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Airman*
The engine roars
The world flies by
He approaches his target
He sees the splashes to color
As the tracer bullets race across the sky
And knows
That from this flight there will be no return
Into the wall of bullets he flies
Rolling, pitching, banking, swerving
And feels the jarring thud
Of doom in his wing
The ground swims closer, inviting, calling him to land
But duty stays his hand
Even though
He will not return
The gas on his wing drips
The fire from his target leaps
Bravery keeps him airborne
And conviction steadies his hand
For his bombs would find their target that day
And a medal of honor would find his cold chest.
by Dylan Hughes, Grade 9
*A tribute to Second Lieutenant Hughes, Lloyd B.
U.S. Army Air Corps 1st August 1943, Recipient, Congressional Medal of Honor
The Bench of Greatness
An old man once sat on a bench
By a many of younger age
Who decided to request insight
From this humble, worldly, sage
And so the young man bluntly asked
"Is greatness truly earned,
Is it part of one's destiny,
Or a skill that one must learn?"
And the old man said in his knowing voice
"Greatness is not a role
That one is picked or learns to play
Son, greatness is a goal
That any one person can achieve
If they are willing to give rise
And dedicate all strength they have
To earn such a valued prize"
And with that the younger man got off the bench
"What now?" the old man said
"Never mind talk about greatness" the young man smiled
"I'd rather become great instead"
by Aaron Aldridge, Grade 10
The Sunset
As the sunset
Goes down at night
I watch and wonder
At the sight.
All the history
That it holds
Always bright
And never cold.
Giving warmth
And giving light,
Even in the still of the night.
by Michael Alworth, Grade 9
That Girl
I went from here to there
Not expecting a thing
Until my charm came
Into full swing
I looked at her
She looked at me
I said to myself
"Can this be?"
To her I walked
Gazing into her eyes
"What is your name?" she asked
My stomach full of butterflies
Her voice was accented
A beautiful sound
It gave me joy
All in and around
"Let me give you my number." she said.
I had one it all
She gave it to me and smiled
"I expect a call."
by Matthew S. Gorski, Grade 9
War
Valor, Strength, Honor
Categories that befall the greatest men who
Come home in urns and coffins.
"Who has done this to them?" you plead.
With no one to answer or give you hope.
More are perishing; more are drafted.
Separation, Despair, Anxiety
As more go out to war
You're nervous for your own life
As you may be next
To serve your country
For no clear reason.
Soon, you sail overseas
Or fly in the skies
To enter a distraught land
Separated by war.
Our ideals are wrong
Yet we choose to persuade
Those who are against us
And return home
In the same way our Fathers did.
by Denny Gonzalez, Grade 10
Ode to Women
Only equal to the moon.
As bright as the sun and graceful as the wind.
I speak of women to whom I owe my life.
Without women where is beauty? Where is the drive for perfection?
Is it not women who drive man to crave more than he has?
Women . . .
A gift from God. Made from man but from women we come.
They are the muses for writings and art. They are the reasons for war.
Beauty is loss without them. They are magicians, starting fires in the hearts of men.
They are sirens, enticing the bodies of men.
Women . . .
A curse from God. From them man sprang.
The first was the bringer of sin. One launched a thousand ships.
Without them the races die. They are the mistresses of jealousy.
Women . . .
She is like the moon. Lighting up the night with her glory.
The stars are the countless men after her affection.
She only has one mate however and she owes him her radiance.
As the moon a woman should be held in the heavens, away from her
enemies but in view of the world.
by Phyllipp Pierre, Grade 12
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