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Alaia Murua

Rushing water
Pouring from every which direction
Dirty grey-brown
A little boy is in the midst of this
Holding onto a hammock for his life
Why is nobody watching him?

Early evening
Sky is dark, not like the night though
But like the dark clouds of a thunderstorm
Heavy rain hits the slums like tiny bullets
The hollering of adults can be heard as well as terrified shrieks and wails of small children
Why is nobody watching him?

Who would do such a thing?
Who would leave such a small boy all alone in such a dangerous flood?
It's devastating
And merciless just to leave you sitting there, watching
Gripping you with a feeling of terror
And hoping that the little boy makes it out alive
Why is nobody watching him?

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As I look around and see
The green, brown, and black shades of color
Of the building
Watching children play with these little hand carved pieces
I hear Gloria
Then I turn
And I laugh a little
I laugh because, here is this young girl
Who teaches me
I hear her say, "The thing I love about chess is the small one can become the big one"
The small one can become the big one
The small one can become the big one
I repeat in my head
So I think
Maybe someday
I will become
The big one

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Charlie Tucker

Storm and gray
the sky full of hate
Blue waters crash
to the gritty house
Sun scared hiding
above
Water rushes
and Robert holds on
for
his life

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I wondered why Night left Richard?
I felt awful about what she did.
I felt bad that I couldn't have helped him.
It was a gloomy afternoon when it started to rain.
Rain.
The rain turned into a flood and the brownish water washed away their world.
Their possessions, their lives.
I heard Richard screaming,
"Help me"
"Help me"
Over and over he kept screaming with no response.
Night left Richard in a hammock during a flood.  He was holding on for his life.

-Jonah Bishop

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The skies opened up,
the blue skies turned into
a dark unwelcoming gray,
the water tore through the streets and houses,
Richard screamed for Night,
but the storm kept pushing his voice back,
until there was only an echo

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By: Caroline
Soccer
Soccer
Soccer
V I B R A N T    L I G H T
crowd cheering
Happy
kicked the spots
off that ball
Soccer
Soccer
Soccer

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BY ANNIE DOUBLESTEIN
Dusty streets, old sheds,
people running around
in colorful clothing,
baskets of food on top
of heads.
Bright yellow sun
reflecting
off the bright
yellow streets.
People singing, laughing,
dancing, playing,
and all
the bright
RAINBOW
colors of clothes.
Like a busy anthill,
everyone
working
together.

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"HE TOOK MY QUEEN!"         By: Brendan Burns

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"HE TOOK MY QUEEN!"         By: Brendan Burns

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Gloria was playing chess
She moved her queen
Her opponent took a long break and eventually
took the queen away!
Gloria started bawling.
Coach came rushing over
to get her to stop.
She wouldn't stop
Coach lifted her up
and put her over his shoulder
Gloria kept bawling!
Coach was embarrassed because they were in a great big room in a chess tournament.
Gloria went from playing chess
to crying on her coaches shoulder like a race car on its final lap, fast.
Gloria kept bawling!
Gloria left the bright room
with great chess players.
She was crying on her coaches shoulder, and she kept bawling!

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"You belong here"
Phiona's coach yelled
16 chess pieces
sat perfectly
the Championship was about to start
her opponent was staring at her
bright, white sunlight
spilled through the windows
sounds of the judges
filled the room
and at this moment...
Phiona was as tough as nails
no one could stop her.

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-Miles
It is completely
Silent
The only sounds are the noises
Of the chess pieces
Clicking
Sliding
Scratching
Against the board
I feel nervous.
My heart racing up and down
Worried
To make the wrong move
My opponent knows it
As she shows no fear at all
In any of her moves
She grows
Stronger
I turn
Weaker.
I feel there is nothing I can do
To stop her.
I lift my head out from under my hands,
I look up at my opponent
Through the dim dark shadows around me,
And I reach my hand out.
"Good Game."

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The chessboard the sweat and tears on the competitors faces, a long weird moment of silence until ... "CHECKMATE, SNAP" and the spectators explode with noise.

Just one little saying can mean the world to people

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By: Sydney Muller
A spotlight placed directly over her head,
bringing light to the dimmed shadows that lurked behind;
siblings and coach stood in the shadows, and murmured "go phiona" as the timer ticked away;
chess was the game phiona played that day,
with an unknown opponent placed across from the black matte pawns she had,
and a bright yellow shirt that was a bright sun surrounding her body.
Suspense rang through the crowd,
as no winner was yet titled
just then happiness emerged from phiona when the look of victory came across her face.
Now a winner was titled,
"Phiona, Queen of Katwe

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Her expression was like her life was a living fairy tale

Dancing but no song

The smiles were like a herd of elephants stampeding.  They went on and on forever.

The patterns and colors made the sun look away.

How could someone who lived  in so much poverty be this joyful?

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My family and I
were riding in an old
chipped,
creaky,
blue, and orange
van.
But this wasn't any van
it was a van
that was going to take
my family and I
to our forever home.
Everyone knew,
but
Mama
this was a surprize
my surprize
for Mama.
It was a beautiful day
the trees were tall and green,
the sky was bright blue,
and the sun
the sun was so perfect it felt like the air surrounding you was a warm hug.
As we road down the wicked hot pavement you could hear the van
clunk,
clank,
and clink
as we hit a little bump.
When we pulled up to the house
you could see
Mama's excitement
on her face
it was as if we were the luckiest family in the whole world. -Thea

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Anger fills as the pawn moves gently across the boards.
Screeching.
In the dark hallways of the chess room.
Puzzled.
As my opponent moves the pawn across the board with a grin.
Competitive.
My mind thinks of an iffy game plan.
Fail.
I forgot about the queen.
Tears.
Fill my eyes as I know I can't come back from this deficit.
Opponent.
Cheers as if she was the one to be the chess master.
Quiet.
As if a gold tournament were taking place.
Disappointment
Floods into my heart as I took the loss.
I threw my hand sewn Uganda jacket to ground.
I raged.
I screamed.
My coach ran after me.
I was filled with anger

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By: Olivia Borgula
Robert pushed open the door
Whoosh
Small, white flakes
Flew at her
She looked up with delight
To see a brilliant canvas of white
Covering up the dreary day
Her vision is blurred
By delicate snowflakes
Dancing in the wind
Her mouth forms into a smile
As big as a slice of watermelon
She reaches up to touch one
But it glides out of her reach
People walked around her
She could hear
The click-clack of shoes
People talking on the phone
She could see people's breath
But she didn't care
It was just her
And this amazing new
Snow

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The water patters on the house.
The boy,
Hanging in a hammock
Hanging hanging hanging
The crash of water rushing in
There is terror on his face
Terror terror terror
He is as scared as a fish out of water
He is a crab in a net
trying everything to save himself
He is hanging hanging hanging
Until he falls
He stands
Just as he feels the water pulling and rushing at his feet
Rushing rushing rushing
The accessories on the ground
rushed away
Now clutching to a pole
Clutching clutching clutching
Pulled away by his mother
Away from the mucky mucky water
The comfort of his mother
Soft and smooth and forgiving
Unlike the water.

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By :Alli Carlson

Bryan lays on the
Market ground
As the motorcycle zooms by
"Help! Help! Somebody help"
The screams of Pheona
fills the market.
Pheona is scared,
like a lost baby missing home.
a different motorcycle approaches.
"Help sir, please help"
Pheona shoves the only money she owns to the man.
Pheona with Bryan in her hands ,
is now on the motorcycle
hopeful.
Blue, pink,orange, green.
fills the pretty market.
However red
is the only color
Pheona could see.
The color of blood,
her brothers blood.
Pheona yells at her mom
she frantically joins them
on the cycle.
They zoom off to the hospital praying, and hopeful.
That Brya

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"We love you!"
shouted the crowds of people
as they engulfed Phoina
and her golden, glistening trophy

There were no clouds
there were no shadows
to hide the bright blue of the sky,
but was nothing to the glistening smile from Phiona's beaming face

She danced
She sung
she spun with the crowd
as the blue van honked with glee
and the crowds shouted with joy

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By: Kira
The room was
bright blue
with some stains
here and there.

In the middle
was a table.

The table had
two kids sitting at it
and about 15
around it.

In the middle
of the table
was a small
black and white
chess board.

Snap!

Checkmate!

She had won!

She won
and had
became the
new chess champion
of the bright blue room.

She was
rewarded with a
tiny chess person
like trophy.

She didn't care
that it was
not the biggest
or brightest trophy.

She was grateful of
that tiny
piece of
wood.

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I felt pure joy and happiness,
By far the most I had ever felt.
I'd won against all odds.
I defeated the favorite.
I won, I won, I won.
I outstretched my arms,
I peeked over at my mother.
She cheered, everyone cheered.
The very first time she came to witness my greatness, I proved myself.
I felt the joy of winning, and making my mother proud.
I won.

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Her expression as lifeless as the empty sky;
silence roamed the room.
Footsteps, buzzing lights and whispers contributed to the dead silence, but were of no help.
Glancing into her opponent's eyes, an evil smirk found its way to her face; Phiona could do nothing now.
Sounds of silence pursued the room.

She made her move. Nothing.
Her opponent had a clear advantage.
She had to resign.
Under the sounds of silence, many wept. The room fell black and white.

Phiona had lost.

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By: George
A wooden bench
A small chess board
A dim light
Hot and Dusty.

A set of pawns
A learner's mind
A reluctant teacher.
Hot and Dusty.

A child prodigy
An old classroom
A small chess board
Hot and Dusty.

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"I wish I could swim in a pool filled with ketchup."
It is funny how one phrase
can brighten up your monday
like no other.
Why do they appreciate
tomato ketchup
so much?
You don't notice such a small item
that others don't have
who absolutely
treasure.
The peaceful noise of all of the children giggling with each other,
makes you feel relaxed
even if you are laughing along.
Be grateful
for what
you
have.

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In the dim room, the mud flow swallows the shadows on the floor. The ground is covered in a sea of brown.

The water swept in with nature's fury. The ordeal is terrifying in its own way. It rushes past, in one door, out the other. It grabs at the little boy in his cot, the young boy who was left by his sister. As the flow rushes through the room, it snatches belongings like a thief.

"Help," the little boy yells, but his cries go unheard. His cries go unheard. His cries go unheard.

The water doesn't stop. It has taken the memories of the house. The happiness, the sadness, the good and the bad. But the water, it seeks for their lives.

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By: Ella
I look on
The market is loud and
full of voices,
but in a calming way
I hear laughing,
filling the area
Full of color and
busy with people
I look on
Who's laughing?
Why are they laughing?
I look on
I see blue sky and the sun
high in the sky
Everything is bright and warm
I look on
All I can hear is laughing
All is joy and cheer
Can you hear it too?