Never Grow Up

Author's Note: It's the last day of April, one with a lot of sun too. I found this picture online, and I guess, it spoke to me. It reminded me of a great childhood I lived. So I wrote a poem. I've never responded to a picture before, so I gave it a go. I hope you can connect to your past and those great memories! Enjoy! 

I dream of flying,

Out into the well lit sky.

My childhood was full of

Happiness, excitement, and tranquility.

I wish I could go back in time,

And never grow up.

No stress, no pain,

It was a time of pure innocence.

I had something to look forward to,

With no guilt.

There was no greed,

Or no sorrow.

I wish I could go back in time,

And never grow up.

I could be me,

Everything I wanted to be.

There was no one to judge,

It was unforgettable.

A society of nothing,

But free spirits.

I wish I could go back in time,

And never grow up.

There was no pressure on me,

And my future self.

My heart was filled,

With joy and a clear conscience.

Everyone was pure,

With free will.

Some days,

I wish I could go back in time.

And,

Never.

Grow.

Up. 

A Death of Misery

Author's Note: I didn't know what to write today, so I decided to write a poem. I've never written a poem that rhymes so I decide to take the challenge. In this piece every two lines rhyme. I hope you like it!

The sun shimmers in the sky, 

As I say goodbye.

My heart is filled with discontent,

The whole one hundred percent.

This death is misery,

For me and her family.

I hold her hand,

Hoping she will understand.

I scream and shout,

To let it all out.

Revenge is near,

I say with complete fear.

I don't know where to go or what to say,

But those people will surely pay.

The rain starts to pour,

She is here no more.

All I can do is sit here and cry,

For my best friend has just died.

Work Hard, Play Hard

Author's Note: This is the essay I wrote for gym class. Our topic we had to write about was, "What value does physical activity provide you?". In this essay I have talked about the enjoyment and challenge gym class provides you. I hope you like it! 

As I run the last 100 meters, the intensity in me rises up into my throat. Fear rages through my body. Am I going to make my goal? My legs haven't worked this hard before. Will I do it? Questions run through my brain while I sprint out the home stretch. It's going to be these four laps that decide it all. I can see the finish line from here; I run as fast as I can. My legs barely make it to the end, but as I run right past the finish, a big bright smile lights up my whole face. I did it. I just ran a mile.

It's a time to take a break from the day and all your classes. It's a class where all you have to do is have fun. It's a time of day where you can relax and just play. It's gym. Fitness and health are two key components in our lives, and gym class takes us through everything. Although there are times you have to work hard, gym class is all about having fun and trying your best. It doesn't matter how good you are, it's all about enjoying your time in the gym. Physical activity has made a huge impact in my life, even if it doesn't take up that much space.

Basketball, tennis, hockey, soccer, you could keep listing all of the different types of sports we play in class. The twists, the different ideas, and re-creations of these games are really cool. Physical activity gives me something to look forward to in the day. It's a time where you can just have fun playing sports and different games. It calms people down and overall it is just a fun class.   When you walk inside the gym and see that your going to play your favorite game, it's really exciting.

Gym class has always brought joy to the heart, but sometimes, it isn't all about fun and games. Some days, you have to work really hard. Testing gives you an overall fitness level for you. Having goals, makes you put in the effort to show everyone that I can work hard and do all of this. It doesn't matter who does better than you, you are your worst enemy. So every time I step foot into that gym, I want to do better and better each time. I will prove to everyone that I can be just as good as them. If I fall down, that's alright. All I have to do is get up on my two feet and try again.

Physical activity certainly is challenging, but there is no rule to not make it fun. That's what gym's all about. It gives you something to look forward to, and it makes you work harder each and every day. What has it provided for me? Well, not only has it been a challenge and makes me put in lots of effort, but it also is very enjoyable. It makes you really happy if you make a basket or even one point in a game. Physical activity may not play the lead role of my life, but it certainly does make a huge impact.

How I See It

Author's Note: In this piece I have translated Sonnet 1 by William Shakespeare. I wrote what I thought he was trying to convey in the poem. So here is my version of Shakespeare's sonnet. 

From fairest creatures we desire increase, 

We want the lives of people who are "above" us

That thereby beauty's rose might never die, 

So by wanting more and trying to reach that point, the beauty within us will never go away

But as the riper should by time decease, 

As the older we get,

His tender heir might bear his memory:

The generations upon us will remember us for who we were

But thou, contracted to thine own bright eyes,

We are who we are

Feed'st thy light's flame with self-substantial fuel,

Make yourself feel better by noticing the good things about you.

Making a famine where abundance lies, 

We make ourselves starve for more, when there is plenty of pleasures within us

Thyself thy foe, to thy sweet self too cruel.

We are our worst enemies, we are too cruel to ourselves

Thou that art now the world's fresh ornament 

You are the world's beautiful ornament

And only herald to the gaudy spring, 

And the signal to a beautiful time

Within thine own bud buriest thy content 

We bury our happiness beneath ourselves,

And, tender churl, makest waste in niggarding. 

And think of ourselves as peasants and not being worth it.

    Pity the world, or else this glutton be, 

Have pity on the world and you, or else you will become selfish and self centered 

    To eat the world's due, by the grave and thee.

By keeping your beauty to yourself until the end of your life.

The Unpainted Canvas

Author's Note: This is a persuasive piece. I've never written one before, so I decided I'd give it a go. The topic I chose is graffiti. This is something that I have a lot of passion for. So I hope my voice really comes through in this piece. I hope you enjoy it!

Art. A way to express yourself without using words, it's a way to take a break from life. It gives peace to the mind and  takes you to a whole other world.  It is a freedom of voice, you can say whatever you want and there is no one to back you down. Street art is the perfect way for artists to show the world their talent. They have a bigger canvas, a larger audience, and more eyes to see their work. It's the only way for people to show their true selves.  Graffiti should not be illegal, it's the only way for some people to get out of their lives and let go.

Graffiti is just like any other type of art, whether it's painting, drawing, or sculpting. When these pieces are able to be shown in museums, then so can this. There is no difference between these types of art. It's just like people, the art may look different, but they are all basically the same thing. The world is like a museum, there is something to be seen and to learn about. The world is a larger area for artwork to be shown, because of that we should use it. Graffiti artists have a bigger showcase to share with the world and for people to see. Art is a way to let go and be free, it doesn't make sense to limit the freedom or have restrictions against an artist and their passion.

Although graffiti is a type of art, you don't know who created it. These artists are unknown to the world. Each person has their specific style, so when seeing two pieces that look alike you know it's the same artist. Graffiti artists go through so much, whether it's an incident from their life or a problem they are facing; street art is a way for them to unleash themselves. The only way that these artists can be discovered and make other people become fascinated about their artwork is by showing the world. Without graffiti, we wouldn't be able to enjoy these pieces, and most importantly the talent of these artists would be hidden in the shadows.

Street art is a way for unknown artists to be discovered,but some people don't think of it like that. They consider it as if it is vandalism. People who do graffiti mainly do it on a rundown building or old warehouses. These places are not going to be used anymore, they are unpopulated areas, so why can't these artist use it for their work? According to the Merriam Webster dictionary vandalism is destruction or damage to public property. You don't abuse the buildings, you simply modify them with art. All in all, graffiti isn't a harm to anyone or anything, it's a way to express yourself in a way where not only your friends or family can see, but the entire world.

When we go across graffiti around cities, most people ignore it and keep moving, but me, I don't do that. I like to stop the car and go see the artwork. For me graffiti is another way to set free and be spontaneous at the same time. The feeling of the spray can in your hands and just painting is the greatest pleasure an artist could have. If someone were to stop you from doing what you love you wouldn't. That's the way I feel about graffiti. It shouldn't be illegal. Art knows no limits. You can't set boundaries to art, it's a world of its own that more people should pay attention to. The world is our canvas, it's time that we fill up the blank spots, and start painting. 

A Dream of Life

Author's Note: For Social Studies we had to write a creative piece about child labor during the 1800's. I chose to write in the point of view of one of the child workers. I really wanted to show lots of emotion and depth through the voice. So I hope you enjoy this piece! 

Every day I look out the window, dreaming of the life that I could’ve had. The whole day I work in the factory thinking about the other kids who get to go to school and actually get an education. The other children in the neighborhood have lots of money, so they don’t have to go and work every day. They get new clothes and toys every week. Sometimes when I look at the house we live in and what me and my family go through, my whole day just goes downhill. Why can’t life be fair? It would make everything a whole lot easier…

My family can’t even afford bread on some days. If I want to live happily in some way, then I’m going to have to work. My shifts are usually 14 hours a day.  I get paid $2.00 per week. The only reason I go to this job is so I can support my family. Even if it’s only two dollars, it’s better than nothing. Right?

The entire day, I struggle to get past every minute. Doing the same job every day, every hour, it gets boring. With the restrictions we have it’s almost like we are the factory owners’ puppets. I haven’t lived for the long, but I get so stressed out and depressed every day when thinking about the state of life I’m in right now.

One day, I hope that other children won’t have to suffer like I do. I want them to live a happy life, unlike mine. One day, I want this to change. Just because us kids won’t be able to talk back and we are easy to control doesn’t mean that we won’t fight back. I don’t know when, but someday in the future, children like me won’t work. They will live a life that I can only imagine in my dreams.

I have wanted so many things in my life, and I haven’t gotten them. One day my dream of no child labor will come true. I guess that this is the life I was meant to live. I hope that even if I can’t change my fate, I will be able to reach out the future generations. I believe my story will make it out the world, and kids like me won’t have to suffer. My name is Joy, I am ten years old, and I was one of the kids who was a part of the cruel and unimaginable lifestyle of child labor in the 1800's. 

In the Midst of it All

Author's Note: Today I decided to write a poem, because it's been so long. Recently I participated in Solo and Ensemble and I was really excited that I got a one. So to say how I feel about it and music in general I decided to base my poem on this topic. Please pay attention to my use of capitalization and bolding. Enjoy!

I get out of My world,

To seek another. 

I play the instrument,

As I let go to everything aroUnd me.

The emotions  I seek,

Have eScaped and relief fills up my heart.

I overcome happiness,

As my face is turned on

like switch to a light.

It glows in the mIdst 

of my pain, joy, and anger. 

I have finally unleashed my true self,

And my love for this exciting,

yet Compassionate art.

MUSIC

"Music gives a soul to the universe, wings to the mind, flight to the imagination, and life to everything." ~Plato