a wooden cottage weathered pastel blue

on that rocky beach, speckled with sea glass.

light filters through the pines over my head,

a patchwork, shades of brown upon my skin.

a loon calls, no answer, only echoes

carried ‘cross the bay by an ocean breeze.

above high tide wild flowers spring to life

as the smells of moss and salt fill my lungs.

I close my eyes, remember summers past.

the crashing waves, the soundtrack of my youth.

Walk through the blue front door, calm but nervous

Blinding white suits and walls torture my eyes

Eyes which burn and struggle to stay open 

The thick smell of shit overwhelms my nose

Nose so stuffed I’m surprised I can smell

Warm humid air lifts the skin off my bones

Skin, covered in picked scabs and track marks

And bones still aching from my concrete bed

I put on the rough and itchy jumpsuit

With eyes closed, travel the world again

There’s a village in Fiji where the cattle roam free and the boys scamper about without shoes
The river runs long and the wells run deep and the Fiji parrotfinch sings the blues
A family of eight all in one hut warm themselves by the fire
Little brown hands crowd around the sparks as the black smoke ring rises higher
Their little muddy feet dance and prance as aprils warm rain descends
The sun rises over the sea and the waves attack the shore, sunsets and again they make amends
The youngest boy in the brown round hut is called “Baboo” for baby
His tummy sticks out under is stained white shirt, his hair sticks up like crazy
Baboo and his brothers bathe in the clear water of the stream
as fish swim past their legs they holler skip and scream
Baboo and his brothers brush their teeth with twigs from the twisted tree
They ride bareback on bounding mules racing towards the sea
Their laughter rings across the town
They’ve been lost but always found
Through the village streets they rome
Viti Levu will always be home
Baboo grew up and had a daughter and that daughter is me
No matter where life takes him now he’ll remember the twisted tree

You’ve thrown my heart into the fire
But it’s too strong to burn out from the flame
This still doesn’t feel real, I think you are a liar

Everything was fine one day
Now it has all seemed to change
But it’s too strong to burn out from the flame

I’m in the clouds thinking of all the ways
To make you crawl back to me
But you’ve thrown my heart into the fire

I know we should move on
You think that it’s right
But it’s too strong to burn out from the flame

You’ve been gone for a week
You’re stuck in my brain
And it’s too strong to burn out from the flame

You’ve thrown my heart into the fire
But it’s too strong to burn out from the flame
The clouds bring down the rain
To heal my heart once again

“Absence”

I sit here with someone,

Absent of your kind.

I try to leave,

I try to go home,

But I don’t want to leave alone.

All of the weeks that turned into months,

So much time spent together,

It all went to become rust.

If you asked for a story,

Not one of them would be about us.

When that gentle caress

Turned into a hit

I wondered

Was this love really worth it

Was I really worthy of that sweet lovin

Like my momma said

But I guess I’ll never be able to give you an answer

Because I’m already dead

 

“Quitting” by Cameron

 

Dependent? Maybe, but I can function just fine

I’ve studied all week, my homework is done

Ok, those are lies. I should quit, it’s a sign.

 

I still attend all the classes of mine

And my GPA is 3 points higher than one

Dependent? maybe, but I can function just fine

 

I don’t eat junk food, I eat healthy when I dine

And my brain thinks as fast as a bullet from a gun

Ok, those are lies. I should quit, it’s a sign.

 

Maybe I’ll quit, if the stars align

But right now, I think I deserve to have fun

Dependent? maybe, but I can function just fine

 

I don’t sleep all day, I wake up at 9

My responsibilities are met, I leave nothing undone.

Ok, those are lies. I should quit, it’s a sign

 

I’m not an addict, I haven’t crossed that line

And I’ll still be ok in the long run

Dependent? Maybe, but I can function just fine

Ok, those are lies. I should quit, it’s a sign.

 

 

 

 

“Secrets & Lies”

by Nicola Edwards

When I was younger I would cheat

I would hide the veggies and a cookie I would eat.

I would take a shower, and always skip my feet

When I was younger I would cheat.

When I was younger I would cheat

I would hide my toys, my room would always look so neat.

When my teacher began to speak, I would jump up from my seat

When I was younger I would cheat.

When I was younger I would cheat

And over the years I’d get some heat.

For all the lies, tales and deceit

Now I’m older, wiser and am nice and sweet.