Our Other Voice - Spring 2011
Content
Welcome to our first inter-campus volume of Our Other Voice. We were most impressed with the submissions we received from throughout the Rasmussen family. Whether the written word or visual arts, our students have shown a wide range of talent and creativity. We congratulate Kelsey Boeckman, an Online student, for her prize-winning cover. We had several impressive submissions, and as you can imagine, the decision was a difficult one. You will find the other entries throughout the publication. Thanks to Anthony Sims, full-time instructor in the School of Technology and Design, Pasco Campus, for his eyecatching layout. But most of all, thank you to all the students who were kind enough to share their creative works with us. We hope you enjoy this online edition and will share it with your friends and family.
GOODBYE
How can I say this to make it better The time I have with you now is never The time I had I pissed away Always telling myself I would visit some day I took for granted while Chronos was dancing And now it’s too late and the devil is laughing I miss you Swanny that’s why I’m making this letter If I looked at a single fire work I would’ve cried forever I hid myself on July 4th, covering my ears But I’m breaking down right now and feasting on my tears And my insides are drowning in my childhood fears I finally had a “dad” after all these years But I fucked up, and let Whodi play too much
And because of that, my heart has become my lunch I don’t wanna say goodbye, I wish I could lie Right now I’m waiting on a Hollywood moment for you to reply But I won’t get it, just more thoughts of you when you died Now I’m starting to feel a li’l bit of insanity Cause these selfish acts of mine had robbed me of my humanity I should have visited more and stayed in line And I wish I wasn’t such a whore when it came to time. I can poem all day about you but I have to kill it inside I’m gonna lie once more to myself father, I have to say goodbye...
Arnold B. Wells St. Cloud
Every Cloud Has a Silver Lining
Many people in my life have told me, “In every bad thing in life, there’s always something good to come.” I would always shrug my shoulders and look away. Now, as I look back at the things that have happened, I see it is true. When I was seven years old, I was in Minneapolis, Minnesota at the Shriners’ Hospital after having my twentieth hip surgery. I was born without a hip, so the doctors were trying to build me a hip so I could walk. I was waiting for my mother to arrive from Nebraska. She was eight months pregnant and couldn’t come with me. So, I was there alone, waiting to see my new baby brother, Alex. When she and my dad finally arrived, there was no baby. She had lost him at birth, due to not being delivered in time, and he suffocated inside the womb. Obviously, this was devastating. My parents separated soon after that and we moved around for years. If I stop and think, if my brother had been born my parents could have stayed together, there is much in
Judy Inks Coordinator
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my life today that wouldn’t be. For instance, my mother would have never met my stepdad, James, who is a wonderful father, and I never would have had my two little brothers, Quintin and Christian. I love them to death, and I don’t know what I would do if they weren’t here. I also would have never met my husband, Jonathan, and would have never become pregnant; therefore, our beautiful son Kristopher would not be here. So out of that horrible incident, we were devastated and crushed to have lost Alex. But in the end, it gave us many good things in life. We will always wonder what it would have been like if he were here with us. I know my mother still thinks about it all the time, but I also know she agrees with me when I say, God had his reasons. Throughout your life there are many times you think about, experiences you’ve gone through that you wish you could go back and stop from happening. But, if you were to do that, you would also change how your life is today, causing you to lose some of the people and things that you have now.
There are so many more situations that have happened in my life that I wish wouldn’t have, such challenges. Dropping out of high school, the rollover auto accident I was in in October 2007, and my husband, Jonathan, joining the military have all pushed to me to my limit. Raising our son alone at this time while Jonathan is serving his deployment in Korea is teaching me how to be strong and a good parent. These are all things I’d rather not have had to deal with or deal with now, but there is a reason for all of it. There are people in my life that I would have most likely never have met otherwise. So when something happens in your life that you think is going to end everything, just think about that saying, “Every cloud has a silver lining.” Things always work out in the end.
Amanda Dickey
Poetry & Prose
Poetry & Prose
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Suffering a Man Should Never Know Dear David, Hey honey, how have you been? It’s been a while since we spoke. I haven’t heard from you since the last few letters I sent you. The stupid mail must be really busy or losing its way. Are you staying safe out there in Afghanistan? To be honest, I feel detached from my own body when I start to picture what could happen to you, and my mind gives in to the darker side of things. I could imagine that every day when you open your eyes and take in the sun, you wonder if it will be your last. At the same time, I wonder if it’s almost impossible for you to rest or stay asleep at night. It was all over the news a few days ago. For the first time the TV became a car at night and I became a deer caught in its headlights. That was when I heard that a Minnesota unit was under fire; it put me in a trance. I did not even realize that I needed to replace the TV remote that I dropped until several minutes after my mother rushed over and found me. The news claimed a town of civilians, third-world style, had a few bad apples in the batch. One of them pulled a gun and took aim at your squad; the bullets whistling as they raced passed your ears
and Jerry pushing you out of the way and becoming the official target. Your squad began returning fire. Now, there are hundreds of bodies horizontal and cold. The media is all over it and everyone is pointing fingers. I picture you witnessing all this; from the shoot out, to Jerry going down like that, knowing he will never see the light of day again, and the innocents in town that caught stray bullets. Hell, who was innocent and who wasn’t? You probably beat yourself up with questions on top of questions. I have some of my own and I wasn’t even there. I’m sure many others feel the same way around the world. I bet with the heat over there it’s starting to convince you that you really are in hell. I used to think digital cameras were a technology that was pure beauty. Now they appear to me as a double-edged sword because they capture such incredible detail. I can see the look in your eyes from the last batch of pictures you sent us. The only detail I can’t make out is if that is sweat on your face or tears. I ran into your Uncle Jim the other day. We were talking about you. His voice was slower and deeper than ever when you were mentioned. When the news was brought up he began stuttering in his speech and began
to profusely drink the water he had with him, as if he was a fish. To be honest, I never witnessed your uncle looking so pale. Does he know something I don’t? I swear a ghost is what he saw. What if he did see a ghost? What if your ghost was there? What if your ghost is right next to me this moment as I write this? A glass repelled off the counter this morning and decorated the floor like cheap diamonds with razor sharp edges. Was that you? No, I need to stay positive. I cannot let you down in your time of need. Your heart still has a pulse somewhere. We all love you and just want you home. You do not need to read this. This letter will never touch you. I cannot allow you to witness my depression on this issue when you are the one living the nightmare. I will bury it with the rest of my fears I have been conjuring since your departure. I will make sure of that. Hope to hear from you soon my love,
Everyday Famous Words You know, I never knew there were so many famous names, titles, or sayings that are known worldwide, until I did a research project recently. For instance, everybody knows the name “JAWS” from that great shark movie that had many people thinking twice before taking a leisurely swim. And that stoically voiced comment, “I’LL BE BACK” from a futuristic robot who, by the way, is now a state governor. Is there anyone in the world who does NOT know who Dracula is? Frankenstein? Superman? Spiderman? The Fonz? Darth Vader? And if I may voice my own opinion, I believe it was the American cinema that made this happen. I mean, every American knows what it means when you put your thumb up and say “Aaaayyyy .” I grew up with Gilligan’s Island and The Brady Bunch. Couldn’t everybody make a radio out of a coconut? And if you knew someone named Marcia, you just held your breath until you had a perfect moment to use, “Marcia, Marcia, Marcia.” And how many times in your life have you said, “Frankly my dear, I don’t give a damn”? Who comes to mind if you hear, “Bond, James Bond”? And really, has your mom ever said, “Life is like a box of chocolates”? Probably not, but you know what it means and
Jeff
Arnold B. Wells St. Cloud
where it came from. I know “King Kong” is not an American character, but we did make him famous for being a giant teddy bear type monkey. And with great graphics. If you really sit and think about it, we use these famous sayings, names and quotes in our lives almost on a daily basis. Just the other day my brother was helping me with some leaking pipes in the basement and he looked up and said, “Houston, we have a problem.” Of course we have a problem; my pipes are leaking. But you see what I mean. I recently went to pick up some bookshelves and books, and even though I drive a van, when we finally had it all loaded I just had to say, “We need a bigger boat.” It was automatic. I didn’t even think about it. It just fit the situation. America made Cinderella a household name and the word “Bambi” said through gushing tears of children when their father came home from a deer hunting trip. Snow White, I believe, is not nearly as famous as those words, “Mirror, mirror, on the wall, who’s the fairest of them all?” Why, because I’m a middle aged woman and have cursed all mirrors since time began. Some things will be eternal, like Elvis’, “Thank you, thank you very much.” or Clint Eastwood’s, “Go ahead, punk, make my day.” But nowadays my eleven-year-old
daughter says things that I hear other kids saying, and they all know what it means, like, “Whatever.” This word is used by just about everybody, all the time. I mean, I hear it at least two billion times a day. Who made that word big? I don’t know, but I can bet ya that it came from the TV or the movies. I remember “Yabba Dabba Doo.” You guys know it. Now I hear “Who let the dogs out?” And yes, it took me a while to stop looking around for the supposedly loose dogs. But it serves its purpose in explaining how certain words just stick. “May the force be with you” is a staple. “Beam me up, Scotty” is used quite frequently in my house along with “Calgon, take me away.” I suppose I could go on forever with these things but the point is; now I have made them obvious to you and you will be thinking about it like a bad elevator song that’s stuck in your head. So all I need to say now is, “Hasta la vista, Baby.”
Cheryl Holder Sanchez Rockford
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Poetry & Prose
Poetry & Prose
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Challenges of a Single Mother Single mothers face numerous challenges. Career, child care and even dating are among them. In order for a single mother to have a career that pays decent money, more often than not, it involves specialized training and overtime. This, in turn, produces a whole host of problems that must be addressed. Child care is the most important of these factors. Especially with all the horror stories you hear nowadays. If a single mother does not have a family member who can help out in this respect, she must filter through for child care providers. This is a tough job. Four critical factors that should be checked when searching for providers are verifiable references, ratio of children under care, ability to talk personally to current provider clients, and cost. First, an overview of your city’s home page can often provide the necessary information, which can easily be verified through the site. Second, there are state laws that mandate how many children can be provided for under one adult’s supervision. Check with local laws for this information. Third, if the provider cannot arrange for you to speak personally with at least two of their current clients, then look elsewhere.
Fourth is the cost. Though money is normally tight for a single mother, this factor should have the least importance. Quality care is not cheap. Employment and career choices are another challenge for single mothers. Even though most employers state that they do not discriminate, it is often a giant red flag when an applicant is a single mother. The employer often assumes the hiring of a single mother can adversely affect the company. Examples: loss of time on the job from problems with child care; calls received during working hours; loss of concentration on the job when the child is ill; and sick days taken when child cannot go to child care providers. Even pestering fellow employees with school fund raising programs is a concern with employers. The single mother, without knowing it, has the deck stacked against her, even before the interview. I feel that employers miss the fact that single mothers are the most dedicated, loyal and hardworking individuals in the work force today. Another challenge that single mothers face is dating. Besides overcoming the problem of finding a significant other, the child or children will, no doubt, make this aspect of a single mother’s life very hard. A single mother needs to be very careful
on the dating scene. She needs to keep in mind, not only her own safety, but the safety of her child or children. There are some real sick puppies out there. Also, the single mother must find someone who is not put off by her “baggage.” Men often refer to a single mother as having “baggage.” They are interested in free and easy fun, not a readymade family. If a single mother does manage to find someone who does not shy away from her “baggage,” then after a certain length of time, she must consider introducing her child or children. This is a critical moment for the single mother. It can make or break a relationship. Even though he is aware that you have a child or children, seeing is believing. Will they hit it off? Will your child or children be on their best behavior? Was this a good decision? The single mother also has to recognize that, even if the initial meeting went well, now is not the time to relax. The future will pose more obstacles and stress that she will need to deal with. But there is always hope on the horizon. After all, there is no other individual among us who is as strong and deserving of happiness as the single mother. Did I mention? I’m a single mother.
Conflicted
She awakes each day the sun comes through her windows she rolls to her other side ...conflicted She lays that way wiggling first her legs then her arms all to keep circulation moving ...conflicted She rolls to her back flinging her arm over her eyes loudly sighing ...conflicted Her face is pinched tight between the brows her lips pursed tight crinkles in the corners of her eyes ...conflicted The nurse approaches and gently fixes the covers of her bed She leans over and whispers soothingly ...relax...relax...all will be ok The girl sighs in disbelief and scrunches up her body tightly in a ball thinking sorrowfully ...tomorrow is a new day
Cheryl Holder Sanchez Rockford
Connie Braatz Green Bay
embracing yourself.......we all need to....im proud of the things i have done in my life some to survive some because it was fun. i can honestly say i never harmed anyone not intentionally. my dad use to say my sister lou and i were big bold beautifully made the way god intended. i have survived cancer twice, west nile virus encephalitis where i was in a chair for a year,i had to relearn speech but during that i discovered i could draw. ive loved ,ive lost in love. ive gained comfort and lost that too. but i still stand. ive danced, ive done an art show ,ive sung in public,i play mandolin and even have a famous family member who is a part of the grand old opry.i have three beautiful daughters that i havent always been there for but i did my best when i was.i became an ordained minister in 2006. a vet tech in 2000, and a pct in 2002. now im making plans to go back to college. im 44 ,i love myself and embrace everyday......and i love my friends ive had people in my life over twenty years that id be lost without.....charlene hall is one of them weve got stories to tell...past and present. embrace yourself every single day......always smile always laugh always listen....god bless you all
Haiku Winter is coming. He feels the chill approaching. It waits by the door.
Daphne Procz-Shortz Online
Glennia Fayen Ocala
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Poetry & Prose
Poetry & Prose
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FAVORITE PERSON
If I had to choose a favorite person in the world, it would most definitely have to be my mother, Mrs. Stephanie E. Walden. She’s my favorite because she’s loving, has protected me from all dangers, and she’s actually my mother and father. I look up to my mother for many reasons. One thing that I admire about her is that she’s very caring and loving when it comes to children and students. My mom has been a teacher at Tarpon Middle for the past sixteen years. She’s also the girls’ basketball coach and goes through a big process every year of keeping her girls on track in school with their grades. She also attends all practices, games, and helps with their dresses, make up, and hair on the days of events and award ceremonies. My mom is also my favorite person in the world because she’s strong and raised me all alone. While I was still waiting to be On top of everything else, Mrs. Walden has to be my favorite person because she schooled me growing up and kept me safe from all dangers. My mom sat at the table and helped me with homework every day. She attended parent-teacher meetings and checked to see if I attended school throughout the year. My mother never brought different men into our life and avoided going out to clubs and parties. Growing up I never worried about anything because she provided everything.
James Walden Pasco
Be a Man
born, my father passed away from cancer at age twenty- one. During the time my mom underwent a lot of stress. The doctors tried to get her to abort me, saying I would be born without arms and legs. My mom avoided what the doctors advised, and I was born normal. I never got a chance to get to know, or even see my father. I celebrate and buy gifts for my mom on Mother’s Day and Father’s Day because in my eyes she’s both to me. If I was asked the question again about who my favorite person in the world would be, there’s no doubt about it, I would pick my mother because of the way she’s raised me. I love her and admire the special attention she spends on her students and basketball players. When my dad passed away, she stepped up to the plate and became my mother and father. I had a safe home, and she protected me from all dangers. Still today, in times of need, I can go to her for support. She’s the best and will always be my favorite person in the whole world.
Letter from a Novel
Sending my love in a steel trap cage Bound in a book on the last empty page Wandering lost in a city street maze Through dark alleys and trash cans And cold street lamp haze Let the garbage be burned, cast emotion inside Let your long dead love kindle the fire outside You need warmth to survive There is no need for pride Until at long last Your past Is purified
The child is told someday he’ll be a man He runs and runs far away from life Fast as he possibly can. His years become days, His days become nights, His tears become glazed-over eyes as he fights Not to feel so alone So awkwardly unknown By the lives and the lies that surround him He leaves unprepared, once again he has shared Incompletely his life with another Reluctantly taking the low road again As his hopes and his dreams Somehow faltered and failed, Falling freely, now flowing down stream He has nowhere to go He has nothing to dream He is split at the seam Once again.
Jack Kirwin (j.k.) Green Bay
Jack Kirwin Green Bay
Cover submission by Daniel Grego Ocala
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Poetry & Prose
Poetry & Prose
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Wishing Star
I used to wish upon a star a star shining oh so bright way up in that dark ole sky high above my head. That star so bright up in the sky filled my life with happiness all my pain and sorrow left when I wished upon that star. All my wishes have come true from that one bright shining star so all my thanks goes to the one way up in that dark ole sky. I used to wish upon a star so very, very long ago then I grew up and years went by no wish I made on that lonely star. Oh lonely star up in the sky my days are filled with sorrow now my dreams are all piles up in heaps for I no longer wish on stars But as my days go on and on and all my dreams grow higher I feel a surge of pain inside pleading that I wish again 10
Cover submission by Hilary Homa Green Bay
Lies In Your Eyes
I used to wish upon a star a star, shining, oh so bright but when that star stopped shining again I wished upon it And now that star shines oh so bright when I look up in that dark ole sky for now I made a wish again to have that star shine forever more Feeling so lost I cannot oblige, Looking at you and the lies in your eyes. You sound so convincing we both know it ain’t true, So I sit here with tears looking back at you. You ask what is wrong and why do I cry, But the truth you don’t want, so slowly I die. The lies in your eyes cannot be hidden, And this pain I endure should have been forbidden. The lies in your eyes tell me more than you say, But you deny any wrong in every way. You know that you lie and you look away from me, But you think I am stupid so blind I can’t see. The only reason I’m still here isn’t for you, But for the others my only true two. So for them I will sit and endure the lies that you tell, But don’t think for a minute that you hide your lies well. One day they will surface those lies in your eyes, And that day you won’t be able to deny. That day you will lose and wonder why, You couldn’t just keep the lies from your eyes.
Untitled Forgiveness is about Our ability to be Righteous and true to God and ourselves. In order to heal and move on. Very few of us find it Easy and though we forgive, we Never forget. We learn from Every hurt and pain which makes us Stronger and wiser. Forgiveness is part of our Salvation.
The Heart of a Soldier
The heart of a soldier is as fierce as it’s strong fighting so valiantly to right the worst wrong The heart is born full of innocence and trust discovering with time that all is not just The heart begins needing to protect and provide Feeling so deeply the honor and pride The heart discovers the duty to calm fear sacrificing time with those it holds dear The heart may find itself on shores far away battling to bring peace to everyone some day The heart bravely suffers through all that is lost enduring forever the pain serving has cost
Jaylean Dykes
Ocala
Josephine Dupey Eagan
The heart returns home grateful and wise seeing life now through war weary eyes The heart of a soldier is unique and true defending so proudly our Red, White and Blue
~musey~ © 2005
Jennifer Sharper Online
Katherine Mies Online/Eagan
Poetry & Prose
Poetry & Prose
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Old Glory
Your life began ‘neath some amazing white stars Lined up on blue with red and white bars You were born on a day devoted to Old Glory As we celebrate this day I shall tell you Her story She flies proudly over the land of the free Created centuries ago for the world to see An official flag was established for this nation A union of thirteen to represent a constellation She inspired an anthem and a pledge to vow When you are ready you will be taught how Stars and stripes added for each new state A constant reminder of our Country so great Many have sacrificed to keep Her in flight So we can lay our heads down in peace each night That comes with a price I hope you never pay It bought us the freedom to honor this day Be proud of your Country when you pass Her by I promise to ensure you will never ask why
~musey~ © 2003 Katherine Mies Eagan
We Love You and Miss You This poem is dedicated to Tony Harrison. (12/27/77-12/27/07) Why you had to leave, We may never know. It broke so many hearts, Just to watch you go. We’ll love you and miss you Forever; ‘til the end Because when we get to heaven We know we’ll have a friend. Life will be miserable Without you here, But you’ll always be in our hearts So you’ll always be near. We may not have the answers- To why And it’s going to be hard to keep going, But we have to try. We’ll hold our heads high And try to make it through But life just won’t be the same- Without you! We’ll all pull through One way or another
Heartbroken that you’re gone We’ll find comfort in each other. So don’t worry We will all make it through And until we meet again, Tony, we will always love and miss you.
Kindell Gerald Eden Prairie
A Broken Home The pain goes deep As the hatred grows How will this turn out? No one knows As I walk through the dark Trying to find my way I realize something is missing- A reason to stay. They all push and push Until I’m on the ground When I ask for help, There’s no one around. I feel tied down Obligated to stay, All I want to do- Is scream and walk away. My feelings hold me Here in this hell No one to talk to No one to tell Tell who I am Tell how I feel To tell me what’s fake Or tell me what’s real. I wish I could run Run to be free Free to live Free to be me. Always being jealous Always in a rage Too much hatred For someone my age I deserve to be happy And in a loving home But no matter the crowd- I am all alone! But it’s not just me It’s her to - The one that goes through this with us The one that’s a part of me and you She sees all the fighting She sees all the tears We may try to hide it But we know that she hears She hears all the anger She feels all the pain It’s in the way I look at you And in the way you speak my name I just want her to be happy And not feel alone She deserves everything in this world- Not what I had- A broken home.
Kindell Gerald Eden Prairie
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Poetry & Prose
Poetry & Prose
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My Story
Such a pig, his head starts to get big from that bottle he takes another swig He thinks she wants it but she says no. His true colors start to show. She’s lying on the floor begging praying for it to stop. She saw why they warned her, but if she told is what concerned her What would he do? No one knew what she was going through Days passed....... She had enough and started popping pills fast. Had no idea what it would do, just wanted to get away. Texted a friend didn’t have much to say. Mom walked in, there on the bed she lay. Her best friend saved her life. Went to the hospital and they saw her cuts from the knife. She told everyone a lie inside she started to die Thought no one would care,
three days later she got out with another friend she did share why she really did take the pills. Before you knew it the truth starts to spill. The girl goes home tells mom how come mom starts to cry, to turn him in is what they decide They tell the cops and close by he still presides. Taunting and laughing from afar, She can see him sitting in his car. Everything changes, nothing feels the same to him it’s just a game. To church he comes around and she tries not to make a sound But she starts to bawl. He’s not supposed to be there the judge went through it all. Months pass... A word from the DA alas he gets to walk away, with a slap on the wrist. The girl’s heart turns cold as she clenches her fist. He caused so much pain
even drove her insane. But to some he did nothing wrong Because he asked her out only hours before. To her heart she closes the door, confused and searching for something more. All because she went on a date and she didn’t tell until it was too late. So girls if this ever happens to you, you know what you have to do. Someone will understand what you’re going through. I know I do! Even if you’ve been together forever, it doesn’t matter. If you haven’t seen him ever before, It’s all the same. If he wanted something more than you were willing to give, and he just took it as a game, and caused so much pain. But no matter what, it will be okay! Even if he just gets to walk away!
Cover submission by Paul Roff Lake Elmo
CBraatz Our Other Voice Cover 1.pdf
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Mariah Durrant Wausau
Cover submission by Connie Braatz Green Bay
Ou r Other Voice
Volume 5
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Poetry & Prose
Poetry & Prose
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I WANNA 2
You say that you’ve been through hell ‘n’ I see it all as well. While you’re trying to understand it all and trying not to slip ‘n’ fall I wanna be that little glimpse of heaven when hell has taken over. I wanna be the flashlight on your darkest days My child, I wanna make you happy in so many different ways. I wanna be the one who lights up your world when it’s gone black. I wanna be the one who brings your gorgeous smile back. I wanna be the warmness when your days gone cold ‘n’ blue Because My child I love you. I wanna be the gentle hand that calms the crashing waves in your life.
I wanna be there when you need me day and night. My child you mean so much to me. And for all of this to be, all you need to do is accept me. If you don’t know how it’s rather easy see, just close your eyes ‘N’ bow your head and say a simple prayer. And no more will you have to bear The pain and storm in your life, this I swear. Just come to me when you’re in need You’re my child and I shall comfort you indeed. This is all you have to do and never forget I’ll always love you. -GodMariah Durrant Wausau
Broken
Broken and shattered How do I mend these pieces? Not just the heart is tattered But the soul feels scattered How do I give you back the sparkle? The life that used to be there? Is it me? Am I the one to blame? Or are we just one in the same? Did our journey give us two different paths? Were we meant to be? Was this meant to last? Did I detour you from your final destination? Complicate things and cause hesitation? Am I still wanted? Am I still needed? Is it really over and I’m just too dumb to see it? How can I give you the world? When mine is falling apart? How can I give you a new beginning? When I don’t know where to start? How can I be your melody? When my voice is off key? How can I be with you? When you don’t want to be with me?
Tasha Truong Aurora Campus
Faith
Another non-believer walks the face of this earth Soon she will learn that one slight move will swipe her from what she called birth. She stands on a corner and does not see Of what exactly might be. In a blink of an eye, she is on the ground with a bump on her knee She lies in pain and agony. No one to turn to, no one to cry with, as it seems the world does not stop, and she’s not there. She is lifted gently into the air The rest falls blank as she opens her eyes. “Angel” a voice whispered, as she turned her head, What she spied, she had just realized that she had died. As she looked to her left, An old woman sits at her rest. “
The Reflection in the Mirror
Goodbye, my sweet Angel” Then she sang a lullaby. “I shall see you soon” As she started to cry. “You did not believe in him but he believes in you, Good-bye my sweet Angel. Oh what shall I do?”
Megan Seward Online
A relationship begins with, The Reflection in the Mirror. Living life’s lessons with Acceptance and Giving, Respecting others in constant fair, Honest morals and values of Friendship to share. Sharing your time to listen to a sorrow, With unconditional love, In hopes of a brighter tomorrow. Learning and Caring outside oneself, Standing beside in comfort and failing health. Turning a cheek whenever in pain, Believing that Faith will Heal and remain. Coming to terms with Failure and Fault. Understanding with Truth and Sincerity in kind, Striving to continue, The achieved bond that binds. Whether the Messenger or Receiver, A relationship begins with, The Reflection in the Mirror.
Regina Marie O’Connor Feliciano Pasco
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Poetry & Prose
Poetry & Prose
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Wounded, but Not Scarred
I often wonder how many times a heart can break before it can no longer love. How many times a spirit can be crushed before it finally dies. How many tears can be shed before you’ve forgotten how to cry? How often your walls can be built, torn down, and then rebuilt again before you make them out of something stronger and thicker. How long it takes to finally stop thinking about someone. How long it takes to finally stop loving someone. How long it takes to be able to say their name again and not hurt. Does any of it ever stop or ever go away? Or do we just learn to deal with it and move on?
Shannon Mescall Pasco
Soul Searching
When does the pain stop? When does the hurt fade? When do we stop second guessing And accept the choices we made? How do you know the end is near? Is it something in the air? Is it something you can hear? What will your last thoughts be as you fade from the light? When do you accept the darkness? When do you give up the fight? When you look inside yourself Do you like what you see? Have you come to peace with yourself Or do you see your reflection as your enemy? Have you come to terms with your past Did you slow down and enjoy life Or speed through it going too fast? Don’t disregard the simplicity of breathing Kiss your loved ones goodbye Because the moment could be fleeting Today you might be here But tomorrow you might not Appreciate the now You must cherish what you’ve got
Tasha Truong Aurora Campus
Sea-horse Shaped Swings
When I was a child with hair of gold, my mother would take me, so the story is told, to a playground full of wondrous things. But what I liked best were the seahorse-shaped swings. The slide was a wonder, its high-climbing stairs. The merry-go-round, the spring-rocking bears. My mother said, “Try all these wondrous things!” But my heart’s desire was the seahorse-shaped swings. Now, I am a mother with kids of my own; the grandkids are coming, the kids are all grown. I take them to see all these wondrous things, and remember the days of the sea-horseshaped swings.
Vicki M. Schaffer Green Bay Campus
Where Were You The Day The Eagle Wept? September 2001
Do you remember that day in September, when America’s Eagle wept? Lives were taken and families shaken, that morning, after we slept Money the reason, Greed the cause, for the lives taken that day Striving to be the World Power, to rule, this is the price we did pay The day not forgotten, we’ll always remember What happened 2001, the Eleventh Day of September Blue skies gave way to a horrible sight American planes, on their way, gave us fright To all who were watching in stark disbelief Nightmares unfolding, caused immediate grief Out of the blue skies, into the Towers Their purpose, topple symbols of Freedom and Power
We moaned, “’Tis the land of the free and home of the brave The lives that are lost, and the lives left to save” The search and recovery took many days The search for the living changed to finding remains Much time has passed since the deadly attacks Still suffering losses from the deadly impacts Terrorism, acts of destruction, by any means Remnants of evil, are what still remains Resilience and faith, our buoyancy swift We looked to our leaders to keep our nation adrift From the ruins of sadness, we found new resolve Faith, strength and courage, forever evolve We continue to pay a price, to this day With War On Terror its cause This Forever War will never be won, The battle, forever, no pause
Power and Greed, Money and Oil, are reasons attacks took place We need to remember, and never forget, that fateful September, when we all saw Evil’s Face
Lucinda Anne Schaffner Lake Elmo
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Poetry & Prose
Poetry & Prose
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photo by Amanda Dickey
Abacos, Bahamas photo by Cathy Langer Pasco
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Art and Photography
Art and Photography
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Photo by Danny Guyton Online
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Art and Photography
Art and Photography
photo by Danny Guyton Online
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Photo by Danny Guyton Online
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Deception Pass Bridge to Whidbey Island, WA photo by Daphne Procz-Shortz Online
Art and Photography
Art and Photography
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Art and Photography
Photo by Cynthia Hall Eden Prairie
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Collage by Arianea Nelson Moorhead
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Art and Photography
Art by Dori Lynn Harte Pasco
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Photo by Kelsey Boeckman Online
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Art and Photography
Photo by Kelsey Boeckman Online
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Photo by Kelsey Boeckman Online
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Photo by Peg Snyder Pasco
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Abacos, Bahamas photo by Cathy Langer Pasco
Art and Photography
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Art and Photography
Collage by Arianea Nelson Moorhead
Art and Photography
Digital Media by Jennifer Smith Pasco
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Photo by Peg Snyder Pasco
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Photo by Penny Green St. Cloud
Art and Photography
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Photo by Shanon Burwell Online
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Art and Photography
Art and Photography
Photo by Shanon Burwell Online
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Iris Photo by Shanon Burwell Online
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Art by Glennia Fayen Ocala
Art and Photography
Art and Photography
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Art by Glennia Fayen Ocala
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Art and Photography
GOODBYE
How can I say this to make it better The time I have with you now is never The time I had I pissed away Always telling myself I would visit some day I took for granted while Chronos was dancing And now it’s too late and the devil is laughing I miss you Swanny that’s why I’m making this letter If I looked at a single fire work I would’ve cried forever I hid myself on July 4th, covering my ears But I’m breaking down right now and feasting on my tears And my insides are drowning in my childhood fears I finally had a “dad” after all these years But I fucked up, and let Whodi play too much
And because of that, my heart has become my lunch I don’t wanna say goodbye, I wish I could lie Right now I’m waiting on a Hollywood moment for you to reply But I won’t get it, just more thoughts of you when you died Now I’m starting to feel a li’l bit of insanity Cause these selfish acts of mine had robbed me of my humanity I should have visited more and stayed in line And I wish I wasn’t such a whore when it came to time. I can poem all day about you but I have to kill it inside I’m gonna lie once more to myself father, I have to say goodbye...
Arnold B. Wells St. Cloud
Every Cloud Has a Silver Lining
Many people in my life have told me, “In every bad thing in life, there’s always something good to come.” I would always shrug my shoulders and look away. Now, as I look back at the things that have happened, I see it is true. When I was seven years old, I was in Minneapolis, Minnesota at the Shriners’ Hospital after having my twentieth hip surgery. I was born without a hip, so the doctors were trying to build me a hip so I could walk. I was waiting for my mother to arrive from Nebraska. She was eight months pregnant and couldn’t come with me. So, I was there alone, waiting to see my new baby brother, Alex. When she and my dad finally arrived, there was no baby. She had lost him at birth, due to not being delivered in time, and he suffocated inside the womb. Obviously, this was devastating. My parents separated soon after that and we moved around for years. If I stop and think, if my brother had been born my parents could have stayed together, there is much in
Judy Inks Coordinator
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my life today that wouldn’t be. For instance, my mother would have never met my stepdad, James, who is a wonderful father, and I never would have had my two little brothers, Quintin and Christian. I love them to death, and I don’t know what I would do if they weren’t here. I also would have never met my husband, Jonathan, and would have never become pregnant; therefore, our beautiful son Kristopher would not be here. So out of that horrible incident, we were devastated and crushed to have lost Alex. But in the end, it gave us many good things in life. We will always wonder what it would have been like if he were here with us. I know my mother still thinks about it all the time, but I also know she agrees with me when I say, God had his reasons. Throughout your life there are many times you think about, experiences you’ve gone through that you wish you could go back and stop from happening. But, if you were to do that, you would also change how your life is today, causing you to lose some of the people and things that you have now.
There are so many more situations that have happened in my life that I wish wouldn’t have, such challenges. Dropping out of high school, the rollover auto accident I was in in October 2007, and my husband, Jonathan, joining the military have all pushed to me to my limit. Raising our son alone at this time while Jonathan is serving his deployment in Korea is teaching me how to be strong and a good parent. These are all things I’d rather not have had to deal with or deal with now, but there is a reason for all of it. There are people in my life that I would have most likely never have met otherwise. So when something happens in your life that you think is going to end everything, just think about that saying, “Every cloud has a silver lining.” Things always work out in the end.
Amanda Dickey
Poetry & Prose
Poetry & Prose
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Suffering a Man Should Never Know Dear David, Hey honey, how have you been? It’s been a while since we spoke. I haven’t heard from you since the last few letters I sent you. The stupid mail must be really busy or losing its way. Are you staying safe out there in Afghanistan? To be honest, I feel detached from my own body when I start to picture what could happen to you, and my mind gives in to the darker side of things. I could imagine that every day when you open your eyes and take in the sun, you wonder if it will be your last. At the same time, I wonder if it’s almost impossible for you to rest or stay asleep at night. It was all over the news a few days ago. For the first time the TV became a car at night and I became a deer caught in its headlights. That was when I heard that a Minnesota unit was under fire; it put me in a trance. I did not even realize that I needed to replace the TV remote that I dropped until several minutes after my mother rushed over and found me. The news claimed a town of civilians, third-world style, had a few bad apples in the batch. One of them pulled a gun and took aim at your squad; the bullets whistling as they raced passed your ears
and Jerry pushing you out of the way and becoming the official target. Your squad began returning fire. Now, there are hundreds of bodies horizontal and cold. The media is all over it and everyone is pointing fingers. I picture you witnessing all this; from the shoot out, to Jerry going down like that, knowing he will never see the light of day again, and the innocents in town that caught stray bullets. Hell, who was innocent and who wasn’t? You probably beat yourself up with questions on top of questions. I have some of my own and I wasn’t even there. I’m sure many others feel the same way around the world. I bet with the heat over there it’s starting to convince you that you really are in hell. I used to think digital cameras were a technology that was pure beauty. Now they appear to me as a double-edged sword because they capture such incredible detail. I can see the look in your eyes from the last batch of pictures you sent us. The only detail I can’t make out is if that is sweat on your face or tears. I ran into your Uncle Jim the other day. We were talking about you. His voice was slower and deeper than ever when you were mentioned. When the news was brought up he began stuttering in his speech and began
to profusely drink the water he had with him, as if he was a fish. To be honest, I never witnessed your uncle looking so pale. Does he know something I don’t? I swear a ghost is what he saw. What if he did see a ghost? What if your ghost was there? What if your ghost is right next to me this moment as I write this? A glass repelled off the counter this morning and decorated the floor like cheap diamonds with razor sharp edges. Was that you? No, I need to stay positive. I cannot let you down in your time of need. Your heart still has a pulse somewhere. We all love you and just want you home. You do not need to read this. This letter will never touch you. I cannot allow you to witness my depression on this issue when you are the one living the nightmare. I will bury it with the rest of my fears I have been conjuring since your departure. I will make sure of that. Hope to hear from you soon my love,
Everyday Famous Words You know, I never knew there were so many famous names, titles, or sayings that are known worldwide, until I did a research project recently. For instance, everybody knows the name “JAWS” from that great shark movie that had many people thinking twice before taking a leisurely swim. And that stoically voiced comment, “I’LL BE BACK” from a futuristic robot who, by the way, is now a state governor. Is there anyone in the world who does NOT know who Dracula is? Frankenstein? Superman? Spiderman? The Fonz? Darth Vader? And if I may voice my own opinion, I believe it was the American cinema that made this happen. I mean, every American knows what it means when you put your thumb up and say “Aaaayyyy .” I grew up with Gilligan’s Island and The Brady Bunch. Couldn’t everybody make a radio out of a coconut? And if you knew someone named Marcia, you just held your breath until you had a perfect moment to use, “Marcia, Marcia, Marcia.” And how many times in your life have you said, “Frankly my dear, I don’t give a damn”? Who comes to mind if you hear, “Bond, James Bond”? And really, has your mom ever said, “Life is like a box of chocolates”? Probably not, but you know what it means and
Jeff
Arnold B. Wells St. Cloud
where it came from. I know “King Kong” is not an American character, but we did make him famous for being a giant teddy bear type monkey. And with great graphics. If you really sit and think about it, we use these famous sayings, names and quotes in our lives almost on a daily basis. Just the other day my brother was helping me with some leaking pipes in the basement and he looked up and said, “Houston, we have a problem.” Of course we have a problem; my pipes are leaking. But you see what I mean. I recently went to pick up some bookshelves and books, and even though I drive a van, when we finally had it all loaded I just had to say, “We need a bigger boat.” It was automatic. I didn’t even think about it. It just fit the situation. America made Cinderella a household name and the word “Bambi” said through gushing tears of children when their father came home from a deer hunting trip. Snow White, I believe, is not nearly as famous as those words, “Mirror, mirror, on the wall, who’s the fairest of them all?” Why, because I’m a middle aged woman and have cursed all mirrors since time began. Some things will be eternal, like Elvis’, “Thank you, thank you very much.” or Clint Eastwood’s, “Go ahead, punk, make my day.” But nowadays my eleven-year-old
daughter says things that I hear other kids saying, and they all know what it means, like, “Whatever.” This word is used by just about everybody, all the time. I mean, I hear it at least two billion times a day. Who made that word big? I don’t know, but I can bet ya that it came from the TV or the movies. I remember “Yabba Dabba Doo.” You guys know it. Now I hear “Who let the dogs out?” And yes, it took me a while to stop looking around for the supposedly loose dogs. But it serves its purpose in explaining how certain words just stick. “May the force be with you” is a staple. “Beam me up, Scotty” is used quite frequently in my house along with “Calgon, take me away.” I suppose I could go on forever with these things but the point is; now I have made them obvious to you and you will be thinking about it like a bad elevator song that’s stuck in your head. So all I need to say now is, “Hasta la vista, Baby.”
Cheryl Holder Sanchez Rockford
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Poetry & Prose
Poetry & Prose
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Challenges of a Single Mother Single mothers face numerous challenges. Career, child care and even dating are among them. In order for a single mother to have a career that pays decent money, more often than not, it involves specialized training and overtime. This, in turn, produces a whole host of problems that must be addressed. Child care is the most important of these factors. Especially with all the horror stories you hear nowadays. If a single mother does not have a family member who can help out in this respect, she must filter through for child care providers. This is a tough job. Four critical factors that should be checked when searching for providers are verifiable references, ratio of children under care, ability to talk personally to current provider clients, and cost. First, an overview of your city’s home page can often provide the necessary information, which can easily be verified through the site. Second, there are state laws that mandate how many children can be provided for under one adult’s supervision. Check with local laws for this information. Third, if the provider cannot arrange for you to speak personally with at least two of their current clients, then look elsewhere.
Fourth is the cost. Though money is normally tight for a single mother, this factor should have the least importance. Quality care is not cheap. Employment and career choices are another challenge for single mothers. Even though most employers state that they do not discriminate, it is often a giant red flag when an applicant is a single mother. The employer often assumes the hiring of a single mother can adversely affect the company. Examples: loss of time on the job from problems with child care; calls received during working hours; loss of concentration on the job when the child is ill; and sick days taken when child cannot go to child care providers. Even pestering fellow employees with school fund raising programs is a concern with employers. The single mother, without knowing it, has the deck stacked against her, even before the interview. I feel that employers miss the fact that single mothers are the most dedicated, loyal and hardworking individuals in the work force today. Another challenge that single mothers face is dating. Besides overcoming the problem of finding a significant other, the child or children will, no doubt, make this aspect of a single mother’s life very hard. A single mother needs to be very careful
on the dating scene. She needs to keep in mind, not only her own safety, but the safety of her child or children. There are some real sick puppies out there. Also, the single mother must find someone who is not put off by her “baggage.” Men often refer to a single mother as having “baggage.” They are interested in free and easy fun, not a readymade family. If a single mother does manage to find someone who does not shy away from her “baggage,” then after a certain length of time, she must consider introducing her child or children. This is a critical moment for the single mother. It can make or break a relationship. Even though he is aware that you have a child or children, seeing is believing. Will they hit it off? Will your child or children be on their best behavior? Was this a good decision? The single mother also has to recognize that, even if the initial meeting went well, now is not the time to relax. The future will pose more obstacles and stress that she will need to deal with. But there is always hope on the horizon. After all, there is no other individual among us who is as strong and deserving of happiness as the single mother. Did I mention? I’m a single mother.
Conflicted
She awakes each day the sun comes through her windows she rolls to her other side ...conflicted She lays that way wiggling first her legs then her arms all to keep circulation moving ...conflicted She rolls to her back flinging her arm over her eyes loudly sighing ...conflicted Her face is pinched tight between the brows her lips pursed tight crinkles in the corners of her eyes ...conflicted The nurse approaches and gently fixes the covers of her bed She leans over and whispers soothingly ...relax...relax...all will be ok The girl sighs in disbelief and scrunches up her body tightly in a ball thinking sorrowfully ...tomorrow is a new day
Cheryl Holder Sanchez Rockford
Connie Braatz Green Bay
embracing yourself.......we all need to....im proud of the things i have done in my life some to survive some because it was fun. i can honestly say i never harmed anyone not intentionally. my dad use to say my sister lou and i were big bold beautifully made the way god intended. i have survived cancer twice, west nile virus encephalitis where i was in a chair for a year,i had to relearn speech but during that i discovered i could draw. ive loved ,ive lost in love. ive gained comfort and lost that too. but i still stand. ive danced, ive done an art show ,ive sung in public,i play mandolin and even have a famous family member who is a part of the grand old opry.i have three beautiful daughters that i havent always been there for but i did my best when i was.i became an ordained minister in 2006. a vet tech in 2000, and a pct in 2002. now im making plans to go back to college. im 44 ,i love myself and embrace everyday......and i love my friends ive had people in my life over twenty years that id be lost without.....charlene hall is one of them weve got stories to tell...past and present. embrace yourself every single day......always smile always laugh always listen....god bless you all
Haiku Winter is coming. He feels the chill approaching. It waits by the door.
Daphne Procz-Shortz Online
Glennia Fayen Ocala
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Poetry & Prose
Poetry & Prose
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FAVORITE PERSON
If I had to choose a favorite person in the world, it would most definitely have to be my mother, Mrs. Stephanie E. Walden. She’s my favorite because she’s loving, has protected me from all dangers, and she’s actually my mother and father. I look up to my mother for many reasons. One thing that I admire about her is that she’s very caring and loving when it comes to children and students. My mom has been a teacher at Tarpon Middle for the past sixteen years. She’s also the girls’ basketball coach and goes through a big process every year of keeping her girls on track in school with their grades. She also attends all practices, games, and helps with their dresses, make up, and hair on the days of events and award ceremonies. My mom is also my favorite person in the world because she’s strong and raised me all alone. While I was still waiting to be On top of everything else, Mrs. Walden has to be my favorite person because she schooled me growing up and kept me safe from all dangers. My mom sat at the table and helped me with homework every day. She attended parent-teacher meetings and checked to see if I attended school throughout the year. My mother never brought different men into our life and avoided going out to clubs and parties. Growing up I never worried about anything because she provided everything.
James Walden Pasco
Be a Man
born, my father passed away from cancer at age twenty- one. During the time my mom underwent a lot of stress. The doctors tried to get her to abort me, saying I would be born without arms and legs. My mom avoided what the doctors advised, and I was born normal. I never got a chance to get to know, or even see my father. I celebrate and buy gifts for my mom on Mother’s Day and Father’s Day because in my eyes she’s both to me. If I was asked the question again about who my favorite person in the world would be, there’s no doubt about it, I would pick my mother because of the way she’s raised me. I love her and admire the special attention she spends on her students and basketball players. When my dad passed away, she stepped up to the plate and became my mother and father. I had a safe home, and she protected me from all dangers. Still today, in times of need, I can go to her for support. She’s the best and will always be my favorite person in the whole world.
Letter from a Novel
Sending my love in a steel trap cage Bound in a book on the last empty page Wandering lost in a city street maze Through dark alleys and trash cans And cold street lamp haze Let the garbage be burned, cast emotion inside Let your long dead love kindle the fire outside You need warmth to survive There is no need for pride Until at long last Your past Is purified
The child is told someday he’ll be a man He runs and runs far away from life Fast as he possibly can. His years become days, His days become nights, His tears become glazed-over eyes as he fights Not to feel so alone So awkwardly unknown By the lives and the lies that surround him He leaves unprepared, once again he has shared Incompletely his life with another Reluctantly taking the low road again As his hopes and his dreams Somehow faltered and failed, Falling freely, now flowing down stream He has nowhere to go He has nothing to dream He is split at the seam Once again.
Jack Kirwin (j.k.) Green Bay
Jack Kirwin Green Bay
Cover submission by Daniel Grego Ocala
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Poetry & Prose
Poetry & Prose
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Wishing Star
I used to wish upon a star a star shining oh so bright way up in that dark ole sky high above my head. That star so bright up in the sky filled my life with happiness all my pain and sorrow left when I wished upon that star. All my wishes have come true from that one bright shining star so all my thanks goes to the one way up in that dark ole sky. I used to wish upon a star so very, very long ago then I grew up and years went by no wish I made on that lonely star. Oh lonely star up in the sky my days are filled with sorrow now my dreams are all piles up in heaps for I no longer wish on stars But as my days go on and on and all my dreams grow higher I feel a surge of pain inside pleading that I wish again 10
Cover submission by Hilary Homa Green Bay
Lies In Your Eyes
I used to wish upon a star a star, shining, oh so bright but when that star stopped shining again I wished upon it And now that star shines oh so bright when I look up in that dark ole sky for now I made a wish again to have that star shine forever more Feeling so lost I cannot oblige, Looking at you and the lies in your eyes. You sound so convincing we both know it ain’t true, So I sit here with tears looking back at you. You ask what is wrong and why do I cry, But the truth you don’t want, so slowly I die. The lies in your eyes cannot be hidden, And this pain I endure should have been forbidden. The lies in your eyes tell me more than you say, But you deny any wrong in every way. You know that you lie and you look away from me, But you think I am stupid so blind I can’t see. The only reason I’m still here isn’t for you, But for the others my only true two. So for them I will sit and endure the lies that you tell, But don’t think for a minute that you hide your lies well. One day they will surface those lies in your eyes, And that day you won’t be able to deny. That day you will lose and wonder why, You couldn’t just keep the lies from your eyes.
Untitled Forgiveness is about Our ability to be Righteous and true to God and ourselves. In order to heal and move on. Very few of us find it Easy and though we forgive, we Never forget. We learn from Every hurt and pain which makes us Stronger and wiser. Forgiveness is part of our Salvation.
The Heart of a Soldier
The heart of a soldier is as fierce as it’s strong fighting so valiantly to right the worst wrong The heart is born full of innocence and trust discovering with time that all is not just The heart begins needing to protect and provide Feeling so deeply the honor and pride The heart discovers the duty to calm fear sacrificing time with those it holds dear The heart may find itself on shores far away battling to bring peace to everyone some day The heart bravely suffers through all that is lost enduring forever the pain serving has cost
Jaylean Dykes
Ocala
Josephine Dupey Eagan
The heart returns home grateful and wise seeing life now through war weary eyes The heart of a soldier is unique and true defending so proudly our Red, White and Blue
~musey~ © 2005
Jennifer Sharper Online
Katherine Mies Online/Eagan
Poetry & Prose
Poetry & Prose
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Old Glory
Your life began ‘neath some amazing white stars Lined up on blue with red and white bars You were born on a day devoted to Old Glory As we celebrate this day I shall tell you Her story She flies proudly over the land of the free Created centuries ago for the world to see An official flag was established for this nation A union of thirteen to represent a constellation She inspired an anthem and a pledge to vow When you are ready you will be taught how Stars and stripes added for each new state A constant reminder of our Country so great Many have sacrificed to keep Her in flight So we can lay our heads down in peace each night That comes with a price I hope you never pay It bought us the freedom to honor this day Be proud of your Country when you pass Her by I promise to ensure you will never ask why
~musey~ © 2003 Katherine Mies Eagan
We Love You and Miss You This poem is dedicated to Tony Harrison. (12/27/77-12/27/07) Why you had to leave, We may never know. It broke so many hearts, Just to watch you go. We’ll love you and miss you Forever; ‘til the end Because when we get to heaven We know we’ll have a friend. Life will be miserable Without you here, But you’ll always be in our hearts So you’ll always be near. We may not have the answers- To why And it’s going to be hard to keep going, But we have to try. We’ll hold our heads high And try to make it through But life just won’t be the same- Without you! We’ll all pull through One way or another
Heartbroken that you’re gone We’ll find comfort in each other. So don’t worry We will all make it through And until we meet again, Tony, we will always love and miss you.
Kindell Gerald Eden Prairie
A Broken Home The pain goes deep As the hatred grows How will this turn out? No one knows As I walk through the dark Trying to find my way I realize something is missing- A reason to stay. They all push and push Until I’m on the ground When I ask for help, There’s no one around. I feel tied down Obligated to stay, All I want to do- Is scream and walk away. My feelings hold me Here in this hell No one to talk to No one to tell Tell who I am Tell how I feel To tell me what’s fake Or tell me what’s real. I wish I could run Run to be free Free to live Free to be me. Always being jealous Always in a rage Too much hatred For someone my age I deserve to be happy And in a loving home But no matter the crowd- I am all alone! But it’s not just me It’s her to - The one that goes through this with us The one that’s a part of me and you She sees all the fighting She sees all the tears We may try to hide it But we know that she hears She hears all the anger She feels all the pain It’s in the way I look at you And in the way you speak my name I just want her to be happy And not feel alone She deserves everything in this world- Not what I had- A broken home.
Kindell Gerald Eden Prairie
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Poetry & Prose
Poetry & Prose
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My Story
Such a pig, his head starts to get big from that bottle he takes another swig He thinks she wants it but she says no. His true colors start to show. She’s lying on the floor begging praying for it to stop. She saw why they warned her, but if she told is what concerned her What would he do? No one knew what she was going through Days passed....... She had enough and started popping pills fast. Had no idea what it would do, just wanted to get away. Texted a friend didn’t have much to say. Mom walked in, there on the bed she lay. Her best friend saved her life. Went to the hospital and they saw her cuts from the knife. She told everyone a lie inside she started to die Thought no one would care,
three days later she got out with another friend she did share why she really did take the pills. Before you knew it the truth starts to spill. The girl goes home tells mom how come mom starts to cry, to turn him in is what they decide They tell the cops and close by he still presides. Taunting and laughing from afar, She can see him sitting in his car. Everything changes, nothing feels the same to him it’s just a game. To church he comes around and she tries not to make a sound But she starts to bawl. He’s not supposed to be there the judge went through it all. Months pass... A word from the DA alas he gets to walk away, with a slap on the wrist. The girl’s heart turns cold as she clenches her fist. He caused so much pain
even drove her insane. But to some he did nothing wrong Because he asked her out only hours before. To her heart she closes the door, confused and searching for something more. All because she went on a date and she didn’t tell until it was too late. So girls if this ever happens to you, you know what you have to do. Someone will understand what you’re going through. I know I do! Even if you’ve been together forever, it doesn’t matter. If you haven’t seen him ever before, It’s all the same. If he wanted something more than you were willing to give, and he just took it as a game, and caused so much pain. But no matter what, it will be okay! Even if he just gets to walk away!
Cover submission by Paul Roff Lake Elmo
CBraatz Our Other Voice Cover 1.pdf
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Mariah Durrant Wausau
Cover submission by Connie Braatz Green Bay
Ou r Other Voice
Volume 5
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Poetry & Prose
Poetry & Prose
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I WANNA 2
You say that you’ve been through hell ‘n’ I see it all as well. While you’re trying to understand it all and trying not to slip ‘n’ fall I wanna be that little glimpse of heaven when hell has taken over. I wanna be the flashlight on your darkest days My child, I wanna make you happy in so many different ways. I wanna be the one who lights up your world when it’s gone black. I wanna be the one who brings your gorgeous smile back. I wanna be the warmness when your days gone cold ‘n’ blue Because My child I love you. I wanna be the gentle hand that calms the crashing waves in your life.
I wanna be there when you need me day and night. My child you mean so much to me. And for all of this to be, all you need to do is accept me. If you don’t know how it’s rather easy see, just close your eyes ‘N’ bow your head and say a simple prayer. And no more will you have to bear The pain and storm in your life, this I swear. Just come to me when you’re in need You’re my child and I shall comfort you indeed. This is all you have to do and never forget I’ll always love you. -GodMariah Durrant Wausau
Broken
Broken and shattered How do I mend these pieces? Not just the heart is tattered But the soul feels scattered How do I give you back the sparkle? The life that used to be there? Is it me? Am I the one to blame? Or are we just one in the same? Did our journey give us two different paths? Were we meant to be? Was this meant to last? Did I detour you from your final destination? Complicate things and cause hesitation? Am I still wanted? Am I still needed? Is it really over and I’m just too dumb to see it? How can I give you the world? When mine is falling apart? How can I give you a new beginning? When I don’t know where to start? How can I be your melody? When my voice is off key? How can I be with you? When you don’t want to be with me?
Tasha Truong Aurora Campus
Faith
Another non-believer walks the face of this earth Soon she will learn that one slight move will swipe her from what she called birth. She stands on a corner and does not see Of what exactly might be. In a blink of an eye, she is on the ground with a bump on her knee She lies in pain and agony. No one to turn to, no one to cry with, as it seems the world does not stop, and she’s not there. She is lifted gently into the air The rest falls blank as she opens her eyes. “Angel” a voice whispered, as she turned her head, What she spied, she had just realized that she had died. As she looked to her left, An old woman sits at her rest. “
The Reflection in the Mirror
Goodbye, my sweet Angel” Then she sang a lullaby. “I shall see you soon” As she started to cry. “You did not believe in him but he believes in you, Good-bye my sweet Angel. Oh what shall I do?”
Megan Seward Online
A relationship begins with, The Reflection in the Mirror. Living life’s lessons with Acceptance and Giving, Respecting others in constant fair, Honest morals and values of Friendship to share. Sharing your time to listen to a sorrow, With unconditional love, In hopes of a brighter tomorrow. Learning and Caring outside oneself, Standing beside in comfort and failing health. Turning a cheek whenever in pain, Believing that Faith will Heal and remain. Coming to terms with Failure and Fault. Understanding with Truth and Sincerity in kind, Striving to continue, The achieved bond that binds. Whether the Messenger or Receiver, A relationship begins with, The Reflection in the Mirror.
Regina Marie O’Connor Feliciano Pasco
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Poetry & Prose
Poetry & Prose
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Wounded, but Not Scarred
I often wonder how many times a heart can break before it can no longer love. How many times a spirit can be crushed before it finally dies. How many tears can be shed before you’ve forgotten how to cry? How often your walls can be built, torn down, and then rebuilt again before you make them out of something stronger and thicker. How long it takes to finally stop thinking about someone. How long it takes to finally stop loving someone. How long it takes to be able to say their name again and not hurt. Does any of it ever stop or ever go away? Or do we just learn to deal with it and move on?
Shannon Mescall Pasco
Soul Searching
When does the pain stop? When does the hurt fade? When do we stop second guessing And accept the choices we made? How do you know the end is near? Is it something in the air? Is it something you can hear? What will your last thoughts be as you fade from the light? When do you accept the darkness? When do you give up the fight? When you look inside yourself Do you like what you see? Have you come to peace with yourself Or do you see your reflection as your enemy? Have you come to terms with your past Did you slow down and enjoy life Or speed through it going too fast? Don’t disregard the simplicity of breathing Kiss your loved ones goodbye Because the moment could be fleeting Today you might be here But tomorrow you might not Appreciate the now You must cherish what you’ve got
Tasha Truong Aurora Campus
Sea-horse Shaped Swings
When I was a child with hair of gold, my mother would take me, so the story is told, to a playground full of wondrous things. But what I liked best were the seahorse-shaped swings. The slide was a wonder, its high-climbing stairs. The merry-go-round, the spring-rocking bears. My mother said, “Try all these wondrous things!” But my heart’s desire was the seahorse-shaped swings. Now, I am a mother with kids of my own; the grandkids are coming, the kids are all grown. I take them to see all these wondrous things, and remember the days of the sea-horseshaped swings.
Vicki M. Schaffer Green Bay Campus
Where Were You The Day The Eagle Wept? September 2001
Do you remember that day in September, when America’s Eagle wept? Lives were taken and families shaken, that morning, after we slept Money the reason, Greed the cause, for the lives taken that day Striving to be the World Power, to rule, this is the price we did pay The day not forgotten, we’ll always remember What happened 2001, the Eleventh Day of September Blue skies gave way to a horrible sight American planes, on their way, gave us fright To all who were watching in stark disbelief Nightmares unfolding, caused immediate grief Out of the blue skies, into the Towers Their purpose, topple symbols of Freedom and Power
We moaned, “’Tis the land of the free and home of the brave The lives that are lost, and the lives left to save” The search and recovery took many days The search for the living changed to finding remains Much time has passed since the deadly attacks Still suffering losses from the deadly impacts Terrorism, acts of destruction, by any means Remnants of evil, are what still remains Resilience and faith, our buoyancy swift We looked to our leaders to keep our nation adrift From the ruins of sadness, we found new resolve Faith, strength and courage, forever evolve We continue to pay a price, to this day With War On Terror its cause This Forever War will never be won, The battle, forever, no pause
Power and Greed, Money and Oil, are reasons attacks took place We need to remember, and never forget, that fateful September, when we all saw Evil’s Face
Lucinda Anne Schaffner Lake Elmo
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Poetry & Prose
Poetry & Prose
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photo by Amanda Dickey
Abacos, Bahamas photo by Cathy Langer Pasco
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Art and Photography
Art and Photography
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Photo by Danny Guyton Online
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Art and Photography
Art and Photography
photo by Danny Guyton Online
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Photo by Danny Guyton Online
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Deception Pass Bridge to Whidbey Island, WA photo by Daphne Procz-Shortz Online
Art and Photography
Art and Photography
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Art and Photography
Photo by Cynthia Hall Eden Prairie
Art and Photography
Collage by Arianea Nelson Moorhead
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Art and Photography
Art by Dori Lynn Harte Pasco
Art and Photography
Photo by Kelsey Boeckman Online
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Art and Photography
Photo by Kelsey Boeckman Online
Art and Photography
Photo by Kelsey Boeckman Online
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Photo by Peg Snyder Pasco
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Abacos, Bahamas photo by Cathy Langer Pasco
Art and Photography
Art and Photography
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Art and Photography
Collage by Arianea Nelson Moorhead
Art and Photography
Digital Media by Jennifer Smith Pasco
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Photo by Peg Snyder Pasco
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Photo by Penny Green St. Cloud
Art and Photography
Art and Photography
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Photo by Shanon Burwell Online
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Art and Photography
Art and Photography
Photo by Shanon Burwell Online
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Iris Photo by Shanon Burwell Online
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Art by Glennia Fayen Ocala
Art and Photography
Art and Photography
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Art by Glennia Fayen Ocala
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Art and Photography
