Trip to
The very first time I traveled alone
Was a breeze, for many times
had I flown
To places all up and down
the coast.
But this trip was much more
about which to boast.
My bags were packed; I was
all ready to go.
But even with all my
preparations, I could never know
That I was going to such an
amazing place.
It was as if I had landed in
outer space.
Everything was so different;
the people, the places, the smells.
The whole experience was so
awesome that its hard to tell
Whether I would have
actually come back
If it werent for the fact
that Mom wouldve had a heart attack.
Its hard to completely
explain
This enchanting city I got
to by plane.
Unless I told you, you would
never know
How much inside I began to
grow.
While wandering through
The places and sites I saw
became forever-cherished treats.
Inside me, I could almost
feel the little girl depart
As I wandered through the
Louvre and its famous works of art.
With each new adventure in this
magical city,
I felt that adult
independence develop within me.
I was mesmerized by this
beautiful city of lights.
The family that welcomed me
was so kind and eager to share,
That I knew upon leaving, my
heart would begin to tear.
Ive been to many places and
will go to many more,
But
Written by Meghan Schneider
Dustin
Smith
SHOOTER
He likes to be alone
Hes watched closely by all
Thats the last thing they
want
For him to be alone
Searching for open space
He never stops moving
Sometimes he cant be
stopped
You can only slow him
.
Justin Giordano
LAUGHTER
Laughter is like the
sun
Bright, inviting, full of
life
Warm in
all of us.
...
Jen Cawley
1
Kids playing soccer
But they want me to join
them
I do not like it
2
I like basketball
All the baskets I can shoot
I am really good
Summer Lovin
we hit every red light in
it was all blacktop and concrete
long conversations over the radio blasting
the summer air was so sweet
laying under the stars
cigarette smoke dwindling in the night
picking wild flowers down by that stream
we only had childish little fights
desperate to be loved
that summer well never forget
memories keep the winter from being cold
because of you, I have no regrets
By: Sarah Coons
World Cup
It is more than just a
sporting event
Much more than
just a game
There are 32
countries
Represented by
their teams
There are 8
groups
With 4 teams
apiece
But only 2
from each group
Will walk on
the field with only 16 left
Then there are
the elite 8
After that 4
remain
Finally 2
fighting for the cup
Then just 1
teams dreams will come true
The other teams
with morale so blue
After this is
said and done
The world has
to sit and wait 4 more years
Time to debate
and brag and hope
Chris Matteo
.
Shall We Dance?
By Tara Howard
Feet moving quickly
Across a hardwood dance floor
She
dreams for a turn
..
Moon
An
orb in the sky
Glowing
with a borrowed light
Watching
as we sleep.
By:
Jared Keasbey
..
Moonlight
Borrowed,
Faded
Shine,
Illuminate, Glow
Comforting,
Peaceful, Safety, Calm
Nightlight
By:
Jared Keasbey
Gavin
Carroll
Spring, sort of, not really, somewhat
an excerpt
Fleas, trees, and bumblebees
New Life, colors, and
organisms
Spring over all smells good
to me.
Bees buzz in their hives
Until they fall, then they
all die.
Birds fly up and down
Until they crash and hit the
ground.
Spring is a wonderful time
Cats,
dogs, sheep, and mimes.
Mimes, why mimes?
I don't know, but I have a
dime.
Fishes, dishes, picnics, and
wishes
Of winter being over
So I can play with my dog
-named Rover.
And later I can visit the
town of
Wow! This poem is really
lame;
I don't know how I got my
fame...
My poem is really bad
When I read this poem it
even makes me sad
I know I'm a little off
topic
I should stop this now and
finally drop it,
But I'm on fire
And now it's time
To finish the poem with stupid
rhyme..
..
Jason
Clinton May 3, 2006
The skys darkening
Theres an unsettling
silence
Thunder ends this calm
Thunder
Darkening, noise
Breaking natures silence,
Striking silence in
beholders
Bomb
The
Thunderstorm
A wonderful sunny day
In the middle of the summer.
Could the day be any better, I wonder?
As I go outside my joys turn
to sorrow.
I see dark, menacing clouds
coming from yonder.
Why, oh why must these
clouds come today,
On such a beautiful day?
As the clouds pile overhead
the birds turn silent.
Little animals run for
shelter.
Not an animal making a
sound.
The silence before a storm.
Day turns to night,
The lightning strikes,
Streaking across the dark
sky.
The eerie silence is broken,
by the roar of thunder.
Rattling the land, like a
message from an angry God,
Or a bomb hitting the land.
The storm carries on for
hours, before drawing to an end.
The land stops shaking.
The birds are singing.
The animals are out.
The day is joyous once
again.
Summer
Students cant wait to get
out of school
Finally no more homework or
teachers
Spending everyday relaxing
by the pool
Laying outside, baking in
the sun
Working on the perfect tan
People of all ages having
fun
Getting to sleep past noon
everyday
Staying up late every night
This is the best time of
the year people say
Some days can be too hot
But when asked if theyd
rather be in school
Kids say definitely not
Enjoying the cold ice cream
Or drinking cool lemonade
Sometimes it seems like
youre in a dream
As September comes closer
kids get sad
Back to school, back to
sitting inside all day
Having to see teachers again
makes them mad
The first week is kind of
cool
New teachers and new classes
Catching up with friends at
school
Counting down the days till
June
Waiting for no more school
Wanting summer to come back soon
MAUREEN
BOYD
..
Jason Clinton English
10 Periods 8 & 9
April 16, 2006 Independent
Reading Essay (revised)
Literature has had a major impact on society throughout
history. It has served as a form of entertainment and as an indirect form of
teaching individual life lessons. Some books deal with "grand" themes
of life, such as Antigone written by Sophocles. Other books such as Dragon
Tears by Dean Koontz serve more to entertain readers than to enlighten
them.
Antigone teaches the reader a variety
of "grand" themes. One of the major themes is the power of the state.
Sophocles reveals to the reader how power and authority can lead to unjust
decisions. Creon, the king of
In Dragon Tears, as
in most of his books, Dean Koontz focuses on a horror theme that involves the supernatural
to entertain the reader. In Dragon Tears,
Antigone's emphasis on the power of the
state is a "grand" theme of life. It teaches people to never believe
only your judgement can be right. You must listen to those around you. If Creon
had listened to those around him, Antigone, Haimon, and Eurydice would not have
died. Instead, he had to face the consequence of his unjust actions.
Dragon
Tears, on
the other hand, has a minor theme. It serves to entertain the reader, not
really to teach them. The use of the supernatural is to hook the reader and to
keep the reader's attention.
Teaching and entertaining a reader are just some of
the jobs of books. Whether the book is supposed to be entertaining or
enlightening is up to the author. The author may be like Sophocles trying to
enlighten the world as he did in Antigone or the author can try to
entertain others as Dean Koontz did in Dragon Tears.
Jonathan
Schultz April 27, 2006
Dragging.
Flying,
Flying.
Rocketing
towards finish.
Adrenaline
pumping so fast.
Winning.
Growing.
Everything
green.
Opening
and blooming.
Beautiful,
gorgeous and peaceful.
Flowers.
Water.
Perfectly
blue.
The
water rippling.
Millions
flourishing because of,
Liquid.
Jonathan
Schultz April
27, 2006
Water
It is
perfectly blue,
It has
no imperfections.
It sparkles
like nothing else.
It
ripples in the breeze.
It
destroys and creates.
It is
powerful, yet gentle.
It is
peaceful.
It is
water.
Its
color is like no other.
It is
blue,
It is
green,
It is
sparkling.
It can
be clear as day,
or dark as
night.
It is water.
It
ripples on ponds during spring,
when young
ducklings learn to swim.
It
provides for the duckling
and
protects it.
It is
its home.
It is
water.
Its the
weapon of a hurricane.
It
floods homes,
It
destroys our things.
Just as
it can be a ripple,
it can be
a wave.
One
hundred feet tall,
destroying
everything in its path.
It is
water.
Brett Sherman
Haiku
The
sweat is dripping
In my
shoulder is the pain
Football
is my life
Cinquain
Athlete
Is
Determined
To feel
accomplishment
Respect their
awesome achievements
Driven
Poem
Athletes
This is
what we live for
Adrenaline
rushing up our backs
Heads
clashing, shoulders bumping
Teammates
screaming
Music
playing
The
metal and rap only get us more amped
Were
ready for war
Practice
begins
Is when you cant
understand why youve been blocked. Well Ill tell you why. Its probably because
youre 5 foot eight And thats when youve met
your fate because I measure in at 6 foot eight. Catching the ball, Now thats my downfall. My fingers are like
butter, My coach is thinking
about putting some glue, So
that the ball will not slip through. Dunking, now thats
pretty cool, But sometimes I make
myself look like a fool. Because
I cant jump very high. Jumping, Now thats they key to
flying. Speed, Now thats what I really
need. If I had some of that Id be up the floor in
nothing flat
Basketball
By Alexander Kravchuk
The
worst part about shooting the rock
Outside
Look out
your dismal window pane
Outside awaits you
but on a chain
How free are you
to do what you please
Has our government changed
Are we on our knees
Allowing our conversations
to be heard
no privacy is given
No privacy is earned.
Camera watch
our every step
It makes me sick
the things Ive read
So answer this
I challenge you
how free are we
I have no clue
Outside is free
Rejoice in it
but take a second,
Think of this
The sun rises
everyday
Nothing can stand
in its way
So be the sun
Dont take no crap
You have your rights,
Go head n rap
Always be free
get the best out of life
fight for what you believe
is just and right.
By: Justin Giordano
..
Jenny Rose Eastwood
Sophocles
Greek tragedy, Antigone, deals with some very powerful themes that
clearly come through in the writing. I also read a book called The
Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants by Ann Brashares. In this book, the theme
may not be as forthcoming but it is very similar to the theme in Antigone.
In both of the stories, you see the writers view on family ties and their
different relationships.
Sophocles
shows in Antigone that although people may be family, when it comes to
power it doesnt matter who you are. In the story, Creon sentences his niece,
Antigone to death; she is also his son Haemons fiancιe. She is to die because
she buried her brother, which is against the law. Creon sent his only sons to
battle for him at the end of the story. He just let them die, but when he went
to save them it was too late. His wife committed suicide because her only
children were dead and it was her husbands fault. Obviously, family meant
nothing to those who wanted power. It didnt seem to matter that they were
sacrificing their own children.
The
theme in The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants has a different twist.
The story is about four girls who grew up together and treat each other like
sisters instead of best friends.
In the
middle of the story, Tibby meets a girl named Bailey who has cancer. Of course,
Tibby and Bailey bond, but Baileys health takes a turn for the worse at the
end of the book, which makes the girls realize just how important they are to
each other, and how important their relationship is. At the end,
In
both stories, you see the different levels of relationships and how some of
them are sacrificed for power, while others are kept close for all parties
involved to live a fulfilling life. Although the story lines are very
different, you can still see the similarities in them.
.
I Wish
I wish our love didnt end
We
should have made it until the end
Ill
always remember the times we had
Through
the good times and the bad
I
was so hurt when I heard you had to move
And
I knew everything wasnt going to go smooth
I
thought our love was strong enough to last
But
everything happened so fast
I
wish everything could go back like before
So
I wouldnt have to wish anymore
Jamie
Farese
.
Joey Kulikowski
GIRLFRIENDS
an excerpt
It is pretty
hard to have a girlfriend. You have to be able to arrange your schedule to fit
her needs and yours. Sometimes you have to sacrifice for the good of the
relationship. You cant keep it away from the parents. Money shouldnt be a big
deal because love is the main concern. Just dont base a relationship on nice
looks.
Kat
Amarillas
My
Story
You used to be my only escape
the person I go to
when I want to get away
from the entire world.
But things have changed;
now youre that one person
I cant escape from.
For you, Im just another chapter,
a chapter in your book
that youre obviously done with.
My only question is
Why am I still
stuck in this page
that you put me in?
Why cant I keep going
in writing the story of my life?
Havent you read between the lines?
Its all there.
All that Im ashamed to be,
all my flaws that youve made me see.
..
Ryan
Sherman
A
Poem
This
is the season for baseball
It
is fun for all.
My
favorite season is fall.
Thats
when its best to play baseball.
Dustin
Hotaling
Music
The
fuel that makes me free
Expressions
coming inside out
Expressions
and reason unfolding
Rage
begins to build and Im calm
Im
dreaming
Kayla Caldarelli
There are
many shows on TV
Heres a
few that interest me:
(You may
think this list is bleak
But I
watch these shows every week.)
My
favorite one is CSI
Ill
watch it til the day I die
I like Law & Order: SVU
Its one
of my favorite programs, too
I really
like the show ER
And I wish
I could watch it in the car
And
theres also Walker Texas Ranger
In my
eyes, he is no stranger
The 4400 is a really cool show
Its only
aired in summers though
Another
great one is The Closer
Oh, that
detective is no poser
Crossing Jordan is about a coroner
When it
comes to crime, shes no foreigner
Cold Case is the number one program that I know
I just
cannot describe this show
A program
about attorneys is conviction
When they
deal with suspense, theres no restriction
Thus
concludes the story of my show
And, by
the way, just so you know
I have
many others just as equal.
Maybe
Ill include them in a sequel.
Luis Pajuelo
..
Harry Potter and The
Half-Blood Prince
Matthew Kravchuk
When reading a book, I tend to
rummage for the crucial facts, the major conflicts, and the authors central
themes. In the case of the novel Harry
Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, J.K. Rowlings central themes are
trust, friendship, and self-sacrifice. Personally, I feel that the most salient
theme of this book is the friendship between Harry Potter and his many friends.
In a novel such as this, it is of paramount importance that the reader
understands how friendship helps Harry Potter reach his goal of defeating Tom Morvolo Riddle, also known as Lord Voldermort.
Friendship is a relationship
between individuals that is characterized by mutual support. Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
has many situations when friendship is shown. The protagonist of Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince,
Harry Potter, has many friends all over the wizarding world. His most important
friendship are with Albus Dumbledore, Hermione
Granger, Ronald Weasley, Ginny Weasley, Luna Lovegood, Sirius Black, and Mr.
And Mrs. Weasley. These friendships are what fuel Harry.
When somebody shows affection toward another person its because they care for that person. Showing fondness for someone lets that other person know that you care. When Ron said to Hermione, I love you, Hermione, hes doing this because after five years of knowing each other, and after five years of caring for each other, he finally realizes that he loves her in away that no one can ever supplant. (421) He realizes that he is ready to take their friendship to the next level because, after all, a mans lover is a mans best friend. Ginny Weasley and Harry also fall in love. The two of them were talking to each other and then they got to talking about Harry and his problems with Lord Voldermort. Then, all of a sudden, Ginny said, Maybe thats why I like you so much. (603) Just like the last quote, two people who have known each other for years, and have gotten to know each other through the art of conversation, find that they both are special to the other person in a unique way.
There is another sign of
affection in the novel Harry Potter
and the Half-Blood Prince that really stuck in my mind after I read it.
It was right after Ron told Hermione that he loved her. Harry was walking and
he noticed Ron holding Hermione and stroking her hair. (421) This is a great sign of affection. When two people cuddle
its because they care for one another. When they cuddle, they feel closer to
each other.
In the case of Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince,
there are sings of affection that dont require physical contact. For instance,
whenever someone tries to stop you right before you do something stupid, its
because they care about your well-being and what might happen to you as a
consequence of your actions. Some of the characters, even though subtle about
their affection for each other, they show how much they care for one another in
other ways. For instance, towards the end of the twenty-fifth chapter,
Professor Dumbledore says to Harry, I take you with me on one condition: that
you obey any command I might give you at once, and without question. (550) He
is saying this because he cares for Harrys well-being. He is also making sure
that he will have Harrys absolute confidence before setting out on the
dangerous task of hunting down the infamous Lord Voldermort. Confidence is also
a very important ingredient in friendship.
Another aspect of friendship is
trust. Albus Dumbledore says to Harry, I am not worried Harry, I am with you.
(578) This statement explains the level of faith that
Dumbledore has for Harry. Such a level of confidence doesnt simply happen
overnight. It takes several years for total faith in someone to occur. Besides,
its quite remarkable when the greatest wizard of all time is able to trust and
have confidence in a sixteen year old boy.
There are many themes in the
novel Harry Potter and the Half-Blood
Prince. Every theme is important in its own way, and no theme is alike.
The theme of friendship is one that in my personal opinion is of the utmost
importance in this novel. Friendship is what kept all of the protagonists
together. It is what allowed them to stay together even in the harshest of
times. If it werent for their trust, confidence and affection for each other,
their lives would be in a state of turmoil. They wouldnt have friends, and
they wouldnt have anyone to lean on for help.
Alex
Murphy
Here
Comes Treble
Through
the years
Ive
played my instrument oh so well
But
for who?
When
I say I play it
For
ore people to dwell
The
gigs with Gagne & the guys
Have
seemed too great
I
dont understand how great we can be
With
a raise of the bow
We
seem to amuse
The
crowd that seems
To
understand rhythm and blues
Colonel
Bogeys March
Seems
to be the theme
Of
the magical dream
Of
these 7 young boys
With
2 tenors who seem
To
play awfully bad and
1
baritone who knows how to keep the beat
And
for the rest of us
Yes,
4 altos and Mrs. Gagne
We
seem to surprise the crowd
Who
doesnt know who we are
Gagne
& the guys
.
..
an
excerpt from
Get to the Chopper
By: Andrew Wycoff
People don't know what its
like to be staring down the end of a pistol barrel put square in your face
not knowing what youll have to do next or whether
you will survive until the next
day, or to the next meal, for that matter. This is a story of a POWs life
during Operation Iraqi Freedom.
It was second tour in
..
Marissa Laibach
How to Take a Picture
Using a Cell Phone
Technology may
seem a little awkward since you can take a picture of someone using a phone. To
complete the task, you must follow a few simple steps. Next thing you know, you
and your buddies will be taking pictures of each other quicker than you can say
Verizon.
To begin this process you will need to have a phone in your possession, preferably a Verizon or Motorola camera phone (these have the best quality in photo taking). Next, turn your phone on by holding the END key (indicated by a picture of a telephone that is the color red). You may need to hold the button down for a couple of seconds. After your phone is completely turned on and not searching for service, press the camera button, usually located near the OK button at the top of the keypad. It may take a second or two for the camera to focus. The key to taking pictures with a cellular phone is to be patient.
When its finished, point at what you would like
to take a picture of. If you want to zoom in or out to get a better view of
your subject, simply press either up or down on the arrow keys. If there is
not enough light in the room or if there is too much light, you can brighten or
dim the picture by pressing left or right on the arrow keys. Now you are
ready to take the picture.
Simply press the CAPTURE button indicated on
the screen. You should hear some kind of sound telling you that the picture has
been taken. If the picture does not come out the way you would like it, repeat
the steps provided. Once you are pleased with your picture, your phone will say
either ERASE or SAVE.
Click SAVE and it will automatically be stored
into your media center. You may also want to do other things with your picture,
like make it wallpaper or a screensaver. (If you do not save your picture, it
will be lost forever.) Now that you have saved it you are now able to clear the
screen by pressing either CLEAR or END.
Congratulations! You have now mastered the skill
of taking pictures with your cellular telephone. Just remember to always save
your photos so you can enjoy them day in and day out. Always remember to be
patient and that practice makes perfect.
..
Connor Woodruff
We
have waited, and
Spring is finally on us.
I am grateful.
Greed is a disease
That humans were born
with. The
Infection has spread.
Im very tired
And I could sleep forever.
Please do not wake me.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ryan
Andrade
A really long life
Wasted by times pain
A new one is born
The rushing water
Of the
Slowly turns to rain
An
excerpt from a short story by
Joan
Herald
CHAPTER
FOUR
I finally got to the
spot where we are supposed to meet. Im screaming for joy when I see all my
friends cars there, and my friends over by the swings. I see Camrons car and in my mind I screamed a big YES! I get
out of my car and ask my friends, Whos riding with me? I grab my bags out of
the back seat and throw them into the back of the car. Well, its not really a
car its a truck, but I hate saying truck. Amanda answered me. Um
Camrom, Miss, and John. Is
that okay?: I shake my head yes. Camrons
car cant make a trip like that, so he has to catch a ride. Miss and John are
like family to me, so thats why they are driving with me.
The drive to the cabin
is like four hours long, so we make stops on the way. Our first stop is at a
restroom area. Restrooms are on one side, vending machines on the other with
picnic tables right by them. Im not that hungry so I
get a small bag of Cheese Ritz Bits and put them in the car for later
I sit at
one of the tables with a book with the words MY JOURNAL on the front of it. I
know I probably shouldnt have brought it up with me, but I want to write
whatever happens while it is fresh in my mind.
John, Melissa, Amanda
and Paul are playing tackle football on the other side of the road where there
is a field. Im now writing in my journal about how it is so far when someone
comes up behind me and snatches my journal. I turn around so fast I think I got
whiplash. Camron was holding my journal up so I
couldnt reach it and he was trying to read it. I finally got it back and I sat
back down at the table. He is still laughing about it. Then, when he is done
laughing about it, he sits down next to me and says, Sorry. I hit him once on
the arm to tell him, That wasnt cool. Miss and Rob finally come out of the
restrooms and ask if we should get going again. Everyone says okay and starts
to pack up their things.
We are only half way
there
and my friends get rowdy when theyre in a car for too long. I drive
another half-hour not stopping until I get a call from the other car asking if
we could stop for food. Ten minutes later we are at McDonalds waiting for our
food to be done. I tell everyone this is going to be the last stop, so get a
lot of food
so we can get there before dark.
..
Jessica Rinaldi
Three Simple Words
Three simple words, I Love You, can
cause you so much pain
Three simple words, I Love You, can
leave you alone in the rain
But maybe thats where I want to be
Instead of in your arms.
Three simple words, I Love You, can
mean a lot or a little
But when you say it, it seems like it
means nothing.
Three simple words, I Love You, can
mean I want you to stay for a few days
And then be on your way
Three simple words, I Love You, means
nothing these days
People just say it to say
Three simple words, I Love You, these
words I will never say.
Crystal Mc Neil
1.
I know youre sad
But just wait
The time will come
As your delight
So close your eyes
And make a wish
One day soon you will get that kiss
2.
I try to help but I dont know
What to do
I care about you
So why dont you
Even though youre sad
I doubt you could get mad
We have so many memories
Good and bad
I cant see you feeling pain
Like this
I want to help you
Just let me know how to
Danielle Fontaine 4.25.06
Sunshine
Sunshine
Shining in our eyes
Watching, romantic
,windy
Sleeping, dreaming, wishing, hoping
Beauty
Sunshine
We sit and watch the sun go down
Shining in our eyes making us squint
Just enough to see the world
Waiting until dark comes along
Its like the world has stopped
Just waiting for the sun to go
Its qualities and beauties
Make the universe continue
Breakfast
Right
when you wake up
Its the
most important meal
Regretful
if missed
Dinner
Dinner
Humongous
meal
Eaten
during the nighttime
Chicken
potatoes and hotdogs
Supper
Meghan Scutieri
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
What is
Honor?
It could
be a good name
A fear
that can be tamed
I think
it may be
What we
really dont see
The will
to redeem oneself
Of lost
status
Brenden Robustelli
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Cameron Campbell
The junkyard cars sit knowing they may
never cruise again.
Just like old men these cars sit and
tell their stories.
HOCUS FOCUS
a
probably one-time only literary publication collecting
prose
haiku
cinquain
illustration
blank verse
rhyming poems
Webutuck High
School 2006
2nd Semester ELA
Freshmen and Sophomores
ELA
Teacher: Steven Pollak
FRONT COVER ART: Dustin Smith
BACK COVER ART: Beatriz Aldana Marquez
memories keep winter from being cold
