To My Nine-Year-Old Self
Everything changes. Don’t stop and think, just go with the flow,
spread your wings, fly through fields of sunflowers, balance on the tightrope that is life.
Plant hope in your heart, and wait for love to grow, never stop skipping, touch every rose.
Do you remember each spring, when you spoke the language of the flowers,
watched the caterpillars turn into butterflies?
Don’t wait for the day to come, when you blossom too,
all time does is take, it never seems to give.
I’ll never forget you, forgive me for that.
The dream we had, no doubt it’s as fresh in your mind as the white paper to write it on.
That tree in his backyard, how we enjoyed it as much as we could,
fell over, stumbled, tripped, it was all part of the journey.
The proof is in your changing face, that time is flying by.
Past the days of those first teeth,
the sweet, silky voice of our mother, warm like fire,
lit up the path for the times to come.
Helplessly young. Marshmallows by the campfire,
lavender perfumes, crayons in a box, the pop of a chewing gum bubble;
the pinkish, tacky substance which was so hard to get off.
I’d like to think we could be friends
but the truth is we have nothing in common
beyond the purpose in your eyes.
The endless question “why” is an old abandoned home,
but innocence still lives there.
Claudia M, Year 13
Away
We drifted away like leaves from the same
tree – the same branch – stretching elsewhere.
Felt the resin leak from our hearts, felt it
drip away.
Now you grow and I slow,
I can see in your soul the bright yellow glow.
The colour of the sky in your eye but I
drift away.
The colour in my skin is burnt from within,
the sound in my laugh can't make it past my lips
without replaying the abyss as you
fly away.
As the skies burn and I still yearn
for your laugh and my laugh, to hear them return.
I seek out the leaves in the trees but they
drift away.
Claudia Toledo, Y13
Imagine
Imagine having that one person.
the person you trust.
The one you go to when you’re down,
you can laugh with,
you can joke around with,
you can be yourself with.
Imagine having that one person.
the person you click with,
the one you would choose over anyone,
behold my best friend,
behold the memories we have created,
behold a joy we get with each other.
Imagine having that one person,
the person you did everything with,
the person you saw all the time,
every day, every hour, every second,
spent every weekend together with,
every memory, every chance you had together.
Imagine being the person...
having to move away,
having nobody by your side,
having to leave the ones you adore,
us.
Behold the sadness,
behold the rage,
behold the emotions, running through our heads.
Imagine that one person. Gone.
Bianca N, Year 9
My Rapture
You were never a memory
You were really there- Right?
Can I see you?
I’ll call you tonight.
Our trust? Broken
Your words? Unspoken
I drink my sorrows before I drown in them
Sinking was never our plan
if you wanna seek
then i must hide
pushing you away bEfore
I close my eyes
That s what you said
When we last said goodbye
Im sorry
For breaking your heart
Marina Medina Y13