?
A whisper of creativity?
A split second shot,
Of virtual reality?

Dreams are important,
A necessary implement.
Dreams are reality,
A private therapist for you.

Every Second Counts

By Shannon Moriarity
Benson Village School, Grade 8

Your palms are sweaty,
Your vision blurred.
Little butterflies fluttering
In the depths of your stomach.

You cock your head up,
And look at the score.
It’s 33 to 32,
And it’s your team that’s behind.

The ball is in your hands,
The time ticking down…
30 seconds…29…28…
27…26…

You begin to dribble
The knots in your stomach tighten.
19…18…17…
You’re only at half-court.

A defender picks you up,
Concentrated on your moves.
You bounce the ball between your legs,
And you’re past the defense.

6…5…4…
You square up your feet,
And bring the ball to your chest.
You jump, releasing the ball…

2…1…
The ball kisses the rim,
And falls through the net.
Score!