arkansas poetry in the schools (1980-1981)

7/29/2019 arkansas poetry in the schools (1980-1981)

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ARKANSAS POETRY IN THE SCHOOLS 1981

Poetry in the SchoolsIs a joint project ofTh e National Endowment fo r the ArtsandThe University of Arkansas, Fayetteville

and Is staffed by merr.bers of the University's ProgramsIn Creative Writing and Translation

Steiner-Co-directorGaik-Co-directorTaylor-Co-director

Edited by

Karen SteinerFrenk GaikSally Evrldge

t I I

Cover Design by Curt Harrell

James Whitehead-Project CoordinatorMiller Wi II iams--Consul tantJohn Clellon Holmes-Consultant


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Foreword

I t is with great pleasure that the staff of Arkansas Poetry in the Schools Programpresents this anthology of fine work from the seventy-two schools we visited this year,a sampling from over f i f teen thousand students. Here is a collect ion of poems entirelyworth reading.

The purpose of Arkansas Poetry in the Schools Program is to help students discoverthat language is surpr is ing, that i t ca n make things come al ive. A c i rc le , for example,was transformed by David Cowan, a student from Ramay Junior High School:

I t 's a r ing without any jewels.I t 's a su n with no bri l l iance.I t 's a wheel of a car that wil ltake you anywhere. I t bouncesup and down I ik e a bouncingba II I t ' s a hu a hoop with no chi Idinside.

This is good worl


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Participating Schools

Alma MiddleArkansas HSTexarkanaAsbell ElemAtkins HSAugusta HS

Batesville HSBatesville JH SBeebe HSBenton Alternative

Sentonv IIeBismark JHSBooker JH S

Little RockBryant Learning Resource CenterCabot JHSCalico Rock HSCentra I JI-'S

SpringdaleCity Heights E I emVan Buren

JH SLittle RockHi l l JH S

TexarkanaMiddle

HSSprings E I emSprings JHSSpr ings HS

MiddleLake HS

Hot Spr ingsHil l ElemRogers

HSHS

ElemStuttgart

HSt Springs HSl ie JHSWallace ElemFordyce

v

Jonesboro HSKing Elem

Van BurenLee ElemSpringdale

Lincoln HSLincoln IntermediateLonoke JH SMcNeil HSMountain Home HSMountain Home JHSMurfreesborc HSNashvil le HSOak Grove Elem

Van BurenOle Main HSLittle RockOld High ElemBentonvilleOsceola HSParker 's Chapel HSEld c,-adoPea Ridge HSF rair ie Grove HSPleasant View HS

OzarkRamay JH S

Fayettevil leRarr,sey JH SFt Smith

Rogers HSRussellvi l ie MiddleSiloam Springs HSSouthside HS ..

Ft SmithSouthwest JHS

SpringdaleStamps HSUmpire HSUptown Sch IThis school was notFayettevil le visited under grant.)Washington Elem

Fayettevi l leWest E IemOsceolaWest JHSWest Memphis

Westside E I emRogers


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Elizabeth AdamsFranz BaskettKaren BorgenheimerMichael BurnsCynthia ChinellyDavid CoyBarbara CullyDonna CurdHolly DunnSally EvridgeFrank GaikBuffa HanseJohn HarneyCurt Harre l lJohn HartJohn HawWi II iam Howell

Keith HubbardCarlynn HuddlestonSusan JonesRichard l


6/84

The Pet

watched his master hand him food,while he thoughthis great outdoor neighborhood.thought of a painful capture,

standing alonehere with a powerfu I rapture.

the grinding of the wheelsas he was pulled,up around th e hills.

of a sudden he heard a sound,then he sawstaring, standing al l around.

his master placed him on th e floorso he could see

but a meaningless door.thought of a wonderful plan,

of how he couldthis harsh man.

he came back to rea I zethat th e holeas just incredibly his size.

he could never escape,for ne knews c a ~ e WdS wrapped with tape.

o he goes on through I if eby himself,

take it in his str ife.-Ma r k Lovelady

Seeing a Painting by ChagallSkinny necked ladyFlying in the skyTrying to get toHeaven before :::he dies.

- J o s eph Herron

Grass Snakes

Why do you sl i ther in the grass?Why do you curl up into a strikingposition?Why a re we your enemies?Why do you keep sticking your tongueout?Why do ya 1 11 have beady eyes?Why do grass snakes have a bright,colorful and v a r n i s h e d ~ i k e skin?Tell me 1 Please. What are ya 1 11for?

- f< imberly Boggs

Tt-.i s Is Just To SayI have borrow( dth e cane polesthat ..-.ere inth e garage,and which youwere probablysavingfo r fishing.Forgive me.They were tantalizing:so tall ,and so straight .

-B r y a n Stockburger

After ChagallI feel a world of my own,Undisturbed of its natural beauty.I feel as if th e colors surround mybcdy, and I have constant energy insidE:.

-B r i a n Hill


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The Ocean of HistoryLike a water faucet,Life is turned on and off.Turned on an d turned off,Never flowing freely.Like a river,Time n:cves fast an d slow,Both fast and slow,Always flowing freely.Time's journey always brings it to the oceanWhere it mixes with other rivers ar.d other times:Each different, a II convergent.Time, no t life, fills the ocean of history.

-Nancy Merchant

HandstrewnI wasA.1 ol d piece of clothing,And you were my tailor.I wasBeat up,Torn at the seamsready to be discarded.But you sa wTh e brightly wrinkled liningAnd decided to make meInto something tolerable,Useful, fashionable.On a star-clear night,The flame hovers inside:The ball that whizzes from the pitcher 's hafld,The bat 's resounding crack,The hotdog wrapper that blows acrossThe deserted field.

-C indy Carlton

2..


8/84

King Kongday I met King Kong

Dixon StreetI asked fo r a 50 hamburgersaid he did not have anyand he was weird lookinghad blue jeans on an d cowboy

tee-shi r t an d hissmelled I ik e mud but he

pretty nice he let me standhis hand when I go t on hisit was fun so I started

and i t was so funnyKing Kong laughed butKing Kong found 50the ground and he saidyah sti l l want a hamburger?I said yes so we went

got a hamburger and thensaid bye to King Kong an d

left.-A iesha

I Ca n Do Anythingcan f ly with the birds,

Eat with the mice,And swim with the ducks.I can dine with the true kings,Dance with the real queen,And r ide a white, white horse.

can do anything.

I 'm So Great':Vhen I laughEarthquakes dance.When I burpVolcanoes erupt.

When I cry,Floods r ise up highWhen I sing,Things star t to r ing.l 'msogreat ,

- Suz i e R.

Planets orb i t when I wink.I 'm so great.

-Gwynne

_3


9/84

The FearSmall and alone, hidden in a bubble,I see the wind swirl ing in the sk y

There are people of all colors, I ca nAlmost see thei r brains. They have no l i fe.The fish are dripping l i fe.Through the tunnel is safety; I mustSomehow f ind the entrance.Death is around, I can feel the a irAnd the odor of darkness.I am alone in a lonely lake, andI can feel the comfort of quiet.

- Rhonda G Ienn

A ChairI t helps me wr i te .I ca n sleep, but not at night.I res t my elbows.I res t my arms.Th e person behind me can rest his feet.I don't l ike i t . I t 's no harm.

-M i k e Cast

The SecretThe secret of the stars--gravi tut ion.The secret of the earth-- layers of rock.The secret of the soi l - - to receive seed.The secret of the seed--the germ.The secret of Man--the sower.The secret of Woman--the soi l .M1 secret: Under a mound thatYou shall never f ind.

- Buddy Grimes


10/84

The Invisible Person

Every day alone sh e walkedOnly to herself she talkedShe was dull an d drab and plain,And those about her never noticed her pain .She was invisible simply becauseNone cared to seeShe ha d no friends or family.She was alone, unloved, and afraid.On Christmas day her body was foundThe wrists cut, her blood on the ground.And inside her pocket, they found a noteUpon which a scribbled hand ha d wrote,"My name was Norah, but nobody cared.From pain of loneliness I was unspared.Nobody spoke or kidded with me.I and myself were always to beAlone with each other with no other friend,And that is why I hastened my end.Although I'll be dead when you're readingThis letter, even now in my heart I reallyFeel better . Because ou t ofAll the years I have lived,You are the only one to giveThe time to notice me."

-C indy Fields

5


11/84

Th e Lady in a Black DressI am Iik e a distractedChild whom they drag byTh e hand through the Fiesta of the world.My eyes cling sadly to things,And what misery when theyTear me away from them.

- K e n Simmons

Wasn't That a Party?heard a song. It was about a party.

The man's head was li:


12/84

l-A Graph

I am a sheet of graph paper to plotyour I ife on .I am a huge f lyswatter about lo causeyour death.I am the screen that f i l ters outyour thoughtsI am the window to your mind.I am the screen that keeps youaway from evi l .I am a f i l ter fo r your gold.I am a new game of advancedTic- Tac- Toe. You can never win.

0One l ine overlappingi tself. No upside, nodownside; no sidesata l l . Ar ingwi thtrue meaning or nomeaning at al l . A holein a record. A clock withno face. A full moon.

- L i s a Biggers

-Mona Curchi II

7

How Not to Make Up After a FightGo to the kitchen when he comes home.Yell at him when he asks what s wrong.Kick the cat because i t won't leave youalone.Jump when he speaks to you.Cry when he touches you.Laugh when he t r ies to apologize.

-Rache l Martin


13/84

AngerAnger is a ball full of holesThat lies in the wet snow.

-An i t a Miller

A StaplerIs Iik e a man holdinga snake open and closing its moJthspitting i ts si Ivery white fangsinto your skin.

-Hi l l a ry Osborn

HoneycombA lonely auto Iies in the midstof men Iike a cherry in th e midstof a flasher convention.Engulfed in the white and grayan d black hats, appearing as a single beein an interchanginghoneycomb.

-Bobby Winstead

The BarThere was a soft glow in the roomas I wa Iked into the bar . The bartenderturned to look at me with dark circlesunder his eyes. The lights were encircledby rays of light as if underwater. Thefloor looked golden, with floorboardsreceding Iike train tracks into a door,as if going into a tunnel at the back otth e room. Th e men sat at rounded, dingytables drinking hard liquor, and halfasleep. There was an unfinished gameon the old pool tab Ie in the middleof th e room, an d dreary pictures hungon th e dirty walls.

-Wes ley Gordon

A CombA comb is Iike leaves on. a treeblowing in a spring breeze.Or like a New Yorker walking headfirstinto a gale. Or even like a long windowin a damp dreary jail . A comb is likeeat 's claws in a ball of string.

- J e f f Thompson


14/84

Grandmothere limps around the kitchen

together breakfast ,an d eggs and ho t biscuits.so happy when she'sher kitchen.after that she ~ e s out

d works until she hurts.then she comes in anddinner of beans an d taters .

- Henry Meriweather

To All You Nubian GoatsYou were my source of income for two years .Sure, I got harassed about yo uBut I was a Iways there next morning a t 4Hooking up milkers , feeding the kids, trimmingHooves, and scrubbing th e dairy floor when allWas through.Twice a day, I did this for you.Why, I even bought a T-shir t that states yo u a re th e best.Now you are all gone.I wish you were back.I need th e money an d I miss your companionship.You were more understanding at times than those that stillHarass me. Oh, well, I guess they never had you for afriend.

- Pam Lashlee

To My Dream Car Hangman's Noose

sit at home all day,Watching car chases on T.V.Mannix, Magnum, Charlie 's Angels They a II remind me of you,My dream car .I sit behind your steering wheel,Your pedal to the floor.At 120 we fly a longust you an d me together,dream car .

-Wade Fincher

The hangman's noose,the opposite of the businessman's tie,is a magnifying glassto death.

-Kimber ! ie Bookout


15/84

Class Poem

Panther ate a nice warm baby cowBelchedPuts on his soul c lo thes -

tight pants, white tux, pink sox & a derbyJogs to his woman's houseBreaks a toena I , screams I ike an IndianThinking about buying a bedroom set

(maybe a waterbed with leopard fur)Sometimes he wishes he wa s a regular pantherRunning in the wilderness

But the next stop is the bankHe thinks about dinner

Chasing rabbitsDown payment on a new car Moon ight dinnerA man with an apple in his mouthWhat kind of wine to order

Hai r on the Sink So'3pMess in th e bedroomclothes all overcloset piled full of junksocks & pants hanging on my stereodresser drawers openrecords a II over my deske t rack tapes under my bedsI look with disbelief as I see a chickenin the l iv ing room chewing his green toenailsI look in the bedroom and see a banana jumpingup and down on the bed. I see a stuffed toyoctopus choking an old man to deathI look in the master bedroom and see a I i t t leg i r l st icking stra ightpins into a stuffed dollthat looks exactly I ik e the old man

-Bill Smedley

10


16/84

Naturaleza

The Metamorphosis of JasonJason was a long-haired youth,cool as cool could be,bu t he I stened to records and radio tapesall but constantly.So one night as we walked alonga fairly lighted road,I watched him change and rear range;with strings and knobs he growed.The night was dark, but I could tellby the light of the Northern Sta r ,My best friend Jason, the music lover,had turned to a 10-string guitar .

-Danny Womach

Naturees todo para mi:caer de las hojas en atone

Nature is everything fo r me:the Ieaves fa II ing in autumnthe lament of a winter nightde una neche de invierno

el nacimiento de un nuevo serpara luchar y conocerbelleza de lomas hermosoIa naturaleza.

- P i l a r A Idona

I I

and the birth of a new human beingready to fight and recognizethe most beautiful thingof th e world, Nature.

(translated by Karen Borgenheimer)


17/84

The Melodious WomanWith horn in hand the womanplaying softly attractsa rooster and a cow, among thelavender trees. Enchanting therooster most because of his ownsing-sor.g sound that wakesthe su n up in the morning,an d with the woman's magicaltunes a Ilows the blue-green plantin the pot next to her to grow.

- Scott Jones

Am the Man in th e PaintingI have a flower.The flower is dark green .I study the flower carefullyFollowing each vein .

-R " l l ph Duke

11-

It Could Have Fooled MeA dog's lick is notan act of love;it 's only to taste you.It 's only forhis own satisfaction.When a cat purrsi t 's only becauseyou're patting him,no t because he thanksyou for patting him.It could have fooled me.

- L i s a Lucius

Bar RoomWith the aroma of an awful cigar,And the bi.t ter taste of vinegar,And the sight of saloon galsWith their red and blue tasselsDangling long and wide,Streaming down along their sides,And th e bartenders ' candy stripes.

A. Hancock

Why These Horses are Yellow an d GreenIt is said that these horses angered

the rainbow .-Wayne Kizzian


18/84

GodzillaGodzilla is walking,stumbling, squishing downTokyo and its people.Kungu ooga kush yu,yu oversized eggroll.He keeps walking,squishing, stumbling.

-Toby Shonefelt

Scott's PoemI watch the snow fal l ingon a ho t summer day.I carve a pumpkinfo r the Fourth of July.I sit under a weeping wi I lowwho is laughing at my work ,while a crab f l ies outof a crack in the sun.

- -Scot t Balentine

Curses

Stacey's PoemWhen yo-yo's turn to me me'sWhen I grow tall and thinWhen telephones s top r ingingAnd trees become my fr iendsWhen time stands st i l l for somethingWhen candy isn ' t sweetWhen wind stops shortAn d runs the other way1 II ea t my turnip greens.

-- Stacey Blackburn

May you ge t fa t when you go on a diet .~ o d n e y El l is

May a thousand starving wolves find yo u dr iving a meat t ruck in the desert.-Ph i l i p Me IntoshMay your lunch crawl off your plate and attack you.- S c o t Rogers

13


19/84

FortunesI. Different WaysTea leaves, palm reading, going

into a trance, tarot, a seance,ESP, crysta I ba II, astrology.The best way is to wait and see.

I I . For tune TellerShe wears clothes I ke a gypsyHer hair is in a bu nHer eyes are like pits of charcoalShe says, I've been ex .pecting you.

I l l . The FutureI w iII have a good job, getmarried to "him" and have aboutfifteen kids; the marriage wi IIgo wrong. There will be adeath in th e family.

- J o ann StewartLinda OverbeyAngela WilderRandy MilamDee Mclarty

CatsThe cats have eyesLike starry skies.They have clawsHidden under their paws.They cuddle up to you,Bu t you don't know what they'll do.Instead of criesThey let.out sighs.

-Amy

MonsterHead like a trashcan or a wheel rimArms Iike steel 1-beamsEars like white bowlsLegs like telephone polesNeck I ke a shock absorberEyes like yellow fog lightsBrain like grape or cherry jellyTeeth Iik e bones from a dead dogBreath like a skunkBlood I ke 40 weight Quaker State oi I.

- F r a n k Day, Danny ThomasChuch Pearson, Kathy Warner,Robert Bruton, Donna BradshawKenneth Henson, Jackie ClarkBennie Nelson, & Lee Ernst

Big Things In My HeadA hangoverWisdom, RedEyes, a whole headful orMarbles and brown mudto keep from bouncingWhen you walk.Hope, s tarsWhen I kiss a girlBottle rockets, Roman Candles.

-Robe r t Darby


20/84

a Martian on VenusMartian on Venus ,

Are you unhappycrushed by lrle strong gravity?back into your ship.And go back home.

ar e you one of the fewto roam to Pluto?

ana Out between planets you'll flyNever able to land on that red brick sky.

here and stopping thereOn Jupiter and Saturn.up Uranus.Not dar ing to land on Earth .

one day you find a home,And stop your lonely travels,Look up at th e s tars .- J ohn Murphy

The Roses long green stem

in prickly thornswith a beautiful

with red peta Iswith the morning

wwhen th e dew's gonespreads ou t its petals toth e fir st ray of the c:un

-Wayne Levering

15

The FallThe girlHurtTerrifiedUncertainConfusedDoubtfulYet safe.-Anon .

The Tapping PencilA boy sitting at atable trying to writesome poetry, and thena five finger hand .withapenci l in it,the five finger handstarted tapping the tablt:with his pencil .

-Anon .


21/84

How You Can Tell When It 's CalicoSomebody pushing a cardboard box down

the street with their truck.You see a tota I of a dozen cars an devery other one is a police car .011 Saturday night fo r fun the people watch

the train go through at 11 o'clock.I f you walk into a store t ~ , e owner calls

you by name and says, "Hi."And everybody waves at everybodyif they know them or not.- N. K. Stephen

PoemFrom above a crowded streetI see th e masses of men's hatsLike the confetti on a party's floorAfter everyone has left.

-Le e Farr i s

I

Calico RockYou ought to smell the a irAll full of new jeans,Dry cleaned clothes,Used furniture,Fishing bait,Hot Pizza,Hardware tools,and flooring ,;,ill smoke.

-Che ry l Owens

Quiet & Emptyam as quiet as a personlessorchestra.

I am as empty as a symphonybench.

- Dadie Woods

You're in Calico RockThe train tracks by the riverOld People sitting on the steps onMain StreetKids sitting where the old ChevroletPlace Is and Lena Faye sitting on theCorner in her orange sunglasses.

-Be t h Lane


22/84

The Face in th e MirrorThe girl in the mirror has blue frecklesAnd green teeth.She loves to wear grog skins on winternights.She is afraid of eating hot corn,because she remembers when sheate it and she sat by the fire thatn'lght an d the corn she ate startedpopping and she popped up anddown.She is also afraid of peanutbutter cookies baking in th e sun.

- Kellie Jones

ToesThe big toe looks Iike a musclemanmaster of his fellow toes .The second toe, assistant to thebig toe, is stiff and straight like adead animal. The third toe, bentand crooked and old from watking,looks I ike a tree that grew undera fence. The fourth toe, to nopurpose of his own, is wanderingI ke a lost do g with th e rest of th etoes . Th e fifth toe, treated I kemashed potatoes up against th e sideof th e shoe, just sits there.

-Geo rge Anderson


23/84

Someone Ate th e Rabbits"What?""Someone ate th e rabbits .""Oh, no!""Oh, yes!"

h. II"Hiccup .... ICCUp . . "Oh, no!"

-Adam Koete

Country 0 reamlove to dream in the

country sun and watchth e blue bird fly up high,and eat th e morning breeze:.Watch the horses glidein th e wind, red one, brown,white ones and all .

Cindy Douglas

Green Beansee a green bean.

It is playing tennis withTracy Austin.He is th e worst player onearth.If he loses he will gointo the frying pan.He will cook to a sizzle.

-Vanc e Wilson

The Brown Eaterate a brown hippopotamus withhorse juice. It tasted Iike

watermelon that has been inth e mud for ten weeks.For desser t I ate a snakean d a black dog with ababy in it.

- S c o t t Klombar

A NightmareOn e night I dreamed that everythingI touched turned bad.

- She l l y Scott


24/84

- F l o yd

GoneToday when I get homeI ' l l ask daddy i f he wouldf ix my 3-wheeler and Iwi II go and go an d go far faraway.

- C h a d

Reactions to Stravinsky 'sL'Histoi re ~ S o l d a J . _

think this music makes meSee a bike. I think, think thisMusic makes me hear b e ~ s ThisMusic makes me smell f l owers .This music sounds l ike a ship.This music makes me think thatI t 's Halloween. This music makesMe taste grapes . I t sounds I kea city.

- Shewn

In My BedI was in my bed .What did I see?A great big head, looking at me .I asked what he was doing, and hesaid to me, " I 'd l ike to eat you upcause you are so sweet."

- Joseph

19

A circusC.Jws running in the wildCowboys after the cowsA carnivalA Music bandA man playing the viol in

-Ch r i s


25/84

Dumb StanleyThe dog next door stole my bookHe ate a II the food upThe dog ran awayThe dog could jumpHe go t in the busHe went to New JerseyHe went to Brown StreetHe's in trouble now, ain't he?The do g stole my shoesIf my dog got on the bus I 'd ti e him up with a chainHe will knowThe do g cntcher came and got himMy dog tore my shoe upThe dog go t run overThe dog is going to the pet doctorHe got thrown in th e ditchHis ta i I go t run overThe dog chewed up th e socksThe man was angry at the dogThe owner came back and took the dog to his homeI - : ~ go t run overHe chewed up the do gHe chased th e cat and he got himHe never went back to New JerseyHe got carried to th e dog poundThe dog is fa tThe dog go t back on th e busThe do g chewed up my socksThe dog peed on my bed and I do no t I ke thatABC The dog came into the house with me.

-M r s . Johnson's Second Grade Class


26/84

EyesMy eyes are I kebig green balloonsThey wander offinto the world

- P a t t i Decker

Huntsat with my back against a rock

each side of the creek bede moss-covered rocks and gentle

careful not to bother the otherlook in the water at my reflectionreflection I will not ever forgete cold steel of my gun biting my hand

for the sign of quarryhoping never to see it

t when I do, the s i Ience is brokenthe roar of death

-Randy Harring

The Squirrel HunterThe Squirrel Hunter sat on a log.It was not yet light.He thought it was beautiful there.The ground wa'E quiet .The t rees were whisptring quietlyto each other.The wind was whist I ng softly.The squirrels were sound asleep.

-R i c ky Besancon

I Am a BananaYellow, sometimes black where I haveskinned my elbows an d k'lees,I am usually smooth from myvery top, down my long, slender bodyto my feet, with a few black bumpswhere people have been careless with me.My shape is of a c u r v ~ d horn, myouter skin protecting my soft, whiteinner body which so many peop I e desire.

-A l l en Hurst


27/84

Star WifeHe's looking outof the window at night,looking at the s tarwhich reminds him of

Football

I am sitting on a te e on the forty yardline. 11 people are rushing toward me.The guy in the middle kicks me in theback. I fly through th e a i r , tumbling.The man on the other en d of the fieldcatches me hard.He rushes toward the man who kickedme. 7 people hi t me:.I go into the a i r .The team in red catches me .They run down the field.And they drop me on the 29 yard line.I fall on my head.A piece of glass cuts my headAnd a ir rushes ou t of me andThey throw me av.ay.

- Jinjer Keilberg

My Daddy's Quiet Boots

his wife. He waslooking at th e s tarsbecause they v.ere brightjust like his wife. Thestar fell from the

After seeing those old leather shoesgo through rain, snow, and sleet,

and now seeing them sit there insilence in th e quiet, lonely trashcan,

in silence they walt fo r the matchof death.

sky onto the ground.He went outside wishingit was his wife.

-Kenne th Bowles

-Marc i a Candi Iaria

2.2


28/84

Color Walkwent wa Iking

the roadan old gas stationdirty screen door

in place by a c r o o k ~ d I strolled pastred barn grown up

forgotten weeds.the brown

path around th ea cathedral ofshady t rees .

r off in the woodsl t i s a l ive .

toward it.ee a brook runningclear, clean fizzingThe t rees a longedge a re ta II andI see on eis baby-pink, an d

e that is th e blue ofe sky. One is orange Iikee sunset , an d another ise violet of my favorite

leaves of thefa II into th e rushingThe colors run

water turnsblack.-Ma r y Mazzanti

Beware of the Gi llywhoppersBeware of the GillywhoppersFor they have ki llyguns.They w iII shoot yo u deadUntil tomorrow morning.They a re hungry.They will kill for millymoles.We will al l dieFor we have none.

- Lou i s Denson

Interchangeable?Said once a tomato to th e farmer,"If for only one da y I could be th ePrince , and yo u could be the Pauper!Imagine that in early fragrant SpringI'm early to r ise and plant three rowsof farmers.Then one day, I , th e tomato, pickseveral pink, ripe farmers .But now it is late AugusL We musthurry: change back.We lead normal lives in the sameordinary routine.It never happened- it was a dream.

-Mike Murphy


29/84

Contraryleft when I arrived today

DeathDeath looks like a dark alley

on a cloudy night.Death smells like a musty atticafter a sumrr.er rain.

an d closed the door and entered.Then I climbed down th e stairsup to my room and read a bookwhile sleeping.

Death feels like a rough piece ofsandpaper on a wet day.

Death tastes like cabbage thatyour mother makes you eat .Death sounds like the calmness ofth e sea on a quiet night wherenothing is moving.I woke up dead, clamped on my head,jumped up an d hit th e f l oo r -

an d I rea Iized my shoes werebackwards as I wa Iked in, going

Death, most of a II , can't be judgedby what people say.

out th e door .-Wayne Schi lders

If Clocks Were DogsIf clocks were dogsAnd dogs were clocks,Rover would tell timeAnd Micky Mouse chase cats .People would wearMiniature poodles on their wrists ,And chain th e grandfather clockTo a tree in the front yard.Your digital alarm would go offWhen a burglar climbed inthe window. A radio do gwould sing th e latest songs.

- T e r r i Zachry

-A n o n .


30/84

Take a WalkTake a walk through the center of town.The sidewalks are bare except for theyoung mother leading her child, and theelderly couple walking hand in hand.After all these years , along the street,Battered trucks are waiting for theirowners 'v\ho are gossiping in the barber

A Necktiea sad life.look at you an d laugh.

t you can't get away.get mad.

e laughing gets louder.you crazy.can't stc;nd the laughter.

shop.

. . . Louder They won't stop.must tr y to ki II them.choke them, tighter, tighter,must get tighter. Then they takeoff. You are sentenced.

hang you - P a u l Wilkins

- Cneryl Welcome

The Seesaw And Though the motion is I ke that ufa ship rocking on the mighty sea,it 's a cannonpivoted on a triangle.Someone has turned the cannontoward the sky to shootthe enemy- the pirate ship, thedistant whale's eye. A loud crack,the cannon ball flies like a trapeze-iststretching fo r a small rope.

-V a n Crr>. ig


31/84

Pool HallThe opening of the doorat the poo I ha II ,the sound of a quarterslamming against thetable, the chalking ofa pool stick, the cutting ofthe stick through the a i r ,the cra ck of the ba II sagainst each other, thesound of one droppinginto a pocket, th e stickbeing chalked again andanother ball fal ls-and'this goes on until allthe balls a r e gone.

-Da r i n

PalsRay is my friend. He runslike a lizard, talks like a channelcat . He is smart as a mouse. I likehim because we are alike.

-Dav id Reed

SaxophoneIt is like a hose turned ina curve. It feels like a cool,wet lake. It sounds I ke a hornon a car . It has buttons like acomputer. It is in something likea briefcase: a saxophone.

-Ma r i a Plaza

Construction Sitehear the hammers banging.hear the saw going.hear th e trucks coming and going.hear th e men shouting to one another.I hear th e rock busting.I hear th e clang of metal.I hear th e concrete being scrapped

and shaped.hear the telephone ringing.hear paper scooting acrossth e ground.hear myself saying,I hear .

- T i n a Davis


32/84

Stagam running, faster, faster.The tv. igs are breaking under my hoovesAnd my antlers are scraping th e t rees .The hunter 's scope is on me withthe crosshair on my shoulder.

There is a quiet in th e air like death.-Gen a Weser

Lion CubThe fears all come when my eyes a reclosed.The fear of being left.No longer being loved.On my own.What sha II I do ?Where shall I go?Making friends . . Enemies.So cold.Why was I left?Warmth.Revenge.

-Mike Rogers

2 /

AppleOne day an apple came up tohim and said, "May I have abite out out of you?" He bi tth e arm of th e man an d therewas a worm taking a warmhot bath.

- Viola Davis

Writing is EasyWriting is easy.Take a pen or penciland a sma II piece of paper .Put th e two together andlet them have a conversation.

-Deb r a Nickolson


33/84

DeathDeath is l ike empty shotgun shellsNext to a small kid's gravestone.

- R o y Dudley

A knife is the slim face of death-Tim Gabbard

Poems

Wi id and FreeTh e eagles may f ly ,And the mustangs may run.Th e cougars may roamAnd the deer may rest in the sun.The mountains can keep on r is ing,And the sun can keep on shining;But when the night time comes,I know I ' II dream of you.The cool, blue brooks wi II sparkleAnd the morning grass wil l have dew.I love the way you l ive.So wild and free;And I hope that somedayYou' l l come home to me.

- Ka r en Stout

The knife which glints evi l ly in the dark rr.oonl ight ca n a Iso cut butter.Teresa C.

A spoon is l ike a window into an upside down wor ld .Anthony Edens


34/84

The Page of Cups( 1n response to a card of the Tarot)He is standing by the water with a f ish inh is cup. Wearing a br ight blue hat.

My Tr ipOn my t r ip I landed

His golden boots standon the pale sand.The waves of the water rushby very quickly .He has a black belt wrappedaround his waist.The golden of the cu p shinesbr ight ly in the sun.Th e fish t r ies to ge t backinto the water , but hefa i ls.He holds his hand on his beltand stands very quiet ly lookingat th e f ish.

- The resa Mangione

on an island where the peopleI ie on scorching sands an d thekids were surf ing on the whitecap waves. There were many hotdogstands, plus so many dri f t ingsailboats you could notcount them a I I .

- Ju l i e Wi:son

Th ethreeWomendrank

The Three Gobletsall hopeday wasunti I goneall for

a I I .

-S teven Gass


35/84

Departing with Tw oArriving with OneMy father made us eat burned toastbecause my mother was in thehospital and we were late for school.My mother went to the hospital tohave my only sis ter , but she came homealone.

- S andy Girkin

Early MemoriesThe house across th e s tree twas big and brownand it go t bigger as I walked towards it.I went fishing with my father.He and a friend picked me upand pretended that they would throw me in.The grade schoo I had windows above my head.Someone threw a rock through oneand I watched the g ~ a s s shatterand float down into the radiator.

-K i r k Teeters

ManThe moon sat in th e skyand rea I ized that she needed someone,even though she was beautifuland self-sufficient.She took some iron and covered itwith wood and tender grassso that it would be strongbu t able to be gentle.And th e moon was womanand the earth was man,and they made each other better .

-K i r k Teeters

Where Did It Go Daddy?We were in Florida on my third bir thday.My daddy and I were playing with my ball .He had given it to me. It was real pret ty .Red with white diamonds on it .We were in the middle of the lawn.The grass was dry and stiff beneathmy bare feet.The sky was cloudy and grey.Daddy threw my ba II .He is very strong.It went up. I wa tc..hed i t .It disappeared into th e clouds.It never came back down.

- uebbie Quigley


36/84

Matchtake me

t of the box.you r ip

The Summer SurfPlace in the summer sand. Picture his board glidingthrough the foam, then his hai r blowing in the wind.Next the water being cut by the f in, the tube-shapedwave crashing down on him as he plunges into thefoamy, blue-green water.Picture the board springing into the sunny wind. Nextthe monsterous tube forms into a l i t t le r ing in the waterslowly f lowing at the end of the sur f .

-Bret Evans

ou t of the book.str ike

on the back,d burn me trash

the last matchout

d fal ls to ash.

- P a u l Anderson

31

The TomatoThe tomato skin is red, almostas i f his blushing embarrassed himamong s i b ~ i n g s . He is afraid to bechosen, but wanted to be part of atantalizing chef's salad. But, afraidto be in jured by the jabbing knife;terror ized to be thrown: smashed.But as long as he can , he wi II resideon his cool vine.

-April Nickerson


37/84

The Unpleasant BoyHe goes around al l day walking,putting his hands where they don'tbelong.

-W i l l ie Rainey

GrowingWhat I'd give to be a baby again.Sucking my lollipop and gettingmy cherry red cheeks very sticky.Crying when I let go of my balloonand it floated higher and higher.Shaking my rattle for th e worldto hear . But I had to grow, a longwith everyone like th e t rees outsideby my window.

-Michel le Jones

My On e ComfortNo pillow to lay my weary head upon1 thinkoff reedom.1 only 1 could escape from this cage.1 cradle an old army medal nearmy cheek.A present from my father whono longer walks these grubby streets.I toss th e medal into the air ,wztching it spinning, landingalmost in the sewer grating.But then it 's safely back inmy palm again.My one corr.fort.

- Angela Wylie


38/84

Applehead of a Nairobi

to a vinyard fo r anout.

eaten comescore of i tsel f . 11

-Suz i e McDonald

Box

Hoi e on top of the f loorSomething to hold that isn't wantedSomething to hide ini t yawns unti l a top is put on i ttakes up space

-Co r be t Dean

Old ManHe is sit t ing at the dining table.His eggs are st i l l bubbling. Th emilk looks l ike a sheet of typingpaper rol led up. He looks outthe window and sees the treesbeing blown by the wind that blowsthe leaves across the road. The sunis yel lowish-orange, and " i t feelsgood," the old man says, as thecow moos, an d the chicken crows.

-Cha r l i e Hil l

SlugMoves so slow as i tL ~ ' 3 v e s a si lver tra i I.Lives in dark places witheyes on stems.When seasoned with salti t melts.

- Anon .


39/84

Nail J .C.amana i l . l l i ve i n

an egg. I ea t moons.have to go to the townmade of bacon. Theremake trees sail in a leg.

was the daughter of Pharoh.was the mother of Moses.was Queen of Italy in 1231.shot J. R .!

I 'm the twin sister of the RazorbackHog.- Kayla Carpenter- Jack i e C.

Sound PoemA pencil dropping sounds l ike rainA book fa II in g sounds I ike an elephant fal l ing overClapping sounds I ike drops of water dripping off your houseClapping sounds l ike a drumWhistl ing sounds l ike birdsWhistling sounds l ike the windSnapping your f ingers sounds l ike hailsounds I ike a c Iocksounds l ike water dr ipping into waterClicking your tongue sounds I ik e horsessounds l ike King Kong and Godzil la f ight in9Hitt ing your f ists together looks I ik e a turkeysounds I ik e a gunWailing sounds l ike a traina pol ice carwindambulancetornadoHitt ing your f ingers together sounds I ik e Spr inkl ing

grasshopper jumpingsnowing real ly fastDropping a r ing sounds I ike a baseballdiamond dropped

Fanning leaves of a book sounds l ike windzippers zipping uphe icopter wingsPutt ing a coat on sounds I ik e a snakeleaves fal l ing off a tree

- 1 ~ t Grade Class


40/84

In My Dreammy dream . . .

saw a turtle eating a toenail.heard a drop of blood fall in a pail.felt the alphabet in tender brail le.

- C a r y G. Clayborn

Be Kind to Birdsare you so short?Don't worry, we lcve your yellowYou a re sometimes kindto birds, except when i t 's the middleYou catch a Jot of hell.Oh, your coat is too small.

- Jay Jackson

Sagittarius

Midnight Has RisenMidnight has r isen,

as have I.For like midnight, I loatheday Iight. Darkness has

overcome, as have I.I hold the darkness unlikeI hold any man.Time moves at its pace,as have I. I am only

a minute handticking away life.-L au r a Swafford

DieA cube of cheeseno larger than a dieMay bait th e trapto catch a nibbling mie.

- Romach Pute

re th e Pioneer type who likes to try new things. You will be a fine person in theindustry. You like to kill things and smear them all over your body. You willsucceed in marriage or have an affair. You will be insane by the time you are

Your death wi II be neither swift nor pleasant.-D a v e Sayer!O

35


41/84

You're In HarcmanRight down the road by the D & Bdr ive- i t is Kerr 's Grocery .We just gu there to buy stuff.Ker r waters down his ga s and westall a few miles down Route 64 ;no stop l ights. Old man Pluggy, Catholicand half German, ha s stuffed his storewith old shoes, old hats, and old food fo r94 years. Nothing interest ing we can think of,even the next door junk store is old andoverpr iced. We just bui l t a new f i redeoartment with one t ruck an d no waterin the SO gallon tank. We don't know anythingabout City Ha l l - t he small t ra i ler housein f ront of the P. 0 . that used to be a bank.Indians and Cubans put in new rai ls rustingon the only tracks dividing townand the tw o churches: one white, one br ick .

Mrs. Jaffe's 4th Per iod Class

PoemIn my hand squirm green t reesIn my shirt a pine tree stands nu tI button my shi r t and cardinals whisper

- Che r y Moore

Toesthe big toe is l ike a woman that hasbeen pregnant fo r two months and isafraid of nothingthe next one is l ike a telephone poleand is afraid of nai lsthe middle one is l ike a lock of hairin a hat and is afraid to jamthe fourth is I ke a tree trunk soodd and ugly and is afraid of beesthe f i f th toe is I ik e a van f ront andis afraid of dogs

-She ldon Lashlee

At LargeNotify SOI'I'!eone of authority

i f you se e this g i r l .She ha s snakes in her ha i r

and has one glass eye.She runs across the streetsin f ront of cars.She remembers staring at

a l i t t le chi ld and making i t c ry .She is wanted for going to

a dance with a man of 24.-W indy Harden


42/84

Time Playon the clocktowerplay with the handsc Iock . Whenthe hands

e cats and dogseach o th e r

and birds instop flying.e man going to

restroom.I spin the hand forward.e the cats and dogs

thousand milese birds fly nine

miles an hour.e people saying words

you see when timebackwards is this:not falling from

clouds, but goingthe ground.

t bored withI go toDing Dong Land

eat chocolatean d twinkies.-B la ine

Get Out of TownGhosts and gob I in s hanging 'round,take my advice and leave this town.Devils and Demons, cats of black,Get out of town and never come back.

-Ang i e Waliski

The Day I Caught a ChickenFor weeks I tried to catch a chicken,But I just never could.At first I tried to lasso him,But not the way I should.Next I tried to build a trapWith a tub, some str ing, an d a stick.I hid behind a shed and pul led-But the chicken was too quick.And once I sat so still and quietI did not move a bit.I 'd scattered chicken food around,Bu t chicken I did not get.And then one day I cornered himBetween some bales of hay.He squawked and tried to run awayBut I caught a chicken that day.

-E l l e n Dickson

37


43/84

DeathIt wil l no t be v is ib le l ike a rose in bloomI t wi l l no t be tangibte l ike a si lk dressI t wil l no t be heard l ike a bell r inging fo r all to come1t wi II not care about our feelings for the ones who love us .I t wil l not be stopped from doing i ts jo b l ike a workman on str1keI t wil l not remain at one house for long

PoemThere is a manin that cornerdressed in a black jacketand a black sh i r t .On his feet are shoesbut no socks.He is alone and afraid.

-Denn is Will iams

RockI t is a sculptured unsculpturedI t is a cave uncarvedI t is a clam untouched by waterI t cannot I i veI t cannot dieI t cannot sustain I i feI t cannot f loat

He don't have anywhere to sleep.He don't have any money. I t can take up massive spaceI t can f i t into your shoeHe don't know how to get a job.He don't know where his gi r l is . I t can be written upon or writ ten with

-She l ia Nash Even though i t may take only a shortt ime to move a mile, i t takes a thousandyears to move one inch

The Old PoemI t wil l not f ly , unless you fold i t .I t w iII not be very sma II I t wi l l not look into dreams.I t wi II not take my l i fe ser iously.I t wi l l no t change i ts colors.I t wi II no t have long faces.

- Te r r y Whee:ler

I t wi l l not have ja m between i ts toes.I t wil l not sing, dance, or play.I t wil l not be able to see us.


44/84

The Roads of Cross- lifeThe line that leads to the lefttells all about the past for you .The center one tells all aboutwhat is going on fo r you today.The line to th e right tellswhat is going to happenfor you in th e future.These lines are your life;yo u 't'4ill live by them.

-B i I Van Oer Griff

This Is My SignThis ism

Wealthlooks I ke a green atmosphere.tastes I ike beefwell ington.feels like silk .smells like the inside of a new car .sounds like change clanging together .

- Floyd Emerson

a . . Y Sign, an empty ke y holewaiting the moment th e k . 'against my worn .,.d ey Wi ll danglees .-Rhonda Borum


45/84

Who Am II am the pastry in the baker 's windowthat every hobo hungers for .I am the sign of the s ix t ies -the sign of peace that goesalong with long ha i r and beads and everythingelse n,y parents don't understand.I am the view seen by the young boysecret ly peering throughhis mother's door, whi le she bends overto ti e her shoes.I am a I imp piece of spaghett ion a plate wait ing to be devouredby the fat man.I am the pastry in the baker 's windov1.

- Kr ist ie Kimball

I magesBeneaththe painted porcelainmask,dainty hands rest ing in creamyruf f les,madness sleeps, and the hands hideta Ions.

- Lysa Smith

Loneliness smells l ike the dust from a passing car .-Pau la Langley

The Vacant LotI am a vacant lot .A creek runs through me.Th e trash blankets me sothat when people stop bythey drive off faster than they came.I am a vacant lot.I fear one day a bul ldozerwi II str ip me of my treesan d plant a house v. i th a fenceand stab a for sale sign into me.

-Denn i s Kimmel

'fO


46/84

BarbonianOnce upon a time there was a Barbonian, a creaturewith the head of a spider , th e legs of a cat , the tailof a horse, and a body striped like the zebra. Well,Barbonian was walking along and he heard a noise.Clank Clank Thump Brr r Crash. Then he heard itagain. Clank Clank Thump Brr r Crash. Well, hewondered what this could be. He walked until he cameto a road and there coming towards him was a garbagetruck so he jumps into a trash can. Which was a bigmistake. He gets dumped in and dumped out in th edump . He accidentally stumbled into a pit with trash .A lid closed and smashed the trash and Barbonianturned into a lady narr.ed Barbera and rr.arried thegarbage man.

-Kev i n Coleman

A UnicurnA unicurn is fluffy as a cloudand as smart as a boy or a girland as cute as a new born baby .

- J . Todd Miller

I'm DyingI'm Dying, I'm Dying, what shouldI do? I'm gasping for air . I'm gaspingfo r air . I'm Dying, what could I do.That's all I'm going to tell you, becausel'rr Dying .

- J . Todd M II e r

4-/


47/84

The BirdsThe birds are crawling ou t of the sky.They have been talking to th e sun.They q,re going to enter a car race.They are going to get their beaks shineduntil their feathers come off.I wish the feathers of the birds did no tcome off. Now I will have to pick them up.

- J a s o n Rupert

SkunksThe skunks are craw I ng ou t of th e

ladies room.They have been putting on makeupand perfume.They are going to go on a date

until midnight.wish I could find a betterrestaurant.

-E l a i n e Fawcett

Macho Cockroachgot up Saturday morning.

And I looked on the wall.Cockroaches were playingbasketba II . The score was12 to 0. The home was in thelead. Macho, Macho Cockroach.

- Rhotanda Letbetter

The Alligator BriefcaseOnce this old briefcase used tocrawl around like a snake.

-T r a c y Hazelwood

Used to Beused to be an ocean

but now I'm a t ree.I used to be a riverbut now I am th e sea.I used to be a riitbut now I'm a piece of chalk.I never was a personbut at least I could talk.

-Miche le Bradley


48/84

Progress?The cows took their fences elsewhere.Th e farmers go t their money and moved their families.Bulldozers knocked down the t rees ,send them to saw mills,leaving the ground bare.Men come with cinder blocks, wood, glass, paint.Buildings grow and grow upon the ground.Asphalt encircles them.Black ribb.ons decorate the blocks,an d stones, houses, an d parking lotsStamp out all signs of the farmland before.

- J e f f Muses

My Grandparents ' HouseAn ol d house, r.o running water.I vividly remember it .Each day, I woke up on a feather bed.Playing with my cousin an d rr:y dogin the boondocks. -The nei9hbors arefar away. The a ir is cr isp, unpolluted.We played in the garden,picked little tomatoes,an d four-o'clocks which arrived at five.We were gypsies , an d sometimes acrobats.The ha y in the barn and the pondbehind it were forbidden grounds.I went back the other day andit was all different.Th e yard is gro ... n up. The hay is gonefrom the barn . The pond has dried up.There are no f o u r ~ ' c l o c k s , but the memory is still there.Nothing stays the sarr>e.

-Ho l l i Drewry


49/84

Cookie ManHe was bald. He wore glasses .He was real fat.He always wore suspenders.I was eleven, a tomboyin Alaska.After supper, about ?:30,th e neighborhood kids were outan d waiting.On our bikes we would race .The f irs t one there would ge t a surprise:usually two cookies instead of one."One for each h a ~ d , " he would say.We parked our bikes an d ran around back,knocking on the glass doorwith our faces and hands against it.He would bring out a batch andhand them out.Walking back we wouldgobble them down.The cookie was homemade,but it was safe.It was chocolate chip,or maybe oatmeal.My favorite was chocolate chip.I never talked to him though.No one ever did.

-Debb ie Burrow


50/84

Haircut DayClip goes the scissors , clip, clip, clip.I can feei my once rooted hairson my neck. Clip, clip, clip. My nosegives a little twitch as hair falls to mynose and to the ground. Clip, clip, clip.My light brown hair stil l keeps on falling.Finally, the chair swivels around.There. That 's much, much better .

- T e r r y L. Green

To the WormTo yo u little worrr. that crawlsthrough th e holes, making a slimylittle trail , as a boy picks you up andputs you in a jar , as they take youou t you see the hook that will endin your doom, as you fall from thehands of that greedy little boy, asyou run through the bushes asfast as can be, as he nears th estreet. Squash 00 as you li e onth e s t reet as you di e alone, splat tered onthe s t reet as a squashed banana.

-Anon .

WorldThe world is great.It 's like a strong gate.You can drive around incars and shoot off tothe s tars .Bu t wait. The world is notall that great.People make mistakes,and so do I.

-Kev i n Brandinburg


51/84

A Thing Is a Thing BecauseA thermostat is l ike a microphonebecause i t bites you.A mophead is I ik e a f i lm projectorbecause i t is hairy.The poem is I ik e a starbecause i t f l ies.

- A n o n

Disappearing into a Benchin the Northwest Arkansas

Malldisappeared into a bench

at the Mall. There are greenplants on both sides ofme and they feel rough l ike plast ic .Through the Ma II in shoppingcenters I can smell pastr iesand donuts cooking and fi II ingthe building with r ich aromas.I hear machines working andpeople talking. I ca n seethe many decorations hanging upand painted around ahoi iday. When heavy peoplesit on me I think I won'tmake i t , but f inallythey leave.

-Danny V ia r

Being a Shotgun Shel lMy plast ic grnndpappy is from anoil deposit in Arabia.My metal grandpappy is from amine deposit in Utah.My gunpowder is from a science labat the Universi ty of Cal-Poly.When I get conked on the headby the hammer, I think I needsome rei icf .When my pellets get in thedead anirral, I have a chat v.ithall i ts insides. I know thempersonally.

- S a m Brooks

A Steel Fishing Hook on the End of a Zebco Fishing PoleI am in an old run down fishingcabin. The fishing pole is leaning against the wal l ,but I am on the window si l l . I have a view ofa lake. I smell of worms, f ish, and l iver .I hear the wolves howling at night andboats running in the daytime. I feel the coldwindow si l l against the bottom of me andants l icking the stains of worms and l iver.And I wish I could be used again.

- T r a v i s Ulr ich


52/84

U ~ l A J tts

Sea PoemIn my hand the bottom of the churning sea is green.In my shoes the kelp tumbles along th e top of th e sea.I ti e the seagulls in the ro l l ing of the sea.

- J ane t George

How You Can Tel l I f You're in LincolnI f yo u go to school fo r a yearyou wil l f indA lo t of teachers get pregnant.Once we thought i t was th e water .The .A.pple Fest ivalis a big attract ion.They have a singer per form.I t usually lasts three da y s frorr, Friday to Saturday.Th e rodeo is getting smal ler .Nobody is sma II enough tor ide the bul ls anymore,but we st i l l go.That's about al l .Lincoln doesn't do muchbut drive around th e square.

- P a u l Moorman

In Lincoln, but OutsideThe people smile with false teeth.In thei r l i t t le c i rc les you feel l ike a square.In f ive years , I 've gained an inchof respect and f r iendlinessout of a mile of wanting a f r iend.A ll perfect sty les with two faces.To t rus t is to chance.A few f r iends have le t me in .I f yo u move in from the wor ldto th e l i t t le town of Lincoln,good looks and money make you a par t ,unless yo u surv ive long enough to grow on them.

-Samantha Ba i Iey


53/84

Lonoke Junior HighA was getting sick becauseB kil led a worm whileC was moving in onD who was messing around onE who was sitt ing at home whenF called and asked i f i t was all r ight fo rG and H to come over an d watch TVI turned i t onJ' and K were dancingL walked in whileM N 0 P were in bedQ shot R in the back becauseS yelled at T whenU were kil ledV got the moneyW got the landX was t i red f rom reading all thisY calledZ v.ho was comfort ing A

- J i m Hulfman

Lakes of AmericaHuron sounds l ike a bet in a poker game.Ponchartrain sounds as i f i t ha s been left outin the ra in, left in the trash, an d thenflushed down the toi let.Greeson smells I ike a smelly shoe after i thas been run in a 24 mile marathon.Beaver looks as i f i t went on a tr iparound the world.Greer 's Ferry is l ike a r i ver r ide on a boatsipping a tall glass of root beer.Great Slave tastes l ike the ground f loorfrom the mi I I.Superior is the to f dP o a snow-covere mountainIndian Lake is as i f every white man died.

- D e r e k Combs

Grief StewFi rs t yo u use pleasure peanuts,envious eels and pain potatoes.Pour in jealousy juice and a l i t t lejo y je l ly . Add 3 to 4 l o v e ~ lumps anda l i t t le hate sauce. Just a srroidgetof happiness humus and some boredombeans. 4-8 conceit carrots, 2 thoughtlesstomatoes, topped off with angry ashes.

- G r e g Hutchins


54/84

Guess WhoNibble, nibble an d run. I must hide.I fear th e owner of this great house.

have not th e nerve to come out by day,in fear of the Raid, or Black Flag that kills with a breeze of the wind.I fear the tall slender being that has no t four legsand the foe of rr.y death that comes so swift .People say that I am so grossbut I myself am truly a very nice person.

see no t why they hate me so.kill not, nor speak of any harmful thing.only feast on the leftovers to clean after mr. human,yet I don't leave any dishes to wash or even a floor to sweep.

I creep up the wall to visit my friendnot knowing th e terr ible raft that I am about to fear .A sweep with a fly swatt and I am no more,a black spot or a speck as I lie on the floor.And yet I hope that I go to that great kitchen in th e sky,where I may feast and creep and sha II no t die.

- "Coo l "


55/84

LemonI am a t iny, faded orangewith a sharp bit ter taste.Pt:!ople ea t my inside most,an d leave the rest for waste.I put a touch of classinto a lo t of dr inks,and br ing out all the ugly faces,the f rowns and the winks.I hit your tonguesand make them fold.I am a lemon,small, yel low, and bold.

-Ange la Pace

My Back YardMy back yard is ful l of green f ingersThat reach ou t fo r the rainWhen thirsty and dry.The house of junk is si lent l ikethe heavens of the woods.And the chickens chatter withLaughter as they feast.

-Ange la Pace

Check I t OutDig, I 'm so bad that I kidnapped Sonny the Lightning,throwed Thunder in ja i l . They sentenced me fo r 2 to 10but le t me out on bai l .Check i t out, I got so much class that I haveto sell class to the class r ing factory.An d ta Iking about cool. I 'm so cool that i f you took meto the North Pole, I would freeze i t . Well, I guess I ' l ltake my leave, even though I know you wanna hear more.But i f anybody asks you, i t was the cool , sleekand sophisticated Mr. Bean, as i f you wanted to know.

-R i ckee W.

5D


56/84

Death Begins in Mountain Home ArkansasAs I dr ive through Mountain Home,I think of an old folks' home.The old men and women wheeling aboutthrough the dark corr idorsin worn out wheelchairs,wishing upon the good ole da y s complaining.Mountain Home is an old folks1 home;the residents yel l at th e young foolsin thei r new-fangled wheelchairsas they slowly dr ive to get their checks.

- T im Quick

The CrowdLong l ines of crawl ing antsalong r ibbons of rock brokenby dashes.Each object sees i tsel fwith a purpose, Cl'"ld th e othersas a crowd, while thoseno t a part of the l inessee the whole as acrowd.

- J ohn Hardwick

51

Newspaper LadyLeathery ladyworn with age,del iver ing newspapersda y after day,she's a legendin her t ime.This lady whostumbfes around,wobbling downnarrow streets,competing withyoung-bloodedboys on ten-speedbikes, who throwp a p e r aroundI ik e discarded toysis not I ik e them.They're no t l ikethe lady wh ohandles with care,papers of newsdel ivered everywhere.Through rain and sleetst i l l onward shegoes, sharing herl i fe with frieQdSan d with fees.A great serviceis sheto this quaintl i t t le town. Thisleathery lady whostumbles around.

-Kev i n Hil l


57/84

A FanA rat on a wheel in a cageA merry -go-round at a carnivalA breeze through an open prair ie

-- Dina Borgeson

Horseback RidingTh e smell of leathercl ip-clop

--Anon.

My ThoughtsThe fumbling tal idng.The talking f inding no home.The talk ing f inding no rest.The talking can be talked.The talk ing is thinking.The thinking are thoughts.Th e thoughts are my thoughts.The thinking of my thoughts are only thought.The thoughts are thoughts that are mine,and only mine.The thoughts are my thoughts and now

This and ThatCrunches of bodies and padsCracks of bodies and parlsGasps of a irThughs of a irPopping of helmets and padsStomps of feetSlashes of skinSplats of bodiesWhistles of an off ic ialScreams of a wounded personYell ing of a coachTalking of a fanWater of a ju gBreaks of a boneHumms of a ballGongs of a tongClicks of a clockSoda of a glassPopcorn of a ba gHot cocoa of a cu pSpats of a chawHorns of a baw

-M i k e McWill iams

The thoughts are talking and sharing with your thoughts.-S teven McGough

52_


58/84

Thiseyes may shineteeth may grit

this one cheeseburgerwon't get- - Timothy Sanders

Paintastes like blood freshthe vein.

t feels like the dew onpane.t 's black and bluewho's been beat.

sounds like the runningfeet.ts best friend is death,

always aroundd looking for a way

you six feet underground.- J e f f Craven

53

Rules fo r DyingMake sure no on e dies in your place.Move everyone out of your wayso you can die first .Take ic e water with you. It.could be ho t where you're going.

-Rog e r 8 .

ParanoiaIt 's a feeling you'll never forget.It 's when you're walking aloneand you think you got snake bit.Paranoia has its fear when you'reriding around hiding your beer .It 's when the law is near and allyou want is to hide your fear.Paranoia is when a married woman is yourdear , and her husband is near .

- Anor.


59/84

The Feel ing of the One Famous ManOh! my I i feMy beautiful an d wonderful l i fe!How famous I am .I can have the whole world in my handsbecause I 'm famousand everybody I ikes me .Everybody wants me.Oh ! I 'm so good.I can have a lo t of women in my I i febecause I 'm famous.When I can seemill ions of people looking fo r me,waiting for me,and my voice starts to sing,breaking the silence.I feel so good .I'm glad I 'm me .Oh! God!How famous I am!Why me?

- Mylene Grino

a Machinea machine

Like a mir ror I shineI do my job wella machine

They pound me ful l of factsLike waves against the shoreRest I do not knowFor time is never my ownI a machineAbuse to me is no worry to themAnswers, Totals, FactsThese circui ts of mine never relaxThey v.o:11 t le t meFor 1-a machine

-Lori Mclure and Kim Chism


60/84

Devi I s DictionaryCity: A pace fo r th e gathering and conference of smog.

-Maur i t a Kirby

Hand: An object that is usually put where it does no t belong .- T e d Whittington

Sex: Something people do when they get bored with each other.-R i c ky Holt

Friend: A device used to publicize private information.-Mandy Hull

Clock: Something to assure you that class is lasting forever .-G a y e Shirley

Cigarette: A device to make you look cool and srrell bad.

It has a lot of yellow teethwith a green blanket.What is it ?

Answer: ear of corn

- J a ck i e Smith

-Anon .

55

How About You?We are ba d .That's the fad .Drive teachers crazybecause we're lazy .Get sent to th e dean

hole in my jeans .We drink and smoke.We cuss and chew .How about you?

-Vi ck i Stc'l


61/84

RiddleP,n 01gan playingwith sorr.ething behindth e red curtain.ltl/hen you play, th e right keys,something happens: th e curta in sopen. Answer: trap door.

- Seb r i n a McCI:..!re

Plastic.Th e plastic is elastic, and th e moreyou do it th e more it grows.

- T o n y Glass

SunflowerIt feels funny to l:..c a flower.I am a sunflower.A seed is a good thing.

- J . A .

Roses are redas the bloodof th e heart.

-Au tumn

The Haunted HouseIt sounds Iike a creakingdoor ::.r a rusty hingeor a desk that is movingc r Iik e a rock that isskidding across th e roador I i ; , ~ a spring that is rusty.

-Ma rk Eversole

RiddleWhat runs without feet? Water.

- S t a c y

PoemWhen yo u see Kentuc;


62/84

that ha s a gu tarthat guitar outside

he isHe is singing so

is teeth show.- Lee Carter

with the body ofsleeping l ike a lo g .

fallingthe sk y I ikefa II i ng from theon an autumn day.

is beatingperson beatingdoor to be rescued .are some f lowers

theI ik e a gun going offbeginning of

-Ang ie Smith

Batwasold ba t with his

an umbre l la.s eating a cookie and his eyesI ik e broken eggs.

- L ee Carter

57

This Old Mansee an old

man while walkingto school. He crossesthe street with me.He talks to me.He sits under th etree and waits fo rme after schoolan d walks me home.He tel ls me stor iesabout scary things.He buys me candyevery dayafter school .

- Bobby Stenes

Black

am a black gir lam tal l and slenderlook up at space

and sa y i t 's as blackas my face.My da d is real lyWhite, but he works ata coal mine . So what'sthe d i ffe renee?

-Troy Spears

RainRain fal ls on the hole by

the man with a bignose . The t i re is f lat beside

the road while the whaleswere playing in a puddle.

- J ason De.::n


63/84

I'm So CoolI'm so coolthat I can swim th e Atlanticin seconds flatan d never get my feet wet.I'm so coolI know every wordof songs I never heard.I'm so coolthat when I sing a songall the birds sing along.I'm so coolI can get a date;ask her out at seven,take her out at e i g h ~ . I'm so coolpeople hang my gymsocks by th e chimneyin hopes St. Nickwill soon be there.I'm so cool.So cool.

-B r i a n Ford

Hey Franc isYou'll never guess what happened. I was paintingmy rubber band collection, when th e Pope flewover my head. The clouds poured like meltingic e cream into my pocket. As I ran to th e nearestdoctor th e Tangerine Man appeared and choppedoff my shirt . "Live and le t blow-up!" cried mypuppy cat . Then the doctor came walking by myapartment window, which is on the 18th floorof my ashtray. "Doctor, Doctor," I yelled. "Fixme! Fix me!" So he did.Now that I'm better , I think I'll just go to sleepand hope you are well and not on fire.

- S t e v e

Climbing1. The man went to New York2. The man tried to climb the Empire State Building3. The man fell and broke his arm4. The man tried again5. This time he made it up there6. But he fell down and broke his neck7. Now he's dead

-Ha ro l d Hollis


64/84

The Ground That Was SkyThe rain was coming up.As the puddles of clouds gosmaller , the sky filled up.People walked on top of theirumbrellas on th e groundthat was sky.

-Howa rd Skinner

Lone Iiness PieFor the crust that goes underneath,

crumble a rotting Christmas wreath.For the filling that gives th e pie taste,use sorrowful syrup and blues- ma n paste.For the decorative meringue that sits on top,

whip up the water of an old lady's mop.For the oven in which the pie will bakeUse th e oven of love where many heartsbreak.

-Andy Cameron

VanityThere is to o rruch paint on the outside sign;

the music is too loud;Everyone looks away hoping someone will

look at them.The Iight is too dark to see.The smoke is too thick to breathe,

bu t nobody coughs.Everyone leaves thinking they'll all

be missed.-G a r y

59


65/84

Nick's BarAs he sits in his chaircleaning his glasses, he

The DayThe sunrise in the east islike a great light display.The new da y is as fresh as a newly picked fruit.But it will come again.

- F r e d Sutton

My GrandmotherMy old gray-haired grandmotherwith wrinkles al l over her body,was once humped over the bestlooking wood cook stove I 've seen.The ugly old lady was brewing upa good long res t .n ~ a t old lady's meals were like gold.

- J immy Cotton

Left-over L ~ d y

sips his beer slowly, gently,My grandmother Is a lady left over fromthe days of folding hand-fans, of glovesand hats. My grandmother sits in herrocking chair , the su n shining throughstained g 1a:;:c; windows casting purples,reds , and blues onto her wrinkled face.As she remerr.bers better days gone by,they pdss as slow as snails; yet, sometimes, the rememberir:.g makes it seem asif it happened so quickly. Now times havestopped Iik e a broken ~ a g o n wheel.

then he puts his glasses back on,watching al l tlie women go by slowly.He gets up and asks one of the womento dance. As they dance, they getcloser an d closer; then gently the ladyrubs her hand over his soft brown hair .As the song stops they give each other alittle kiss, and then they leave together.

-Ta mmy Adams - - Verna Marie Miser


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VIew

Hunchback DiesMelanie White, the hunchback of Pleasant View High,died today.She led a secluded I ifein the dark halls of"Book City , ' 'where she toiled and strained,in the dim I ight ,to impressively readall the books her teacher ever mentioned.

-Me lan ie White

A KnotI t is cedar.I t is off of a t ree.My dad gave i t to me.He cut i t off.Told me to keep i t .He's dead now.I st i l l have i t .Guess I always wi I I .

-Wanda Wyers

Face of a Moth on a Bil lboardI see i t now.I t is graywith t iny white whiskers .Its mouth is so t iny.Its legs so fu r ry .I t seems I can feel him crawl .Just to see i t .A crawling sensation comes over me.The car moves on toward i t .I t seems to go so slow.Finally i t is over .'l'lhat a thr i l ler .

--Wanda Wyers

I

Nothing ImportantDown on the roada paper laynothing 'importantI hopeprobably a bi IIsomeone droppedor a let ter to someaunt or fr iendor from some highand mighty off icialbut who knowsexcept the personwho threw i t awayto be lost and blow in

th e wind.- Ka t hy Wilson


67/84

Rules for DreamingSoak up all th e darkness through

your skin.Draw ou t al l the black from deep

within.Close your eyes and float

away--images flow back and forthfrom yesterday.

Surround yourself with mysteryan d couple it with red--any certain body you see nowis risen from th e dead.

Your body is stretched outan d prone--your face is ashen; your

imagination free--with no oneelse looking on; you've slippedinto insanity.

- Sh e r r y H.

CityThe shadows fa II over the city 1dark, bleak, and mysterious.The sun and sky is hiddenbehind the emptiness an d blacknessof th e sky.The crooning of pipes, steel barscan sti II be heard echoing throughthe city. There 's a sound all aroundIike a world under attack by superhuman beings, crashing, crunching,screeching, coming in from everyside of me. What evil covers the cityand shatters th e peace?

--Sharon Leu

ReflectionsNo one has ever seen one's self,but his image from the Iife of a mirror .ThP ;mages of a mirror ' s lifed r t ::>ut mysterious and interesting,full of wonders an d str ife.I'Jo one has ever seen one's self.Can you really believe--even you 1 you 1 you and I?We are often seen from another 's ey e 1watching our reflections in the mirroras we pass by an d by.

- Lowana Happy

Face of a Model on a BillboardNever a blond hair out of line.Ruby red lips are kept moist and waiting.She looks as if she bathes in Maybelline.Deep blue eyes that twinkle in light.Her pearly whites are straight an d in line.Never a crease in her designer jeans.She travels to exotic places.Very skimpy on what she eats .Her figure is the male American dream,and the carr.eras are loaded and ready.

-Anon ,


68/84

two di f ferent waysstory of my I i fe .

I ike a cornstalkno corn.my separate ways,l i fe stays bare.tree with no leaves.

the road of my l i fe.I go both ways.

good things late,the Y in th e alphabet.

as i f I wi l l branchbloom, but I seldom

tw o dif ferentbut I must take

both.-AI Gaspeny

Absencea r ing without any jewels.a sun with no br i l l iance.a wheel of a car that wil lyou anywhere. I t bounces up

down l ike a bouncing bal l .a hu I a hoop v. i th no chi I d

- D a v i d Cowan

~ M A V J ~ S

Coughing in ChicagoI am smogI am blackI 'm pouring out of a refineryChicago is t..lackI slide down people's throatsI turn their lungs blackThere is coughing in Chicago

- ~ i i l e s James

He is Sad. He is Lonely.A man looking ou t awindow on a rainyday, he rememberswhen he V\as a bo ythinking that theclouds were cryingwhen i t rained, l ikea f ish in an emptypond.

- B r y an Denton


69/84

A Guided Tour of Fort SmithLadies and Gentlemen:on your leftis the court house of Judge Parker.On t11e right is a doglooking for food.(Note the brown ears . )If you look down the road,you ca n see th e world 's onlyupside down t ree .Look carefully along th e street.You might find a green rabbit.To the left is Saint Edward's Hospital.To the right, K-Mart.If you look straight ahead,you can see yourself talking.

-Pat Hart

Crabapple JunctionLadies and Gentlemen:on your left

A Guided Tour of f crt SmithLadies and gentlemen:on your leftis a large area of landcalled For t Chaffee With TooMany Visitors.Next up is the city dump,where bent up soup cansand broken boardsstar t to form a garbage empire.On th e right is the houseof creepy, creaky doors.Go inside an d guess what?The house just had its desser t .

-Deb ra Berry

you see a purple mouse without any guts,and on your right you see a man with a gun.On your left you see a magazine.On your right you see a chicken playing pool.Aheaa of you is a 21t pound cat, the strangestin th e state.On your right is a body shop to fix your body.To your left is a rai lroad yard with 15 pinkand purple, green, yellow, orange, maroon, and redcolored bums.On your left you see a purple mouse withoutany guts.

-Anon .


70/84

I Givemy heart to God.my legs to a t rack fr iendmy last dol lar to theY..ho hunger and starve.my blood to the hungriest

hangs in the chimney ofthe rest of me to whoeveri t .

- Anon .

Pridelooks I ike an oak tree with up I if ted branches;

like a hard br ick chipped in places,tastes I ik e a snowflake. Pride smellsan old musty att ic . Pride sounds l ikeboom, loud and clear.

looks I ike a young chi ld dressedpatched coat. I t feels l ike a hot

and tastes l ike a rotten apple. I tI ike a rose but sounds I ik e afan.

looks l ike a vague f igure. I t feelsa tight f is t . Greed tastes I ik e acrystal . I t smells l ike a mouse'sand sounds I ike highway 102.

-Ka th leen Mika

LonelinessLone I iness looks I ik e an old manon a park bench .Lone I iness sounds IH


71/84

They Are Crawl ing OutAll the spiders are


72/84

SILOAMThe Train

Walking along the t racks, I hear a distant rumble.As i t becomes louder, I lean to the fa r sidethe r ight-of-way, clear of the tw o si lver

that head into the sunset. I hearhorn blast, warning of the approaching

that snakes i ts way through theTh e roar is becoming almost

as the sleek locomotives pass, increasing speed as they get closer to

destination. Many colors pass byin a flash: greens, blues, reds, and browns,

resemblance of flames from a rocket .The tempo of the wheel becomes faster , louder,so loud you can hardly bear i t , then, in a f lash

re d l ights beaming from the end, thelessens and fades, unti I you can no longeri t . Silence is now restored in whole.

on the Railroad

mal l , l ining Bar ,Jack, f ist head shovel,hammer

t ies, chot, creosotespikes, pul l ing t ies,t ies, l ining trackjoints,Sam, Steve, Ray

part ing, work

-Ma r k Mil ler

back, aching shoulders, achingpay, bad heat

-E l t on Jones

Machine

I t shoots from the driveway I ik ea bolt of l ightning, and rr.oves assmooth as a bird in f l ight. The wheelsturn in perfect rhythm l ike themusic on th e radio. And the coloris as blue as the blue in her eyes.

- J immy McFadise

Getting the MessageThe I ightening crashed .I wasb l i nded.Suddenly my mother appearedin a long white gown.But no, i t 's a f lower.It must be spr ing.

- Annemarie Robertson


73/84

The DuorCreaking softly whendisturbed, tall and strongbut not very thick. it keepsthings in, and keeps things out.It is controlled by the smooth,round nose. And, like the walls,it too does know.

-Amy Irwin

Rules for Understanding YourselfDue to technicalDifficultiesBeyond our control,We can no longer bringYou the regularlySchedu Ied poem.

-K e n Covey

Rules for Writing a PoemTake your pen; darken your paperwith it s precious juices;add Iife to the da"rkness as you'venever done before.

- J e f f Shipley

PoemIt was like asorority reunionthree strangers a Iike in thoughtsdemanding a particle ofmeI refuse to release itno on e shou Id knowwhy I feelnebulosity

-B i l l Travis

Mourning HorizonThe peacock awakensits mourning.Young peacock full of life,still quiet,spreads his morning horizon.

-Anon .

The Term PaperIt 's made up of eight books a summary of on e hundred

and fifty stories .Everything must be finished

tonight, or else.It must have enough feetto support itself.The cards are shuffledand dealt ,

and I' m stuckwith a royal flush.- -Leah Davis

Last Night I Had a Dream Called IceI was in the dream of ice on a hugeglacier-s l iding on the slick. Hourafter hour I slide down the ice andreaching the bottom, I could touchthe fear. For at the foot loomed thetiger of ice.

-Ch r i s Newlin


74/84

Chameleonchameleon'sgoal

to get something realhis l i fe.

day long he standsI ,leaps into the COURT ROOMlands GUILTY.

becomeshe DISLIKES

isnt: n o - JURY BOXTAPE RECORDER ,

,BRIEF CASE. He is always

IN TROUBLE.is the

COURTSe bottom of a JAIL CELLIRON. '

LOCK.can even be

chameleon.he can heare steady SOUND

is WAIT lNG,

-Den i s Salen and Kim Sexton

Scenethe ga s station

an old bottlepart beerd water withsmall spider

a webThen comes

long the garbagen to take the

and theregoes with his

and wet home.-Ka th leen Ryan

CatBehind the greensofa I iesa torTica twith yelloweyes, gl int ingand gleamingin the night.He yawns, stretches,an d walksfrom underth e couch.He leapsonto the

windowsi II andsteps quiet lyinto the night air .Though he isa quiet ki t tyin day I ight,no one seesthe t ransformationtaking placeonce outside.

-Me l i ssa Waters


75/84

Sf>R\AJt.bA Ie

Fireremember the cigarette Iighters burning ever so gently.remember the campfires burning softly in th e night.remember watching grass f ires on the television.remember burning trash in the fireplace.waken; the electric blanket is becoming very warm.

The apartment is on fire; there is no way out.I become hysterical running into the flames.I remember peace, no more fire or an y soundsof any sor t .There are charred ruins of the bui Iding.I watch this, bu t know that I am still inside.

- P h i l Haisty

WatchedWalking alone deep in th e forest, the whispering windtells all .The new shoes you bought are bugged so th e salesmanknows your every move.The flies that buzz around you are actually smallelectronic cameras filming you.As you walk down the street , you look at the darkwindows, their occupants are all watching you, callingothers on the phone, giving your estimated time of arr ival .

- B e n Haddock

The MeterThe meter will tellhow long the juices last.Looking ou t my windowand into the sky,I see that half my time is up.

-K. Gorman

70

TransformationYour pencil slips ou t ofyour hand. You tr y to pickit up an d it stands upand starts wa Iking toward you.You try to run, but it erasesyour feet. You tr y to pullyourself with your arms, but iterases your arms, and nowyou turn into a pencil.Now people erase otherthings with your head.

- J o hn Bllrkett


76/84

Hermaphroditeout for this symbol as a tree but

found a cadaver without a head an d legs hanging outthe tree into a slingshot.was no t happy being a slingshot, so it was changed into

an d umbrella rack.t got tired of people hanging sweaty hats from i t , so it decided to change intocreature which was half male and half female .

believe it is happy now.

Memo to the Twenty-first CenturyRemember it was like this.There was always somethingdull going on that everyoneenjoyed.Like going to a cafe namedChari ie Roy's and watchingthe old men get drunk andfight over th e ugliest ladyin town.

-F r ank i e Mitchell

-A lv i s Hamilton

l t

PoemIn the dark nightthe large round Iightmak es a silhoue t teof the church spire .I t a Iso comes to bea knife held by meabout to cut a cake in half .If looked at sidewaysit may be a shipcutting through an oi l slick .

- C a r i s Teague


77/84

The Unicorn

Conversation Between Two Pair s of ShoesThe high heeled shoes are evt!r so hateful tothe old worn ou t tennis shoes. As the highheeled shoes star.d there so tall, neat, clean,she tells the old worn out, torn, dirty tennisshoes, "Our owner should throw you away.She should put you in the dreaded burningbarre l!" making the tennis shoes feel bad.She enjoys being more gracious and beautifulthan he, and continues hurting him: "You stink.You should shape up, stick your tongue backin and be proud like me.' ' "Yes," the oldtennis shoe says wisely, "but if I was so cleanand neat as you, I would know that I didn'taccomplish what I was made for, an d v.henit really comes down to it, who does ourowner always wear?"

-Ke l l y L.

In the beginning was theUnicorn

who had only one horn.Noah took a pair into the

arl


78/84

The EggholderIt sets on the shelf silentwith no mouth to speakwith no reason to moveor it could be some kindof vision form that is silentuntil the lips of some humanexha Ies through it .It would make a low pitchsound like a boat hornthat passes in the nightin the foggy cold clammywater . It could be a stumpsticking up in the forestall by itself with no wayto express it s feelings. Itcould be a tail pipe that hashot dry scorching pollutionrushing through i t withthe black powdered duststicking to the sides andthat 's on e version of it.

-Anon .

{This school was not visited under grant.)


79/84

The Magic ChestI had a magic dtest . And

always answer to my request.once I asked i t for a f ish.i t pulled ou t a skinny dish.once I asked i t fo r a quarter.instead i t made me much shorter.

::e I asked him fo r a cat.instead i t gave me a bat.sometimes i t gives me what I want.I don't care as long as i t 's mine.

- Jess i e Wei land

The F ootba II Dogday I was cheering

our football team, andat once a big burst popped

I t was the football people thatand hooed. So a II at oncethrew a do g in and

play ball so the quarterthrew him and he went

left, every way you couldHe barked, go t h it on the head.

fl ies through the a irall at once the quar ter back

him and he fel l butgot up and wobbled overf ield, and we won. An d that dog

! team's dog, and he thinksis one of us.

-Casey McClelland

75

Saturn HouseI l ive in a Saturn House.I t 's real ly quite fun.I ca n f loat around,up stairs and dow,n.I t is easy to ge t around.I t has toys all around.There are plants everywhere.I ca n ea t cheese from the moon.I ca n dr ink from the milky way.I feel I ik e I am the whole universetoday.

- Sm i t h Spencer

My DogsMy dogs bark hardI ike the bark of a treeThey can even barklouder than meWhen I go to bedthey bark all night longWhen I am awakethey stay quiet but stro,,gMy dogs knock me downl ike a bulldozerbut I soon get upan d I run aroundl ike a wild rabbitMy dogs follow meBut I 'm to o fast

-Rache l Hoffman


80/84

I Know Loveearn what my heart desires.know love, and i t feels l ike wires.

- B a r r y Harr ison

Is LikeHappiness is l ike having a horse to run from you.Hate is l ike having a house ful l of snakes.Love is l ike having a closet full of family.Taste is l ike eating a horse's foot.Smell is l ike dogs and ca ts f ighting.Trust is l ike someone ki l l ing your do gwhen you tel l them to watch him.Sight is l ike someone you see with a noselonger than an elephant's trunk.Jealous is l ike someone stealing your friendfrom you as fast as they would steal money.Glad is l ike having a frog jump on your head .Secret is l ike someone told on you as fastas you opened your mouth.

-M i s ty Latham

I Wishwish could I ive in Hawaii.wish wa s in Dixie. Hooray! Hooray!wish could have a ho t fudge sundae.wish i t would stop raining.wish i t could be cool in this room.wish I could see snow.wish I had a .4 2 caliber pis to l .wish my f r iend and I could visi t Santa Claus.wish I had $1,000,000,000,000,000,000,000.wish I owned Cisney World.wish I had a l imozine with a bui l t - in ~ t e r e o . wish I had wir.g:; and could f ly.

- Malthew Mckinney


81/84

To Look At A Duckcan look at it flying.

it lands.it 's swimming.it 's walkingit 's flapping its wings.it 's quacking.it 's eating.it 's sleeping.it 's being shot.it 's being cleaned.it 's being cooked.it 's being eaten.th e bones are being

away.-T im Bell

w To Look at th e Important Jobsof a Light

keeps you from being in th e dark.Iights up th e house as fast : : ~ s a do g

n bark. word on a page look better.can make yo u see through a letter.can make you see the cover of a book.lets you see which part of th e tree shook.

-Deme t r iu s Hill

77

Babe RuthTo a person that was just in th eswing of things.Don't stop playing in th e game.Stay th e same.Like when yo u hit th e ball ou tof sight, it reminded people of afiery meteor from th e ends of time.Or when you stole a base you ranIik e a rabbit running for she Iterfrom th e men with guns.Or Iike when yo u stood on thepitcher 's mound, encouraged andbold, an d when you ta Iked Iik eth e soft flowers of heaven.

- J im Ed Brody

To a Librarianssshhh!You live in a world of books.Solitary.Lonely.Sometimes rewarded by a child wh o hasdiscovered your world.Moving behind a large desk.Everything is alphabetized.Can thoughts be placed so orderly?Arrnnged in r ..:at groups catergoricallyUntil taken down for rf ' ference,Or put away for, " l rainy day,They are Iike the books yo u recommend.O r are they a jumble an d messSurro

arkansas poetry in the schools (1980-1981)

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