MPitS - Ukiah High School

MPitS

Ukiah High School
2011/2012

The Last Time She Ever Fell

The first time she ever fell in love.
He was the beauty and passion
Of hunting lions' tango.
Then that voice over the telephone,
Yes, hello, they had been together,
Yes, they had.

Through the softness of the dial tone,
Slick against her ear,
She saw it, how it must have been,
Could have been.
But it didn't really matter now,
No, what was, is, could have been.

Pictures, in her mind,
Were blooming,
Sultry curlicues of cigarette smoke.

Her knuckles white on the receiver.
And the softness of the dial tone…

Some chance meeting, green grass,
His smile, luxurious smooth body,
A smile back, their eyes, no familiarity,
Breakers against the beach,
Eternal,
Nothing to lose.

It was pressed against her chest,
Plastic, slick with the heat of her hand,
The humming cutting through the air.
She slumped against the wall,
Twilight falling,
Light changing,
Then, Click. Silence.

Hand on a wrist, steady pressure,
They sit, looking,
Green grass, red lips, warm skin,
Steady pressure and his solemn eyes
Ask permission,
A half-smile grants assent.

Her breathing rocky,
Back against the bracing chill
Of stable walls,
Nearly double,
A folding chair tucked away,
Rust was creeping up her arms.

They tumble over,
Flop,
From the lawn into his sheets,
And softly, softly, grant permission,
To each other, each alone.
Red lips, warm skin.
But now no sun to shame them,
Seek them out and show them,
And softly, softly,
Slides his hands,
Up over hills and hollows,
Red lips, warm skin.

Crack, dry heaves,
And she's tilting—
Crack, her muscles clenching
Crack, crack.
Like thunder,
Like lightning.
Crack, the telephone
Bouncing, clattering,
Upon the floor.
Bitter sobbing rips her chest,
Her head lolls, pleads to the sky,
But only dusk sits around her,
Indifferent spectators in grey.

Flooding gold upon the bed sheets,
Some feigned innocence,
Of summer dresses and smooth legs,
The sun taps at their window,
And they'd rise to let it in,
If his solemn eyes
Said not good morning,
Warm skin, green grass, red lips.

She's folded up,
And tucked away,
Beat and battered,
Mangled metal,
Creaking, fallen,
Moaning in this freezing wind,
Which whispers
Prodding gently,
Warm skin, red lips,
Folded up, and tucked away.

Jazlyn Kraft [jazzikraft@yahoo.com]
Grade 10, Ukiah High School
Michael Riedell, Classroom Teacher

Love and War

Ever since I was five
I’ve been barely staying alive
Living on the battle grounds
Of world war three
Watching the stars fall down

All around me
Staring at your propaganda
That you’re shoving down my throat
All this talk about right and wrong
Has me writing a suicide note
So let me be
And choose my own side
I can finally see
The truth is mine to decide
I have the freedom of speech
And the right to bare a gun
Cause past the lies that preach
This war’s already been won
And you say it’s not fair
But all is fair in love and war
And if you really care
Then why don’t you love me anymore
So here I am
Down on my knees
Because if I stand
You wouldn’t be bigger than me
You wouldn’t be better than me
Up on your pedestal
Ruling like a queen
Cause this democracy is out of control
And there’s no longer a top
Because society’s hit rock bottom
And the downfall of the economy
Is worst than we could’ve thought of
And here we are fighting
For each other
Yet here we are fighting
With another
This house is no longer a home
It’s the false foundation
From which I have grown
And these lies and this bullshit
Is all I’ve ever known
So please make this building my own
Make this house my home
Because are only breaking it
And tearing it apart
You are uprooting our family tree
And stabbing it through my heart
You can’t make us a family
Any more than I can make the sun not shine
You can’t make us a family
Anymore than I stop the hands of time
You can’t make us a family anymore
Because I am not property of his or hers
I am my own human being
With rights that I deserve
So let me be
And make up my own mind
I shouldn’t be getting punished
For your sins and crimes
And don’t you dare say words
I haven’t spoken
And don’t tell me I’m strong
When I’m screaming I’m broken
The best you can do is give me the
Because I am choking
I’m choking on a word
That refuses to come out
I’m choking on divorce
Because it’s leaving me with doubt
You said it was for the best
But I don’t think you meant the best for me
Because you’re driving away
And this haze you’re leaving is making it hard to see
And I wipe my eyes
So I can see clear
And I see you smiling
In the rear view mirror
And I wonder when I was born
What expression was on your face
But it’s too late now
You’re closing up the base
You’re bringing home the troops
Retreating across the line
You’ve let me be
And I’ve made up my mind
I’m getting out of this was
Before it get worse
Because there’s never a winner
When it comes to divorce.

Rilee Dockins [rilee95@msn.com]
Grade 11, Ukiah High School
Michael Riedell, Classroom Teacher

MPitS Home About Links Poet Teachers Schools Site Map

Website designed by Bob Evans & Blake More. If you have comments about this Web Site please email: blake@snakelyone.com