Photo by Sophia Greb

A few summers ago, my friend Isabelle and I went on a trip to Spain. We were able to take a ferry over to Tangier in Morocco where we went to The Caves of Hercules. This is a partly man made and naturally made cave. In it there is an opening out to the ocean that looks like Africa backwards (in the picture). It was an amazing sight, you could see right out to the Atlantic Ocean and waves would come rushing into the whole. This was one of the most beautiful spots I have ever been to in my life, if you are ever able to go to Morocco this is a place you want to go see!

Taj Mahal

 

 

 

 

 

This past summer I went to India, where I did a lot of sightseeing, learned about India's history and saw a lot of family. Just going to a different country, and seeing what life is like there, really opened my eyes. Life there is just a totally different way of living. When I saw all of this, I really felt thankful for what I had. This is a picture of the Taj Mahal, which is one of the places I visited. When you look at it, you can really see how the structure has become less white, because of the pollution in the atmosphere. Now, volunteers are helping out to clean the river that lays next to the Taj Mahal, which is hurting the structure's foundation.

Nirali Shah

Greece by Jack Schneiderman

Just some background it is a picture from a trip I took to Greece. It is from the town of Batsi, on the Island of Andros, in the Greek Cyclades. I took it of the balcony in the home we were staying in. It is my favorite picture because you see the blue and white buildings and the water. I also like it because it shows a picturesque idea of Greece.

“I Have a Dream” by Jordan Cline

           

            Martin Luther King, Jr. is a very famous, black iconoclast. He has inspired me with his words to always persevere and do good for the world! But is he necessarily the person that makes me who I am today?
            I was in the fourth grade at a new school, a private school. There were not many kids, so everyone knew each other, except for me. It was the first day of school and everyone was out on the playground. I stood there, alone while everyone else was having fun; I only wanted someone to talk to, or even just to play soccer, but I seemed to be invisible….
         Finally, a kid in my class, named Charlie, came up to me and I thought he was going to ask me if I wanted to play. At that point, I was wearing a huge smile, and was in sheer happiness that I might make a friend, but then Charlie said, “Hey! You’re black, you must be stupid.” and he ran off, continuing to play.
            I stood there in pure awe; I hadn’t a clue what to do. To this day my feelings of how I felt are unexplainable. Was I too shocked to be angry? Or was I too angry to cry? I just stood there, realizing that, to some people, the color of my skin still matters.
            I went home crying because I thought that Martin Luther King, Jr. had fixed this; I thought the world was good. But my dad, infuriated, said, “Jordan, Martin Luther King might have helped us earn our civil rights, but the world still burns with hate! The scars of prejudice will never heal….”
            That’s when I realized Charlie was blinded by hate. He could only see the black on the outside and not the real me on the inside. That’s also why I didn’t believe his dry “I’m sorry” crap during the “No tolerance” meetings, because I could feel his hate towards my skin color, or was it me?
            My only friend Danny, who was Charlie’s best friend but hear about the incident and, I guess didn’t agree, he was there for me. He said, “Jordan, I don’t know why Charlie would say something like that, but he really is a nice person, you must believe me. All that I know is that he used to be at the top of our class….”
            Danny’s “comforting” words, at first, sounded like he was still trying to defend Charlie. And I still wonder today, why would he want to protect Charlie’s image if we were friends? But I realized that Danny did tell me something very important; it led me to ask, “Was it me?”
            Our teacher, Mrs. Fletcher, hung up “ladders” that displayed how well each student was doing in each core, academic subject. Every week since I had arrived, I had been at the top “step” of each “ladder.” At that moment, I felt on top of the world! But most importantly, I proved Charlie wrong; I showed him that the color of my skin doesn’t relate to my intelligence.
            But today, I see that I really didn’t win; I didn’t lose either, but I think Charlie wasn’t prejudice, he was just jealous. I suddenly appeared in his life and took away his best friend, his notoriety for being the smartest in the class and being the teacher’s favorite. I had stolen almost everything from him.
            To me, Charlie never did apologize, but because of that, everyday he drives me to out-perform others. When I walk into a classroom for the first time, I feel that everyone is like Charlie; like I have to prove I’m smart. That is why I am so competitive, and I only strive for and settle for perfect grades. When I take a test, half the time I hear Charlie’s voice saying, “Hey! You’re black, you must be stupid.”
            If I ever do see Charlie again, I would thank him; thank him for making me, me: a person that is loquacious, out-going, open-minded, friendly, strives for excellence, and is generous.
            To me, Martin Luther King, Jr. helped my people earn our civil rights, but Charlie is the one who constantly reminds me that if I let my guard down, someone else might say, “Hey! You’re black, you must be stupid.”

Great Expectations quotes

Welcome back

Welcome back to another year

post your work, have no fear

extra credit points for you

poems, photos, drawings too.


Come one, come all take a peek

leave a comment if extra credit you seek!

Sonnet Once, See it Again

 

The clock reads 1:15, and yet I wake.

Near fireless coals I sit and burn my drafts.

A satisfying poem I cannot make;

Procrastination winks and has a laugh.

 

With half-rhymes such as these, I fear I’ll fail

This here assignment, let alone this class.

My poetic sins may end me up in jail,

But still I’d much appreciate a pass.

 

Of all the many rules of rhyme and scheme,

There is a one, we all agree upon it.

A poem the likes of this will make you scream;

Don’t ever let a freshman (sophomore) write a sonnet.

 

For our pal Will is rolling in his grave;

He watches as you write – so best behave. 

untitled by Tom Bogue

TWAS THE NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS AND I COULDN’T SEE,
NOT A CREATURE WAS STIRRING, WELL BESIDES ME.

THE STOCKINGS WERE HUNG BY THE ELECTRIC FIREPLACE WITH A STAPLE GUN,
IN HOPES THAT BIG PRESENTS SOON WOULD BRING LOTS OF FUN.

MY TEDDY BEAR WAS TUCKED ALL SNUG IN HIS BED,
WITH LOTS OF SOFT STUFFING FILLED IN HIS HEAD,

AND I IN MY ELECTRIC BLANKET, AND MA IN HERS,
HAD JUST GONE TO BED AFTER PRAYING FOR SPURS.

WHEN ALL OF A SUDDEN I HEARD TONS OF CASH,
I SPRANG TO THE WINDOW IN ONE FOURTH A DASH,

THEN I LOOKED UP AND SAW IN DISMAY,
IT WASN’T CASH, BUT BELLS ON A SLEIGH.

THEN BACK TO MY BED SLOWLY I WALKED,
UNTIL SUDDENLY THE SLEIGH SORT OF TALKED.

AT FIRST IT WAS SOFT AND THEN IT WAS LOUD,
“MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL AND, OOF STUPID CLOUD”.

THEN ON THE ROOF I HEARD SEVERAL LOUD FEET,
LEADING TO THE CHIMNEY WITH STEPS VERY NEAT.

I RAN TO THE ELECTRIC FIREPLACE AND TURNED ON THE FLAME,
I THOUGHT IT WAS ROBBERS, WAS I TO BLAME?

THEN AS IF BY MAGIC MY FIRE WENT OUT,
A LITTLE BIT FRIGHTENED, I STARTED TO POUT,

WHEN OUT OF THE CHIMNEY THERE CAME NOT A SCARE,
BUT A VERY FAT FELLOW COVERED IN HAIR.

HE SMILED AT ME AND GAVE ME A GIFT,
THEN ALL THE STOCKINGS HE FILLED UP SWIFT.

THEN TO THE TREE HE RAN IN A FLASH,
HE PUT DOWN LOTS OF PRESENTS, ONE LOOKED LIKE HASH.

THEN BACK UP THE CHIMNEY SOMEHOW HE ROSE,
THEN QUIETLY I TOLD HIM “NEXT YEAR DON’T BRING CLOTHES”

THEN BACK ON THE ROOF I HEARD HIM WELL,
MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL" AND I  REHEARD THE BELL.

A Palm - Tree

by Solomon Bitone

A single fir-tree, lonely,
on a northern mountain height,
sleeps in a white blanket,
draped in snow and ice.

His dreams are of a palm-tree,
who, far in eastern lands,
weeps, all alone and silent,
among the burning sands.

Vignette

Tan like me, brave like me, and strong like me. Carlos, I miss you. I remember this day like if it was yesterday. How can people be so heartless? So cold- blooded and messed up. I was eight, but I had a great memory. I told him I wanted to learn how to ride my bike. I never had anyone there to teach me anyway. Every time I mentioned it to him, he always replied “When I have time, I promise I will take you to the park, teach you how to ride your bike, and even buy you a brand new one”. This was a nightmare, my number one memory as a child, I lost him, and I lost myself.

He told me he was making a lot of money, and with that money he was going to buy me princess dress. So that, I could look like the rich, white, blonde, blue eyed princesses on the movies. He never lied to me, I believed in him. He called me his princess all the time. I truly miss him. The nightmare started on a beautiful sunny day, the sun was smiling at us. He came home early that day; it was about 3pm in the afternoon, November 2004, eight years ago, eight years with memories. He showered, and I waited for him. He told me he was taking me to the park. He grabbed me and helped me get on his red motorcycle. He was going too fast, my mouth was wobbling. We had arrived to the park, he told me to hold on tight, to hold on really tight, to hold on tight, and to never let go. He rushed through his words and said, “I love you, just hold on tight." Two men across the street shot him in the head, his arm, and ankle. Everything was too quick, quicker than a blink. He fell on top of me, and the motorcycle on top of my right leg. I didn’t have time to react, no, no time.

No time at all, no time, no time to call anybody for help, to say, I love you back, to call the ambulance, to call my grandma, to help him stop bleeding. No, no time. I was lying on the floor facing the back of his head, with everyone looking down at us. Yes, a crowd full of people that couldn’t help him, that didn’t bother on helping him. He died immediately, and I am scarred for the rest of my life. I have a six-inch cut on my right thigh, and my heart that could never be healed. I never learned to ride a bike, never looked like a stupid princess, and I didn’t smile for a year. It’s insane how smiles can be taken away from you in a matter of time, and how bad memories can last forever.

My hope started to fade away, my dreams to fall apart, and my heart to break in pieces. Every now and then when I go to Colombia, I go to his grave, and tell him stories about how I finally learned to fake a smile. Rest in peace my little soldier. His memories made me changed the way I view life, everything happens for a reason, and just like happy moments can appear in a matter of time, tragedies can too. You’re were taking away me, but you’re my angel. Now I know not to take anything for granted, and to appreciate the small things in life, and the smiles you remember from the people you love the most.

The Snow was blown away

The clouds were very gray

You could tell more snow was here

In this joyful time of year

The snow was really falling down

There was not a kid with a frown

The children were having a snowball fight

You could not have found a more cheerful sight

All the kids started to frown

When the sun came into town

They wished the snow would come again

So they could play with their friends

The snow was blown away …

89. by Sarah Herman

       

Evil is this number that envelops my mind,

Its octa-non ways search to find,

Grateful memories of happy grades.

Homeworks, tests, quizzes deserving of praise.

These cruel two digits hunt like a chimpanzee,

Yearning for a bite of my well-deserved ninety.

“Naive shalt I cower in fear my dear!”

“I fear this may be the end of my educational career”

“Ninety am I, your dark night in shining armor!”

“Execution awaits me if I do not make the roll of honor”

Intently their eyes meet,

Ninety knocks his nemesis of his feet.

“Even that B+ could not kill our love!”

“Not with the literary Gods shining on us from above!”

“Generously I risked my life for you but now I must say adieu…”

“Lovely ninety where must you go?”

“I need to be entered into Ms. Whalen’s computer by tomorrow”

“So sad it is to see my hero go on this dangerous spree”

“Happily though, you got your ninety”

Extra Credit

I walk into English class and what do I see?

My grade went down to 89.3

All I can imagine is my parents upset

The only thing I can do is sit here and fret.

Until I asked Ms. Whalen what I could do

To make my grade not look so bad and blue.

She said “you can post on my blog,

But it can’t have anything about a frog”.

So I thought up this little rhyme that I hope you liked

I’m wishing that you get really psyched

To give me those few points that I need

In order for my grade, to succeed.

I’m really sorry but I’m out of time

So I need to put an end to this nasty rhyme.

Ms. Whalen, I’d like to thank you

You were a lot more help than I ever knew.

-George Bayides

Haiku by Kirsten Hansen

mistakes are common 

though my head is still held high
brighter days will come 

Kirsten Hansen 

Sweetness by Bhavik Jain

Looking through a window

Oh I wish I could have it

So creamy and milky

Oh how badly I want it

It needs to be eaten

Just sitting there mocking me

Walking in the store, taking out my money

Telling the cashier, “I want that”

I take it out and eat it,

So creamy and milky

I feel like I’m in heaven

                                                             Oh how I love milk chocolate

Haikus by George K.

Soccer

Soccer is my life

I cannot live without it

I love playing it

Family

I love family 

They are there when i need them

Especially Mom

Juliet Capulet's blog

www.julietcapuletverona.blogspot.com

Calamari by Leo Ortiz

I’m living in peace decease all evil,
Honesty’s policy, it’ll never be equal.
Sinful people fall down first,
Disperse my actions; they speak louder than my words.
Observe, learn, you always come back,
Like a mouse in a maze you’re caught up in a trap.
Feeling the vibes that you can’t escape,
Intake injection,
Poisonous perfection.
Calm down, concentrate, I can’t relate,
Lost weight when you only got time to tell fate.
A place to lay, some cake to brake,
Some goods to bake, some babies to make.
Don’t take it for granted; you got one life to live,
I know you didn’t plan it, so your forgived.
We were put on this Earth to show that God is to the youth,
Test the planet, and speak the truth.

Young Love by Dayla Dos Reis

            What we have is young and true

              Oh how our love is young and pure

              You make me feel happy, when I am blue

              When we met it was just so long ago

              You are so funny when you are with me

              We planned our lives together long ago

              Because you and I just fit so well

              So young we did not know that this was so

              The silly moments you and I share

              But for our futures we do not know

              With love young and free we live to be happy

              When we are together I feel the woe

              Now two years have passed, I could not tell

              Love you so ‘cause you know me so well

I Love Eating by Violeta Rendon

The thing I love to do the most is eat

I eat all kinds of food; it’s hard to choose

I eat sweets, dairy and all types of meat

Fat is the hardest thing for me to lose

I love chocolate and every pie

Cheeseburgers and French fries are my weakness

I eat so much I will explode and die

All these calories leave me in distress

But nothing stops me from eating French bread

When I don’t eat, I go into withdrawal

I eat everywhere, even on my bed

From sushi to ice cream I love it all

I eat and eat; I don’t know when to stop

I eat and eat until my belly pops!

The meaning of love Matt Crone

We all feel like there is a part of us missing, a half of us seeking for something that’s missing from our lives. 

But when we find true love we find that other half of us which then in turn makes us whole.

Often time’s true love by itself can often be misunderstood.

In many respects people often believe that love can be expressed in three words.

However they are wrong, love is meant to be sentimental, meaningful and it is to build over time till it becomes something much more than it was to start with.

True love is the aspiration of our lives and to be able to share how we feel with another person is the world’s greatest gift.  

Sports by Bhavik Jain

                                                                          Basketball

Shoes squeaking

swish, rooting, boom

running across the court

Court Game

Baseball

cracking bats,

clapping, loud, bam

diving for the catch

Ball Game

Football

breaking ribs

ouch, smack, bang

running for daylight

Contact Sport

Hockey

checking hard

wha, whoosh, slap

skating into the opponent

Athletic Game

Soccer

hard kick

sigh, yeah, slam

running for the ball

Running Game

Stop The Suffering by Emily Frank

            Imagine yourself sleeping soundly on a calm, seemingly ordinary night. You wake with a start as you feel hands clamp down on your arms and throat. You are yanked from your comfortable bed and thrown forcefully into a vehicle. Next thing you know, you are pinned down to a hard surface as needles are being thrust into your skin and you feel something like acid burn your flesh. Chemicals fill your lungs and prohibit your breathing as the painful procedure drags on and on. There is no escape.

            “How could that possibly happen to anyone!?” you may be thinking, horrified. Well, it does... daily. Animals are the victims of this terrible experience. Each year, over 100 million animals are tested on for scientific research. Rats, mice, guinea pigs, rabbits, monkeys, cats, dogs, and more are forced into a short lifetime of nothing but suffering just so food, drug, cosmetic, and other companies can make good money...

            And you support them.

            Now, one might argue, “but brands need to test their products, so that they are safe for us to use.” It is true that the testing of products on animals does ensure that they are safe for us to use, but it’s not necessary. Several animals suffered and even died just so you can put on a nice perfume.

When they’re finished, the testers kill the used animals in order to “put them out of their suffering.” Why not simply never make them suffer at all?

There are alternatives. We can ensure product safety in other ways. Positron Emission Tomography (PET) is a method of scanning the human brain to experiment with affects of chemicals. Comparative epidemiological studies can be done to find disease risk factors among the human population. For neurological research, nerve cells can be taken from cats and tested on separately (this does not cause the cats pain or damage). Testers can even use cloned human skin cells or computer models instead of helpless creatures.

All of these alternatives produce the same results as animal testing. Many companies function perfectly well without it, and sell completely safe products. Our world today is extremely advanced in the fields of technology, and companies are able to create their products without the involvement of cruelty to innocent animals.

Next time you pick up your shampoo bottle, think to yourself, “A bunch of helpless bunnies suffered and died just so my hair could have maximum body and bounce.”

Haikus by Chris McGinty

Haiku to Summer

Summer sun shines bright,

Waves splashing along the shore,

Forgot some sunblock.

How I hate seagulls,

I wish that they were not here,

Summer would be better.

Haiku to Halloween

Dark quiet scary night,

Creatures lurking behind walls,

Please don't scare me monster.

Sugary candy,

I think that I have sweet tooth,

Dentist trip later.