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Round 2
Select and write a poem in response to one of the following:
- According to The New York Times (http://www.nytimes.com), 65% of the people in the Muslim world, in Pakistan, for example, are under the age of twenty. Write a poem from the perspective of young Afghan or Pakistani man or woman.
- Write a poem about someone who died in the World Trade Center on September 11. Your poem can be about a real person or one you imagine. Again, you might consult online information sources such as The New York Times.
- Write an ode to autumn. Be as specific as you can be in describing in detail what makes autumn so exquisite. And on one autumn day, September 11, to be exact, where were you when you heard about New York, the Pentagon, and the downed plane in Pennsylvania? Weave both elements, autumn and the September 11 tragedies, into your poem.
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Twin Towers
So many innocent people dead
unexpectedly.
Like a pile of ants being stepped on without
knowing.
Sons, brothers, mothers, fathers, gone
and dead.
Never enough tears to be shed.
Our love is always with them.
Hoping the best.
Expecting the worst.
Now its over.
But our memories are forever.
-Gary CJ Daye, Ft. Wingate Bia School
(Rating: 7.50)
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Outside Kabul
On the rough dirt floor,
Cold like the nights,
I tremble
Head in hands.
My body aches.
My heart is weak.
A child in a country of chaos,
I fear only the worst.
My mother's pale and feeble arms
Weakly embrace my bony chest.
She shivers from the familiar draft,
Whispering words of reassurance.
Her voice, my only comfort,
For a brief instant
Soothes my chaotic mind.
I pray.
Not for my safety,
But for hers.
Her beautiful eyes,
All that I see,
Seem to read my thoughts.
"We will make it through this together.
My son, you must be strong."
Strong?
That I am not.
But prepared, I am.
Against every reason
for which we fight,
I think about the Americans.
In a country where their freedom
Brings them together in battle,
I long to join their side.
But I was raised
to defend my country.
Defend my counry?
That I won't.
Defend our lives
I will.
I rise slowly
From the rocky ground.
A few steps
Toward the dimming light
I stand outside,
Overcome with the trecherous
Smell of death
Lying heavy and thick
In the air.
Swirling smoke
Rises in the distance.
Cries of other starving children
Longing to escape
Echo in my ears.
The children who walk
These dangerous streets
Do not play.
Instead, they carry horrific weapons
Varying in shape and size.
I shudder as their accusing eyes
Glance my way.
I look up to the heavens
In search for the answer
To our destined fate.
The torn and tattered sky
Blocks my view.
Assuring me the worst
Is yet to come.
-Jamie Ross, Onate High School
(Rating: 7.50)
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Falling Leaves (Tribute to the New York Firefighters)
Autumn comes,
The leaves begin to fall,
One by one,
For the sake of all.
Fearless they are,
But somewhat anxious,
For their lives they give
To save a nation.
They nurture the country,
While the nation grieves.
They hope for the sake of many
That we will render new leaves.
Winter may come,
And harsh winds may blow.
They look for the signs
That leaves are beginning to grow.
For the tasks they perform
Aren't a passing fling.
They don't go unrewarded,
For they will render spring.
-Carly Moya, St. Pius X -Albuquerque
(Rating: 7.50)
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Epiphany
In the afternoon, on a dusty ditch road
I was walking along, in the crisp autumn air
When I looked at the trees the leaves almost glowed
Just walking along, when my fears were laid bare
An old truck was stopped, by the side it had slowed
A woman was crying, heaving sobs in my sight
The news overwhelmed her, down her cheeks the tears flowed
The truck radio talked of the terrorist’s spite
I stumbled away, stunned to the core
The leaves weren’t so bright, the day fell apart
I cried for long hours, on the river’s dark shore
I’ll never forget my sorrow, the sorrow of my heart
-Karen Cotter, Socorro High School
(Rating: 7.50)
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Kabul
Eyes slide as easily as water,
Nearly swallowed by the gauzy green sheath
of oppression.
Gnawing hunger roars in my stomach,
thoughts dominated by the smell of
acrid, burning flesh.
She should not have let her ankles show.
Lost in a labyrinth of clicking tongues
and malodorous animal dung
which cloys the tiny dirt streets.
The men, their faces free and unctuous
leer at my gossamer presence.
The flags are burning at my feet
and they singe the blackened nails as
I watch the smoke drift into a patch of sky.
Children wail, clutching distended bellies;
their anguished eyes are pleading for refuge.
And the soldiers strut, fighting for something that has happened
in a land far away, a country
of Coca-cola and McDonald's.
Screeching bombs sear the countryside
and billowing plumes arch high,
past my view.
I am not seen in my heavy cloak.
I am invisible.
-Christi Stack, Las Cruces High School
(Rating: 7.20)
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Soldier
All I see is war,
killing, disease, and poverty
kids starving on every street.
Everytime I hear a gun fired
or a bomb drop
my heart skips a beat.
It'll not be long before I
go to war,
day goodbye to all my loved ones
as I get sent away and trained on
how to use a gun.
I'm going to be fighting for what I believe
in.
Although I know killing people is a sin,
I don't know who I am about to kill.
This isn't at all a thrill.
The man I'm fighting believes
differently on how to live
But I'll fight until there's nothing
left to give.
-Brandon Yazzie, Ft. Wingate Bia School
(Rating: 7.00)
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Floor 84
A lovely brick home
Warm with smile
Another two children
He knew it was complete
He worked so hard on the 84th floor
Ants streaming in every day
The clock turns around
One day true and terrible
Crisp, blue-he jolted at the noise
Below
False- or real? Flames eating his friends
The screams of cripples left behind
Was it real?
He was already gone
He turned, confused at his life
He made it up, he made it up
What a view
He jumped
Sailing free into the blue
The clock turned around.
-Richard Harris, Las Cruces High School
(Rating: 6.80)
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Consumed in Flames
Leaves of gold are falling, drifting to the ground;
Flakes of ash are flying, covering all in funeral shroud.
The world prepares to sleep, drifting into winter’s slumber,
Yet today we still weep, crying for those gone under.
The life seems to die, but we know there will be a new beginning,
Yet still we cry, our eyes stung by ash from our cities.
Please no more tears, life so fresh will come once more;
Belay your fears, even we can heal this sore.
Spring will come again, we just need to take a breath,
Now is the time to help our kin, show the world we’re still the best.
The trees all seem wreathed in fire, leaves of green bathed in new light;
Flames creep up the stalwart spires as we all prepare to fight.
Leaves now are dropping, the branches feel winter’s chill;
The flames cannot be stopped, but leave only skeletons of steel.
Beauty all seems gone, yet the foundation remains,
It all seems so wrong, but our spirit cannot be consumed in flames.
-Charles James, Las Cruces High School
(Rating: 6.50)
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Autumn
Cold air bites with bitter grief,
Taking for granted the last seconds of warmth.
The vibrant earth quickly grasps the drab fall,
While winter paints frost.
Innocence falls with the dropping leaves.
History is scrawled upon the earth
As silver birds fall from the sky
Graceful in their illusive beauty.
Reality hits with the second fireball,
Devastation plays the puppet on the television screen.
Heavy black clouds hide the light of the sky,
The world axis shifts to a chaotic mess,
The burning wreckage concaves,
Spraying a blinding cloud of frozen speed.
Gray ash claims the lives of all it touches.
Flowers whither with shock,
Their fallen petals carry the loss of innocent lives.
Mortality floods the neglected act of religion
And patriotism rises glorious alongside.
With rage and passion,
Eyes are opened to the new world.
United comfort found in disorder
Love will defeat the fear,
A glint of hope shines desperate on the horizon
Spring will create a marvelous rebirth.
-Kristin Morehead, Onate High School
(Rating: 6.50)
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Never get the Chance
Erica was clever, and rather an exquisite child
She had the whole world before her
Yet, in an instant it was forever exiled
The terrorists took away her chance at life
To satisfy their selfish desires
And left her family to weave through the pain and strife
She was the only child of Lisa and Chris
She was their precious little girl
But never again would they hold her, and give her a hug or kiss
They wonder what she would have accomplished
With her prominence and vigor, she could have gone far
Yet with the crashing of the plane, all their dreams were demolished
Fury, grief, and despair seeped into their souls
Life had taken a turn for the worst
They completely lost sight of their goals
A million thoughts raced through their heads
"What if's," and "if only's"
But it wouldn't change the fact that Erica was dead
They've gone to counseling, and are learning to cope
The healing will take time
And a small part of them is starting to hope
They can't alter what happened, Erica is lost to them forever
They will always cherish her memory
They'll make it through this terrible spell together
-Crystal Terrell, San Jon High School
(Rating: 6.50)
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The Fall
The dying leaves gently fall to the ground,
Silent as a windless day on the sea.
The crisp crunch from my chomping feet,
Disturb the ever quiet waves of leaves.
Two neat, towering piles of leaves stand proudly before me,
Awaiting their destruction.
Leaping into one cannon-ball style,
I spread a chaos of smoky color everywhere.
I leave the other pile for someone else to enjoy,
And return to my studies.
Alone in the classroom, I hear the news.
The ominous glow of the suspending television
Looms above me.
The outcries of fear from panicked civilians
Echo in my ears.
The infinite cloud of smoke
Suffocates my own breath.
I look out the window for answers;
I find nothing in response
Except the dark overhanging clouds in the gray sky.
Two piles of leaves, two proud towers
One destroyed for joy, the other destroyed…
Out of malice? Something synonymous to hate?
For religion? Surely not.
-Ted Lim, Las Cruces High School
(Rating: 6.40)
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Fall of Patriotism
It wasn't a dark and stormy night
It wasn't supposed to be an extraordinary day
It started out as an ordinary morning
It didn't seem real at first
It didn't seem possible
It didn't really phase me
Until a few days later
When I realized that it actually happened
That people had died
The media covered the story non stop
No music to help myself escape the carnage
And I was a million miles away
After the shock
And being scared for a day
I realized the infestation of American flags everywhere
Now as fall is manifesting itself
The events seep from the head lines
Like the leaves flutter from the trees
Patriotism falls as the temperatures do all around
Surrounds us to the point of suffocation
And then we watch the news
-Alex Rhoads, Socorro High School
(Rating: 6.40)
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Untitled
It was my first time
on an airplane. The
beastly flying creature
ripped and roared through the
sky biting into
the clouds of cotton
candy one by one.
His stomach grumbled
and belched an ear aching
howl. He bucked like
a wild mustang
and his enormous
shadow haunted the
trees below. My nervous
foot kicked like a bee's
wing against the seat
and Daddy held my
hand like a sacred jewel.
His comforting hand
reasurred me, but
then I became aware
that many of the
other mommys and
daddys were just as
afraid of the flying
moster as I. Fear
grew in my daddy's
eyes and in his grip.
The chaotic passengers'
screams and yells chilled my
body. The monster
became angry with
their cries and jolted
his passengers back
into their seats. He
gave one final roar
and his deathly fire
breath then engulfed us all.
It was my first time
on an airplane, but
not my last time to fly
in the heavenly skies.
-Michelle Mantegna, Las Cruces High School
(Rating: 6.30)
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I'll give you the Bullets
In the middle of the road
Ears fly by at both sides,
But I won't get hit.
I'll pull my hands out,
I'll feel the cars and how close they are,
But I won't get hit.
I am constantly loosing skin.
Meet me on the Moon.
Someone pulls a gun on me,
I won't get shot- I can't get shot,
I am an American.
Oh, but I was shot!
Unexpected, I am an American.
-Nicholas Angelo, Las Cruces High School
(Rating: 6.20)
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Autumn brings terror
Beauty falls from the dieing trees
And catch the drifts of the color filled sky
But hit the pavement as nothing but ash.
The wind grows cold
And the clouds drift apart.
Wading through the piles of leaves
Like broken glass and concrete.
Listening close to the echoing wind
You can almost hear a scream.
A sudden chill of dejavoue
Went creeping up my spine
As the children dance through falling leaves
Like the chaos of the burning city
But laughter was cries of terror
And the leaves were paper and ash
Falling down from the broken towers.
Fall storms come
And stillness enters.
Winds cease,
Leaving leaves and bodies still.
The flames finally smolder
And hearts are left raw.
-Amanda Bell, Socorro High School
(Rating: 6.20)
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In a Moment
In a moment of reflection
Ones own soul can be seen,
It’s the color of truth
On a background of mean
In a moment of silence
The screams can be heard,
Not a whisper is spoken
Its our minds that we’ve stirred
In a moment of hatred
A life can be scarred,
Through one act of violence
Our faith can be marred
In a moment of hope
Our dreams can appear
Unclouded by doubt
Not hidden by fear
In a moment of time ,
In a second of strife,
The choices we make
Set course for our life
-Geoff Phillips, Socorro High School
(Rating: 6.20)
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A Lasting Effect: A Wife's Message to Her Late Husband
Tumbling down,mad strangers sealed your doom.
Seeing you off,traveling far,
I left you,
Unaware that your trip was one way.
A brief kiss, no last glance,
I performed rituals of normal occurance.
I wasn't standing by,shadowing the streets.
Merciless camaras dragged me from my stablity,
Watching your grave,replay after replay.
Screams,tears,
Nothing haunts me more then your absence.
Memory has become cruel, a weapon of death.
September 11,
The day carried my soul
Away from the flaming debris,
And placed it next to you.
Now I wait,
To stop the performance,
Stop the ill-seeking revenge that grows within,
And begin the serenity of closure.
-Sofia Marquez, Onate High School
(Rating: 6.00)
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The Spirits of the World are Mourning
I awoke in the witching hour.
What was that jolt I felt as if a current passed through my body?
Was it a message?
A communication from beyond the vale?
I do not know.
What I know is this.
The seasons are changing
From summer to autumn.
No more sunny skies.
Do we have hot humid days now? No.
Long passed are the days we sang and played in the sun,
For a new dawn has come upon us.
I sat in the bus and knew something about this season was different.
What was it?
Was it the mourning of Demeter for her daughter,
Lovely Persephone who must now begin her journey to the underworld?
No.
It is the dawning of our war.
A fight for our rights as humans.
And these rights we must now protect.
On the day our towers were felled, we lost all.
September 11,
The day the fabric of the universe was torn,
A fabric frayed to begin with,
For society weaves it of plastic thread,
Torn by people who did not know what they were causing.
Mourn until the goddess shines again in spring.
Until the leaves once again are fertile and grow in abundance.
But for now,
See the strength in those around you.
Give thanks for the rain, and the rustle of the leaves.
Pray for guidance on this treacherous path.
And we shall survive this autumn of mourning
and the bitter winter to follow.
-Bruce Pfeiffer, Onate High School
(Rating: 6.00)
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Fixation
Beep…beep…beep…
The alarm sounds.
It’s 6:00.
Just five more minutes.
That’s all I need.
Beep…beep…beep…
OK.
I drag myself out of bed.
Oh, man.
It’s the big 4-0.
I’ve got a big day ahead of me.
Nothing could go wrong today.
Better get ready for work.
As I board the subway,
I wonder,
How many people wish
They could be in my shoes
Right now?
I have the perfect life.
Beautiful wife,
Wonderful kids,
Best friend,
Job at the World Trade Center.
I get to my office.
It’s 7:59 as I sit in my chair.
OK.
I’ve got to get busy.
I need to focus on my work.
The party isn’t until tonight.
It was supposed to be a surprise,
But Johnny can’t keep anything
From me.
Anyway,
Back to my work.
Ugh!
Silence!
I can’t take it anymore!
I’ll turn on the radio.
OK.
This is better.
That’s all I needed.
Just a little noise.
Wait.
What’s that?
It’s really loud.
It’s coming closer.
The windows are rattling.
An airplane!
Heading straight towards
My office!
I run to the window
In disbelief.
I exchange looks of
Fear
With the pilot.
BOOM!
Explosion.
Flames.
Unbearable noise.
Pain.
Silence.
Bright light.
Heaven.
God.
The End.
-Jennifer Wright, San Jon High School
(Rating: 6.00)
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Lost Forever
Lost Forever
My eyes are burning,
my stomach is churning.
And at first I could not believe it,
you lost in all that terror, dust, and grit.
The tears that threatened my fragile pride,
when I heard, they poured out and did not hide.
You were taken from me so abruptly and horribly fast,
even though I hoped and thought your life would always last.
You were always so kind, gentle, and wise to me,
taking me from a cage of anger and setting me free.
Tell me why, why did you have to leave?
Because now all I can do is weep and grieve.
You were my mentor and never failed,
so now I’ve screamed, howled and wailed.
My heart feels like it’s shattering,
it can’t take much more battering.
Because you are lost forever.
Dedicated to: Stewart
-Ellen Bone, San Jon High School
(Rating: 6.00)
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