1st Place
Skylar McElwain
Academies of Discovery
A Mind in War
It hurts that you’ve moved on and I'm stuck here crying.
It hurts that every time I see you my brain is stuck in between
wanting you back and hiding
before I get hurt. Again.
You behavior baffles me.
Yesterday we were buds,
but now I'm begging you to stay.
It's a constant war.
War is ugly.
There are no boundaries.
I'm losing to your gunfire;
blow after blow,
rumor after rumor,
night after tearful night.
You played dirty.
Your words are bullets that spew
from the rifle of your mouth.
Your oblivion of my hurt
is the shield you use to block the world out.
Shot me over and over until I couldn't get up.
And then you left me behind.
It hurts that I'm dead, and yet you couldn't be more alive.
It hurts that you’ve moved on and I'm stuck here crying.
It hurts that every time I see you my brain is stuck in between
wanting you back and hiding
before I get hurt. Again.
You behavior baffles me.
Yesterday we were buds,
but now I'm begging you to stay.
It's a constant war.
War is ugly.
There are no boundaries.
I'm losing to your gunfire;
blow after blow,
rumor after rumor,
night after tearful night.
You played dirty.
Your words are bullets that spew
from the rifle of your mouth.
Your oblivion of my hurt
is the shield you use to block the world out.
Shot me over and over until I couldn't get up.
And then you left me behind.
It hurts that I'm dead, and yet you couldn't be more alive.
2nd Place
Melanie Hernandez-Calzada
East Hall Middle School
Blood Filled Rights
The words hurt more than the actions,
the actions of our own human race against us.
While we stand by having to take it all
something that shouldn’t have to be done.
“Separate but equal” what’s so equal about that?
There’s more than meets the eye,
but people don’t want to oblige.
Turning the other cheek is easier than facing the real world problems,
Who knew that something done peacefully,
would turn so violent.
Marching hand in hand,
till we’re torn apart by others hands.
Something done to help turned so sour,
but we couldn’t wait another hour.
Blows thrown everywhere,
but no pain could compare to the one in our hearts.
The memories hurt more than the wounds on our body.
Blood everywhere.
Bloody described it well.
Bloody Sunday.
You shows us hate,
we show you peace.
We’re one of you because we’re human too.
No matter the skin color, no matter the looks,
we’re all human, just like you.
Thousands of people surround the memorial.
We heard him speak his wonderful speech.
He has a dream.
We all have a dream.
Just like you all have dreams.
It’s like we’re only allowed to dream,
since we can’t do anything else.
We want to join hands with people around the world.
No matter the skin color, no matter the looks.
Because we’re all human too.
Together we peacefully fight.
Together we’re stronger.
We show resistance by not fighting back.
We won’t back down no matter how many times we’re told.
We keep rising up,
to watch things unfold.
Just like you,
I have a dream.
He has a dream.
She has a dream.
We all have a dream.
The words hurt more than the actions,
the actions of our own human race against us.
While we stand by having to take it all
something that shouldn’t have to be done.
“Separate but equal” what’s so equal about that?
There’s more than meets the eye,
but people don’t want to oblige.
Turning the other cheek is easier than facing the real world problems,
Who knew that something done peacefully,
would turn so violent.
Marching hand in hand,
till we’re torn apart by others hands.
Something done to help turned so sour,
but we couldn’t wait another hour.
Blows thrown everywhere,
but no pain could compare to the one in our hearts.
The memories hurt more than the wounds on our body.
Blood everywhere.
Bloody described it well.
Bloody Sunday.
You shows us hate,
we show you peace.
We’re one of you because we’re human too.
No matter the skin color, no matter the looks,
we’re all human, just like you.
Thousands of people surround the memorial.
We heard him speak his wonderful speech.
He has a dream.
We all have a dream.
Just like you all have dreams.
It’s like we’re only allowed to dream,
since we can’t do anything else.
We want to join hands with people around the world.
No matter the skin color, no matter the looks.
Because we’re all human too.
Together we peacefully fight.
Together we’re stronger.
We show resistance by not fighting back.
We won’t back down no matter how many times we’re told.
We keep rising up,
to watch things unfold.
Just like you,
I have a dream.
He has a dream.
She has a dream.
We all have a dream.
3rd Place
Isabella Rudd
West Hall Middle School
Forget
If there was a time where I could forget you I would
Forget that moment I meet you
Forget the time you laid eyes on me
Forget the time you walked up to me and said hi
If there was a moment where I could walk away I would
Forget the moment you sat beside me
Forget the simile that made every girl fall for you
Forget the time you asked to skate with me
If there was a moment where I could not go to skate country that night I would
Forget the time we talked all summer
Forget the laugh they made everyone melt
Forget the moments you complimented me
If there was a moment I could listen to my mom I would
Forget the moment I hid your hoodie
Forget the moment I asked if you were ok
Forget the moment we gave each other hugs
If there was a moment I stayed home none of this would of happened
If I would have told my mom sooner I would see you in court
If I would have not been scared
If I would not blame me
Because this is all your fault you did it and it's not just boys will boys because that's not true
What happened isn't just a game it's real and true it happens to 1 in 9 girls
If I never went that night I wish I could just forget you but you hunt me in my sleep
I'm scared to like a boy because they could be just like you
Every time I hear your name I get nervous
I couldn't eat for a week because I wanted to hide from everyone
You can never forget because you destroyed me
And it's all your fault
If there was a time where I could forget you I would
Forget that moment I meet you
Forget the time you laid eyes on me
Forget the time you walked up to me and said hi
If there was a moment where I could walk away I would
Forget the moment you sat beside me
Forget the simile that made every girl fall for you
Forget the time you asked to skate with me
If there was a moment where I could not go to skate country that night I would
Forget the time we talked all summer
Forget the laugh they made everyone melt
Forget the moments you complimented me
If there was a moment I could listen to my mom I would
Forget the moment I hid your hoodie
Forget the moment I asked if you were ok
Forget the moment we gave each other hugs
If there was a moment I stayed home none of this would of happened
If I would have told my mom sooner I would see you in court
If I would have not been scared
If I would not blame me
Because this is all your fault you did it and it's not just boys will boys because that's not true
What happened isn't just a game it's real and true it happens to 1 in 9 girls
If I never went that night I wish I could just forget you but you hunt me in my sleep
I'm scared to like a boy because they could be just like you
Every time I hear your name I get nervous
I couldn't eat for a week because I wanted to hide from everyone
You can never forget because you destroyed me
And it's all your fault