A darkness grows upon that looming hill, Where beast and man, they seem to be the same. Those below, they cry with voices shrill, as those above refuse to feel their shame. The beasts above, they try to hide their fangs, they cover them up with their tongues of gold. The darkness above, overhead it hangs as many start to feel its bitter cold. Disgust, it grows among the souls below. The masks the beasts create begin to slip, And true nature of their acts, it shows, and the people see who holds the whip. The souls below begin to climb and rise so those above will have to hear their cries.
Category Archives: 2018-2020
“We’ve Trapped Ourselves” — Noah Roberson ’22
We’ve trapped ourselves in an ornate vessel Sparkling like a bottle on the sea Filled to the brim with what we wrestle The loneliest lock that exists without a key In the back of our minds like a virus unchecked Drenched from the rain before i have seen the sun Exposed to cracks you would never suspect But, the bottle will break Shattered by some greater power With it our hearts no longer ache Finally our love can devour We’ve built a life on the ashes of what has come before Where we can at last sit, liberated for evermore
“Imprisoned Within His Trunk” — Natalie Capretto ’19
Rosy cheeked girl, bouquet of black eyes Bound to live within the confines of a tree trunk. Enclosed in the wood, Smothering smell of pine. My life in his trunk, imprisoned. Innocent from the outside, Where it appears to provide shelter for lives. A fruit bearer, an endless resource. However, it wears a disguise. From the inside, I am trapped. I am unable to confess my feelings, Unable to express myself, unable to freely do as I choose. This imprisonment, is not confining my imagination. To be free from within is to free my love and soul. It will give me the power and strength to truncate his control over me.
“Drooling” — Max Minard ’20
‘>The words slip from her lips like drool, ,>Gathering at her chin, Reaching, Twisting Around each other, Yearning o To rest in the pools of forgotten phrases. We bypass these with little but disgust <, As our mouths continue to froth, . Each drop Mixing o With the senseless sewage. ;>Slowly her salival sequence rises into spiteful spittle. The song of her voice gradually fluctuates upward In anger, Contempt. ~>Her words splash into me Each syllable # Sizzling My skin. Like acid rain, the vowels - Pelt Upon my person. The consonants continue Carving Craters in my chest. <*A silent liquid from my eyes meets these assaults, “*” shining, As it dribbles past *( _ ) My tightened cheeks and falls To cower in 0 The dismal pool of words. ~~~~ Her words are flooding me, The letters racing through my swelling throat. {This} / \ Geyser of Words Will drown me. Then the tide pulls back, Hesitates, Receding Finally as she slams the door. I am left a melted pile of wax soaking in the murky depths
“It’s Time to Break the Wall” — Eliyah Roberts ’20
We just gotta make it to the common ground that we all desire So let me rise out the nest, like a Phoenix out of fire Let me crack the whip, until it’s broken into pieces Let the crack ring, until we all learn what peace is To bring peace means to really bring equality The system finds the truth then they punch us with reality Intentionally knowing the wall we're trying to break Seeing the IC3 is more than my heart can take The chains all over him, the guts and no glory But we fought and killed like the Black Panther Party We spoke like Maya Angelou, and sang like Diana Ross We argued like Marshall, and danced like Stephen Boss We now rose the sheets that hid us from the crowd They said “Your skin is too dark” Well “I’m black and I’m proud” Black eyes, Big hair, Blue eyes, White lies It's like we live in the same room but sleep on different sides But if we take the time to learn about the true stories of black history Maybe we can break the chains that weigh us down into our own misery
Summer ’99 — Anonymous
Do you remember Summer ‘99? The empty barn and field of unpicked fruit Gave the sea a wink and knowing smile. They said, “Those kids, right there, will never leave.” Even though The Island washed away, And no more can we play, those days remain. I’m older and only memories remain. Fated is time; it gives me 99 Problems, most unfixable. Away Goes the kid who knew the sea and fruit Fields so well. Oh, well. We had to leave. It takes everything sometimes to smile. Some days on The Island I would smile At the rusty water pump, a remain Of families past. All the kids would leave The water running. Then, we’d find 99 Ways to catch starlight in our palms, while Fruit Pie Perfume lingered, then wafted away. Now, those kids are good and gone away. Off to college goes the eldest, his smile Visible but lacking youth. The fruit, By now is eaten, but his shells remain, Hidden in brown boxes, 99 And counting. Now what’s left to do? Leave. You know by now that it was hard to leave. The ocean’s image can’t be taken away From us, it’s blue ingrained. 99 Sea songs forever playing in me. I smile To forget that it’s gone. The only remain Of innocence left, now bitter fruit. Regardless of our loss of youth, the fruit Still grows on the trees. We had to leave, Yes, but memories and stars remain. No matter if the storm forced us away; Nostalgia keeps The Island safe… so, smile. Do you remember Summer ‘99? Please don’t leave, oh please! Don’t go away. The smell of fruit and easy urge to smile Both remain of Summer ‘99.
“I Am From” — Ariel Rockman ’19
I am from a chance meeting on a singles' cruise Where a storm created a romance I am from Springfield, NJ, Where the houses smelled of conformity I am from spices and masala chai Where no shoes are allowed in the temples I am from questions “Really, you’re half Indian?” Followed by expressions of disbelief I am from hugs and laughter Bad days are always better with comedy I am from the smell of rain on pavement Because Pittsburgh is my home I am from Play-Doh and unicorns Where anything is possible I am from dolls with magical hair Who wait patiently for me after school I am from Spongebob and Harry Potter Even when no Hogwarts letter came I am from books and metal music Which go together like tea and cake I am from my friends Because friends are the ones who choose to love you I am from all my experiences The present is created by the past
“Agonizing Peace” — Steven Liu ’22
Leaves fall from a tree of life Onto the glass-like water. With each slight ripple, Tremble and shake from pain. The gray sky drizzles with rain, Dance on the motionless boat. Enter the featherweight boat Emptiness transforms into life. Teeming life in refreshing rain Disrupts the glossy water. While we prepare for pain, The stiff oars create ripples. The leaves can feel the ripples Rocking the graceful black boat. A barge sounds a noise of pain. Disrupt the peaceful life With the bitter water And the endless fall of rain. Was it the downpour of rain? Or the startling ripples? Now rush the freezing water. Fish surround the empty boat. Stop the flow of time and life, Save that instant, forever rowing. Once more, all flows like water. Learn to ignore the pain. Just one more day in a boat. The invigorating rain Returns and creates ripples. We dock and continue life. This is all I know of pain. Soon, winter will freeze the rain, And snow will impede all life. The cold will freeze all ripples And also the metal boat. Yet we stay with the water.