Gardening Kit

Find a dirt patch

that has never been used,

you should try this

you’ve got nothing to lose.

When you spend many hours

digging, working,

planting flowers.

If you are hit by an early frost

don’t give up, or

consider everything lost.

Go back to working in the ground,

remember at first,

there were no daisies to be found.

You might not consider the path of Zen,

a lonesome, rocky sand garden.

If your garden becomes full of rocks,

don’t let up,

just wear shoes and socks.

It wouldn’t be wise

to fill your garden with drugs and crime,

because you won’t be planting roses,

you’ll be doing time.

Stuck in sorrow and in jail,

while your tulips grow brown and frail,

Now that you know this little bit,

remember

life’s a garden,

dig it.

 by Guy Montgomery, eighth grade,

Eudora Middle School

Unity

I look at my room,

and I see letters

from my pen pal in Denmark.

That is unity.

I look at my house,

and I see people

from every corner of the world.

That is unity.

I look at my neighborhood,

and I see my brother

playing with the Native American girl

from across the street.

That is unity.

I look at my school,

and I see kids who don’t

care what religion their friend is.

That is unity.

I look at our city

and I see different races

working hand in hand.

That is unity.

I look at our country

and I see people joining together

to make harmony.

That is unity.

I look at our world

and I see no hatred

between people.

That is unity.

I look in my heart,

and I see,

that one day,

there will be unity.

 by Rebecca Beaulieu, eighth grade, Central Junior High School

Burning Fire

I smell a burning fire,

The fumes of death don’t breathe in.

The stench of highly toxic chemicals

Arose in the air

Surrounding me with fumes.

I see the smoke now,

Soaring high, up to the ceiling.

Climbing upwards,

Darkness all around,

I have no sight.

I am getting scared.

I felt the hot door handle,

Burning the back of my hand.

The heat warming my body with fright.

My hands and knees are burned from the carpet.

I hear the smoke alarm down the hall,

Screeching its high-pitched warning.

A warning I should have heard long before now.

I hear screaming and someone calling my name.

I can taste the sweat as it rolls down my face.

I’m almost paralyzed with fear.

I finally find my voice,

I scream and shout hoping to be heard.

I can’t think, see or feel.

I don’t know what to do,

So I lay on the floor,

And wait.

 by Kelly Forsyth, seventh grade,

South Junior High School

Pass Me By

The cold wind slammed into the frail body. Curved, disfigured by time, the body fell to the ground. The frequent wrinkles told of many hardships; the deep sunken eyes told of much sorrow.

Not able to speak, thoughts rolled through her mind;

Lord, so many have seen me cry

They’ve seen me suffer and wait to die.

And still too busy to change a life

They chose to pass me by.

Lord, if only they knew,

At one time, I was special too,

A mother, a daughter, a wife

Don’t know the reason why

But now my life has passed me by.

Lord, you gave me chances

And Lord, you gave me choices

I thought I had the time

But now time’s passed me by.

I’ve waited so long to find a place

Where I can see your smiling face

So Lord as now I wait to die

Please Lord, oh please,

Don’t pass me by.

 by Tiffany Baker, seventh grade, West Junior High School

Silence

The pain strikes hard,

Close my eyes so the tears don’t tumble,

They come anyway.

Words mean more than anything,

Anything can hurt.

Peaceful thoughts seem useless when

Hateful talk arises.

A little baby’s laughter

Is not heard above oppression.

Seems only words can tell

Where we are headed,

But truth is only at heart.

Thoughtful worries are honest,

But spiteful words are a shame.

One word can break a bond,

But deep down nothing can offend.

 by Emily Knight, eighth grade, Southwest Junior High School