Kayla Wood

Hunting: Girls v. Guys

By Kayla Wood
Dummerston Middle School, Grade 8

Hunting. Most say it’s a guy sport, but is it? In my town and family hunting is very popular, and the question still arises: Is it a guy sport? My answer to that is no. In my town there are many girl hunters, myself included. I love to hunt, and so do most girls. I don’t see why everyone always says that it is a guy's sport because girls are just as dedicated -- or even more dedicated to the sport -- as the guys.

Waking
Frosty air penetrates
My lungs
The sweet smell
Of wood smoke
Floats toward my nose
A brisk breeze blows
Across my body
Leaving me searching
for hot apple cider
And fresh baked donuts.

As midday comes
A sweater is lost
In the warmth
Of the sun
Munching on apples
Sipping cider
My lunch comes to an end.

Evening approaches
Warm clothes find my body
I escape into the woods
To sit 'til dark
Waiting...
But no animals come
Maybe,
Just maybe,
Tomorrow will be better
And I will have more luck.

I go to bed
And the sights
And sounds of the day
Toss around in my head
Hopefully tomorrow will be the same,
Just perfect!

Iraq

By Kayla Wood
Dummerston Middle School, Grade 7

In Iraq,
The country of fighting
Men and women,
Dying for our freedom
And the freedom of the Iraqis
Needlessly dying
While we sit at home
With nothing good to do
But complain that life is not good enough
While our troops fight for many lives
In Iraq
And we can’t seem to understand
What it is like to fight for our lives
We don’t know how much pain they go through
Fighting
In Iraq
A car comes,
And the phone rings
A mother screams and cries,
“Don’t let this happen to me”
While avery small child
Tries to understand
What her tears,
And her words are for,
A loved one dies
In Iraq

We complain because we had to do 20 push ups in gym
They have to keep fit to survive
We cry because our favorite tv show is canceled
They cry because they have to watch a friend die
And there is nothing they can do to help them
Our lives are different
They try to protect,
While we try to be happy
Iraq has brought nothing but pain in most lives
But the war is not to see who can kill who
It is to give the victims there freedom
And us our protection
Iraq may be a pain to us
But just try to imagine
What it is like
To live in a war stricken country
That is called
Iraq
With no help
And no freedom
Living under a wicked person
Who will kill if what he wants is not done
So what would you do
If you had to live
In the country called
Iraq

Pearls and Roses

By Kayla Wood
Dummerston Middle School, Grade 7

Two of the most valuable gifts I have ever gotten were a red rose and a pearl necklace. The red rose was recently given to me, but sadly it is starting to wilt, and the pearl necklace is hiding in the depths of my attic, but I will always remember that at one time, I was given these two precious items.