High School

All-Nighter

Wake from nap with eyes Crusted over as if to shelter itself from light, But there was no light now. Outside was night now, Or was it morning?

That blissful escape of sleep called for me And I too yearned to accept it With arms wide open SMACK. Hand to face. Contact as solid, singular and final as the word: No. Stay Awake. Hands slowly rise to turn on lights.

Eyes fail and eyelids droop Bewitched by the silence of sound. This body is mine, it cannot fail me. Jump. Legs plant on floor as flags claim land.

Turn on computer and let fingers fly; They sing songs of solitude They scream pains of torture They weep tears of unjust suffering.

Wake. The sun wakes, But I’ve been dead since yesterday.

. . .

Choice

With wide eyes stare At the back of own eyelids, Those wardens of darkness Which shelter one from the tyranny of sound. Final barrier against the alarms ceaseless ring.

Then silence With last strident blare, A sigh escapes. Furrowed brows soften And limbs previously locked Ease and fall gently into place. True content.

But just as bliss begins to pump From body through to soul, Alarms reverberate Dissipating joy. Filling that void with a pain Even greater for having known happiness.

Still eyelids hold tight Gleaming with an impossible determination, Because underneath that hard facade, The eyes told a truer tale. They looked not on with hope, But with fear.

To open eyes would be to welcome a greater pain, The hurt of an inherent failure In transforming dreams into reality. So wide eyes stared on, Comfortable in the decision to relinquish choice Without knowledge that true pain was in Having eyes open wide, But to still not be able to see. . . .

Transit

Wake quick Feel sick Leave home Can't roam

Board train Feel drained Body drops Doors lock

Train delayed Tensions raised Corner reeks No seats

Train arrives Body strides Open doors Muscles sore

Empty room Panic looms See clock In shock

Period done Can't run I'm late Every day

. . .

Please Vote Teenagers!

There's a pain in this contradiction In always hearing about a power that isn't present. You have the right to vote. Don't joke, We have the right to remain silent.

Speak out, be strong Patronized by the call to action. Sit down, mouth shut But we're supposed to be vocal. There's a lack of trust we feel That's inherent in this system

We've been kept down too long To still go through hopeless motions Who are we to speak out When we're held down by the masses

It's a division we feel Between where the power is And where it should be. Maybe the lack of change we feel Is because of our lack of ability

. . .

Dream Big

Every dream is a locked door Waiting for its key Given Time, given effort Anyone can find it

But theres luck involved And a whole lot of cash Theres people to pay for such menial tasks

So dream big and think large believe that you can find it because thats the only way you can live with all that wasted effort

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