Throughout the year, many of our students turn to poetry to express themselves creatively, emotionally, and brilliantly.
Here are a few amazing poems written by our EHS students this year. Stay tuned for more poetry spotlights next year!

Ocean by Anonymous
You are the ocean.

All the immensity and mystery of the story of the waters are based on you.
There is no criterion of time, place or matter, and all that remains undiscovered is what covers your lost faces in the creeks.

You are the ocean and I am the current that accompanies you along the way.
I drag your tracks and get lost in your tides.
Everything that defines you is insignificant compared to your being.

You are timeless.
Your will to live scares and inspires me.
Explain to me how to love life so much.
Explain to me how not to let this pessimism poison me the same way it has poisoned so many hearts out there.

Maybe one day they’ll find a cure for disillusionment.
I hope it is quick.
I hope they find it in time to save me from this disease that corrodes and corrupts.
Meanwhile, I fall asleep in a coma induced by false promises of a more coherent future.
I delude myself with unrealistic hopes for a fairer world.

You are the ocean into which all these impurities that overflow within me flow.
Where I get lost and let the waters wash my body and purify my soul.
Indeed, you are the ocean and I am a lost fish.
I’m the public ministry of healed longing, but I’m the private health of told lies.

In this country where justice is never done, I consider myself faithful to the commandments of heaven.
I make up a thousand insane rules and everyone believes me.
In this madness of aggravated vilification, I try to be less myself in order to fit in more with others.

I bleed all the blood in my body to try to empty my being of this poison that I am.
I wash myself with your waters to try to undo my irreparable and unforgivable mistakes.
I’m poor in spirit.

I am the pollutant of your ocean, but you are the holy water that anoints and protects me
_______

        Anything, Anything At All  by Taisha Alexandre

  They  smashed my heart                                                            into a million pieces

         The stench of betrayal  filled the air                              rotten flowers, ripped cards, red wine 

          Drifting deep in the sea, like a baby turtle without a guardian, I was as lost as a pin in a haystack

           Years of yearning for love and affection, I needed to heal, from head to toe I had to heal, I had to. Long

walks, deep talks ,sleepless nights, what we could’ve been would’ve been beautiful, me, them

      Now i sit here wondering why i did what i did, trying to forgive myself but coming up short

            Images of me reversing my steps, begging for forgiveness, trying to relieve my anger

                  Seeing my mistakes when i close my eyes as night, wishing for a night’s rest

                          Reliving that day every night longing to go back, to make a change

                                    Anything, anything at all to take this guilt from my life

                                               Just to hear any words of forgiveness   

                                                   Anything, anything at all for an

                                                               “I forgive you”

Therapist  by Sereniti Gardner

Maybe I was born to be a woman
To cater to others needs.
To speak in a soft voice with innocence oozing from my tongue.
To be unaware of the world.
To be in love with the idea of children.
To understand everyone when their mothers don’t.
To hug and kiss grown men to bed.
To read them bedtime stories.
To be dumb and ignorant.
To belong to everyone but yourself.
_____

“Staring Contest” by Kaesta Sandy
Staring Contest Content with myself in the mirror
Thinking about what would, could have happened if I never said a word
“What did you hear?”
Nah I was just joking
I’m fine my heart is in twine with my brain
And i’m in line
Trying  to find out who I am, cause I can’t
The girl in the mirror staring me up and down.
No sound, I’m being judged

“You are not worth it, you are imperfect.”

CUT IT OUT

I’m suffocating over the words she poked my head telling me “this is it”
Flip the switch…
Staring contest in the dark
Hoping a spark of light would appear
A teardrop falling from my face
You won’t wait to hear my case on why I feel this way

I’m DONE.
YOU WIN.
Me vs. me.

_____

My Fights by Khadiza Nishat

I really think whenever I make a decision,
I make the best one.
Unknowingly, when I look back at them,
I notice the flaws in them,
Noticing I could have done much better. 

Maybe it was the young age,
Or
Maybe it was the rushing thoughts on my head,
Whatever it was,
It led me to the decision that I have made.
Some alright and some needed improvement..

Every time I think back,
I wish I stayed quiet,
Wish I didn’t say a word. 

But,
Old me loved saying the thoughts
I have outloud.
Maybe, it was for the
Better good, better outcome. 

Although, I look back and regret a lot,
I hope to not regret for a life time.
I’m at a spot, challenging myself, and the world,
A lifetime of stress, chaos and unpleasantness. 

But I realize that no matter
How many stones are thrown at me,
Its either, I take the hit,
Or
Put a wall down to stop it. 

It’s only me that can make the move,
I Am My Planner,
And I Make the Move.
So, its either, I cry and whiter
Or
I go out there and
Make the decisions myself. 

And I plan to stand up and fight.
All this time I have been taught to fight,
And now I have to fight back.
_________________

Another Parent by Void Shrestha

I heard teachers change lives
And i see that

But often we forget just how much
They impact us

So this is to the teacher
That wake up early
Or spend their paychecks on their students

Or the ones that stay after school
A lil too late
Just for that one student

So
This is for the teachers
That do all the above.

**We’re always looking for new submissions! If you’re inspired and want to send us some poetry or creative writing, email Ms. Dunn! [email protected]**