best07-08

The Beach

By Hillary Laggis
Hazen Union High School, Grade 10

My impulses are the waves
Coming and going without warning.
I don’t try to be happy
It comes naturally.
Everything - the salty air, the sound, the sand -
Is natural.
Life and living is effortless.
I simply follow the sun, and move with the tides.
The freedom surrounds me
It’s the wind in my hair, the sand between my toes, and the sun that kisses my cheeks.
Never have I felt more content and at ease with my life.
I look to my right, and see his brown hair move slightly in the breeze.
His fingers slip gently between mine
And the sunset is reflected in his eyes.
It’s a rare occasion when the desire for life to be different leaves me entirely -
There is nothing I can think to change.
I breathe in -
A smile spreads slowly across my face
And I know it’s unlikely to leave until summer fades away and I am forced to depart the constant bliss I’ve grown accustomed to.

Fantasies

By Hannah Reichel
Dummerston Middle School, Grade 7

You and me
Our hands entwined

Have picked dandelions
Spoken of who is kind
Have danced in the fields
To the songs in our head
Have traveled all over
Fought over bread
Have cried all night
Into puddles of fear
Have chuckled long hours
Have worried of something so near
Have dreamed up fantasies
And built our own kingdom
Have read books of adventure
Basked in freedom
Have chased the ladybugs
That were holed up for winter
Have made up songs
Held races to see who's the best sprinter
Have hurt each other's feelings
Then made it up
Have dreamt of being ladies
Wished for a pup.

So much fun we've had
You and me
I don't think it a shame
That you're imaginary!

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.

Awkward Love

By Rebecca White
Hartford Memorial Middle School, Grade 8

I sit here swinging
My feet back
And forth over the
Concrete barrier.

The sweating summer air
Kissing my tanned
Hot skin.

As the fireflies buzz by
In a bright flurry
Of translucent wings.

Zipping past my knees
As I throw dandelion petals
Into the deep river water.

The contrast of the thoughtful
Wise water
And
The anxious passionate
Air
Seems to mix at the surface
Pooling my emotions
At its face.

I hear the crunch of sandals
On twigs as
I move my hair behind
My ears.

The noise gets closer
And I turn
Around To see
Him.

Mathew is standing over me
smiling.

His hands in his pockets
Trying to look casual.
His blond hair is shaggier than
During school months.
He has sun freckles on his nose
Like a little wingspan
Over his cheeks.
“Hey.”

“Hey.”

He sits beside me looking
Out over the river.

He looks at me and smiles again.

Luna

By Katherine Scalia
Green Mountain Valley School, Grade 10

Luna…
was my
brother's first
word. It must
have been the
Spanish nanny
who would point at
the dimpled fluorescent
sphere lighting up the sky
and brightly say, “Look
little Nicolás! They hung
it there for you! It shines
that big for you!...
la luna, la luna,
shines like that
for you…”
Luna…

Experience severe
vertigo
as the lights of
a million city streets
drift up through
the 22nd story window and
surround you
and make you dream of a
camera,
knowing that it
could never do it
justice.

Experience severe
temptation
as you go out into
the streets,
avoiding the
anxious mothers as they
try to rope their
precious darlings in,
and save them from
the glory of the night.

Experience severe
amazement
as you walk alone
by all the bars,
thundering music into
the sweet, foggy air,
and expelling the clipping
of high-heels
and the shouts for
"just one more"
into the darkness.

Experience severe
pyromania
as you trip through downtown
and watch as the women
hold out cigarettes
for men in crumpled suits
and boys in baseball
hats
as the the glowing butts
are stubbed out
under fishnet stockings
before they can overpower the
scent of
perfume.

Experience severity
as you wander
from sidewalk to sidewalk,
ignoring the reflection

She wakes up one morning to the usual scent of coffee and uncurls her small frame from the twisted sheets she tries (but fails) to keep so neat. As she wanders downstairs she pictures the woman from the other night. Her memory reveals itself as a small smile on her face until she enters the kitchen where her lover has made her coffee as usual. She feels a pang as she studies her lover’s familiar face.
Her lover hands her a cup of coffee and the newspaper and she kisses her lover in return before retreating to the table to continue waking up.
------
Later in the day, at work, she receives a call from the woman. She tries to fend-off the call, but the woman is so persistent that she has to pick up the phone eventually.
The woman wants to see her again. When are you free?
Never. I can't. I'm sorry.
The woman wonders what has happened. What has changed.

Don't worry,
cause there's always tomorrow.
Another day,
to start fresh
and new.

Don't fret,
cause they are laughing now.
In a week,
the news will be dust in the wind.

Don't cry now,
cause he never means,
what he says.
He'll apoligize,
when the morning comes again.

He'll say he loves you,
and he wants you in his arms.
He'll cuddle you
with an everlasting hug.

Tomorrow is another day,
so don't worry now.
All your troubles will go away,
if only for a while...

In the Next Life

By Amelia Seman
Essex High School, Grade 9

In the next life,
when we're not so afraid,
we'll do things
we always wanted to
but didn't dare.

We'll throw ourselves off
mossy cliffs
into deep clear pools
and swim down to the bottom
to see the colorful fish.

We'll climb huge redwood trees
all the way to the top
and lean out,
far out,
pretending to be birds.

We'll run barefoot
across grassy plains,
pounding up hills
and tumbling down
till we stop and fall down,
out of breath.

We'll play on the river
covered in ice
in the middle of the night,
our frosty breath
revealed by the moonlight
shining through the tree branches.

We'll only stop
when we can't go anymore,
and then we'll fall into our beds
and sleep,
and sleep,
and sleep.

The ink
spreading slowly over his palm

H E L P

Why stop there?
he asks himself
Soon it's everywhere
His entire hand
consumed by the word
Thanks to a Bic
and Sharpie.

It's because he wants help
for something that can't be helped

but he always dreams.

Would Have . . .

By Karlie Kauffeld
Leland and Gray Union High School, Grade 11

“Your Grandmother would have loved you”
they tell me
When I come dancing out of my room,
in a teal feather boa.
When I clip enormous flashy earrings
onto my tiny earlobes.
When I belt out Elvis Presley’s “Hound Dog”
for my chuckling family.
When I insist that dressing up in my nice Easter dress
is, in fact, wearing a fairy skirt with spotted pink tights.
When I beg to buy a shirt
spattered with magentas and greens.
When I carry the silver, sequin-covered prom dress
into the tiny dressing room
remarking, “Gee, this does look good!”
always,
“Your Grandmother would have loved you”

Oh Good, Prom

By Karlie Kauffeld
Leland and Gray Union High School, Grade 11

So, here I am.
Two weeks until prom, and dateless. Very, very dateless. The world has clouded over
for me. All talk is of the prom, all announcements are about the prom, all the posters on the
walls and the telephone conversations: PROM. And you know what? Every other girl
seems to have a date! Why me? I am a perfectly able dancer, I have mildly styleable
hair, and I’m sure I could find a dress that would flatter me. But do I have need to
prove any of those things? NO. While one might argue that you needn’t have a date to
attend the annual junior/senior prom, the dateless attendee would reply that after
dozens of pitiful glances cast in their direction, and after standing near the table piled
with cheese and crackers making small talk with your English teacher who’s
chaperoning, a date is absolutely necessary.

A poem for her

By Ken McFadden
Leland and Gray Union High School, Grade 8

Here without you
My heart's been broken in two
In this endless pit of misery
It’s unbelievable
The way I feel about you
After my heart's been broken in two
I knew you were the one
The moment I saw you
I knew we could make it through
Without a doubt in my mind
Who knew we would climb so high
To the top of the sky
You and I
I never knew you could be so cruel
Those bright blue eyes
Will never look at me
The way they used to.

I looked at you
You looked at me
At that moment
I knew we were meant to be
You took my breath away
But then you turned away
When you come around
I act like a clown
You look at me
Like there’s nothing to see
I look at you with my heart in agony.

In this world I find so divine
I cannot find a place in my mind
To tell you the way I feel about you
But let me tell you
You don’t even have a clue
But that’s OK
Maybe if I look deep enough

I know I'm beyond your forgiveness,
I know that I've scarred you.
But, please, at least hear me out,
Listen to what I know is true.

You don't really understand,
I do love you, more than anything.
You're the first to treat me like a person,
And, in return, I destroyed your everything.

I've hurt you more than I'll ever know,
Strangled your heart and broke it, too.
Ripped the wings off the back of my angel,
Shattered the very essence that is you.

But you can't leave me, I need you!
Without you, I'll go even more insane!
You're the one person that I've ever loved,
That can pierce the madness of my brain.

You are the light to my darkness,
The beautiful angel of my life.
Being with you can bring me some peace,
Put at bay all of the pain and strife.

I can never express how sorry I am,
I wish I could take everthing back.
I want to redeem myself in your eyes,
Show you that my soul is not completely black.

I promise you, I swear to you
I'm going to make things right.
I swear that I want to make you happy,
And end, love, your eternal night.

Remember the memories
the sad and happy times too
And through it all,
i've loved you
this is true

I will never forget
meeting you
loving you

How can i
forget you

I may never see you
again once we are parted
and when you leave
i will surely be broken hearted
I can feel the tears
i feel them coming on
please don't leave me
here alone
with my song

we've lived through it all
friends until the end
and i will never forget you
my love and my friend

I love you
He said this to me
I stood there
Staring at him
Wondering what he meant
For that word
I had no memory of it
What did it mean?
And why did it seem so foreign?
He just looked at me
Staring through me with those green eyes
And something told him
I love you too
He kissed me and left
And for the first time I thought about what I had said
What that meant
And realized I did
I was telling the truth
And my heart knew that
I love him
Now I hope he knows what he said

A soldier
Away from home.
We grieve
For his absence.

Our flag
Flies for his courage.
We weep
To rid ourselves of our pain.

We're afraid
He may not come home.
We cry.
Awaiting his safe return.

Some things just can't be said
About the things I've wanted to say to you.
Some things just can't be shown
About the way I feel about you.
Some things just can't be known
About the things I've wanted to do for you.
Some things just can't let go
Of the littles things we have in common
Sometimes, I cry myself to sleep
Wishing I would have
Done something different,
Said something different,
Somethings just want to cry out
"We are perfect for eachother,
Can't you see?"
Why can't I say the things
I've been longing to say to you
Why can't I do the things
I've been longing to do for you
Why can't I show the things
I've been longing to show you
I'm not very fair to myself
I always cut myself short
Guess all I'll have to do
Is wait for you to come around
And to give me a chance

Where the wind blows, who can say where.
For no one knows, whether here or there.
Dafty, the breeze plays music on the leaves,
and with a sudden gust it is gone.

Whisper and willow a leaf in the sky.
The quick gusty burst sends the plant petal high.
Dart over trees in their lush emerald seas,
and lightly it falls to the ground.

Gold autumn breeze in the mapple leaves shiver.
Ancient oak, aspens, and birch will all quiver.
And scatter the seed of a new arbor breed,
Till the sweet-giving rains of the spring.

Melodious dance in the life giving sun.
the leaves in the wind, draft away in their fun.
An elegant dance, earthly spring-time romance,
forever the leaf and the wind.

I don't break bones,
I break promises,
twist my little reality
with these aching fingers
that spit out language,
and then mold it even more
until it fits
what I truly want.
Deception has always been
my strength.
I'm addicted to
proving you all wrong,
and fantasize about
calling out your names
with a tone that suggests,
"Who's the liar now?"

I don't know why
You'd say those things
When you could just
Stay silent
I thought it was
Common knowledge
When it's too deep
You don't go in
But I'm jumping
Off the deep end
To go for a swim
This water's too high
And no one's around
No sight of the sky
The earth or the ground
I'm here all alone
I'm drowning
I'm dead
This isn't the way
I planned it
To end

The Deserted Room

By Eli Millman
Fairfield Center School, Grade 8

The wind whistled through the dark deserted room
Calling to the ones that left far too soon
It knocked over the chairs
And blew open cupboards
As if searching for something left there by others
It howled
It screeched
Then the wind cried
As the soft summer breeze
Rested
Then died.

Final Exam

By Shannon McCullen
Essex High School, 9th Grade

"And begin"
One and a half hours
65 problems
Oh no
Ok, I can do it
First one done,
Second ok,
Third, oh on
Is it acute or obtuse?
How do I find the area of a right triangle?
What's sin35 mean?
Ok, calm down
Its only 45% of my final grade
Ok, I have an hour and 15 minutes left
Fourth problem piece o' cake
Fifth, I start spiraling down like stairs
Now is the point when I regret even considering Geometry A
Ok, calm down Shannon
It's only a test,
It's only a test
I will not freak out
I will not go crazy
I can do it, I can succeed,
Breaking my tranquility, my teacher chimes,
"One hour left"
30 minutes have passed and
I've done one, two, three...
Three problems?!
Will stay calm, I can do it
When did we learn circles?
What about diagonals?
Why are there radicals?!
Will stay calm,
My mind won't explode
3 out of 65 equals, equals
5%?!
I’m going to fail!!
Will stay calm,
Will stay calm
"Eh-hem!"
I snap back to reality
"Miss McCullen?"
"Yeah?"
"Are you ready?"
"For?" I say nervously
"The bell rang"
"Oh!"
Maybe I was dreaming
Then,
Final Exam next class 45% of your grade!!
Is written across the board
Maybe I wasn't dreaming
Oh yeah, I'm still in Algebra
Oh good
I hope

Stark

By W. T. Smith
Hanover High School, Grade 11

Lay faith upon the chopping block,
With thought set close at hand––
I'll bear the blade of ignorance
To seek to understand.

And what survives the chopping block––
The pruning of a soul––
Will last you in your farthest walk
And carried, keep you whole.

So bare yourself in ignorance
And let yourself be shown;
Without your faith to cover you––
With naked love alone.

You’d trip,
And fall down the stairs
He would say,
“If you’re gonna be stupid,
You better be tough.”

You’d be riding your bike
You’d hit a bump
And fall forward over the handle bars
He would say,
“If you’re gonna be stupid,
You better be tough.”

You’d drop your fork underneath the table
You’d bend down to pick it up
You’d sit up and hit your head on the table
He would definitely say
“If you’re gonna be stupid,
You better be tough.”

After a while you think,
All this is,
Is common sense,
You just like to hear him say it
You would wait,
And think,
And then act stupid again
He doesn’t say a thing.

You cry yourself to sleep at night
Wishing he would,
Say it just one more time
But he can’t
And you know it.
You just don’t want to believe it.

Right about now,
He would probably say,
"Toughen' up,
Buttercup."

But tears would still
Be falling

I sit here
And wonder
Why
I can write
These words
Straight out
Of my soul
And share them
With total strangers
When I cant
Even tell my friends
What I feel

You tell me to smile
Because I am a happy person…
Really,
I am?
I think you are mistaken,
Or maybe,
You don’t know whats going through my mind.
I feel as if,
I am always left out,
Like I don’t belong.
I never really have anywhere,
So it doesn’t really matter.
Sometimes,
When you talk to me,
You tell me that you all got together,
Without me.
I was never invited.
It kind of hurts being left out.
For once,
I thought I fit in,
But I think I messed that up…
Maybe I’ll get it right someday…

Sunlight streamed through the gaps between the crinkled branches. The hills overflowed with green grass swaying with serenity. A small girl with tear-stained cheeks sprawled on her back in the quiet shade the dying willow provided with its dark emerald leaves.

April laid there more often then not. The soft grass perfectly cushioned her tired back and left tiny smears on her flowy shirt. In the shade of the dilapidated tree, she was more than safe. She was alone.

From all those times when there was no way to spill out all the wrongness, she could escape. From the times she opened her mouth wide and screamed silently so that no one would scare, she could be gone. From every difference, worry, frustration in her life, she could break free.

The tree and the hills and the grass couldn’t heal her issues. Even if they could, April herself would not be healed. But for then, it was enough for her to lay and feel the green.

How could you do this?
I gave you everything that is me.
Heart, body, mind, soul
But the truth, I refused to see.

You never truly cared for me.
All you wanted was someone to use.
You never needed anyone,
But you craved someone to abuse.

You ripped me apart from the inside,
Shattered my heart completely.
You destroyed my whole being,
All the while saying you love me.

You shredded my very existence
So that I don't want to live anymore.
You tore the wings from my back,
Made it so I could no longer soar.

I should hate you, depise you,
But I can't no matter how hard I try.
I love you so much,
Without you, I feel like I'll die.

I love you more than anything,
I crave you like the darkness craves light.
I just need you in my life
So I'll attempt to survive this plight.

"Twigs"

By Daniel Wyman
Montpelier High School, Grade 12

We feed from the same earth
spring from the same tree
yet I shiver to think the same lifeblood
is shared between you and me.

You offer yourself to the worms
change colors absent of fall
and drink the most toxic of rain.

From my branch I don't know
whether to shield you with my leaves
or let the corruption course through your capilaries
as you dissolve inside and out.