Young poets in our society

The creative writing class of Leila Staffler for school year 2018-2019 and the creative writing class of Nicole Sablan for school year 2017-2018 collaborate in this literary showcase.

My Rainbow Room

By NOE’LANI ROMOLOR
Kagman High School

Mama always told me not to come out
“Stay inside and color your rainbow like everyone else”
Mama made sure that only daddy could see
“We have a reputation to protect”
I don’t know what that means

My closet is packed with such plentiful style
My colorful jeans and shirts in a neat colored pile
My dad thinks it’s a “company disgrace”
The boy next door says it suits my “pretty face”

I end up grounded when I step out to breathe
But it’s more suffocating out here than it usually seems
I feel more unhappy when I look at my rainbow
There is no more light, only secrets and sorrow

My anger is present when I slam my door
I shout colorful words ‘til my voice becomes sore
I see all my things broken and shattered
Brings me back to the time my sexuality didn’t matter

Only it did; my whole life they tried to define me as straight
Bringing co-workers with daughters they thought I could date!
But I felt disgusted and angry with myself already
They only shoved me farther in the closet when they knew I wasn’t steady

It’s not my fault I sneak him in at night
Where he would make me smile, my parents put up a fight
It’s not my fault I open up so slow
Where he tells me to embrace it, my parents make me put up a show
He helped me reveal myself without doing me harm
He helped me realize I shouldn’t have to be alarmed

It still hurts when I know they still don’t accept me
I’m still the same person, I just love people differently
And I know it’s okay now, I just didn’t realize it so soon
I’m not the only one who came out of a messy rainbow room

Mentor: Ms. Leila Staffler

***
NATURE

By M.A.
Tanapag Middle School

THE WOMB OF MANKIND LIES HERE,
IT SYMBOLIZES THE START OF LIFE.
BUT NOW, IT HAS ADVANCED,
FROM BUILDING HIGH, SCALY DINOSAURS,
TO THE WITTY, PUNY MAMMALS
AND SO FORTH.

WE STRIVE IN IT, UNPROTECTED,
YET CONQUERING WITH OUR WITS.
BUT IT IS ALWAYS ARMED,
FROM THE VERY START,
IT PARALYZES US WITH LIGHTNING,
IT BOMBARDS WITH VOLCANOES,
IT SHAKES THE MIGHTY EARTH,
AND BRINGS US WHISTLING WITH TOMATOES.
YET IT HAS ANOTHER FACE.
A TOTALLY NEUTRAL OTHER SIDE.
THAT OF PEACE, AND THAT OF SUNSHINE.
GOLDEN RAYS PROVIDE THE HEAVENLY LIGHT,
WIND AND WATER COINCIDE.
BIRDS CHIRP AND TWEET WITH THEIR NEWBORNS,
MAMMALS CARING FOR THEIR OFFSPRING,
FISH HEADING UPSTREAM TO HATCH.
ISN’T IT WONDERFUL?!
THAT’S LIFE!
WE HUMANS MUST DECIDE,
TRASH, POLLUTION, NATURE’S WRATH,
OR BETTER, THE CARESSING HAND OF NATURE.

Mentor: Ms. Nicole Sablan

***
EMOTION

By M.A.
Tanapag Middle School

ONE WORD. THAT’S IT.
BUT HOW MUCH IT MEANS.
IT’S ANGER, SADNESS, HAPPINESS ALL IN ONE.

BUT THERE IS MORE.
YOU CAN FIND FRETTING FRUSTRATION,
STANDING IN IN A CORNER,

YOU CAN FIND LUCKLESS LONELINESS,
TOTALLY ISOLATED ON AN ISLAND,
YOU CAN FIND ECSTATIC EAGERNESS,

EXPLORING EVERY CORNER EXISTING,
YOU CAN FIND SUICIDAL SADNESS,
LOOKING BLANKLY INTO A PRECIPICE,

AND YOU CAN FIND PULVERIZED PAIN,
CROUCHING LOW TO THE GROUND.
YET THERE’S MORE.

PANIC, LAZINESS, ADRENALINE,
AND STILL YET MORE,
EACH AND EVERY ONE AFFECTS YOU

IN SOME WAY,
SO NAVIGATE CAREFULLY,
TO NOT GET LOST.

AND JUST BELIEVE,
IT’S JUST ONE WORD.
EMOTION.

Mentor: Ms. Nicole Sablan

***
My worn-out clock

By KEGHANI CHAPARIAN
Marianas High School

I’ve got less than a month to pull myself together
Yet, your name puts me in an unceasing trance
I can no longer move, speak or think
My mind is bombarded with soft gray fog
The time is coming to an end
But in a world where my hope is scarce
My courageous heart will find a way
A way to weave the last of my nerves into a net
A metro catches the pieces of myself which I’ve lost.
Still, my worn-out clock ticks
I still have time
It is not much
But it is time.

Mentor: Leila Staffler

***
Fun

By KOEY PAN
Hopwood Middle School

Fun. Fun?
Well, there’s a few things I do for fun. Let me describe fun first:
F is for friends who do stuff together
U is for you and me
N is for anywhere and anytime at all
(Down here in the deep blue sea)
Ok. So, what I do for fun:
F is for phone that keeps you from boredom
U is for watching YouTube
N is for not reading any types of books
(Cause books are not fun to read)
Now that’s what I do for fun.

Mentor: Ms. Leila Staffler

***
Teen Dating

By JASON JOSE
Marianas High School student

Teen dating is scary in general
Generally thinking you would be happy together
Together, you tell each other lies
Lies and apologies
Apology and Fake
Promises you never uphold
Kept on thinking if this is it or what
What is teen dating?

Mentor: Ms. Leila Staffler