# data[].attributes.body
Dear Family,

From the moment I was born,

Raised like no other,

I knew what was the truest out of everything in this cruel, heartless world:

My family is the most important and essential thing to me

Since you are the most important thing in this world, I gave you my all-

From my effort

To being who I am.

As your only daughter,

I always believed in the people who believed in me the most

The people who supported me no matter

And the ones who had the muscles to lift me to be me

That was you

I did what I could for you

Because it's what you're best at

You have helped me with my struggles

Some struggles are school related

School pokes me when I have weekly exams

But you helped me

I’ve also had insecurities of talking to people

Especially re welcoming my talkative-ness

When I needed it the most

You gave me powerful life lessons

And I’ll always love you for it

You taught me life is short

So we should spend time with each other while we can

We have given each other what we needed

Which was 101% love

When anyone of us is sick, we help each other

And we both know, no matter what

I’ll always be the kid

Who is bubbly

Socially awkward

A supporter

And confident thanks to the people who raised me to be who I am today

Most importantly, you helped me to love myself

Love,

Your daughter

# data[].attributes.body
Dear Football,From the moment I picked up a football Threw it up and caught it with joy. In my mind I knew one thing was real:I fell in love with you.
A love so deep I gave you my all-From the bottom of my heart and the top of my mind To my love for the game grew and grew
As a young 8 year old boy in the 3rd grade Deeply in love with you I never thought about turning back; I only thought about the future ahead of me and what it holds.
And so I play this game with confidence, and the intent to make a mark in the game.I will play and risk my life for the game, as it is a savior in my life You asked for my love and dedication I gave it as I had nothing better to do.Because football is my savior

| I love this game and will continue to play it Not because I can make money.But because this is the thing I love I did everything for YOU Because that’s what you do When someone makes you feel as Alive as you’ve made me feel.
You gave a boy a path to success, like giving a bird a beautiful pair of wings And I’ll always love you for it.This game has changed my life for the better My heart is on an anchor of love for the game My mind will refuse to press the brakes and stop the grind But my life has more than football ahead
And that’s OK.I’m ready to continue the grind I want you to know now So we both can savor every moment we have left together.The good and the bad.We have given each other All that we have.
And we both know, no matter what I do next I’ll always be that kid With a solar system of dreams about the game. Each dream is like a star.But dreams mean nothing unless you pursue them like a predator to prey.
Love, Baron Marinovich

# data[].attributes.body
Dear Rick Astley

From the moment

I heard your song

And got rickrolled

In late 2019

I knew one thing was real:

I fell in love with you.

A love so deep I gave you my all-

From my friends trust

To my friends

As a bad friend, I fell

Deeply in love with you

I never was gonna give you up

I only just wanna tell you how I'm feeling

Gotta make you understand

And so I rickrolled my friends

I sent dQw4w9WgXcQ

To random people and friends

You asked for my friends’ trust

I gave it

Because we're no strangers to love

Gotta make you understand

I’m never gonna give you up

Not because We've known each other for so long

But because We know the game and we're gonna play it

I did everything for YOU

Because that’s what you do

When someone makes you feel as

Alive as you’ve made me feel.

You gave a reason for my friends to leave

And I’ll always love you for it.

But I can’t love you obsessively for much longer.

This link is engraved into my soul and

My heart to protect me from my friends and

My mind to remember it always

But my friends will never learn

And that’s OK.

We've known each other for so long

Your heart's been aching, but you're too shy to say it

Inside, we both know what's been going on

We know the game and we're gonna play it

Never gonna give you up

Never gonna let you down

Never gonna run around and desert you

And we both know, no matter what I do next

I’ll always be that kid

With a suspicious link that ends in dQw4w9WgXcQ

Never gonna make you cry

Never gonna say goodbye

Never gonna tell a lie and hurt you

Love,

George(and yes you have been rickrolled)

# data[].attributes.body
From the moment I stepped into the ice rink

And the chilly breeze blew into my heart.

In my mind, the dopamine was released

I know one thing was real:
I fell in love with you.

A love so deep I gave you my all

From my heart to time.

As a skate lover

I deeply in love with you

I never forget to skate at the weekend

I only enjoy it from the bottom of the heart

And so I wait patiently for you to rise

I commit my whole heart to you

You ask for my time, love and perseverance

I gave it all to you

Because I know it is fun

I played through the pain and perseverance

You gave me a new hobby

And I’ll always love you for it.

But I can’t love you obsessively for much longer.

This is the thing that I enjoy the most

My heart will enjoy it

My mind will always think about it

But my body is ready to say goodbye

And that’s OK

I’m ready to let you go.

I want you to know now

So we both can savor every moment we have left together.

The good and the bad.

We have given each other

All that we have.

And we both know, no matter what I do next

I’ll always be that kid

With the skating shoes on my feet

And rap in warm clothes.

Love you always,
Emily

# data[].attributes.body
From the moment

I played my first ever game

On the Wii

To all the unnecessary DLC’s

I’ve purchased

I knew one this was real:

I fell in love with you

A love so deep I gave you my all

From my entire allowance

To the time I could have spent on

Homework

An average kid obsessed with

Video games I felt like gaming

Was the only thing that made

Me happy

So I played day and night

I gave you all my time

And you became my

Life

I played day in and day out because

You were the only thing that made

Me feel enjoyment

You gave me an escape from

A reality I never wanted to

go back to

All the time and effort I

Put into video games

And now video games

Are my passion

Love,

Anonymous

# data[].attributes.body
From the moment
I caressed your well-worn, weathered cover
And your brittle, yellowed pages
In my heart
I knew one thing was real:

We would never be separate.

A love so deep I gave you my all-
From my countless hours in the middle of the night spent reading
To my every waking hour thinking about you

As a writer
Deeply in love with you
I never turned away from you
I only dove into the world you offered me
A world that I would never be excluded in

And so I stayed with you
I never wanted to leave
You only asked for me to remember you
To never forget about you
I will never
I would never
Because you gave me a place to be myself

Every time I felt misery
Every time I ever felt that I was a mess
You consoled me
You wiped away my tears
You lovingly embraced me
Even as your pages fell out of their binding
You held my hand.

You taught me so much
About life
About the world
About compassion, love, and respect
About myself

You gave me a place to stay
When I needed it most
You gave me a community of people
Who related to me

You gave me characters I wished to be
For their bravery
Strength
Kindness
Unselfishness

You made me better myself
You helped me find my true friends
I wish
Everybody
Could have the same love
That I have for you

Because you
Make me feel alive

I’m not sure
What I would do without you
The only thing I can say to you
Even though I mean so much more
Is
Thank you.

You shaped my life
For the better

From
Someone who loves you

I will never forget you.

# data[].attributes.body
From the moment

I was carried

And loved

In your loving arms

I knew one thing was real:

I fell in love with you.

A love so deep I gave you my all-

From my time and dedication

To my life

As a human being

Deeply in love with you

I would never hurt you

I only want the best for you

And so I want to take care of you

I want to love you like the way you loved me.

You asked for my support

I gave you my everything

Because I care
I care

Not because I need you for the air I breathe

Or the food I eat

But because you deserve better

I did everything for YOU

Because that’s what you do

When someone makes you feel as

Alive as you’ve made me feel.

You gave a comforting home

And I’ll always love you for it.

But I can’t love you obsessively for much longer.

This can’t go on like this

My heart shattered and fixed

My mind broken and hurt

But my body still keeps pumping and pumping

And that’s OK.

I’m ready to let you go.

I want you to know now

So we both can savor every moment we have left together.

The good and the bad.

We have given each other

All that we have.

And we both know, no matter what I do next

I’ll always be that kid

With a passion

The one who saves you from the enormous hole we have dug.

Love,

Xiaoxiao (Lisa) Liu

# data[].attributes.body
Dear Self,

From the first time I took a look at myself to

Now a lot has changed.

The way I look , The way I fell, Even my confidence.

It has been rough for me especially after these few years.

I moved to a whole new country that I did not like.

I left my family here in the U.S , It was hard.

Many thought I was a coward just because i was not

“One of them”. I still fought through it but it was hard.

It kept happening. I would sit at home pretending I was

Happy, pretending I was okay. I would keep secrets

From my loved ones and my friend.

2020 was a rough year Covid happened. I lost all my

Confidence and hope. I moved again back to the U.S,

Went to a new school, Had a whole new LIFE. Then my

“Best Friend” did not want to be friends anymore. It shattered

My heart. She was my only friend. She was the person I told everything to.

Thanks to Corona I can’t make any new Friends. Fo days I thought I had a problem

I thought I was not good enough for anyone. Now I am stuck doing online

School. All day coped up in my bed. Going to zoom and learning , being on

my phone during my breaks. Feeling lonely , bored, and disgusted in myself.

But 2021 had a change for me. I started eating healthy and working out. Having fun

With my family,Sharing memories together. I gained my confidence back. I started going out

To places. Having parties and loving myself. It has been hard but you can

Always fight through it. You must believe in yourself. In your heart.

-Aaliyah Sherif

# data[].attributes.body
As a student

Who wanted more than just a minute

I never went past my time limit

I only watched until an assignment was due

Or until my mother parted me from you

And so I say with every inch of my heart

I will always start another video

New or old if i have not seen it before

You asked me to sign in

I just wanted more

I gave you my likes and subs

Because it seemed like a win-win

# data[].attributes.body
as the dreary day comes to an end

the soft rays of sunlight

peek through

the cracks in the window curtains

that seem to gently sway,

side to side

with the wisps of dust

that collect at its silky ends,

as time

begins

to

slow

and so,

the heavy feeling

that just seems

to weigh everything down

disappears completely

as soon as the sensation

of fluffy pillows

engulfs your entire being

pulling the warm covers

over your head,

the faint scent

of laundry detergent

fills your senses

as your blankets

just came,

fresh from the dryer
causing the feeling of comfort

to wash over you in waves
and so it lulls you

into a state of tranquility

now,

you see the walls of your bedroom

from the very corner of your eye

slowly fade into dark

as your eyelids

fully come to a close

pink, puffy clouds

that look like pieces

of cotton candy in the sky

bright, white shooting stars

quickly rush by

right before your eyes

the sky is a light, purple hue

as you reach up

gingerly, with a delicate hand

to touch the glowing moon

hanging airily

above the entire scene

that seems to ethereal to be true

and in a way. . .

you were right

for the moment

your fingertip

touches the silver

everything around you

begins to move in ripples

and the moon

the sky

the stars

and the clouds

gradually disappear

and now,

the only thing

evident in your eyes

is the ceiling wall

that hangs above your head

so ordinarily

compared to the sky

you saw in your dream

and so,

the only remnants

that still exist

of that breathtaking

otherworld

are the images

tucked within your memories

but, like all your past dreams

they are bound to be forgotten

as you get on with your day

even though reality

will never emulate

to the beauty

you experience

in your sleep

# data[].attributes.body
From the moment I picked up a pencil and paper, I fell in love with the way they moved. It felt right to doodle and to draw, to spread ink and paint across a blank surface. As an artist, I can create so many things with these simple tools. I can make color where there was none. And so I drew and drew, and as I drew I grew. I grew and I grew and I grew, and I drew and I drew and I drew. I drew myself a hobby, I drew myself a passion, I drew myself a talent, and maybe I’ll even draw a future. You gave me something that I can use to help and heal and inspire. Something that I can use to cope with life and its struggles. It can be hard, and it can take a lot of time, and that’s OK. Art comes with practice and experience; nobody is born to draw. And I love that, I love all of your bits and pieces and parts. I love drawing, I love creating, and I surely do love art.
Love you always, Evelyn.

# data[].attributes.body
Dear Kobe,

I cheered you during the highs

And supported you during the lows.

You gave me your heart

And I gave you mine in return.

I watched your games

New or Old

Seeing you throw that alley-oop to Shaq

Even the ball fell in love with you

Including an 81-point game

And a 60-point farewell

And all the other remarkable moments that caused the Staples Center to tremble with fear

You inspired the world to follow their dreams

And to scream "Kobe!" every time they threw something away.

And although I love you dearly

My love alone could not make you stay.

You taught me it's not about the destination

But the journey

And I cannot join you on this final one.

Love always,

Mohammed

# data[].attributes.body
Dear Baking,(by Ishan J.)

From the moment the hot brownies entered my mouth

And they melted inside

In my mind the dopamine was released

I knew one thing was real:

I fell in love with you, but you made my tongue burn

A love so deep I gave you my all-

From the making of my hands

To my every hungry stomach

As a foodie

Deeply in love with you

I never rushed

I only slowly enjoyed

And so I waited patiently for you to rise

I waited for you to prove

You asked for my dedication, will, and patience

I gave it all

Because I knew it would benefit me at the end of the day
I made this poem for you

DEFINITELY Not because I want a good grade

But because my taste buds love you

I did everything for YOU

Because that’s what you do

When someone makes you feel as

Alive as you’ve made me feel.

You gave me comfort

And I’ll always love you for it.

But I can’t love you obsessively for a while

This terror of nature, has made my supplies go low

My heart works fine without you

My mind will be able to survive

But my taste buds wills struggle

And that’s OK.

I’m ready to let you go, temporarily only,

I want you to know now, that this is the last batch

So we both can savor every moment we have left together.

The good and the bad.

We have given each other

All that we have.

And we both know, no matter what I do next

I’ll always be that kid

With good baking skills

Playing on the switch

While waiting for you to prove

Love,

IJ

# data[].attributes.body
From the moment

I held the controller

And a smartphone

In my room

I knew one thing was real:

I fell in love with you.

A love so deep that nothing could stop me from playing-

Not my mom screaming at me

Or  my friends calling me to play outside

As a normal kid

Deeply in love with you

I never could stop playing

I only thought about you wherever I went

And so I played

I played day after day

You asked for my time

I gave you my life

Because I couldn’t stop playing.

I played for days and days

Not because someone told me to

But because I wanted to

I did everything for YOU

Because that’s what you do

When someone makes you feel as

Alive as you’ve made me feel.

You gave a 13 year old his own world_

And I’ll always love you for it.

And I will always love you forever.

This life is dedicated to YOU

My heart is dedicated to YOU

My mind is dedicated to YOU

And my body is dedicated to YOU

And that’s OK.

I’m not ready to let you go.

I want you to know now

So we both can savor every moment we have left together.

The good and the bad.

We have given each other

All that we have.

And we both know, no matter what I do next

I’ll always be that kid

With the controller in my hands

TV  in the corner

:05 seconds on the clock

5...4...3...2...1…

GOAL!!!(in FIFA 19)

Love,

Hrishi C.

# data[].attributes.body
From the moment

I saw that very first music video,

And I read those lyrics

Talking about self love and self worth,

I knew one thing was real:

I fell in love with you.

A love so deep I gave you my all-

From my tears

To my whole-hearted laughter

As a fan

Deeply attached to you-

I never questioned your place in my heart,

I only ever wanted to make you feel as supported and loved as you made me.

I found myself in you

I found my reflection in the words you sang

You asked for my patience and support

I gave you my love and so much more

Because that’s what you deserved, and not an ounce less.

I continued to support you even through all of the hate

Not because I was scared of letting you go

But because I was scared of letting myself go,

You had become a part of me

And so had your lyrics

From the Legend of the Smeraldo Flower-

To the songs written about mental health,

You showed me not to be afraid of myself.

You taught a young girl how to laugh and cry again

You taught me that it’s okay to stop and catch my breath while moving forward

But most importantly, you taught me that “no matter who you are, where you’re from, your skin color, (or) your gender identity,” you are always allowed to “speak yourself”*

And I’ll always cherish you for it.

Love,

the girl you gave hope to.

# data[].attributes.body
The moment I was given birth to

Each passing moment

I have been following the path you’ve engraved

That’s when I knew for sure :

I had fallen in love with you

A love so deep that nothing can come in our way-

Keeping me forever hooked

To my spirit and my soul

As a newborn,

with every breath I’d take

You keep coming for aid

And so I kept walking

On and on

After every step

Another would appear

I gave you my heart

Because I would expect so much more

I learn through the grim and different

Not because you wanted me to

But because you called me

I did everything for you

Because that’s what you do

When you give someone a chance

To make me feel alive somewhat instead of dead

You taught a naive little girl how to love

And I’ll always remember you for that

And I’ll adore you

Keep me with you

Forever and ever

‘Till death do us part

I’ll clutch my chest

When I want you to know

that I'm thinking about you

And when you feel sick

We will fight it together

With all that we have

And we both know, no matter what I do

I’ll always be that girl

Under the covers

Daydreaming about what you gave me

A chance to love

A chance to breathe

A chance to live

Love always,

Elina Saini

# data[].attributes.body
I danced all night and day

Not because the adrenaline pushed me

But because YOU called me.

I did everything for YOU

Because that’s what happens when

my body wakes as a response to your beckoning, eager to feel alive again.

You gave a lonely girl on a unknown journey a path to travel on

And I’ll always love you for it.

You brought before me a rainforest of ambition.

A worldwide phenomenon of joy and comfort

Giving people the hiatus they need in their life

To live this moment they may not see once again.

And that’s OK.

I’m ready for this.

I can take you further with me

So we both can savor the pain and the pleasure.

Together as a whole.

We have given each other

All that we have.

And we both know, no matter what I do next

I’ll always be that kid

With the frizzy hair and a smile on her face

Sweat dripping down her forehead.

Dancing her heart out like no one’s watching.

Love,

Prakruthi

# data[].attributes.body
From the moment

I laid my eyes on that beautiful slice

And ordered that large Coke

In that one moment

I knew one thing was real:

I fell in love with you.

A love so deep I gave you my all-

From my dollars in my pocket saved for you

To my bubbly coke.

As a pizza enthusiast

Deeply in love with you

I never would part ways with you

I only would have a short break before I came back for more.

And so I waited

And I waited

You asked for my money

I gave you the money

Because I wanted that perfect slice

I love you

Not because of your greasy cheese, or your soggy crust

But because of the nostalgia of that first slice

I did everything for YOU

Because that’s what you do

When someone makes you feel as

Alive as you’ve made me feel.

You gave me something to look forward to.

And I’ll always love you for it.

But I can’t love you obsessively for much longer.

This addiction continues.

My blood pressure rises.

My wallet hurts.

But my crave for you still goes on.

And that’s OK.

I’m ready to let you go.

I want you to know now

So we both can savor every moment we have left together.

The good and the bad.

We have given each other

All that we have.

And we both know, no matter what I do next

I’ll always be that kid

With the addiction to Pizza Hut.

As you keep expanding your flavors, I hope to see you again another life.

Your friend,

Kyle Fong

# data[].attributes.body
from the first time I picked a ball up and hit a horrible hit
I knew one thing was real:

I fell in love with you.

A love so strong I gave you all my time and hard work.
To my long hours of me practicing to my greatness.
I never gave up on you
I only tried harder every day
pushed and pushed myself to get better
You asked for my all
I gave you my all
Because your my passion
I practiced through difficult times because I needed you
I did everything for you
I sacrificed long hours for you.
Because that's what your supposed to do when someone makes you feel as alive as I do when I play volleyball.
You made all my anger come out on the boy instead of anything else.
You gave a starter of not knowing anything to realizing something new.
And I will always love you for it
It will always be with me
My heart doesn’t want to practice
My mind tells me I should
go practice now

And that’s perfectly fine
Because practice makes perfect
And I need practice
Because I'm not perfect.
Love,
Natalee

# data[].attributes.body
From the moment

I took my first nap

And felt great afterwards

On my cozy couch

I knew one thing was real:

I fell in love with you.

A love so deep I gave you my all-

From spending one-third of my life with you

To sleeping too much

As a constantly tired human being

Deeply in love with you

I never woke up until the morning

I only slept deeply until sunrise

And so I slept

I slept as often as I could

You asked for my state of consciousness

And I gave it to you

Because I needed sleep

I sleep everyday

Not because I want it

But because I need it

I did everything for YOU

Because that’s what you do

When someone makes you feel as

Alive as you’ve made me feel.

You gave a human being rest

And I’ll always love you for it.

But I can’t love you obsessively for much longer.

I need to wake up earlier

My heart is prepared

My mind is ready

But my energy levels are still holding on

And that’s OK.

I’m ready to let you go.

I want you to know now

So we both can savor every moment we have left together.

The good and the bad.

We have given each other

All that we have.

And we both know, no matter what I do next

I’ll always be that kid

With no sleep problems

Love,

Anonymous

# data[].attributes.body
Ever since I was a child
My dreams would always be so  wild

My life was always such a bore
Thankfully my brother new that for sure
One day he showed me a bright sight
That filled my heart with delight

My dedication was delightful
Knowing no video game was too frightful
I had never thought this day would come
Were I could sense that I had won

Without the intense sensation of such joy
It only made me the happiest boy

I grew up continuing this journey

When I got home tired  and weary
I knew video games would always be there for me

I want video games to know they changed me
Without them I don't know what I'd have been
Perhaps something I wasn't interested in

But without a doubt
With not a single regret
I have a passion I would never forget
With my hands and body drowning in sweat
There comes the feeling I'm soaking wet

And those moments were you hear the timer ticking
And the crowd cheering you on
It gives you the pressure
It gives you the adrenaline you need
To succeed greatly no matter what sort of deed
With that said I hope it made sense
Video games are without a doubt
What made my passions begin to sprout

Sincerely,
Anonymous

# data[].attributes.body
From the moment

I first played on the high school stage in the fourth grade,

With my whole heart and soul, I knew one thing was real,

I fell in love with you.

A love so deep I gave you my all-

From convincing my parents to pay for private lessons,

To countless hours spent in my room annoying my next door neighbors with my playing.

As a young nine-year-old girl,

I tried my hardest to become one of the best.

I always doubted myself, thinking I wasn’t good enough,

But I’d always come back around knowing that I was.

And so I kept playing.

I pushed myself a little, the more I learned,

I listened to other concerts and soloists to gain inspiration.

You gave a young girl a chance at a dream she never thought she would have.

But as I grow up, it’s harder to go on knowing there are others who are better,

Not considerably better, but make me feel like I’m average,

As if I’ll never be as skilled.

I’d continue to doubt my playing, letting my emotions take control,

Letting my confidence slip away the more I listened to others play,

Feeling as I should give up thinking I’ll never be like them.

My mind told me I wasn’t good enough,

But my heart told me to keep going, to keep trying.

So I decided to keep my head up,

To no longer think down about myself, but to encourage myself.

I played and practiced for YOU,

I listened to my heart, knowing it was right because of YOU.

I know there'll be times where I doubt myself

But that’s okay, because no one’s perfect.

Life can be tough, but we move on,

Because that’s what we do.

You’ll always have a special place in my heart,

No matter what.

Love, Anonymous

# data[].attributes.body
From the moment
I sat on my board
And caught my first wave
I knew one thing was real:

I fell in love with you

As a love so deep I gave you all-
From my interest and care
To my hours in the water

As a young teenage girl
Deeply in love with you
I never will give up
I only with continue
To improve myself

And so I will practice and practice
I will get up when I don't feel motivated
You asked for my
Time and patience
I gave you that
And my heart
Because I love you

I will continue to try my best
Not because I want to impress
Because I want to get to know you

I put my heart into you
Because that's what you do
When something makes you feel
As alive as you made me feel

You gave me happiness and peace
And I'll always love you for that.

Fortunately I have
Many more years with you
But one day
I will have other responsibilities
That I need to take care of
And we will have to part ways

But I want you to know
You will always be in my heart
I will always be thinking of you

One day
I hope we will meet again
In the far future

I want to thank you
For everything you have done
And everything you will do
For me in the future

Love, Macy Scarlett

# data[].attributes.body
From the moment

I wake up, the first morning sunshine that has exposed to my room.

And still know the cry I moaned when I was borned.

In the reflection of the mirror.

I knew one thing was real:

I fell in love with you.

A love so deep I gave you my all-

From my heart that is beating.

To my soul that is feeling.

As a human. A person that can breathe and talk.

Deeply in love with you

I never feel anything that is perfect for you.

I only saw a girl who tried and didn't give up when she failed.

And so I known

I have the back on that girl.

And we would always trust and move forward together.

You asked for my time, energy, sweat, and tears.

I gave everything you wanted.

Because I trust you. Even if the trust between us broke, tomorrow will be a new day, and we will be the same as always.

I always love you from the first day you came to this world.

Not because you are me.

But because you are with me when I cry, laugh, angry, and every moment of my life, you went through it with me.

I did everything for YOU

Because that’s what you do

When someone makes you feel as

Alive as you’ve made me feel.

You gave me the memories I have that are deeply under my heart and mind and locked.

And I’ll always love you for it.

But I can’t love you obsessively for much longer.

This time trust me.

My heart never stops beating.

My mind keeps moving and thinking.

But my soul will always stay the same for you.

And that’s OK.

I’m ready to let you go.

I want you to know now

So we both can savor every moment we have left together.

The good and the bad.

We have given each other

All that we have.

And we both know, no matter what I do next

I’ll always be that kid

With the back always on you, even if the trust between us broke, tomorrow will be a new day, and we will be the same as always.

The friendship between us will never end, even if we are apart, because this friendship lasts forever.

Love,

Lucy W

# data[].attributes.body
From the moment

I blocked my first goal

And got mud all over my knees

In the damp fields at Venado

I knew one thing was real:

I fell in love with you.

A love so deep I gave you my all-

From spending hours learning how to defend

To using up my weekends trying to learn new kicking techniques

As an aspiring 10-year-old kid

Deeply in love with you

I never once looked back

I only looked forward and at what would happen next

And so I kept on practicing

I practiced every chance I had on every weekend I could spare

You asked for my best effort

I gave you all I had

Because you made it worth it
I never stopped trying to get better

Not because I wanted to win

But because I NEEDED to win

I did everything for YOU

Because that’s what you do

When someone makes you feel as

Alive as you’ve made me feel.

You gave a young boy a

And I’ll always love you for it.

But I can’t love you obsessively for much longer.

This extra practice is all I have left to give

My heart is pounding

My mind is constantly thinking of new techniques

But my body is telling me it’s time to stop

And that’s OK.

I’m ready to let you go.

I want you to know now

So we both can savor every moment we have left together.

The good and the bad.

We have given each other

All that we have.

And we both know, no matter what I do next

I’ll always be that kid

With the ball lining up for a goal

Mud all over my knees

Always trying harder each practice

Love,

Anonymous

# data[].attributes.body
Dear COVID,

You have ruined our lives, making it impossible to go to school. We cannot go outside with our friends, and we are stuck inside. I used to wake up everyday and go to school hearing the ring of the 8:30 bell. 2 hours later, the break bell would ring and I would savor the crunch of my mid-morning snack, happy to be out of Spanish. I would push myself through History and Math, ready to go to lunch. I miss the laughter and excitement that came with eating lunch with friends. After sweating in P.E., I would appreciate the heavily air-conditioned ELA class. Then it was all over at 3:00. During school time, I would never think that I would ever miss school. But now I do. I would appreciate it if you would end soon so we can return to our original lives. Before you arrived, the year was great. 8th grade was fun and I was excited for the graduation. This was the final year before high school, and we could see the end of our schooling in sight. Now we do not know if we can return to school in the fall, and our summer may have been potentially ruined. Please leave and let us return to our previous lives.

Sincerely, Tanay

# data[].attributes.body
From the moment
I first picked you up
And played my horrible sounding first note
I knew one thing was real:

I fell in love with you.

A love so strong I gave you my all
From my heart and soul

To my long difficult hours of practice
As a six year old boy
In love with you
(Excluding the long boring hours of practice)
I never gave up
I only pushed harder
And so I pushed
More and more
I practiced harder and harder
You asked for my all
I gave more than that
Because you persuaded me to

I practiced through difficult times
Because I needed to
I did everything for YOU
I endured long hard hours of practice.
Because that’s what you do
When someone makes you feel as
Alive as you’ve made me feel.

You gave a six year old boy his passion
And I will always love you for it
It will always be with me
My heart doesn’t want to practice
My mind tells me I should
I am going to go practice now

And that’s fine
Because practice makes perfect
And I need practice
Because I am obviously not perfect

And I know
I will always be that kid
Reluctantly practicing
But getting better
Much better as I practice more

Love you always, Shaun

# data[].attributes.body
From the moment I first looked up and gazed at the stars

I craved to know more about you

I was mesmerized by you

You called my name and I listened

I fell in love with you

A love so strong I flew to Alabama to go to Space Camp

I went because that's the closest I could get to you

I spent countless hours studying

I memorized everything I could about your wonders

From Astronauts, planets, stars, galaxies, and scientists

I still wanted to know more

I had the urge to know everything there is about you

As a little girl that couldn't stop looking at the moon and stars

I grew a passion for you

And so that passion kept me going

I played movies, read dozens of books and magazines about you

You gave me hope that one day I might be with you

That I could explore your wonders

My passion for you led me to having a dream

A dream that only I can work for and fulfill

You are my motivation

And that's OK because without you I would probably be lost

Without you I wouldn't be who I am right now

And I will always be that little girl

With her eye in a long black telescope fascinated by you

Love you always, Mia Olea

# data[].attributes.headline
An Ode to the Glories and Wonders of Narrative Fiction

# data[].attributes.subject
An Ode to the Glories and Wonders of Narrative Fiction

# data[].attributes.body
By Ryan Lee

To read is what I’ve always done

When others play and jump and run.

To sit alone upon a chair,

And hide in my own guarded lair.

The pictures swirl within my head

Of all the things that I have read:

Of dragons, castles, rings and knights,

Of fortresses and barrow-wights.

Of springing spears and leaping swords,

And magical protective wards.

(If you have read Lord of the Rings,

You likely know of all these things.)

But even when I run and play

Along with friends, throughout the day,

My heart and mind will bend towards

Those greedy kings and treasure hoards,

Camp Half-Blood, gods and magic spells,

The hidden valley, Rivendell.

“You killed my father,” the man cries,

Holding his sword: “Prepare to die.”

“Expelliarmus!” Harry screams;

The spells collide, red versus green.

“You cannot pass!” the wizard shouts;

He guards the treacherous way out.

To read offers a portal to

A land that one can wander through,

Imagination swirling ‘round,

And somehow, they become unbound

To the Earth where they cannot fly,

But suddenly they rule the sky.

And I can dream and fantasize

Of Rodents of Unusual Size,

Of salty winds blown off the sea,

Or sand dunes, far as I can see.

To read is what I’ll always do,

I hope that you like reading, too.

# data[].attributes.body
From the moment I heard the rain pouring,
And the wind tugging at the trees, The warmth of a fireplace called to me.
Nestled under a fleece blanket, With hot ginger broth on the stove. Watching as people ran from the storm,

I fell in love with you.

A love so cherished,
I mourn for those who lost you. With a storm outside,
I may seem confined,
But rather blessed to have you.

As the thunderstorm pounded your roof,
You protected me from the unsettling unknown.
Frost on your windows,
Dent in your wood,
Nothing of harm would cross your threshold.

And so I stayed,
Watching clouds pass by.
But you had the lights on,
Inside and out.
The grandfather clock chimes every hour,
Marking the time you spent by my side.

I played in the yard,
Tall grass and Crossandra plants.
I let my fingers sift through the soil,
And looked up to the stars.              Yet your eave lent me shelter,
As the pitch black sky released its tears.

You gave me a place,
To rush back to.
Looking at the clock for 6 hours straight.
Waiting for the moment I could come,
Running back.

And that’s OK,
Some people may not have you, But those who do must value the privilege.
Because you are an anchor,
A port in the storm,
A place where I can love,
And be loved.

And while the pastel walls,
And sturdy beams,
Protect me from the tempest.  Your warmth preserves my hopes and dreams.

Love you always,
Poorvi

# data[].attributes.body
That moment we met

In my first art class many years ago

I picked up a 2B pencil,
And started to sketch

With light, steady, confident strokes of graphite,

Feeling the pencil tip glide along the smooth paper,

While the sounds of subtle scratches and scribbles reach my ears

It captivated me

That was when I realized,

I fell in love with you

As a little girl with exuding eagerness

I remember when I would go to Michael’s

And beg my mom for paints and canvases

Most times it was a no

So every birthday, before I blew out the candles,

I wished for you

All I wanted was to spend more time with you

Every waking hour you and I are together,

You consume my mind,

My heart,

And every molecule in my body with blossoming creativity

You take me to another dimension

One that does not exist in the real world

Anything from Cadmium yellow to Ultramarine blue

Swirl around my vision,

Jumping from my paint pallet to brush to canvas to water

In a never-ending cycle

I stare in awe at your beauty

Whether it is an animal, person, nature, or something completely unknown

You bring everything to life

Once my eyes land on your details and precision

I feel like I am there

When I wake up to reality,

I sign my name at the bottom of my painted, completed canvas

My eyes twinkle with pride,

As you make me feel proud of my accomplishments

Sometimes I feel us drifting apart

With my all-consuming school work

And constant hours of being away from you

It is hard to stay in touch

And I’m sorry for that

With all the times you have put a smile on my face,

I’m sorry I could not return the same

So, I want you to know that I thank you for sticking by my side

The hours and hours we spend together

Give me great joy, comfort, and excitement

The joy of laying my eyes on a finished creation

And feeling proud of what I have created

The comfort of being in our own world

Completely away from reality

And the excitement I receive from your endless possibilities

This is what makes me thankful for your existence

Love,

Shelby Lee

# data[].attributes.body
Flowers, they bloom like the love I  feel for you,
and like flowers it eventually dies,
You could try to revive that love.
But it will fall like the petals on a flower.
Our love was like a white rose in the beginning,
Delicate, new, and beautiful.
Then it turned into something old,
Uncared for, and most of all hopeless.
I wish this were how it used to be,
Why in the beginning you wear fake smile and act like you care.

But your true colors eventually come out.
There's no need to pretend to be something you're not,

There's no need to wear masks, or hide your true identity.
I liked when you showed me your true self, your true self, your true colors.
Dont worry im a safe place now.

Love,
miekayla

# data[].attributes.body
From the moment

I felt the cool breeze against my face

And caught the soft snowflake on my tongue

At that moment time froze and

I knew one thing was real:

I fell in love with you.

A love so deep I gave you my all-

From the hood of my puffy jacket

To my black snow boots

As a little girl who loves skiing

Deeply in love with you

I never once thought about hating you

I only thought about the times you made life better by creating memories I could never forget

And so I thank you for the blizzardy nights and the soft snow I can wake up to

I remember all the times where I built snowmen with my family and the hot chocolate that filled me up

You asked for my

Time and

I gave you it all

Because every second with you is another memory that will last forever

I love you

Not because of the times I fell

But because the hills you provided that increased the speed and the cool air that flowed through my hair

I did everything for YOU

Because that’s what you do

When someone makes you feel as

Alive as you’ve made me feel.

You gave me nights full of twinkling stars

And I’ll always love you for it.

But I can’t love you obsessively for much longer.

This winter

My heart has never been so full without you

My mind is constantly thinking about the next time I can see you

But summer is going to come soon

And that’s OK.

I’m ready to let you go.

I want you to know now

So we both can savor every moment we have left together.

The good and the bad.

We have given each other

All that we have.

And we both know, no matter what I do next

I’ll always be that kid

With a pink nose and her ski’s about to go on the next lift

My love for you is unconditional and never-ending, no matter what you will always be in my life

Love,

Kaylie

# data[].attributes.body
From the moment I first played you,
When I first blew into you,
When I first covered the holes,
And pressed on the keys,
Even when I first held you,
I knew what had happened,
I fell in love with you.

A love so deep,

Each note played would only make it stronger,

Each new Vandoren reed, each new song,

Each new melody,

Would only make me want to play you more,

From sunrise to nightfall, I would play you,

Until one day, I would forget to,

I forgot about how you led me down the path of music,

How you would lead me towards joy,

Forgot about the countless hours put into you,

Forgot about the clicking of the keys,

Forgot about the covering of the holes,

Forgot about you,

The year of 2019 was rough,

Probably one of the worst I’ve had,

Full of mistakes and failures,

But what didn’t lead me to you,

Is a question that I still ask myself,

How I didn’t realize that you were missing,

Is still a mystery to me,

I played a different instrument,

One very similar, but not quite like you,

Its sound was warmer than yours,

Richer, deeper, stronger,

But it didn’t fill the same hole you did,

It provided almost no challenge,

You gave me many,

You pushed me to do better,

To play faster, to play more accurately,

You made me strive for perfection,

You made sure that my music, was not music,

Until it was perfect,

Until it had no mistakes,

Until it was the best I could play it,

And that’s OK,

Because that’s how our love worked,

You pushed me to do better,

And I was returned with the result of my efforts,

A better tone, a better sound,

You made me try my best,

So when I found you again,

I was rewarded again,

And my playing got better,

From the warm sound of the bass,

To the melodic of the soprano,

The air needed to fuel the low notes,

To the air support needed to blow out the high ones,

Even after all that time,
I still accepted your challenge,

Love you always, Ryan

# data[].attributes.body
From the moment I heard you

Sing as a graceful swan

Your beautiful melodic voice

Forever in my heart

It was there

And then

I fell in love with you.

# data[].attributes.body
From the moment I first picked you up and blew out my first piece from your glistening bell, I had my heart set on you.

I fell in love with you.

A love so profound that I would dedicate to you all those countless hours of me in my room, honing my craft, gaining skill any way I could.

As a young musician who was previously clueless about music, I thank you for being the key that unlocked the door to a whole new world I would have never explored if not for you.

And so I’ve stuck with you through the years. From the very moment I first laid eyes on your matte black case, to the honor orchestras, to the jazz bands, and to this very moment.

I played through all the late nights, maybe angering my neighbors, I played through all the hardships; when things seemed as if they would never get better, I made them get better.

You gifted me the ability to reach another person through the sounds that you make; from the sweet, mellow ballads to the booming, upbeat marches you were there to produce a sound that communicated a mood of passion.

You were there when I needed you the most. You were there when I felt as if nothing else mattered. You were there through the harsh and bitter failures that faced me constantly.

And that’s OK

Because of you I learned that the measure of failure lies not within the failure itself; it lies within the choice to stand up or stay down. When I was faced with the ice cold feeling of failure, I chose to keep climbing, in hopes I will eventually reach the peak. Because of you I learned that there is always so much more to see in this world beyond the light that I am familiar with. Because of you I learned that it truly means something to play an instrument.

Love, Anonymous

# data[].attributes.body
From the moment

I kick my legs, spin my arms

And start gasping for air as my heart pumps to its fullest

In the clear blue light which shines upon you I knew I would never stop

The feeling I have of all the water rushing past my body, clearing its way for me was the rush to my adrenaline

I knew one thing was real

I fell in love with you.

A love so energetic and endless

I couldn’t stop thinking about you

The feeling of water tickling my body as it splashes my face encouraging me to feel the insane drive to keep pushing to the wall

As a 10 year old girl I was

Afraid to make my first dive

I looked at the reflection that shined upon you and jumped for it

Forgetting everything around me

From the people who surrounded me

From start and turn and finish

All equally important

From slipping into an aquatic world; Tiled world,

Then escaping it,

By breaking the surface

It was just you and me against the world

And so I was ready to give you my dedication and heart

I swung my arms and kicked my legs until I could feel the burning sting in my body

You asked for my passion, my obsession, and most importantly my breath

I gave you the passion which is so strong, nobody can make me quit

Because I realized that H20 doesn’t mean water

It equals to 2 parts heart, one part obsession; I gave you entirety

I know that I have to strive harder everyday to reach your expectations

Not because I wanted wonders

But because you shine a smile upon my face everytime I start to move in the water

I did everything for YOU

Because I owe you that for everything you did for me

You gave this girl a goal, a passion, for her to strive everyday

And I’ll always love you for it.

I am ready for the ups and downs which comes our way

We are together and I will always love you

And that’s OK.

When we are together nothing is impossible because we strive higher than the moon

I want you to know that you have taught me so much on this journey and I have so much more to learn from you

So we both can savor every moment we have together.

The good and the bad.

We have given each other

All that we have.

And we both know, no matter what I do next my heart will always belong to you

I’ll always be that kid

With the smile on her face who is always ready to jump into the pool for you

I will always be that little girl with the medium length hair standing in front of the pool with a huge smile on her face ready to fulfill her desires

Love you always, Siya Madan

# data[].attributes.body
Dear DSI XL

From the moment

I laid my eyes on you

And I felt your amazing quality

In my mind

I knew one thing was real:

You helped me get through dull times

I fell in love with you.

A love so deep I gave you my all

From my 3 brain cells

To a bit too much of my time

As a socially awkward introvert

Deeply in love with you

I never believed how much you could bring me happiness

I only knew that you were something different

And so I put down my attention seeking phone

And I gave you my full undying attention

You asked for my all of my free time

I gave you my time without a second thought

Because I knew that you will make something meaningful out of that time

I couldn't put you down

Not because I had nothing else to do

But because you were addicting

I did everything for YOU

Because that’s what you do

When someone makes you feel as

Alive as you’ve made me feel.

You gave a kid like me something to spend my energy on

And I’ll always love you for it.

But I can’t love you obsessively for much longer.

This scary obsession taking place

My heart believes its right

But my mind knows it's too much

And that’s OK.

I’m ready to let you go.

I want you to know now

So we both can savor every moment we have left together.

The good and the bad.

We have given each other

All that we have.

And we both know, no matter what I do next

I’ll always be that kid

Button smashing to speed up the speech in pokemon

Love
Krish Sangle

# data[].attributes.body
From the moment

I laced my cleats

And put on my shin guards

I knew one thing was real:

I fell in love with you.

A love so deep I gave you my all-

From my adrenaline rush

To my my heart

As a 9 year old boy

Deeply in love with you

I never gave up

I only thought about scoring goals

And so I went to soccer practice

I worked on my skills

You asked for my effort

I gave 110%

Because I wanted to succeed
I worked hard

Not because I was forced to

But because YOU inspired me to

I did everything for YOU

Because that’s what you do

When someone makes you feel as

Alive as you’ve made me feel.

You gave me good memories

And I’ll always love you for it.

And I’ll love you obsessively for as long as I live.

This sport changed

My heart

My mind

But my life changed the most

And that’s OK.

I’m not ready to let you go.

I want you to know now

So we both can savor every moment we have together.

The good and the bad.

We have given each other

All that we have.

And we both know, no matter what I do next

I’ll always be that kid on the field with the ball

lining up the shot

3...2...1...

GOAL!!

Love,

Nicholas Tran

# data[].attributes.body
From the moment

I played Brawl with my cousins with items off

A young amatuer

I remember the day

When your reveal trailer was released at E3 2018

I fell in love with you.

A love as OP as Brawl Meta Knight

I knew I needed you in my life

Without you,

I would be a Rosalina without Luma.

As an eleven-year old boy

You gave me a purpose

I learned more than Mewtwo ever knew

You became the teacher

The subject

And the reward

And so I practiced

I trampled over CPU after CPU

Beat my older cousins

Played with all the characters

And after begging to get the game

That fateful day

I had earned you

I played for too many hours

Finally able to put my knowledge to use

All characters unlocked in the first day

I surpassed your level nines

Mastering ledge trapping and edge guarding

Exploiting spirit mode

Practicing Yoshi combos in training room

Feeling greatness whenever I win a difficult set

And incompetence when I self-destruct

You gave a boy happiness

But you also gave him anger

Anger from dying at 0%

Anger from losing a stock in the first thirty seconds (No Johns!)

But even when all hope is lost

You gave me perseverance

You gave me my spirit

I will not concede

And that’s OK

From the start of the match

I feel the adrenaline pumping through my body

The rage heating my forehead

The anxiety flowing through my veins (and arteries)

You whispering the optimal combo in my ear

The aching of my finger’s quick execution

And the thrill from a win

And we both know you have impacted my life

You changed me from a young casual

To a real competitor

Who will never give up

Last stock situation, even percents

One up air or down b will end it all

I start to tense up...

GAME!

Love you always,

Quincy

P.S. Nerf Palutena Nair

# data[].attributes.body
From the moment

I grabbed my racket,
walked to the court

and had a ball ready in my hand

I knew one thing was real:

I fell in love with you.

A love so

deep i gave you my all-

From two hour practices every day

Winning and losing games

To my sweat dripped face

As a

Tennis player

I would always be excited to play

Meeting new teammates

Remembering fun times with friends

I knew this will last forever

And so

I practice every day for two hours

Tightening my grip

Practicing my strokes

To my smashing and volleying

I played

Many other sports

Did many other activities

But Tennis was still my favorite

You gave

me the excitement to play against anyone

To play everyday

To get ready 15 minutes before my class

Practice strokes at home

And that’s OK

I'm ready to let you go

I will always practice my shots

Play full games

Win and loose

I will always be that girl with the

Same white shoes

Black backpack

Blue tennis racket

Hair tied up high

Blue water bottle

And
I will always give my best effort

Practice my shots

And be ready to play everyone.

# data[].attributes.body
From the moment I put on that leotard

And glitter hair sprayed my dutch braids

I knew for a fact:

I fell in love with you.

A love so beautiful it still baffles me

From my Bailie Double Buckle Grips

To my first cast handstand on bars

As a middle schooler

Deeply in love with you

I never once regretted this laborious path

I only went into a rough patch

And wondered what life was like without you

Then I remembered my teammates’ cheers

The joy of landing a new skill

And so the end of the tunnel became brighter.

At first I walked, but then I ran

I ran until my legs were going to give out

But I ran with a purpose.

You asked for my time

I gave you persistence

I asked for a timely hobby

You gave me passion

Because that is what happens

When you love something.

I practiced through countless aches and injuries

Not because of pressuring expectations

But because you gave me hope

I did everything for you

Because that’s what happens when you love something.

You gave me a reason to smile

Another reason to be happy

And I’ll always love you for it

But I can’t always love you obsessively

This dreaded conversation

Has had my mind conflicted

But my heart is unaffected.

I’ll only get older

And younger people will love you like I do

And that’s OK.

I’ll be ready to let you go.

Let’s savor every last moment

From the overflowing nervousness before a routine,

To the sense of relief after finishing,

From the musty foot-smelling gym

To the innumerable particles of inhaled chalk.

Let's savor every last moment.

The good and the bad

The ups and downs

Leaving no regrets.

We both know, no matter what future

I’ll be that gymnast

With scars on her shins from bars,

The bedazzled ¾ sleeve Leotard,

And a knee that will never be the same.

I’ll always be that girl with the glitter hair sprayed dutch braids.

Love you always,

Isabelle Suzukawa

# data[].attributes.body
Your our mother, you take care

Of every person, who you bear.

You have loved us right and gave us life

But when it was our turn, we choked you and made you cry

Your beautiful oceans

That once were blue

Are now polluted

But our mistakes we can undo

Your beautiful sky

That has always shed us light

Is now dark and gloomy

Because of our unthoughtful fights

Your other children, the little animals

Who we so carelessly killed

Were sold for fur, food, and trophies

Their true purpose to life was never fulfilled

We are truly sorry

For all we have done

We broke you in so many ways

But we will make you one

love,
sabrina

# data[].attributes.body
Dear my room,
From the moment I stepped inside you,
And saw the welcoming rays of sunshine,
Shining through the flimsy curtains,
I knew one thing was real:

I fell in love with you.

A love so deep I gave you my all-From my unconditional love and kindness,
To my disgusting trash and laundry.

As a tiny girl with the weird pigtails,
Deeply in love with you,
I never wanted to share you with my sister,
I only wanted this room for myself...

And so I kicked her out.
I decorated your walls with happy little paintings.
You asked for me to clean you,
So I shoved everything under the bed,
Because I can agree that it was getting too messy.

| I stayed with you every night,
Not because you were my room,
But because you made me feel relaxed.I
did everything for YOU,
Because that’s what you do,
When someone makes you feel as,
Alive as you’ve made me feel.

You gave me a place that was truly mine,
And I’ll always love you for it.
But I can’t love you obsessively for much longer.
These four years are my last with you.
My heart will always be with you,
My mind will remember you,
But I will be somewhere else.

And that’s OK.
I’m ready to let you go.
I want you to know now,
So we both can savor every moment we have left together.
The good and the bad.
We have given each other
All that we have.

And we both know, no matter what I do next,
I’ll always be that girl,
With a messy room,
Tissues everywhere,
Baskets of neglected laundry in the corner,

Love, Claire Sun

# data[].attributes.body
From the moments

I heard you come out

And flow into my tiny eardrums

Through my brain

And exploding into endless knowledge

I knew one thing was real:

I fell in love with you

A love so deep I gave you my all-

From every second I would think

To everything I do

All is with you

As a human like many others

Deeply in love with you

I never questioned why you existed

What you exactly were

I only used you as much as I can

And so I wrote and talked using you

Sang and heard music through you

I read from when others were using you

And I thought using you

I always had you with me

No matter what time it was

During the ups and downs of my life

Because you asked for all the time I have

And I gave you all the time I could

But you also gave my imagations

Put in details to describe what I couldn’t

You showed me the things that makes me be ME

I took you wherever I went

Into my dreams and reality as well

Not because I had to

But because I wanted you

I did everything for YOU

Because that’s what you do

When someone makes you feel as

Alive as you’ve made me feel.

You gave a 13 year old kid their world

And I’ll always love you for it

I will love you obsessively forever

This is my proof to you

You were the firefly that came into my endless darkness

As you have given me what I will never be able to repay

And that’s OK.

I’m ready to forever be together

I want you to know now

So we both can savor every moment we have

The good and the bad

From the past to the future

We have given each other

All that we have

And we both know, no matter what I do next

I’ll always be that kid

Wondering about the unknowns

Reading mangas, webtoons, and novels all day long

Worrying about everything in my life

And forever procrastinating

Love always,

Kit

# data[].attributes.body
Oh, Drawing

It’s too late,

But I’ve now realized

I’ve blamed everything on you

I’ve torn you apart

Thrown you away
I've abandoned you

I couldn’t understand

How to handle my own emotions

And I blamed you

After all of that,

You still came back

During the time where I was too scared to talk

Too scared to express what I thought of myself
What I did to myself

You calmed me down

You comforted me

“Let’s be gentle on the paper, now”

“Don’t think about an end result”

What am I supposed to draw?

“What’s on your mind?”

# data[].attributes.body
From the moment

I saw you inside the big brown amazon box

And felt your soft sky blue fabric with my fingers

And the beautiful brown details on the sides

I knew one thing was real:

I fell in love with you.

A love so deep I gave you my all-

From my pens, pencils and highlighters

To the trash I was too lazy to throw away

As a 12 year old kid

I never would have imagined a small case could hold all of my needs.

I’d been using the font pocket of my backpack all my life

But I only needed you now, no one else

And so I took you to class everyday with the excitement of using you to organize the supplies I needed

I showed you off to all my friends,all your pockets and zippers.

You begged for more supplies

I gave in and saved up for more and made my mom drive to Target to get those beautiful glittery pens that I’d had my eye on for a while

Because I wanted to make you happy

I wanted to give you all

Not because I wanted more

But because you were empty, you needed more

I did everything for YOU

Because that’s what you do

When someone makes you feel as

Alive as you’ve made me feel.

You gave a little girl her greatest wish

And I’ll always love you for it.

But I can’t love you obsessively for much longer.

My wallet is empty

My desk drawers are all filled with supplies

And that’s OK.

I’m ready to let you go.

I'm ready for our adventure to end

I’ll always remember how I used to get so excited when I saw you in the end of my backpack, covered in my big binders

And we both know, no matter what I do next

I’ll always be that kid

With  the blue Homecube pencil case in the corner of her desk.

Love,

Sarira Sotoudeh

# data[].attributes.headline
Dear Makeup                               From the moment                               I first ran mascara through my lashes                                             And the taste of lipstick on my lips Clenching onto my features             I knew one thing was for sure:         I fell in love with you.                        A love so deep I gave a blank canvas to you                                The creator of all beauty       Master of disguise                       And everything in between             In the greatest form                       As a competitive dancer              You were mandatory for competitions                                   We created an instant bond right away                                   Workloads of sweat and bruises Now all covered up                      Only through the many products you provided                                  And to this very day                           I kept a full bag in stock        Waiting for the magic to happen You asked for my full attention        I gave you a fresh start       Because you exhibit your love through my brushes              Tickling my skin Variety of colors All laid out in a single palette     The shimmer and sparkles      Made it all worthwhile                 And because of that                           I put all my trust in you                And I’m thankful with the results You gave me a new level of confidence                            Motivate me to go out                 And I’ll always appreciate that         I don’t plan on leaving you soon But if I do, I won’t forget about you The times where we had it rough The long fights and miscommunications                      But sometimes beauty is pain    And that’s OK.                                 I’m prepared for what comes next  I want you to know now                 So we can both see the next chapters of our lives                    The good and the bad                   We now know, whatever time tells us                                                  Hope it isn’t our final goodbyes   No matter if we go separate ways or not                                                 I’ll always remember the blending of foundation framing     expressive eyes                             not an illusion or a lie,             simply what you choose one face at a time                                        Love you always, Amanda Ree                                                                                                                             

# data[].attributes.subject
Dear Makeup                               From the moment                               I first ran mascara through my lashes                                             And the taste of lipstick on my lips Clenching onto my features             I knew one thing was for sure:         I fell in love with you.                        A love so deep I gave a blank canvas to you                                The creator of all beauty       Master of disguise                       And everything in between             In the greatest form                       As a competitive dancer              You were mandatory for competitions                                   We created an instant bond right away                                   Workloads of sweat and bruises Now all covered up                      Only through the many products you provided                                  And to this very day                           I kept a full bag in stock        Waiting for the magic to happen You asked for my full attention        I gave you a fresh start       Because you exhibit your love through my brushes              Tickling my skin Variety of colors All laid out in a single palette     The shimmer and sparkles      Made it all worthwhile                 And because of that                           I put all my trust in you                And I’m thankful with the results You gave me a new level of confidence                            Motivate me to go out                 And I’ll always appreciate that         I don’t plan on leaving you soon But if I do, I won’t forget about you The times where we had it rough The long fights and miscommunications                      But sometimes beauty is pain    And that’s OK.                                 I’m prepared for what comes next  I want you to know now                 So we can both see the next chapters of our lives                    The good and the bad                   We now know, whatever time tells us                                                  Hope it isn’t our final goodbyes   No matter if we go separate ways or not                                                 I’ll always remember the blending of foundation framing     expressive eyes                             not an illusion or a lie,             simply what you choose one face at a time                                        Love you always, Amanda Ree                                                                                                                             

# data[].attributes.body
From the moment

I kicked the ball

And ran on the field

I knew one thing was real:

I fell in love with you.

A love so deep I gave you my all-

From my cleats

To my heart

As a five-year-old kid

Deeply in love with you

I never gave up

I only pushed harder to give it my all

Hoping for the win

And so I ran

I across every field

Chasing after you

You asked for my best

I gave my all

Because winning comes from scoring the ball

I went to practice twice a week

Not because I was told to

But because NEEDED to

I did everything for YOU

Because that’s what you do

When someone makes you feel as

Alive as you’ve made me feel.

You gave me a goal and dream

And I’ll always love you for it.

But I can’t love you obsessively for ever.

These seasons and journeys will only last for so long

My heart races

My mind thinks

But my determination allows me to never give up

And that’s OK.

I’m ready for any outcome

I want you to know now

So we both can savor every moment that has happened and will happen

The good and the bad.

We have given each other

All that we have.

And we both know, no matter what I do next

I’ll always be that kid

With the determination

To push everyone to try their best

And win the game

Love,

Trevor

# data[].attributes.body
And so here we are

After every nap and every tantrum

You remind us all to look on the bright side

Every waking moment you shine like the brightest star

You asked for strawberry popsicles and puffs

And I always provided

Because you have my heart and you always will

I couldn’t imagine my life without

Not because you are my baby sister

But because YOU cried out for me

I did everything for YOU

Because that’s what you do

When someone makes you feel as

Alive as you’ve made me feel

# data[].attributes.body
Dear GFuel,

From the moment

My brother brought you home

And I made my first GFuel drink

I shook the shaker bottle vigorously

And took my first sip

My heart skipped a beat

And that was when I realized

I fell in love with you.

A love so wonderful

I can’t imagine a day without you

Many call it an addiction

But it’s not i swear

As a growing boy

I fell in love with this healthy energy drink

Before a workout session

I craved you

And so as days went on

I would consume this caffeinated drink

Helping me to strive further and further during my exercises

Doing push ups until I knocked out

I drink to forget

But I always remember

The harsh reality without GFuel

But I remember that I live for GFuel

You gave me a purpose in life

Not that I was going through anything

Or was anything interesting happening in my life

But I will never forget to consume you

And that’s on me

I’m so excited to stay forever committed in this relationship with you

I’ll always be your number one supporter

With code PewDiePie

I could get you for 30% off

But I don’t mind paying full price

Just for you

And in the end

I won’t cry for you

Nor will i hide from you

And before I met you

My mornings were like shattered glass

But you put me back together

Love you always,

Cameron Kim

# data[].attributes.body
Dear Baseball,

From the moment

I heard of you

And first ball I hit

In little league

I knew one thing was real:

I fell in love with you.

A love so deep I gave you my all-

From my first time stepping over that line

To my last game

As a player

Deeply in love with you

I never will forget you

I only will remember you with the best memories

And so I say with this poem

I  will never forget you

You asked for my hand

I gave it to you

Because I knew it was right for m

I love you

Not because of your bad rules

But because you are always there

I did everything for YOU

Because that’s what you do

When someone makes you feel as

Alive as you’ve made me feel.

You gave a 3 year old something to do

And I’ll always love you for it.

But I can’t love you obsessively for much longer.

This year is all I have left

My heart is with you

My mind is on you

But my focus is moving forward

And that’s OK.

I’m ready to let you go.

I want you to know now

So we both can savor every moment we have left together.

The good and the bad.

We have given each other

All that we have.

And we both know, no matter what I do next

I’ll always be that kid

With the foam bat in the living room hitting the walk off homerun in the World Series Game 7

Love,

Jack

# data[].attributes.body
From the moment

I pierced the seal with the straw

And took the first sip of the milk tea

In every taste bud

I knew one thing was real:

I fell in love with you.

A love so deep I gave you my all-

From the final 4 dollars in my pocket

To the last portion of my dinner to save space for you.

As a 6 year old boy

I fell deeply in love with you

First with passion fruit tea

And now with black milk tea

And so here I am

Every weekend whether it’s Gong Cha, or The Alley

You’re there when I’m feeling good, or bad-

You appear with the perfect amount of sweetness

And the perfect chewiness of the tapioca.

I drank it week after week

Not because it comforted me

But because YOU called for me

I did everything for YOU

Because that’s what you do

When something makes you feel as

Alive as you’ve made me feel.

You gave me something to enjoy during long car rides

And I’ll always love you for it

But I can’t love you obsessively for much

Longer.

You, the delicious cup of boba milk tea,

You keep expanding you flavors

And I will always have one with me

And that’s OK.

I’m ready to let you go.

I want you to know now

So we both can savor every moment we have left together.

The good and the bad.

We have given each other

All that we have.

And we both know that, no matter what I do next

I’ll always be that kid
With a cup of boba milk tea in my hands.

Sincerely,

Jordan Setiawan

# data[].attributes.body
You still sit in my my bookshelf

Watching me create new friendships and memories with other books

Collecting dust and keeping our memories locked within your pages

But not one day goes by

Where I don’t remember you

Even though I grew out of those pages

I will always be that little 8-year-old

Reading on the mattress during twilight

Saying “one more chapter” to keep skimming through the pages

All those quests and experiences we shared

Reading ‘till the end

Until I can start it all over again

Love you forever and more,

Zaynab Ahmed

# data[].attributes.body
I adopted you guys

Not because i thought you were cute

But because you guys had kind souls

I did everything for YOU

Because that’s what you do

When someone makes you feel as

Alive as you’ve made me feel.

You gave a care when I was sad

And I’ll always love you for it.

Love,

Hana

From the moment

I met you

And you're brother

In the garage

I knew one thing was real:

I fell in love with you.

A love so deep I gave you my all-

Nothing could separate us, not even school

As a 6th grader I fell

Deeply in love with you

I never thought i’d meet dogs like you guys

I only ever had one other dog before you guys

And so I didn't know how deep our connection could be

I love you two so much

You asked for a home so

I gave it to you

Because I love you two

# data[].attributes.body
From the moment

I heard my mom hum around the house as she worked

And saw my brother playing piano

In the living room

I knew one thing was real:

I fell in love with you.

A love so deep I gave you my all-

From hours spent trying to replicate songs played by my teacher

To the fun I had with friends at concerts

As a musician

Deeply in love with you

I never pick up a book without first starting a playlist of my favorite songs

I only ever have an endless loop of songs playing in my head constantly,

And so I thank you for being there for me in times of need, when the one thing drying my tears are the gentle notes played on a keyboard

I know now that I truly needed the love I gained from you

You asked for my effort to continue playing and my vulnerability to express my thoughts

I gave in the temptation of joining my first piano lesson

Because I have and always will need you in my life.

# data[].attributes.body
And we both know, no matter what I do next

I’ll always be that kid

#2 Pencil in hand

Doodles in her planner

Creativity blooming

Drawing all my wildest imaginations

# data[].attributes.body
From the moment I first met you
And you were just born in 2013
I knew one thing was real:
I fell in love with you.

A love so deep I gave you my all-From my free time
To my every waking moment

As a young and growing boy
I fell deeply in love with you
I never wanted to stop
Yet I could only handle so much

And so I kept playing and playing
Finishing game after game after game
You asked for my patience and time
I gave much more than that
Because of what you meant to me

I kept on playing with you
Not because of your games
But because you helped me escape at times from the real world
I did everything for YOU
Because that’s what you do when someone makes you feel as
Alive as you’ve made me feel.

You gave a child a safe place
And I’ll always love you for it.
But I can’t love you obsessively for much longer.
This reality cannot exist anymore
My heart wants to stay
My mind wants to feel secure
But my conscience wants me to stop

And that’s OK.
I’m ready to let you go.
I want you to know
So we both can savor every moment we have left together.
The good and the bad.
We have given each other
All that we have.

And we both know, no matter what I do next
I’ll always be that kid
With a mind for gaming
And sweaty hands on my controller
Love, srigamer (Siddhartha)

# data[].attributes.body
The moment i took a breath of your air

The moment i took a step in your surface
I sat on your lustrous rainbow fields

And ascended your tall trees

I tumbled off your swings

And constructed sand castles

Whenever I took a breath

I tasted the clear skies

Like wet cotton candy

Sugary with delight

From your 4 seasons

To your amicable ties

The world used to be considerable

Peaceful and happy

But the evil took over

War and violence

They burned the tree I once clambered

And hurt your surface and fields started weeping

They shed blood to your glistening fields

Your surface no longer danced

Except fell in a death match

That declared no winner

And built factories where you once stood

The peace was gone

Over at once

No matter what people tried

It only got worse

Went from ozone destruction

To surface crusting

From global pollution

To the unwanted melting

To the polluted air
To the deforestation

Im sorry world

We have hurt you

We are grieving

Im sorry world

But the world will only get worse

Until the day you die

The day we die

Until then

We will take a breath

We will take a step

My one and only

Dear world

Sign: Metin A.

# data[].attributes.body
From the moment

I heard your first tremble

Felt the light sounds bounce

Into my ears

I knew one thing was real: YOU were calling to me

I fell in love with you.

A love so deep I gave you my all-

From my heart and soul

To the every breath that made me up

Ayesha

# data[].attributes.body
Dear Gaming Computers

From the moment

I stepped foot into the world of PC gaming

And built my first gaming PC

In the summer of 2019

I knew one thing was real:

I fell in love with you.

A love so deep I gave you my all-

From my entire wallet

To my precious time

As a PC enthusiast

Deeply in love with you

I never blamed you for my losses in-game

I only blamed my terrible home wifi

And so I threw my old laptop away

I knew it was time for something new and more powerful

You asked for my money

I gave you my money

Because more money means a better PC

I gave you all my hard earned money

Not because I had nothing else to spend money on

But because I wanted you to be faster and more powerful

I did everything for YOU

Because that’s what you do

When something makes you feel as

Alive as you’ve made me feel.

You gave a middle-schooler the time of his life

And I’ll always love you for it.

But my parents can’t deal with me playing video games all day

And that’s OK.

You game me something to work hard for

Something to love

And we both know, no matter what I do next

I’ll always be that kid

With Cherry MX Blue Switches

Anime figure inside his PC case

Eyesight getting worse day by day

Ready to win my favorite games with you

Love,

Taisei Yamagishi

# data[].attributes.body
Dear soccer

From the moment I stepped on the field

I knew I where I belonged

And with the ball in left hand and my cleats

In my right

I knew one thing was real:

I fell in love with you.

A love so deep I gave you my all

From my early games

To my late practices

As an 11 year old boy I was

Deeply in love with you

I never stopped to take a break

I only pushed forward

And so I pushed and pushed until I could push no more

I had reached my limit

You asked for my game

But I gave you everything

Because that's what it would take to reach my goal

I tried to continue but faltered at every step

Not because I wanted to

But because I NEEDED to

I did everything for YOU

Because that’s what you do

When someone makes you feel as

Alive as you’ve made me feel.

You gave a young boy something special

And I’ll always love you for it.

But I can’t love you obsessively for much longer.

This game is all I have left

My heart _is ready and so is my body

But my mind knows it's time to say goodbye

And that’s OK.

I’m ready to let you go.

I want you to know now

So we both can savor every moment we have left together.

The good and the bad.

We have given each other

All that we have.

And we both know, no matter what I do next

I’ll always be that kid

Who was given something special

But in the end was unable to follow through

Love, Rishabh

# data[].attributes.body
Dear Star Wars
From the moment I laid eyes on your starfighters
And witnessed duels beyond belief
In the prequels
I knew one thing was real:
I fell in love with you.
A love so deep I gave you my all-From my time and interest
To my savings and effort
As a teenager
Deeply in love with you
I spent countless hours watching your films
I never thought twice about another rewatch
And so you keep going
Releasing a sequel every year
Slowly going downhill
You asked for my money
And I gave it my all
Because it’s Star Wars, why not?

| I watched your spin-offs
Not because of your lore
But because of my interest
I did everything for YOU
Because that’s what you do
When someone makes you feel as
Alive as you’ve made me feel.
You gave a 12 year old boy a sanctuary
And I’ll always love you for it.But I can’t love you obsessively for much longer.The saga is ending
From those ashes, a new republic arises
The High Republic
But the fandom will keep going

And that’s OK.
I’m ready to let you go.I want you to know now
So we both can savor every moment we have left together.
The good and the bad.
We have given each other
All that we have.
And we both know, no matter what I do next
I’ll always be that kid
With the Stormtroopers on the table
Fanfare in the backgroun
dWith the goodness
Always overcoming the evil

Love, Anonymous

# data[].attributes.body
Dear Alto Saxophone,

From the moment I started practicing on YOU,

Using the very air flowing in and out of my lungs to simply make sound,

I knew one thing was real: I made the right choice.

I discovered a love so deep and profound that I never had known,

From my heart and soul

to my music for all.

As an aspiring 13 year old musician,

I never wanted attention or fame.

I only ever used YOU to make music

For others to know its wonder.

And so I practiced, long and hard.

When I made the smallest of mistakes, I would shrug it off.

But I knew I had to fix them for YOU.

YOU asked for my creativity,

I gave you my heart and its entirety,

Simply because music doesn't truly move people’s hearts

Until you commit and give it your all.

I played and practiced through my fatigue because of YOU,

But I never felt that fatigue.

I did everything for YOU.

That moment 4 years ago has never left me,

The moment when I saw YOU.

And YOU made that happen, so I owe you one.

And that’s why I will never stop trying to get better:

It’s all for YOU.

YOU gave an aspiring young musician

An instrument to convey his feelings and emotions

By a medium no human can truly understand unless they understand YOU/

But sometimes things break.

Although YOU haven’t, I know it’s only a matter of time before it happens.

And that’s OK, because nothing in this world is perfect, and none of it was made to last.

Like humans, YOU also have your own faults and flaws.

And even when that happens, I won’t stop pursuing this gift given by YOU,

Something I never knew was possible until I met YOU.

I’ll always be the kid chasing after YOU, and you’ll always say:

I need to be better.

And I’ll keep trying to meet your standards.

Love you always,

Joshua Chen

# data[].attributes.body
From the moment

I set foot on the mat

And started tumbling

I fell in love with you.

A love so strong that i think

about you all the time,

You became my favorite thing to do

And became my life

As a 5 year old girl

I started cheer without knowing anyone

But you allowed me to make some friendships

that will last a lifetime

And so I spent my time doing cheer

My afternoons consisted of practices

And weekends were competitions

I played soccer

Did gymnastics and dance

But none of them felt right

You give me something to look forward to everyday

But you take up a lot of my time

And make my body hurt from practices

And that’s OK because I would do anything for you

You changed my life for the better

I can’t imagine my life without you in it

And I would be a different person if I did not do cheer

My life would feel so empty and boring

if I didn't do cheer

Love you always,

Liliana Broccardo

# data[].attributes.body
Dear Figure Skating,
From the moment
I saw the glistening white ice
The graceful movements captivated me
Every detail perfect to convey beautiful emotion
I knew one thing was certin:

I was in love with you.

My heart and soul put into my love
Every part of my body invested in the perfection that made me love you
In perfect harmony my body and heart beat together for you.

The child in me
Fell in love with you at first glace
I never look back at the marks I made
only the marks I will engrave .

And so I skate
I carve my mark in the ice
And when I fall
You ask for my strength
I give my spirit
As it carries my love .

I skate through the  pain caused by my undying love
Not for my own drive
But my love
All my bruises dedicated to you
Even through the pain and misery I fight
Because that's what you do
When you are so infactuated with something
That your eyes glaze over in admiration.

You gave me my freedom and passion

My love for you shall never end

But someday we will part

When I am too beaten and bruised

When I can’t take the the falls

I will forever want to stay with you

But every story has to come to an end.

My love is never ending

My flame will never go out

When I say goodbye

It will not be because I have fallen out of love

But simply because it’s someone not my turn anymore

Passing my love on while holding onto the love and memories that you gave me.

The last minute of the program

When I am beaten and tired

I power through

I give you my all until I can’t take it anymore

I strike my ending pose.

Love always,

Kate Wesche

# data[].attributes.body
Dear Clarinet,

From the moment I chose you as my 5th grade instrument,

I knew I made the right decision

As the warm air coming from my lungs,

Created a sound that resembled an open G,

A fuel of passion lit up that quivered through my body,

I fell in love with you.

A love so immense,

When a fresh box of Vandoren reeds,

Was brought to my doorstep from Irvine Art & Music Center,

I would open the package eagerly,

To slide my silver ligature on top of the mouthpiece and reed,

And start playing you.

As a 10 year old boy,

You reached out your hand and gave me an opportunity,

To meet a community full of talented musicians,

Since that day I never wanted to leave you,

I wanted to stand beside you

and say thank you.

And so I practiced everyday from dawn to dusk,

Holding the clarinet with my two bare hands,

And whenever I heard any errors,

I would grab my 0.5 lead mechanical pencil,

To note down my mistakes so I could learn from it,

Just like how I learned from you that music,

Means much more than the sounds we hear.

I played you until I perfected the music,

Pouring countless hours with you in my room,

Filled with melodic and harmonic sounds,

And when I finally heard perfection,

You provided me with a different challenge,

And I always accepted every single offer you gave me.

You gifted a young passionate musician,

A new hobby to enjoy and share,

And I will everlastingly love you for that,

However, there are challenges that I failed at,

The disappointment I valued myself,

When I read the rejections of bands and orchestras,

I truly wanted to be a part of.

But you kept on assuring me to play,

That the countless hours I practiced the piece,

Only to see the bolded word REJECTION,

Was not gone to waste,

And I can use that bold word as a motivation,

To be stronger and better the next challenge,

That awaits me.

Love you always,

Chris Sung

# data[].attributes.body
From the first time you took me to Hawaii
And showed me what the world has the potential of looking like
In hope of me seeing the good over bad
I knew one thing was real:
I fell in love with you.
A love so deep I gave you my all-
From my waking up early
To my endless suffering on the plane
As a young adventure seeking child
Deeply in love with you
I never thought I would see the day where you were stopped; banished
I only ever wanted you to take me with you and show me the world
And yet I walked with you when getting there was tough
I stood by you as you tried to get us there
You asked for my commitment
I gave it to you
But you were the one who wasn’t there

I forgive you
Not because it wasn’t your fault
But because of all the amazing places you took me before
I did everything for YOU
Because that’s what you do
When someone makes you feel as
Alive as you’ve made me feel.
You gave a little girl her dream to travel around the world.
And I’ll always love you for it.
But I can’t love you obsessively for much longer.
This time is just not right
My heart pleads for you
My mind constantly thinks about you
But my body knows that I couldn’t handle what would happen if I left.
And that’s OK.
I’m ready to let you go.
I want you to know now
So we both can savor every moment we have left together.
The good and the bad.
We have given each other
All that we have.
And we both know, no matter what I do next
I’ll always be that kid
With the hands in her pockets
headphones in her ears
sitting in the plane
blank expression on her face
but her mind dreaming up the amazing, memorable adventure you’re about to take me on.
Love, Maddie Kuan

# data[].attributes.body
Dear Cinnamon Rolls,
From the moment I put my fork into your gooey center
And felt the deliciousness melt
On my tongue,
I knew one thing was real:
I fell in love with you.
A love so deep I gave you my all-From my mouth and my taste buds
To my eyeballs and nostrils
As I see how delightful you look
And smell that luscious cinnamon aroma.
As a small child Deeply in love with you
I begged my mom to make you for me
And when she did, you were the only thing I would eat for days.
And so when I think about you
I can almost smell the cinnamon scent and taste the warm delectable roll.
You bring a smile to my face every time.
I savor every moment I have with you,
Before you are all gone.
I eat you with pleasure,
Every time that sweet, soft, warm roll with Cinnamon and cream cheese frosting Touches my lips, It fills me with joy and
Gives me a warm fuzzy feeling inside. |
I eat you with satisfaction,
Not because of how enjoyable you are, (even though you are the most delicious thing ever),
But because you are AMAZING
I did everything for YOU
Because that’s what you do
When someone makes you feel as
Joyful as you’ve made me feel.
You always cheer me up when I am sad.
And I’ll always love you for it.
And I will love you obsessively forever.
My heart fills up with happiness
My mind thinks of you constantly
And that’s OK.
I want you to know that
I love you so much and I will never let you go.
We have given each other
All that we have,
And will continue to for as long as I live.
And we both know, no matter what I do next
I’ll always be that kid
With frosting all over her face,  Cinnamon roll in hand, and
:05 seconds before she needs to leave for school.
Warm, beautiful, deliciousness in my hands.
Love, London

# data[].attributes.body
Dear Volleyball,

When you pass you’re in your own space

Six of us on the ground

To save a serve point from the floor

Racing to pass, set, then explode

Watching for a thrill

From a sudden motion for a possible kill

Tough individual workouts you give,

Mentally and physically

Hand in hand with the entire team

A hard-earned win

Reminds each viewer,

Coach, referee, everyone...

Just how powerful a match is

You can't just beat someone by watching them play

You have to give away a long-lasting impression

So their minds would turn and drift away

Volleyball is a game...

have fun

Participate and present teamwork

The last play of the day
When your tired

Third set...

First to fifteen

One last kill was all needed

Support the weak links

Be on the lookout for openings on the court

The gym erupted into cheering

Another win

love,
Cymarah Gordon

# data[].attributes.body
And we both know, no matter what I do next

I’ll always be that kid

Who loves himself too much to realize other people have larger problems than themselves.

But, who cares, I only need myself, my good looks, and a wifi-connection.

Do I need to say more?

Love you always, your beautiful reflection,

Jacob Bauer

# data[].attributes.body
Dear Minecraft,

From the moment

I entered your world,

And built my wooden house,

I knew one thing was real:

I fell in love with you.

A love so deep I gave you my all-

From my body and heart

To my spirit and my mind

As a 10 year old kid

Deeply in love with you

I never played another game

I only sat on my chair

Building my little wooden house in paradise.

You gave a sweaty kid something to dream about.

And I’ll always love you for it.

But I can’t love you obsessively for much longer.

My heart can keep on pumping

My body can keep on going.

But my sleep schedule can’t take the grind.

# data[].attributes.body
Dear Watch

From the moment

I put on my green and black watch impersonating Ben 10.

And turning into different aliens

In that one change of alien

I knew one thing was real:

I fell in love with you.

A love so deep I gave you my all-

From my imagination

To my heart

As a kid it felt like you were talking to me

Deeply in love with you

I never took you off my wrist

I only listened to you tell me the time.

And so I always listened to you and you never made me late

I knew this is because you were never late to tell me the time.

You asked for my wrist

I gave to you even though it pained my wrist

Because I knew that you light the dark and show me what to do

I embraced the pain of how tight you were

Not because I wanted to show people how strong I was

But because you would never leave my side.

I did everything for YOU

Because that’s what you do

When someone makes you feel as

Alive as you’ve made me feel.

You gave a purpose to make me do things on time

And I’ll always love you for it.

But I can’t love you obsessively for much longer.

This life won’t wont last long

My heart will never be lost even though I don’t have time

My mind will never miss a second

But my wrist will never be the same without you on it

And that’s OK.

I’m ready to let you go.

I want you to know now

So we both can savor every moment we have left together.

The good and the bad.

We have given each other

All that we have.

And we both know, no matter what I do next

I’ll always be that kid

With the green and black watch imperstating Ben 10 and turning into aliens.

Love,

Jaideep Deevi

# data[].attributes.body
Dear The Office
From the moment I first saw you on Netflix
And clicked play
Cuddled in warm blankets in the freezing cold room
I knew one thing was real:
I fell in love with you.
A love so deep I gave you my all-From my mind and heart
To my soul and body
As a 12 year old boy
Deeply in love with you
I never finished watching
I only sat there
Eyes glazed over the screen
And so I watched
I watched every season
Every deleted scene for you
You asked for my eyes
I gave you my soul
Because it made me whole

| I watched through the headaches
Not because I wanted to
But because YOU wanted me toI did everything for YOU
Because that’s what you do
When someone makes you feel as
Alive as you’ve made me feel.
You gave a 12 year old boy a comedic dream
And I’ll always love you for it.
But I can’t love you obsessively for much longer.
This rewatch is all I have left to give
My heart wants to watch more
My mind wants the humor
But my eyes know it’s time to say goodbye
And that’s OK.
I’m ready to let you go.
I want you to know now
So we both can savor every moment we have left together.
The good and the bad.
We have given each other
All that we have.
And we both know, no matter what I do next
I’ll always be that kid
With the Netflix
Wrapped in the blankets
Seeing Michael calling a meeting
Jim playing a prank on Dwight
Love, Alan

# data[].attributes.body
To Your Excellencies under the High Councils Fitted for the Purpose of the Knowledge of Young Pupils, Director of the Roles of Future Careers, Overseer of the Cafeteria Lady, and All Others in General, Formally Known by Young ‘uns Throughout the Various Regions as “School”, Whose Title Took Me Like Five Minutes to Write, I Do Not Even Know if Half of it Makes Sense,

From the moment I collected

rolly-pollies and earthworms

To scraping my knee on the school playground at MVCS

to the point it had aching scabs for a few weeks

I knew that you were pretty decent

I can not say I was very passionate but it was a better start than most people

My good opinion of you only grew when you introduced

friends that I could play Super Smash Bros Brawl with

As well as frisbee, soccer, and basketball

And since then you never failed to find me more friends

That I could hang out with

And joke with

You scolded me for all the times I forgot to turn in homework

And you sympathised with me while I cried after I failed a test

By stating “F”

Those times really sucked

Despite that, I continued to learn and grow

Through all the failures I made, not because I did not feel like a failure

But because I had friends I could lean on for support, teachers to help me, parents to encourage me,

And also because you forced me to

Which was a good choice since I had to learn something

You are

The place where I could have time to hang out with my friends (Obviously when suitable),

The place where I experienced the funniest of moments,

The place that was, is, and will continue to be

A pain in my backside

I can not say I am old and retired and ready to let you go,

Having gnarled knuckles and a hunch in my back

That would be really worrying

I am only thirteen, and I do not feel tired or have gray hairs (yet)

So I will continue learning with you there

I am ready to continue meeting friends and sometimes finding new ones

I am ready for you to drop daily ten-page essays on the themes and symbolisms of To Kill a Mockingbird

And once I graduate, we will both know that

I will be successful in some aspect

And that I will be in massive debt

Love sometimes,

EZEKIEL

# data[].attributes.body
Dear Knafeh

From the moment

I tasted your goodness

And when I smelled the sweetness of Knafeh

In the world

I knew one thing was real:

I fell in love with you.

A love so deep I gave you my all-

From my mind

To my soul

As  the best dessert to eat

Deeply in love with you

I never once have insulted you

I only have gotten you like a million times

And so I got you

I got you for your smell of sweetness and your tastiness

You asked for my opinion

I gave my opinion

Because you gave me Knafeh

I gave you all

Not because of your sweetness

But because your the best

I did everything for YOU

Because that’s what you do

When someone makes you feel as

Alive as you’ve made me feel.

You gave a Knafeh

And I’ll always love you for it.

But I can’t love you obsessively for much longer.

This is a fact

My heart is with you

My mind is on you

But my soul loves your smell of sweetness

And that’s OK.

I’m ready to let you go.

I want you to know now

So we both can savor every moment we have left together.

The good and the bad.

We have given each other

All that we have.

And we both know, no matter what I do next

I’ll always be that kid

With 1 slice of Knafeh in his hand at the end of the day

Love,

Ali Charara

# data[].attributes.body
Dear Videogames
From the moment
I turned on my Wii
And inserted the Wii sports game disk
In the disk slot
I knew one thing was real:
I fell in love with you.
A love so deep I gave you my all-
From my terrible aim
To my bad house wifi
As a Gamer
Deeply in love with you
I never broke any controllers
I only broke records
And so here we are
I play you every day
Whether it’s on my xbox or my pc
You ask for my best
And I give you at least 70% effort
Because you deserve it
I violently slam my desk sometimes
Not because of you
But because of my bad temper
I constantly update you
Because that’s what you do
When someone makes you feel as
Alive as you’ve made me feel.
You gave a new meaning to the word “tilted”
And I’ll always love you for it.
And I will update you infinitely
My heart begs for me to stop eating junk food
My mind begs for me to take a break
But my hands never stop moving
And that’s OK.
I’m never gonna give you up.
I’m never gonna let you down
I'm never gonna run around and desert you
We have given each other
Most of what we have.
And we both know, no matter what I do next

I’ll always be that kid

With the wii control in his hand

Sweat dripping down his forehead

Destroying everyone at Just Dance

Love,
Reed Baron

# data[].attributes.body
5 years ago

I stepped foot on the court

Racket in my hand, smile on my face

From the moment I hit the ball

And it sprung up over the net

I knew one thing was real

I fell in love with you

From hobby

To 6 a.m. practice before school

I devoted so much time to you

To gain skill in the sport I loved so much

As an 8 year old girl,

I loved being on the court

Laughing with my friends

Or on the playground nearbye

But over the years

You have become so much more than that

I began to try harder

To put my mind to you

I swung with passion

I learned strategy

The fire of desire burned inside of me

Wanting to get better, wanting to make the game winning shot

You gave me something to work for

A goal to strive for

As i pushed myself to improve

To nail my serve, to drill the ball across the court

And that’s ok

Because taught me so much

And gave me goals to drive me

Gave me something to love

I know that I will always love you

That the you will find a way to my heart

And bring back the memories

On courts built the wrong way

Playing with my brother

Playing my favorite game in the world

# data[].attributes.body
From the moment

I saw your characters in games

And played your free app game

I knew one thing was real:

I fell in love with you.

A love so deep I gave you my all-

From my hours of the day

To my spontaneous ideas As a creatively suppressed teen,

Deeply in love with you

I never expected to love

I only thought of you as such a small game but it grew into much more

And so I invested more creativity and time into my island

I allowed my creativity to run free

You asked for my sadness and traded it with your happiness

I gave you my whole heart

Because you set me free

Not because I would profit from it or gain from

But because your support keeps me going

I did everything for YOU

Because that’s what you do

When someone makes you feel as

Alive as you’ve made me feel.

You gave a platform of expression

And I’ll always love you for it.

But I can’t love you obsessively for much longer.

My heart races thinking of the fond memories on your games

My mind is lavished with happiness

But my mind is submerged into this whole new reality.

And that’s OK.

I’m ready to let you go.

I want you to know now

So we both can savor every moment we have left together.

The good and the bad.

We have given each other

All that we have.

And we both know, no matter what I do next

I’ll always be that amused kid

With his Animal Crossing home.

Love,

Nathan Pang

# data[].attributes.body
For as long as I can remember

My eyes have lit up with the light of a thousand stars

I have embarked on a never-ending journey of discovery

Even as my life took unexpected turns

In the end, I knew one thing was real:

I fell in love with you.

A love so sincere I gave my all-

From countless hours spent researching psychological disorders

To traveling tiresome distances to explore the world and its wonders for myself

Even interrogating my own father about his job in aeronautics

All because of you

As a naive, curious girl

Fascinated by what I could not yet comprehend

There was no shortage of things to discover

I grew eager to extend my knowledge and apply it to the real world

And so I devoted my time and my education to you

I carried bulky novels through the halls of my school,

Convinced I would find time to read between classes

I obsessed over the outcomes of numerous studies

Over and over again, I begged my family to take me to museums

And geeked out when I got the opportunity to share my knowledge with others

You asked that I continue my journey

That I work hard to reach my goals

And take every opportunity that comes my way

That I ground myself and stick to facts

Yet never forget to question everything I think I know

And I gave it my all

I expanded my passion, and my love for you only grew

Because I could never deny how special you were to me

You became my escape from the grief that suffocated me

You kept me eager to learn and grow through the years

I watched as the spark we had expanded into a fire

I never searched for you

But you still found me

And you have stayed with me through thick and thin

Through the hardest moments of my life

With salty tears to spare

You gave me something to look forward to

Something to keep me going

And I will eternally love you for that

Because I knew then and I know now

You will always be there when I need you most

As my life unfolds and I realize where I belong

Where I want to go, who I am, what my purpose is

You can be assured that my love for you will never cease

I will forever keep you close to my heart

And we both know

No matter where life guides me

I will always be that little kid

With a light-up space projector

The girl who knew her life would change

The moment she found herself stuck in a headspace of curiosity

A curiosity thanks to you

Much love,

Elyse Sotak

why is it saying my name is not spelled correctly excuse me

# data[].attributes.body
I met you a long time ago,
Oh how you made my heart glow,
Sure you are a drink,
But you do make me think,

The sensation you give me is truly distinctive,
But it is surly addictive

(more coming soon lol)

-Shohan Dey

# data[].attributes.body
To the paintbrushes

Sitting idly in the corner

In a ceramic cup covered in dust

That still paint my mind

With the ever so present memories

Of painting fantasy worlds better

Than the world’s reality

Thank you for transporting me

To countless magical paradises

I would’ve never been able to go to before

For giving me an outlet

For the words I couldn’t say

The paints that allowed me to imagine

For a moment, the world in a different way

# data[].attributes.body
Dear T.V,

From the moment
I watched you.
And every time I turn you on
In the weekends
I knew one thing was real:

I fell in love with you.

A love so deep I gave you my all-From my morning time.
To my night time.
As a couch potato
Deeply in love with you.
I never stop watching.
I only imagine what I can see.

And so I watch T.V to expand my imagination.
Maybe I am too obsessed,
But that is ok because you like it just as much as I like you.
You asked for my attention.
I gave you the stillness glare of my eyes
Because you deserve it better than anything.

I am your friend.
Not because I watch your news.
But because I watch your movies.
I did everything for YOU
Because that’s what you do
When someone makes you feel as
Alive as you’ve made me feel.

You gave a kid his entertainment.
And I’ll always love you for it.
But I can’t love you obsessively for much longer.
This lifetime is our remaining time together.
My heart barely reaches out for you like how a shooting star reaches out for the distances in space.
My mind ponders about your movies all night.
But my time is up for you when it is 8:23 P.M.

And that’s OK.
I’m ready to let you go.
I want you to know now
So we both can savor every moment we have left together today.
The good and the bad movies.
We have given each other
All that we have.

And we both know, no matter what I do next,
I’ll always be that kid
With a Sling T.V remote in my hands.

Only 5 minutes till I get home, till I can meet you again.

Love,
Ali Nehme

# data[].attributes.body
Being Indian, people thought that you had to be something I took part in,

Something I was obligated to do,

But no.

From the very first time I saw a dancer execute you,

I knew I fell in love.

I wanted to be just like that dancer,

Beautiful and elegant just like her,

And so I took your first class.

I remember that day so evidently.

I put on my bright red kurta,

The color of a ripe apple,

I strapped my bells to my feet, a bindi on my forehead and was off.

Mirrors surrounded me and the dance floor felt empowering.

I learned my first few steps and knew I belonged with you,

I belonged on that dance floor,

Performing you,

And embodying that beautiful dancer I saw once a while ago.

In those endless hours of practicing,

The countless performances,

And the numerous corrections,

Never once did my heart, my soul, or my body give up on you.

Even when I couldn’t do something perfectly the first try and began to feel frustrated,

My feet never stopped moving and my hands never dropped,

Because finally when I nailed a specific step of you,

I felt accomplished,

Like I had some sort of power,

My face was illuminated and I felt confident.

The butterflies in my stomach on performance days,

The chaos of the makeup room,

The filled auditorium,

It took over my body with fear of messing up,

Fear that people would see me fail.

But once I stepped out on that stage and began to execute you,

Then I knew that this was what I was meant to do,

I fell in love all over again.

I promise to you that I will never let go of you,

No matter where I go,

I will take you with me.

You take me away from the real world sometimes,

Make my stress melt away,

As I step into each and every move,

All my mind thinks about is the beat of the music and my body graciously dancing to it.

I thank you deeply for giving me those feelings of confidence and empowerment,

A ticket to escape from life,

An art that makes me feel at home and at peace.

Love,

Situ Chintakunta

# data[].attributes.body
From the moment I pulled up my knee pads for the first time,

I knew that I would never take them off,

The sensation and adrenaline I feel when I’m on the court is too authentic,

I knew one thing was real:

I fell in love with you.

A love so sustainable and energetic it fulfills me,

And makes me stronger than I’ve ever been before,

When I was just a little girl,

I fell in love with you,

At camp with no experience just eagerness,

And so week after week,

I continue to put my time, energy, and, strength into you

And you’ve never let me down even at my lowest point

I played YOU not as a sport, but as a passion

I play YOU because I fell in love you,

And I continue to play YOU because you make me feel alive

Even when I don’t want to go to plyos,

Or Miss a serve,

Or shank the ball,

I still can’t imagine a life without you

You have continued to put your all in me,

And so,

I do the same,

Love you always,

Gwen.

# data[].attributes.body
Dear pencil,

You give me knowledge,

you give me creativity,

and you give me happiness.

You make me crave drawing,

even if I am not supposed to.

You let me find my happiness.

I had nothing and you gave me something.

You gave me friends, you gave me joy.

You gave me a connection,

A hobby, a purpose.

I had no talent.

I was no one, but you made me someone.

Together we can create many things.

We create art and beautiful writings.

As time grew, I used you less,

Yet I remembered the memories you gave me,

The friends I made.

I remembered forgetting you,

Then missing you so much I cried.

I remembered hating colored pencils,

Choosing you over them,

Choosing to create creatures instead of friends.

One day you convinced me otherwise,

And thus I met my BFF because of you.

Because of you, I met her.

She taught me how to use you better.

She taught me how to play.

She taught me how to do what I do today,

So thank you.

Thank you for being there for me.

Love you always,

Joyce Chen

(Also anime was a thing, but pencil is first place. Sorry watercolor. Sorry anime.)

# data[].attributes.body
You've been here ever since the world existed,
but you keep coming on these weeks.
Why do you keep coming in the time that I don't want you and you don't come in times where I want you?
I'm not trying to be mean but my dog really want to go outside but she's scared,
don't know why.
But I hope you feel okey.

sincerely Youssaf

# data[].attributes.body
You gave me a new level of creativity,

One that I use and will continue to use in the future.

I know that now it is time to move on,

We can both see my other hobbies standing in front of an open door of opportunities.

# data[].attributes.body
From the moment

I first bit into that vibrant orange flesh

I could trace the path of the sugary juices seep

into my mouth and slide my esophagus.

I fell in love with you.

A love so great

when my mom brought in the box

of squishy ripe mangoes from Ranch 99,

I would peel one and stuff it in my mouth.

As a child,

whenever I sniffed your warm scent

I knew it was only a matter of time

before I slipped a sliver into my mouth.

My eagerness to eat you was so great

sometimes I didn’t bother peeling it.

And so when I think of you

I feel the fibrous texture entering my mouth.

And though my tongue feels itchy

when I eat too much,

I think to myself that it was well worth it.

I never ceased

to leave a single chunk of flesh on the seed

because I couldn’t bear to throw it in the trash.

You brought a smile to my face every time.

Whenever I would go to my mother’s home

in the Philippines

you would wait in every food vendor's cart,

every Filipino household

and on every Manila Mango tree.

And though I know how much I love you,

you do not.

And that’s OK

Because I love you more

than you could ever imagine.

And I know,

years from now,

you will always be a warm blanket to my tongue.

I’ll still be that kid that once ate

even the skin of the mango

because I was so eager

to reach that golden flesh.

And remember,

remember me always as that kid.

Love,

Abby Cinco

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Dear Basketball,

From the moment

I touched a ball to the times i rolled up my clothes

And started to shoot

A spark lit

My mind was set

I knew one thing was real:

I fell in love with you.

A love so deep I couldn’t stop thinking about you

The feeling of running back and forth

Ball in your hand

Our spirits & soul are attached

As a 5 year old kid

I fell deeply in love with you

First being shy and didn’t want to touch the ball

Then seeing my soul lit

Fire inside me that made me play harder

I saw the light the fire was guiding me towards

And so I played

I ran for you

I hustled for you

You wanted all my effort

So I gave it to you

Because the outcome was greater

I played for you

Not because people told me to

But because YOU called me

I did everything for YOU

Because that's what you do

When you give someone so much enjoyment

To make me feel alive instead of dead

You gave a five year old boy so much love

And I will always love you for that

I will continuously love you obsessively for as long as I live

My mind set on goals ahead

Ready for the ups and downs

I will always love you

And that’s OK

I’m ready for the future

I want you to know now

So we can savor every moment

The feeling of doing something good

Learning from things we did wrong

All that YOU give

And we both know, no matter what I do next

I will always be that kid

Guarding the best player

:03 seconds left

Ball in the other team's hands

We are up by 2

3.. 2.. 1…

MISSEDD!!!

Love you always,

Ryan Bugay