By Micah Lee
I see a flower in a vast see of dry green grass up on a hill. The flower starts with a green stem and works its way up to bright white petals reaching toward the sun. At the middle of the flower the color fades to dark bold pink which sinks into yellow stalks that bolt straight up. The grass in which this flower sits has white lines through it and silver bleachers set up for sports. The over look is of high majestic mountains which are pressed against a fuzzy white background that reaches out into a crisp clear sky. When ever I see mountains I think of West Virginia and all its windy roads. As I think about this I am sitting on those silver bleachers, in that field, looking at those mountains, and imagining that flower.
The Unknown Bench
By Abbey
As I sit on this bench, my mind starts to wonder what all it has been through and what it has seen. Who knows all who have set on this bench. A person could have made a decision about salvation while sitting on this bench. I bet some people read their Bibles and pray on this bench. Others may have sang on this bench, while others have fallen off of this bench. Some have had their first kiss on this bench, some may have even proposed to the love of their life on this bench. While others may have been talking to a loved one who was in the army and was about to go out to war on this bench. Someone could have even talked to someone who was dying on this very bench. This bench could be the place you meet someone that will change your life forever. This bench could be the last place you talk to anybody. This one little bench lost in this garden that most people don't even think about, or even know about, could have been the place that changed someones life forever, and people don't even know.
By Timothy
In front of me is a small tree. This tree’s position is somewhat strange because it is on a grassy knoll overlooking a drainage basin. The sun is shimmering beautifully on its slightly orange leaves. It is a small tree only about seven feet in stature. Its trunk splits at the very bottom and creates a wide diameter flat area on top. Its upper leaves are more orange and the sun is mainly shining on its upper half. The lower leaves of this tree are a minty, green color. The birds and bugs are chirping happily all around and the temperature feels like it is in the seventies; it is beautiful, cool weather. This tree if it were larger would look like a series of trees due to its natural split at the very base of the trunk. The knoll that it is sitting on is about two or three feet in high, therefore the top of the tree stands at about ten feet. There are almost no clouds in the sky except for a few wispy, cirrus clouds. It is a beautiful day, and I am excitedly anticipating my soccer practice tonight. I also hope that we will get to play some ultimate frisbee on the lunch break. This day is beautiful because of the torrential rain we had only two days ago. The air is crisp and fresh and I am enjoying the opportunity to journal outside today.
By Jacob
Dear Journal,
I’m sitting under a tree, in the shade, behind Modular B. The ground is blanketed by pine fronds, dead and slowly decaying, on the ground. There are thorns, a little poison ivy, and the odd young flower at the base of the pine tree; some old, rusty rods and blocks of wood are behind it. The still fresh morning dew glistens on the threads of a spider’s nest as it waits for a mid-morning snack. Meanwhile, a young garter snake slithers inside one of the pipes, in hopes of locating some food. The breeze is blowing a fragrant smell, rustling the leaves as it goes. Birds are landing in the trees as the wind blows them in, shaking more fronds onto my head. I hear them singing their songs as they fly off, while buzzing bees are droning lazily. Ants are marching, and flies are racing. Crickets are playing their songs in the background, while grasshoppers are jumping to and fro. The sun is breaking through the trees, as an ant crawls up my pant leg. The ongoing murmur from inside Modular B has gotten a little quieter – just a little. Out past the pine tree is a small pond fenced in on the far side by lots of healthy pine trees.
With all due thoughts and respect,
Jacob
Sheriff Ain’t Doin’ Work
By up and coming hip-hop artist
wilYUM
There once was a sheriff who didn’t give a rip
Instead of fighting crime he sucked on his coffee like sip, sip, sip.
Poor little sheriff, maybe he scared, but where I was sitting it didn’t look like he cared
WHAT?!?!
I know sometimes sheriff y’all get a bad name, but where I’m sitting it’s folks like you that are to blame
I’m looking at it now sir you gotta nice car, but back home you wouldn’t even catch a glimpse of that charger
Maybe in the past sir you had a nice run, but man you wouldn’t-a made it in 901
No, where I come from regret to inform, you’d have be pushing papers at 201 poplar,
Waoooh!
I know I seem cold sheriff, but I don’t mean to scold. . . all I’m trying to say is
I don’t blame your distress, just glad honored sir that you aren’t in Memphis!!
OOOOOH!!
Wait, what’s this sheriff sir? Are You leaving already?
Has my flow gotcha thinking has it made yo heart heavy?
Honestly sheriff, if it has I’m glad, but just so you know I don’t think y’all are bad
No honored sir,
this really isn’t me, I love the police making the streets a safe place to be.
Now I’m sorry to this school if we get a bad rap, because I’m dissing police when I should be in class
I’m sorry mister sheriff this really isn’t me, but Mrs. Griz said go outside and just write about what i see!!
By Kat
For me, nothing is more beautiful than my grandparents’ home. They live on top of a mountain in North Carolina, over 4,000 feet high. The road to their home is winding and curvy. It makes me slightly nauseous to look over the guardrail and down at the little valley and river below. It’s quite different to go up there; a big change in scenery. There are huge mountains, fields filled with flowers, and wildlife all around. My home in Knoxville isn’t quite like that…
As soon as we pull up to the house and I step out of the car, I’m hit with a blast of air that smells of flowers and fresh air. Grandmommie’s flower beds are always bursting with different plants, no matter what the season. The fields that run parallel to their driveway have all sorts of different wildflowers like Queen Anne’s Lace, Black-eyed Susan, daisies, Bee Balm, and Butterfly Weed. I would venture further into the fields if there weren’t so many ticks and chiggers.
Their house faces acres and acres of forest, filled with all sorts of wildlife. Papa loves to take us on hikes and stop every few steps to point something out to us or share a funny story that has nothing to do with anything. He’s marked trails all over the forest. One curves around whale rock (a huge boulder in the formation of a whale), another travels even further up to the cliff, while a different one might just take us to the property line. My favorite, though, is the one that leads to the swing. A few winters ago, my uncle made a tree swing on one of the oak trees. The trail to get there is uphill, so I’m always a little winded by the time we reach it. The swing makes my stomach do flip flops as I go at least fifteen feet into the air. It’s like I can fly.
At night, we bundle up in the great room to watch an old movie while eating desert. Their wool blankets are coarse against my skin, but it’s almost comforting. They smell like magnolias and wool, a scent that is totally my grandparents.
My sister and I like to go outside and lay on the driveway with blankets at night, looking up at the clear, beautiful sky. There aren’t any other lights up there, so we can see the stars perfectly. On a flawlessly clear night, I can see satellites circling the atmosphere and shooting stars. Occasionally a coyote howls in the distance. It gives me shivers just looking up at the big clear sky and being surrounded by nature. It just reminds me again how amazing God is.
By Anna
The tree is sitting on top of a little mound of mulch, and the leaves are blowing in the slight breeze. It is a small tree, probably only a few years old. The large leaves are still green and are very wide, almost circular except for a pointed tip. The tree’s bark is smooth and painted different shades of gray. Most of its branches spread out, not up, and it is only a little bit taller than I am. The tree’s shadow hits the sidewalk and splatters onto the other side. A few of the leaves are scattered under it, and some are lying across the lawn. One of the branches stretches up to meet the pure blue sky, and the light filters through the leaves to make them glow a dull green.
By Jonah
The stepping stones that start at the odd octagon building to the end of modular B are not strait at all, but they are very square. They where a reddish-brown color originally but now they are a whitish-red color, or simply pale red. From the end of modular B to the beginning octagon building total there are about 45 stepping stones. One of them is darker red in color. You can tell that the stone has been replace because it is darker than the red. You can also tell this because on the ground next to it there are little rocks and some red dust. On top of these little faded squares there is a small spot of white, because the sun faded their heads. The yard around the pathway is very high, and some stones even have grass growing on them. Last but not least, on of the little stairs is really a pot hole. Look out!
The Girl in the Reflection
by Tessa
She steps out into the cold, gray, rainy day. She’s walking out on her
own going anywhere just to forget the pain. Now she is walking alongside of
a large building with reflective windows. She looks inside, in hope of seeing
someone. She thinks she see’s someone, but then realizes she’s seeing her
own cold reflection. How well does she really know herself?
This thought contributes to the cold chill sent up her spine by the rain.
She now regrets not wearing her thick black hooded sweater. The rain starts
beating away at her sanity. She tries to neutralize the sound by plugging in
her ear buds and starts listening to “Breaking the Noise” by Satellites and
Sirens. “You’re breaking the noise and I start to hear your voice and I’m left
with no other choice but to love you, and I’m hanging onto every little word
now.” She starts singing along with the chorus and has a very distinctive and
pleasing voice, almost like silk against bare skin.
Wait what’s that? She notices that the sun is starting to break through the
storm, momentarily. She smiles blissfully in the sunlight. The warmth on her
cheeks gives her a moment of peace, it makes her feel better, not so alone.
She had forgotten that she’s never really alone. But, it’s understandable
when life is crashing down all around you, and there’s nothing you can do
about it. She’s trying to keep faith. She’s fighting against the darkness that
tries to choke off her soul. It gets so overwhelming sometimes, like she
can’t move, or make a sound, so know one knows to help her because they
can’t hear her silent needy cries. But she’s not weak enough to just let go.
And that’s what matter’s Isn’t it?
Sometimes life just gets out of hand and out of your control. But that
doesn’t matter because God is the one always in control. She also
forgets this too often.
Then she is startled when someone grabs her arm. She soon is lost in
the bright blue eyes before her, then takes a step back and quickly identifies
the person by his bleached-blonde hair. He was once her best friend, but life
has just torn them apart. He says “Hey, haven’t talked to you in a while.” She
replies “Yes, it has been too long. I’ve missed you,” and laughs insincerely. He
knows something is wrong right away. “So what’s been going on with you?
Is there something wrong?” he asks. She thinks a moment and decides that she
could use someone to talk to about her trouble’s. She begins to tell him. “I’ve
been having a pretty hard time lately.” He gives her a questionable look that asks
why and she thinks of something to say without being obvious about what she’s
really going through. She says hesitantly, “But I’m making it through.” He
softens his face a little bit. She turns the attention to him by asking, “What have
you been up to?” He says “well, not much really” and they keep walking and
talking, catching up with what has been going on with each other. She finds a
much needed friend, that she really had along. She found new hope from a
familiar figures that’s been in her life for sometime, just a forgotten friend.
Hey Everyone! I wanted to give you just a little recap of some of the advice I gave in class about writing a compare and contrast paper. Remember I called it a "mini essay" because I just want you to write a few paragraphs (1-2 pgs double spaced) comparing and contrasting "To Build a Fire" and "The Most Dangerous Game." Here's an outline of the paragraphs. Intro Paragraph: Give a basic introduction to the two stories and generally point out that there are similarities and differences between the two (that is essentially your thesis, or main idea for the paper).Paragraph Two: Similarities- In a paragraph highlight some of the similarities between the two stories. Transition to your next paragraph. Paragraph Three:Differences- In a paragraph highlight how the stories are different from each other. (You can reverse the order if you would rather write about the differences first.)Conclusion: In a paragraph sum up you main ideas and suggest why it might be helpful to read or study the two stories together.Use the Venn Diagram to get your thoughts organized. If you need some further help with Comparing/Contrasting here is a useful link from the University of North Carolina's Writing Center. Please don't hesitate to ask me for help if you have questions. Sincerely,
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