October 10, 2014

Christell Victoria Roach (age 14)

TRAILER PARK GIRLS

As children we dreamt of redemption,
the day when we’d leave this place.
Seclusion had no place in a child’s world,
and the mountains of nothingness 
held a loose embrace.
 
They say those are the days to remember
but now, with no welcome to the day, 
I sit bound to my lawn chair,
awaiting the copper sun,
for I shall never leave this place.

from 2014 Rattle Young Poets Anthology

__________

Why do you like to write poetry?

Christell Victoria Roach: “I’m a young artist who always knew I was such. I grew up with stencils, paintbrushes, instruments (the infamous recorder, and viola), and leotards, too—but of all the arts I’ve dipped my toes into, the artist in me rests assured that writing is my forte. My sole desire is to move someone through poetry, and allow for my voice to be heard.”

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October 3, 2014

Madeline Restino (age 8)

THE ROCKS WERE SO TALL

The rocks were so tall, they touched 
the sky. I would probably die if I climbed 
one, but I climbed one anyway. 
The wind howled and through 
the throes of me. And I have no more to tell …

from 2014 Rattle Young Poets Anthology

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September 26, 2014

Alexander Prokopiev (age 14)

ONCE UPON A TIME

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from 2014 Rattle Young Poets Anthology

[download audio]

__________

Why do you like to write poetry?

Alexander Prokopiev: “I like to draw because when I show my pictures to people, I feel satisfied when I see people become happy because of my hard work. That’s what I enjoy mostly in life—making people smile. I also enjoy creating new characters, creatures, and worlds that no one has ever seen. I don’t think of myself as a poet, admittedly. However, I do appreciate the fine art that is poetry. I think when I write, I have more time to think. Because of this, I am able to articulate my words in such a manner that it becomes fantastically extravagant … I like to write because through my writing, I am able to communicate to other people. It is an important skill to have since we humans are such social creatures.”

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September 19, 2014

Evie Portier (age 12)

BEAUTY OF THE PRISONER

We sit side by side
watching the soul of yet
another day
dip into the darkness that swallows it whole.
Every.
Day.
The moment the sea latches
on 
to our consciousness 
we are pulled down.
Salt water pouring into our lungs.
Trying to kill
our
light.
We resist.
Thrashing through 
arms
reaching at our legs
scratching open our calves.
The dunes become waves.
Crashing into our legs to prevent us from reaching
our destination.
We stop at the uppermost of the hill.
Panting in triumph.
Then we watch again, 
as the prisoner is brought back 
down.

from 2014 Rattle Young Poets Anthology

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September 12, 2014

Lina Patel (age 12)

LOST THINGS

We lose things all the time
socks in the laundry
hats
pencils
purses
library books
papers
coats
the grocery list
a stuffed animal
or even we lose
our senses
our temper
our minds
our heads
our hearts
our faith
 
But my question is
Where do those lost things go?
Does some magical force whisk them away
into a land of cake and candy?
Do future life forms transport them to another planet
with all the technology we haven’t begun to discover?
Do they float into the clouds
visiting raindrops, twirling with snow?
Does a dragon with leathery wings and breath of fire
flap down to snatch them up with wide red jaws?
Do they just disappear?
 
Do we allow them to leave
through some subconscious decision?
Do they creep away themselves
stalking silently away from their owner?
Who, in the meantime
has looked everywhere
has just about had it
has to think of a better way
to find it
 
We sometimes get lost
misread the map
forget the directions
make a wrong turn
When that happens,
who has misplaced us?
who is our owner?
when will we be returned?
 
What happens
when lost things get forgotten?
replaced?
left behind?
Are they
still lost?
 
What happens
when you don’t know something is lost?
and you’re not worried?
not searching?
Is it
still lost?
 
Sometimes
if the lost thing is a part of you
you may never really get it back
 
My favorite part of losing things
is finding them again
after the long, deliberate hunt
and the search seems worthwhile
We finally discover their hidden location
like buried treasure
 
Sometimes the hidden home of what’s missing
is hardly hidden after all
is really right in front of you
is somewhere that makes you say
“Oh!
Of course.
Why didn’t I think of that before?”
 
Sometimes it takes only a little while to find lost things
sometimes it takes weeks
months
years
And you remember, after all the time
you remember losing it
you remember what it meant
you remember how you felt
like a dream
And you grasp it in your hand
and press it to your heart
and put it back where it belongs
Found.

from 2014 Rattle Young Poets Anthology

__________

Why do you like to write poetry?

Lina Patel: “When I write poetry, I always think of what E.B. White said in the beginning of Stuart Little, ‘I wrote this story for the children and to please myself.’ And that’s how it feels to write poetry for me, too.”

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September 5, 2014

Grace L. Park (age 15)

DREAMING OF FRIENDS

A tiger in my dream chases me, and I wake cold in fear
My mother tells me that people don’t give up when they love you.
I dream of the tiger again. This time, we become friends.

from 2014 Rattle Young Poets Anthology

__________

Why do you like to write poetry?

Grace L. Park: “I find that my poetry is strongest when it’s from my experiences. In fact, one of my favorite quotes is one by John Steinbeck, who said, ‘A story to be effective [has] to convey something from the writer to the reader, and the power of its offering [is] the measure of its excellence. Outside of that, there [are] no rules.’ These sijos are two of my attempts to capture some of my experiences and how they’ve affected me.”

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August 29, 2014

Grace L. Park (age 15)

THE POWER OF CLOTHES

I change from shorts to pantsuit, sweat left inside the car,
On top of the gym bag; careful steps in heels, not flip-flops. 
People act the way they dress; skipping is impossible in suits.

from 2014 Rattle Young Poets Anthology

__________

Why do you like to write poetry?

Grace L. Park: “I find that my poetry is strongest when it’s from my experiences. In fact, one of my favorite quotes is one by John Steinbeck, who said, ‘A story to be effective [has] to convey something from the writer to the reader, and the power of its offering [is] the measure of its excellence. Outside of that, there [are] no rules.’ These sijos are two of my attempts to capture some of my experiences and how they’ve affected me.”

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