Montville Township
High School
01
“Like relativity, we are a theory.”
~ We as in this whole generation ~
We are a hypothesis of life
Collecting data on our endurance in this life; whether it be grades, resilience, talent
We are a theory of adulthood
Tested with stress, anxiety, homework, endless studying
We are a theory of who we’d like to be
Scientists, Doctors, Lawyers, Embracers of Success
We are theories of fame, success and glory
some left as afterthoughts and others continuing to taste glory
Failed experiments fall
Success can only prove the hypothesis-
so we work till shadows and darkness collide,
searching for fortune
Artwork by Shikha Shah
02
For as long as mankind has been pillaging and conquering this planet, women have been forced to walk behind men as they took the world for themselves. Purpose wasn’t something attached to a woman’s name- it only rang true for bearing children and shaping her sons to follow their father’s footsteps and daughters to follow hers. But still, they endured the pain of childbirth. When man decided to ignore consent and disable the voice of women altogether, women endured it.
Women have survived more than a millennia of rape, misogyny, and agony; of malleable consent, of unwanted touches and violations. And yet, we are stronger than ever. Our voices have slowly revived over the last two centuries, winning voting rights and the support of their fellow women to become a force to be reckoned with. We are seen as more than a symbol for sex and submission, we are seen as more than a vessel for children because of our own empowerment. But even then, the world hasn’t completely moved on from its primitive mindset. There are still people who see rape and see sexual violence as a flimsy issue, and place the blame on the victim for wearing that dress, for being out past midnight, for walking by herself on quiet streets.
So I say this to all the women that have been suffocated by the trauma of sexual crime, who have been quieted into submission, who have
forgotten the storms that are trapped inside
them. I believe in the enduring woman, I
believe in the quiet woman, I believe in the
bold woman. I believe in the real woman. I
believe in the woman who can walk down
streets, in whatever clothing she wants without
wolf-whistles or lewd stares following her. I
believe in the woman who shouldn’t have to
worry about inappropriate bristles or melding
her ‘No’s’ into ‘Yes’s.’ I believe in the woman
who rises above the ashes, her veins ringing
with chaos and fire burning at her fingertips.
Because she is a storm beyond control’s grasp,
and submission is no longer tattooed upon her
tongue.
I say this to my eleven year old sister who is
beautifully naive of this world, to my
hypothetical children; and most of all, I declare
this to myself.
Photography by Kelly Phalen
03
Artwork by Andrea Kong
He grieves the happy golden days, when the sun rose blossoming in vivid passion and red ambition. I love you. They tell each other every day. Every day, her nose grows longer while his stays the same, stubbed like a toe on a rough-cut sidewalk sprouting weeds that suffocate the earth.
He masks the wounds with more visible ones. At least, that way, his tongue can twist itself into false explanations for his pain. His heart is as empty as his threats, and he spits out his misery in profanity. He has become a master of fashion, making sure to match his fists to his eyes, a blue-black deeper than the depths of ocean that he swallows every night in tears.
Everything he has learned about love he learned from his parents. His fingers flit over torn photo album pages that leak with bleeding ink. In his mind, love is the ability to remember every argument ever had, every painful memory, no matter how many years stand between them. It is the searing gleam of knives threatening the air before they are put safely away. After all, love means being able to fight the violent urges, doesn't it?
His grief has gone gray, and the sun no longer rises in red ambition. He watches every night as it falls beneath the swells of earth, and the flames are smothered and quenched by his damp tears. He and she coexist. They echo in linoleum hallways surrounded in cinderblock almost stronger than what they once were, but she stands like concrete while he shatters every night like glass. He and she coexist, but only with the pain that runs in his blood.
04
THEY CALL HER BEAUTY QUEEN.
Because she is a statement
screamed loud and clear across galaxies
in the way that her Louboutin heels click against the polished ground,
how her hair falls upon her shoulders like a waterfall of ink
and her painted lips only give away plastic smiles
Her appearance is immaculate
designer dresses and flawless makeup to match,
She is never seen with a hair out of place or an eyelash left uncurled
Everyone’s eyes seem to find her, always indulging in her glamour
no one bothers to look past her beauty,
to look beneath her mask of indifference
AFTER ALL, SHE WAS JUST A BEAUTY QUEEN.
but she is a mosaic of broken thoughts and unspoken words
her thoughts only seem to connect as constellations,
strewn across the sky as she hoped someone would see
as she hoped someone would hear her screams that echoed across the universe
She is a quiet catastrophe hidden beneath the layers of makeup and labelled clothes
and it all crashes down like a pitiful hurricane when
her heels are neatly kept in the corner of her closet
and her dress is hung
when she wipes off her eyeliner and her lipstick
That is when she sees how truly human she is,
smatters of freckles and imperfections littering her skin
that she is just mess of
torn designer dresses, collapsed heels and smeared lipstick.
when she looks down at her hands
she sees that they are ordinary, perfectly clean and soft,
they were not those of an artist: calloused and nimble
they weren’t stained with stardust from painting distant galaxies
they were not those of a writer
no poetry tattooed onto her fingers and palms
they were not those of a musician,
no music rushing through her veins or notes imprinted on her fingertips
no, her hands were stained with
the makeup she lathered on her skin
her hands were those of a goddamn beauty queen
and that’s all she was and ever could be
05
Orange and yellows danced along the alley walls in New York City. A group of men and women gathered around a dented oil drum, trying desperately to keep warm; the roaring fire being the only thing keeping them alive. The crisp December night sent a cold chill that seemed like it would never go away. A young girl, no more than four or five tugged on her mother’s coat. A man unwrapped his last piece of stale bread, eating it slowly so he could savor the food. Most were either leaning against the rough brick walls of the alley or sleeping wrapped up in their sleeping bags. All of a sudden, a woman runs into the alley shouting,
“He’s come! He’s come back!” She woke up those who were sleeping and pulled them to their feet. A boy stepped forward, his young face plastered with dirt and sorrow.
“Who’s coming, Marie?” He asked the girl, who was still jumping around. She stopped and looked at him, before grabbing his shoulders.
“His name’s Titan, ‘cause that’s what we call him. He comes when’evah we need ‘im bringin’ food and fresh clothing. You’ll love ‘im Mark, he’s our savior!” she told him. An older man stepped forward addressing Mark,
“He has been coming for as long as we can remember, he comes, drops off supplies and leaves. No one knows who he is or why he helps up, but it’s because of him that we get by.” Mark nodded slowly and joined the others as they gathered by the entrance of the alley. He gasped once he catched a glimpse of Titan entering the alley. The man truly was a titan, with his muscular body visible underneath his jacket and he seemed to be over six feet tall. Slung over his shoulder was a bag filled with coats, shoes and other types of warm clothing. In his other hand he held a large box of every food known to man. From bread and cheese to pasta and meat, Mark had never seen so much food in one place. Marie was dancing around him singing songs of praise and Mark could have sworn he saw Titan smile. After a nice long meal and fresh clothing on their backs, the people who lived in the alley drifted off to sleep.
By the time Mark woke up, the sun was already halfway through the sky. He groaned while rolling out of his sleeping bag, and sluggishly walking over to a crowd that had gathered around their oil drum… or where the oil drum used to be. The spot that used to contain the only source of fire they had was empty. Mark’s eyes widened and he ran to find Marie to see if he could find out what had happened. She sat in the corner of the darkest part of the alley, breathing into her hands and violently rubbing them together.
“Marie!” He shouted. She looked up, peaked out over her hands, then tucked her legs to her chest and buried her head between her knees. Mark kneeled by her and placed a hand on her shoulder.
“Marie, what happened?” He asked softly.
“I… don’ know. I was gettin’ a midnight snack when I saw tall men pourin’ water on our fire and loadin’ our drum ontah a truck. When I tried tah stop ‘em, but they the knocked me out. That’s the last thin’ I remember.” Marie whimpered with tears developing in her eyes. Mark slid down the wall beside her.
“Marie, It’s not your fault.”
“Yea, easy for you tah say.” Marie sniffled and leaned against Mark’s shoulder, her head then shot straight up. “Mark, Mark, Mark!” She shouted shaking him. “I got an idea!” Mark turned towards her furrowing his brow.
“What if…” ,she paused, “we wen’ tah Titan! We could ask ‘im tah get our fire back!” That gave Mike an idea. He sat up and grabbed Marie by the arm.
“Marie! You’re a genius!”
“I am?” She laughed. Mark stood up and pulled Marie to her feet.
“If we find Titan, he get our fire back.” He dragged her to the front of the alley.
“Where’ll we find ‘im?” Marie asked.
“It’s risky…” Mark stopped short and looked at Marie, causing her to raise an eyebrow. “You said he comes when we need him,” Marie nodded at Mark’s statement, “So if we run out of food, he’ll come…” She nudged, he looked over to the pile of leftover food and clothing. Mark walked over to the bag and kicked it as hard as he could. Food spilled everywhere, soaking up the mud that coated the ground. Mark kicked it again and again until nothing remained but an unsalvageable mess. Mark walked back to a whimpering Marie.
“Mark, if he doesn’t come…” Marie was cut off by thunder rolling across the sky. A deep voice spoke up from the entrance of the alley.
“What do you think you are doing?” Mark and Marie whipped their heads around to come face to face with Titan. A smile spread across Marie’s face.
“Titan!” She yelped with joy. Running up to him. He looked down to her, his face stoic.
“What do you think you are doing?” He asked again. Mark walked up to Titan, his knees shaking, he didn’t feel brave anymore.
“Titan?” Mark asked, his voice shaking. Titan turned towards him, a scowl tightened on his lips. “You see… our fire,” Titan turned to where the oil drum used to be. “it was stolen.” Titan’s features softened, he seemed almost sympathetic. Then he spoke,
“I shall retrieve your fire, but I can tell you now, I shall not return.” He kneeled down so that he was eye-level to Mark and Marie. “Can you promise me something Mark?” Mark swallowed hard. “I need you to take care of everyone in the alley. Be a titan.” With that, he turned and left.
Mark and Marie waited five days and six nights for Titan to return. On the morning of the sixth day Mark woke up to the smell of something burning. His eyes opened wide and he sat up, coming face to face with their oil drum. He bolted out of his sleeping bag and ran to Marie,
“Marie, Marie!” He shook her.
“Wha’ is it Mark?” She rubbed her eyes and slowly got out of her bag. Spotting the oil drum, she cried out in joy. After the celebration, Mark looked around for Titan. Remembering what he had said Mark realized Titan was never coming back. So, with a fire now burning in his heart, Mark took it upon himself to be the new titan.
Artwork by Ali Wilson
07
Once upon a time in a land far, far away, there lived a beautiful princess with flowing, chocolate brown hair and eyes that twinkled like emeralds under the moonlight. Princess Loriella, as she was called by most, grew up in a huge castle on the highest mountain in the kingdom of Montopia. The lilac palace with towering pillars and a grand entrance was home to King Caspian, Queen Victoria, Loriella, and her three sisters, Avery, Brielle, and Octavia. Montopia, with its cobblestone streets lined with little shops and homes, was all that Loriella had ever known. Since the kingdom was very small, all the villagers knew each other and considered each other family. All was running smoothly in the quaint village until one day when Loriella’s lust for exploration got the best of her and she decided that she needed to escape.
“I need to get out of here,” Loriella said to her lifelong best friend, Jaden. “I feel so trapped, and I need to see more of the world.” Jaden listened closely Loriella’s words, his cerulean eyes lighting up as he secretly admired her beauty and intelligence. Although he had been in love with Loriella for as long as he could remember, he could never gather the courage to confess his true feelings. Jaden often considered their lengthy history and feared that this disclosure could be detrimental to their friendship. On the other hand, Loriella knew Jaden was a great person and amazing friend, yet she had never even thought about pursuing a romantic relationship with him.
“I completely agree; sometimes it can get suffocating living in the same place your entire life. Maybe we can take a small vacation,” Jaden innocently said with a smile.
“No, you don’t understand, Jaden. I need to escape,” Loriella repeated, carefully enunciating her words. Her pressing eyes locked with his, solidifying the seriousness of her statement. “My parents don’t want Wesley and I to be together, and I feel like I would be better off permanently leaving.”
Jaden’s heart sank at her mentioning of Wesley. Wesley Atkins was the epitome of bad news. Although Loriella claimed that he was a good man behind his rugged looks, Jaden was not as easily convinced. Wesley had come from a poor family who lived on the outskirts of Montopia. His handsome face and strong build had most likely attracted Loriella, but Jaden could not understand what captured Loriella’s heart. Her family and friends had made their disapproval of Wesley clear, yet Loriella continued to see him despite the many suggestions to do otherwise. “Are you sure about Wesley? You hardly know him, Loriella.”
“First my family and now you? Welsey is the love of my life, and we belong together. I thought that as my best friend you’d support what makes me happy,” Loriella violently spat out, her eyes widening in disbelief that Jaden was going against her. She gave him one last sharp glance before turning her back and storming away.
“Loriella, wait!” Jaden called out in hopes of preventing her from making any rash decisions.
“I’ll be gone by tonight,” Loriella plainly said before slamming the door shut.
Princess Loriella stayed true to her word and was gone before sunset. She was upset with how things were left with Jaden and her family but wouldn’t let herself rethink her decision. Ever since she had met Wesley while walking through town that gloomy October day, she knew that he was the one for her. Throughout her entire life, Loriella dated privileged, rich boys who were too absorbed with themselves to actually care for her. Wesley was so different. He went out of his way to do sweet things for her, spent time with her, and made her his first priority. After meeting tons of dull rocks, she had finally found her gem. She couldn’t understand why hardly anyone supported their relationship when he was the man of her dreams. Nevertheless, Loriella and Wesley made decision to spend their lives together and live in a small cabin in the Stoneybrook Forest on the other side of the mountain. There, isolated from the negativity of her peers, was where Loriella believed happiness could be found.
“I can’t wait to finally be together forever,” Loriella said to Wesley, putting her bags down on the wooden floors of her new home. The two travelled by horse for hours before finally reaching the cabin that Wesley had spent months building for them. Although it was incredibly tiny and dirty opposed to the glamorous castle she was accustomed to, she was hopeful that she would have a promising life with her true love.
“Yeah, let’s cut to the chase. I don’t love you-- I never have and I never will. You just have something that I need,” Wesley suddenly said, transforming into a man that Loriella didn’t recognize.
“Wh-what are you talking about?” Loriella questioned, confusion clearly on her face. She felt her heart shatter, piece by piece, as Wesley proved that he had lied about his feelings.
With a devilish grin on his face, he explained that all along he had wanted Loriella for her family's riches. He had no romantic feelings for her whatsoever and was thrilled that she was so gullible to fall for his tactics. Wesley told Loriella that she would be held captive in the cabin until the royal family handed over their wealth and he was made king of Montopia.
“I can’t believe you could be so cruel,” Loriella said, shaking her head in disgust at the debut of Wesley’s true colors. Although she was extremely heartbroken, she was more disappointed in herself for ignoring every bad thing people said about Wesley only to find out that their suspicions were correct.
“I come from nothing while you have the world and more. You should have known that this was destined to happen,” Wesley said with a grim laugh. ¨I’ll be heading out to hunt some dinner for a while. If you even think about leaving, just know that there will be serious consequences for both you and your loved ones.”
As soon as Wesley locked the door and stormed off, Loriella broke down in tears. It seemed as though even the deepest ocean could not contain the waterfall streaming from her bloodshot eyes. She rummaged through her bag and pulled out her golden mirror in hopes of getting in touch with Jaden. By just tapping the glass three times, Jaden and Loriella were able to see and communicate with each other.
“Pick up, pick up, pick up...” Loriella whispered to herself, impatiently waiting for her best friend to notice there was a pending call on his own mirror. After a few moments, Jaden finally answered.
“Loriella, where are you? Are you okay? Your whole family is worried sick!” he exclaimed as her face came into view.
“Jaden! You have no idea how good it is to hear from you. I’m so sorry for how I treated you. I was so wrong about Wesley and should have believed you from the start.”
“All is forgiven. More importantly, what’s going on?”
Loriella explained that Wesley pretended to fall in love with her for his own benefit. She went on to say that she was trapped in a cabin in the Stoneybrook Forest and needed him to rescue her. Without hesitation, Jaden announced that he would save her right away. Jaden knew that his not-particularly-muscular body probably would not stand a chance against Wesley’s immense strength, but he knew it was necessary for him to build the courage to save the girl he loved most.
He immediately went to the castle to notify the King and Queen about his conquest to save their daughter. There he was authorized that it would be best if he went alone to prevent drawing attention. With just his magic mirror, a bow, and a few arrows, Jaden embarked on his journey to the Stoneybrook Forest. With little sense of direction, he aimlessly walked through the dark, entangled woods before stopping at the feeling of tugging at the hem of his pants.
“Hey, hey you,” a small squirrel at his feet said, “Do you need some help?”
“Yes, actually. Apparently my best friend is trapped in a cabin, and it’s my duty to save her. The only thing is… I don’t know how to reach her.”
“I’ve lived in these woods my entire life and know all the ins and outs. Follow me, and I’ll show you the way,” the furry creature said enthusiastically. “You can call me Buck by the way.”
Buck was efficient in navigating through the overgrown woods, and the two came closer to their destination as each minute passed. However, things came to a halt when Jaden heard a series of loud footsteps and noticed a pack of ferocious wolves intimidatingly approaching them.
“What do we do? I can’t fight all of the wolves off with just a few arrows!” Jaden cried, his voice reeking of fear and desperation.
“Calm down,” Buck said rather mellow. “The wolves become weak in the presence of bright lights, which is why they only come out when it’s mostly cloudy. I’m not sure how that will help, but that’s what I know.”
“I’ve got it!” Jaden exclaimed while quickly taking his mirror out of his satchel. Once it was exposed to the minimal sunlight peaking through the clouds, a bright beam of light shined directly at the wolves. One by one, the beasts dropped to the ground, howling in agony. Jaden and Buck immediately scurried past them, moving as fast as cheetahs, at the opportunity.
While the new friends were thankful that they successfully escaped the wild wolves, it was not long until they met their next obstacle: a broken bridge.
“I don’t understand what could have happened to the bridge...it’s been there for ages. It would add hours to our journey if we went around the river instead of walking over it like I had planned,” Buck worriedly said.
“Well, I guess since we can’t get over the river, we’ll have to swim through it to the other side. Hop onto my back, and I’ll carry you across,” Jaden said to Buck. The squirrel did as he was told and together they travelled along the cool, cobalt water. After a few minutes, Jaden finally reached land and climbed out of the water drenched. He was very uncomfortable and could feel himself losing hope until he faintly saw a wooden cabin in front of him.
With Buck by his side, Jaden began sprinting to the small house. He couldn’t believe that after walking all day he had finally reached Loriella.
“Loriella,” he shouted, banging his fists on the rickety door, “Are you in there?”
“Jaden? Oh my goodness!” she said as he kicked down the door and pulled her in for a hug. Everything happened so fast and Jaden could not believe it when Loriella put her dainty hands on his face and gave him a sweet kiss. In the midst of complete chaos, he was transported into the reality of his wildest dreams. “I am so glad that you’re here! Wesley is completely evil, and I can’t believe how blind I was for not realizing that you were there for me all along.”
“It’s okay...I’m just glad that we can finally be together. Let’s get out of here before--” Jaden said before he stopped himself upon seeing Wesley enter the cabin.
“Well, well, well...what do we have here?” Wesley said with a sneaky smirk. “You know the consequences, Loriella. You try to escape and I’ll hurt everything that you love most, including this young man here.” Loriella and Jaden stood in their places stunned and watched as Wesley moved towards them with a sharp knife in hand. Jaden gulped as sweat dripped from his blood red face. He shut his eyes, the blade threatening to end his life as it inched closer and closer to his neck until…
“AHHHHH!” Wesley screamed in pain, falling to the ground with a loud thud. Jaden quickly realized that Buck bit the malicious man’s foot, so he retrieved his bow and shot an arrow into Wesley’s leg to prevent him from running away. Buck’s sharp thinking and ability to act as dangerously as a shark, an animal far bigger than him, helped save Jaden’s life.
“Thank you so much, Buck. I wouldn’t have been able to do this without you,” Jaden called out to the squirrel as he made his way home with Loriella.
“Anything for a friend!” Buck said and ran along to his own tree where he resided.
As soon as Jaden and Loriella made it back to Montopia, they told their entire situation to the King and Queen. Outraged, the royal couple sent several men with horses to capture Wesley and imprison him in the palace dungeon. Because of the mayhem that surrounded her last relationship, Loriella’s realized that Jaden was perfect for her and her love for him instantly blossomed. They went on to get married, started a family of their own, and lived happily ever after.
I lay on the grass
the whole entire day
forcing my eyes to watch the unclouded sky at bay
dreary blocks at corner stops
Time is departed by decay
Is it possible to wash sin away
the arrival of the sun burned my eyes
I indulged to keep them open
the departing of the sun blinded my eyes
I tried to adjust the focus
Time is departed by decay
Is it possible to wash sin away
in a land that once was proud to say
I accept you
the moon proposed a compromise
the sun’s temporary demise
eyes now soothed in May
stars glint in pray
evil has ceased for today
I lay on the grass
the whole entire night
forcing my eyes to watch the blight
dreary blocks at corner stops
Time is departed by decay
Is it possible to wash sin away
09
Prologue:
The Musician found herself at the age of fourteen, knowing that she had music in her genes. She picked up her first bass guitar but didn’t think it’d go too far. She tried many instruments before, such as piano, guitar, drums, and a few more. Bass guitar seemed to complete her, and then it all became a blur. She joined a school club involving a band; all of her opportunities were then at her hands. She started off small and then her talent grew to become so tall. The musician loved her instrument and was so into it. She bonded with the other members by the time it was December. She became the main bass player, which was an answer to her prayer. Later in time, she began the climb to become President. The members realized they needed her, so she became the leader. With a car full of musicians in her band on the way to her band’s performance, she tells the tale of a musician.
Tale:
They say that it’s so easy. Performing onstage in front of hundreds and thousands of people is not easy. Her anxiety overwhelms her every time. She knows that she has some form of talent, but she does not boast about it. She doesn’t think that she is the best. If anything, she feels self-conscious.
The musician thinks to herself, “Will they like my performance? What if I’m not good enough?” If she explains these thoughts to somebody, they would typically comfort her and reassure her that she is both talented and loved. However, she knows that these are the typical answers to that sort of thing even if it’s not true.
The musician adores her instrument. She spent hundreds of hours rehearsing alone and with her band. She feels confident within her instrument, but not on a stage. Her music is praised by thousands who have come to see her perform. She wants everything to be perfect since she has worked so hard.
Besides her mind, her biggest enemies are her
critics. The musician knows that one minor
mistake can make headlines. If her anxiety gets
to her and she breaks down, it will make headlines.
If she says something wrong or performs the
wrong part, it will make headlines. However, she
comforts herself with the thought of how she’d
like to see those critics get up on a stage in front
of thousands of people. They wouldn’t--that’s why
they’re just critics.
She wakes up from her internal monologue and
self-conscious thoughts to prepare to get on stage.
Her producer tells her that the entire venue is filled
with people. Her anxiety rushes through her, but
she believes that she can conquer this fear. Those
thousands of people in the audience are here for
her. They want to hear her. They paid money to
hear her. They are waiting for a show, and she will
give it to them.
Artwork by Riyana Patel
10
A smile is what I show to all who face me. Friends, foes, and strangers-- all are given the same sight: the slight upturn of my mouth, my face warping to convey the common expression for happiness. Most copy the motion, relaying the similar feature on their faces. But in their eyes, I see confusion, amusement, even hatred; yet they still grin. Oh, how wonderfully intriguing this whole system of gratuity is. You give someone something, and they naturally return the favor.
My hatred burns with a thousand suns. My contempt could overshadow the moon. And yet, my face betrays me. Perhaps, the lingering hope in my mind that people are kind and grateful resurfaces, whispering in my ear that smiling is truly the best way to make friends! It is always better to have more friends than enemies! I cave to this yearning for acceptance, for love, for necessity. And I smile. Because that it what a gentle, innocent person, would do.
But then, I stop. Why must I need the approval of others? The appreciation of others? For I am a human being, an entity created after thousands of years of evolution--a miracle. And, here I am, forcing myself to express an emotion I truly do not feel? How preposterous. I am strong; I am real. So next time, I won’t smile. Instead, I will keep on moving forward with my head held high. My smile will now exist for me, and for my own happiness.
Artwork by Alyssa Kutyla
11
It is a time of excruciating pain,
It is a time of undying strength,
The bitter cold hail crashing on my number skin triggered fear in me,
The gold embers around the dancing ignited determination in me,
This world is full of disgust and hatred,
This world is full of enchantment and mystery,
The hungry eyes of the wolves shamelessly wandered over my physique,
The gleaming stars in the daunting dark sky whispered words of wisdom to me,
​
​It is a time of lethal anger,
It is a time of sacred peace,
The empty acknowledgement of my sacrifices for my people aroused fury in my heart,
The promised protection towards my loved ones by the chief provided a sense of tranquility to
my mind,
This world is full of disappointment and guilt,
This world is full of inspiration and gratitude,
My silent prayers for forgiveness failed to clean the incomplete promises I had made to my tribe,
The flock of vibrant fowls around me began to break into a sweet melody, circulating a
welcoming of freshness in the air
12
We never live for tomorrow,
But all of a sudden I’m realizing my time is borrowed.
I realize I need to make it all right
If I want to see eternal light.
But yet I’m drowned in sin,
It’s like the door to the cut is right there but I can’t go in
The only time I am at peace is when I lay down to sleep
And these wicked thoughts can finally cease.
Life is an unforgiving beast,
But that is just to say the least,
Because it’s also a journey filled with many beautiful sites to see.
So enjoy the ride and don’t trip up on your pride,
Life is far too short to give up and abort.
I just need clarity of mind,
While also maintaining what is mine.
To fight for what you love should not be a crime
But such as life has a balance
Good and evil both share an allowance
That of which can only be balanced and financed
Through the hands of God.
Artwork by Sarah Lemmerz
13
“Attending” read under my mother’s name. She would be going to the Women’s March the following day. “A women’s march?” I thought. I knew there are people protesting in Washington, DC, but in New Jersey? I doubted people would attend. Later that day I decided to ask my mom about it.
“Hey, so, I heard you were going to some march? What’s that all about?”
“The women’s march. I’m going with a few friends.” she said.
“You know marches don’t really do much. I mean, the impact of people marching on the government? It’s barely noticeable in the grand scheme of things.” The discussion lasted for a few minutes but I left with the same mentality.
The following day came like every other. To my surprise, when I turned on the TV or computer, I only saw articles about the women's march. This was not a ‘New Jersey thing’, or a ‘Washington DC thing’; This was a world thing. The entire world was marching for peace and equality all at once. Some marched for women’s rights. Some marched for religion. Some marched to resist the ignorance consuming our government. But every person came outside on the same day to protest what they believe in.
I believe nothing will be accomplished if everyone sits down and says, “One person won’t make a difference.” In saying that, one march won’t make the play-pen of our government come to their senses, but this country wasn’t founded on a government. It wasn’t founded on a single man in office. It was, instead, founded by the people, and only the people can change it.
Later that day I went to my mom and said, “Look, I’m glad you went to the march.” She seemed surprised, but in the pleasant way.
“Why do you say that? You didn’t seem to think so yesterday.”
“Because, it was the right thing to do.”
If we all did the right thing––if we all stood up rather than sitting down for our beliefs––the world as a community would become a better place.
Artwork by Alex Tullo
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Editor-in-Chief: Jessily Crispyn
Fiction Editor: Audrey Roclore
Non-Fiction Editor: Janette Roulier
Poetry Editor: Mia Teresa
Art & Photography Editor: Alex Tullo
Advisors: Mrs. Kurland and Mrs. Zoppo
Montville Township Public Schools
06
Artwork by Allie DeLuise
I live in a world,
where grief rings;
from barren landscape,
to singed forests.
Destruction marched on our doorsteps,
not to long ago,
and it tore our families to shreds.
Every ounce of evil that created this new world of sorrow,
was caused by man.
Man’s hate
And man's inner demon,
killed my young brother,
and burned my mother.
Man’s jealousy
And Man’s foolishness
left me alone in a world
where sadness rules.
The war left many orphaned,
and left others lying dead on the ground.
The war left homes in ruins
and left people of all kinds in tears.
The war left its devilish mark on our lands,
but it's evil did not leave us heartless.
The war was meant to split us;
to put a certain group over others,
but it did the opposite.
The war brought us together;
it united us.
Those of us who were left alone
and scared
came together;
no matter our differences.
We lived together
and helped each other through the sorrow
because to live in harmony
is the only way to mend the broken.