Poetry 99—junior high

Junior-high winners

First place

As the Power Goes Out

lightning strikes, shattering the idea of silence

a carpet of chicken poop on the back porch

a million greasy wings flutter

to escape the sharp shock

of electricity

a daisy wilts as a pocket

of steam floats from its dainty petals

a soft, meek, silky feeling fills

the house

as the power goes out

-Seven Mills, 12

Writing is just one of the art forms in which the home-schooled Seven Mills is immersed. In addition to writing poetry and fiction, she likes to act and sing. In fact, she and her brother Ender have started their own band, Snowing in May, and are already making the rounds playing local cafés and art galleries.

Second place

Hope

Thighs burn with the weight of the world

independent pleasure stings like cocaine

hope, is the last humane feeling left

but how have hope when all else is lost?

infected sorrow drops dead-like

but how have death with no life?

foreign indignation washes over

the cold revolver held close to my head,

I pull the trigger.

-Kolin Bailey, 12

Sherwood Montessori student Kolin Bailey is no stranger to the CN&R’s writing contests. He, along with his brother Cedar (who grabbed the top two spots in the Kids division this year), have been entering and placing in both Fiction 59 and Poetry 99 for the last couple of years. If he’s not writing, you’ll most likely find Kolin playing Magic or catching huge air as he skates the half-pipe in his backyard.

Third place

Space

A black blanket,

unfolding specks of light,

cold and dark,

relentlessly shaping itself.

to be what it wants,

do what it wishes,

balls of fire,

hard cold diamond stars,

it holds secrets,

so dear,

it keeps them locked away,

in planets of gas,

orbs of light,

landmarks of light,

and iridescent dreams.

-Bayliss J. Enns, 12

Though she enjoys writing for the various assignments that Sherwood Montessori language arts teacher Danielle Mennucci gives her students, Bayliss J. Enns says that her favorite subject is math. She also likes writing and singing songs, and taking hip-hop dance classes at Hype Dance Studio.

Honorable mentions

Decisions

Obviously drunk,

disappointed father and a crushed situation gone,

lost in the moments;

Welcome to the system.

Behind this locked door doing nothing but thinking about my decisions,

Paralyzed mind trying to figure out who I am with every breath.

What I did makes tears run down my face.

-Joseph, 14

untitled

Hating something is a painful feeling,

especially when you used to love it so

and loving it once again?

No

Even though it burns it’s worth it

In reality it hurt inside, long, long before

I hadn’t seen it, hadn’t felt it, a long time ago.

Feelings are a burden

I can’t use them at all

And once upon a time, I thought I had

loved them all.

-Madelyn Elliott, 12

The Moon

A florescent window to the soul of the night

the thriving stem of a couple’s true love

she shines brightly as if surrounded by

wisps of heavenly silk

if you listen and open your mind, you may hear

her, Luna, singing to you through her enchanting

light

she lights up the ebony sky like a midnight sun

Luna will be forever guiding you through the

pitch black night.

-Jacob Brown, 11,

Follow the Queen

Ashen faces line the solemnly lit table

Gravely fought wars fall between the puppeteer’s fingers

The king’s hollow bellow brings a melody of clanging metal on metal

Hopes rise and fall as the war song rages

A battle lost, Peter somberly folds his cards.

-Kolin Bailey

Despair on the Stairs

A tear hits the floor with an anguished cry.

The first stair creaks.

Despair sizzles like hot coal on frozen ice.

The second stair creaks.

Uncontrollable flame is the demon laughing at her.

The third stair creaks.

Absence of her normal self unnerves even her.

The fourth stair creaks.

Killer of hope, destroyer of normal life, lives inside her.

The fifth stair creaks.

Unbearable pain, merciless and unforgiving.

The sixth stair creaks.

She wipes her face with her shirt.

The seventh stair creaks.

She pulls the agony off her face.

The door opens.

“Are you alright honey?”

-Kolin Bailey

Misfortune

Sorry you’re not my God.

Sorry you’re not my main priority

Like you are to all your little allies.

You’re the sweet red delicious,

I’m the sour old granny smith.

Is that why I’m always the outcast?

That must be such a Disturbance

for you.

Well, I guess I’m just your Misfortune.

It’s like I’m not even human.

I’m just your Misfortune.

I shouldn’t have to Explain what

I do.

Why should I prove anything to

you?

It wasn’t my intention to push

any of you away.

So I shouldn’t be the one to apologize

-Destiny Drake, 12