By, Fanny Zheng

I am inside a house 

I see a person approaching

I deck him with a axe

I steal all his loot and move on

I click on my keyboard

I swipe my mouse

I click the left trigger

I hold WASD

I am getting shot at

I am 

DEAD!

I punch my pc screen

I throw my keybored

I scream at my wall

I slam my mouse on the floor

I punch my pillow

My face as red as a tomato

My parents come in

I close my eyes

I Wake up

You picked me like an apple from the apple tree. 

You didn’t have to but you did. Plenty of better apples all around yet you still chose me. 

You found me like we were playing hide and seek and you were the seeker. 

You shine like a diamond in the light.

You are like the light in my darkness. 

You are the sunshine of my day. 

You light it up like no one ever has. 

You are my reason. Your smile,

gives me the energy to run a mile. 

You are beautiful inside and out despite what people say. At least to me you who cares about them. I like you without a doubt. 

My light in the darkness, the good in all my bad

The happy in all the sad. 

The star shining in the dark. 

You have left your mark

on me. 

You have truly found me.

The imprinted gold medal

With the blue, red, and white straps

On a backpack, but it feels like I’m on top of the world

The celebration of victory

With a smooth ending to all of it

No rough zippers going to stop me

And a backpack that is going to 

Lead me to victory

With all the wind humming

And the flowers dancing

There is no way I’m stopping

Like a bee making honey

Everyone's watching now

It’s my time to shine

With all the grit and sweat

All the things I learned

All the people who had my back

Whenever I needed it

No rough zippers going to stop me

And a backpack that is going to lead me to victory

Travel the world and discover its mysteries

Do what you want if that is what makes you happy

Prevail through all those hardships that stands as an obstacle

Like all the successful people out there 

But is it really though?

I think

That life is an endless maze

And through all the twist and turns

Through all the time that flies by  There is no way out but to keep going

That life is quite a short cycle

Coming out optimistic that soon grows on

Into the years as your age starts to stack

But will soon collapse

At the end of the day

Life is just an opinion 

You can view it as something positive

Or something negative

And who am I to say how you should live your life  

Everyone has their own

 

 

as raindrops fall like tiny glass anvils from the sky

The two noises seem to combine

to create a ferocious but fascinating harmony

that expands to a crescendo 

But soon, the music softens

The heavy downpour of rain
becomes a slight pitter patter on the wet earth 

And the warbling wind, 
a choir of whistling sopranos and baritones,
glides... 
into graceful, peaceful silence

The sun peeks its head out from behind the gray clouds 
and shines 
tentatively at first

afraid that the storm is still lurking

But after a moment it seems to gain confidence

and takes center stage in the clear sky

Gleaming and shimmering in all of its brilliance

and smiling a radiant smile

that almost
but not quite

makes me forget the roaring, fierce storm

that came before

Wallowing in the radiant sun’s shadow 

and wondering

if anyone noticed 

that it too

could be beautiful.

Life can be good
You could laugh
You could smile
You could chuckle
But it could throw you a curve ball 
 

Life can be hard
You could cry
You could yell
You could sulk
But it goes on

You could say 
That life isn't fair
But you can only bear with it
It will keep on going
For everyone else

Instead of doing nothing
Wouldn't it be better 
To spend time on
More meaningful things
Because, after all,
Life goes on
Regardless of what you do
Like a summer storm

Maybe if you look 
At it from 
Another perspective,
You'll discover something
You never knew 

The kitchen is ripe with the sweet aroma

It meets my nose and I wake with a start.

The anticipation courses through my veins 

A glutinous narcissist, I’m playing the part.

Prancing to the kitchen door 

Pretending I’m oblivious to what will ensue,

“Oh my god, we’re having waffles?!”, I’ll exclaim,

“This wasn’t expected, how thoughtful of you!”

I know there will be gifts and surprises

I know that I’ll be showered in attention

But those are only temporary highs,

Everyone knows vanity is not my obsession.

The kitchen door is slightly ajar

And the aroma intensifies,

Prepared for a spongy, quilted cushion,

My body freezes when it meets my eyes.

Is this some sort of cruel joke?

Or maybe it’s a sign from God?

It’s just that church coincided with my Soulcycle classes,

And Jesus would want me to keep up this bod!

My lungs deflate and I’m gasping for air

My knees buckle, my heart breaks.

For weeks I’ve been saying that for my birthday I want waffles,

But you made me pancakes.

Help?

Anyone there

Hellloooooooo

Help!

I can’t move

My elephant size feet

Is glueing me down

Help!!

I see light

But I can’t reach it

Walls of great heights

Are closing in on me 

Help!!!

I see the grumpy mean sky

I am soaring towards it

Like a balloon filled

With helium

Feeling lighter and lighter

eYb

I felt your presence 

I guess I’ll see you soon

On the opposite side

eYb……again

everyday was a good day

but nothing ever goes my way

you were my world now everything is black and gray.

There’s nothing i wouldn’t have done everything for you

my life was bright and blue

the things i would do

all seems so taboo.

It all seemed so easy

some might even say cheesy

everything was light and breezy

yet somehow apart of me felt uneasy.

The sun danced gallantly in the sky

its like i was constantly on this high

a race between time became a tie

then i had to say goodbye.

Many times i had cried

i tried and i tried and i tried

people would ask and i lied

every little part of me had died.

Brightly lit in dark room

No one in sight for their doom

Random guy out the door

Walking on the floor

With only one light in sight

I go to the bright red light

Slowly approach it and I saw

blood drips down a book of law

stop and freeze

making no sound

nobody is nearby

lights turn off

Run the word I heard

Too scared to look 

I ran while 

He screams 

No! COME BACK HERE

COME BACK HERE

COME BACK

COME

Lights turn on

I I I I I I I I I I I I I

Can’t speak today.

It It can be hard to artic tic ulate

What I mean to say. 

Ha ha having opinions is life

So, if I cannot share them, my life looks very gray. 

Is it even wo or rt th living anymore

Or should I just throw my life away.

 

No o o one ever knows what I mean

If I leave nothing should change 

Everyone will be happier when I am gone, and their lives become clean. 

On the other hand though I do on’t live for them, 

I live for me. 

Why should suffering waaaste my life.

I don’t believe in reincarnation

Life doesn’t just come down in bunches from the sky.

 

Everyone dies eventually

I don’t need to find out what it’s like early.

I have not even written a will

If I died no one would know what to do with my things. 

Thanks for talking through this with me.

I have not even stuttered once this stanza

I think my hiccup went away. 

To make sure I look decent. 

I notice how you copy everything I do,

But I don’t actually know

Who are you? 

I come to see you everyday

To see how clear you reflect me.

I step a little closer to you, 

Surprised to see all the 

Scars, 

Scratches,

And bruises I had.

I come to see you everyday

To hear you say something.

You repeated the same words 

Over and over,

But I can’t seem to answer you. 

I come to see you everyday

To find my inner self. 

It’s as deep as the ocean floor,

But I can finally see it 

As I stare longer 
Into you. 

You are just a reflection,

But you’re as complex as a thousand puzzle pieces

And I just managed to solve you,

Wow! I’m impressed. 

Why do we wear so much makeup?

Simple answer

Because we feel confident, 
Not to impress you 

But

What if there's a deeper problem

A lie laid hidden in our souls

A truth buried beneath our skin

Locked up away in the dark like the dungeons carrying monsters

Inside a chest 

Locked with two keys thrown down the deepest black well

A heart

So broken inside that it must be protected at all costs

Not looking for a way out but still so broken

Every now and then it lets out a blue cry

Impede the need for help

But a sad cry for the hopeless 

In the form of small droplets

Bleeding from our tear ducts

Expressed through the skin

Finding a way out

The mind is a crazy

Manipulative impulse

The kind that plays us like a game, 

The kind we can't control

Because those dungeons release monsters that

Devour us in a meal, 

Engulf us whole like Polyphemus

Surrounding us in the darkest clouds possible 

Until our vision becomes flawed 

Just like our minds

Just like our minds perceives us as 

Just like we are. 

There's a reason we cover up our imperfections,

Do you understand? 

One minute left. 

The frigid air whistles

in the cold month of February

as the livid snowstorm 

has started its wrath 

this past morning.

His feet suddenly feel 

like they have frozen in the cold.

As his right cleat’s lace starts to untie

he embraces what he has anticipated

since the miserable heat of June.

Wiping the wet snow off his face

like the sweat he breaks each game

as he waits for his route

in the huddle.

Taking full flight

cutting to the left of the field

only for his emotions to be crushed

by a game-ending interception.

With his quarterback on the ground

he pats him on the back in encouragement 

and lifts him up

off the bone-chilling snow pile.

how to swim.

Her eyes, blue like the 

ocean.

Except it wasn’t blue.

Still, her gaze grew soft.

She fell like she didn’t know 

how to stand.

Her confidence, strong like

diamonds.

Except it wasn’t strong.

Still, her faith stood tall.

She wondered like she didn’t know

how to live.

Her smile, bright like the

stars. 

Except it wasn’t bright.

Still, her hair danced through the night.

And still, 

she had hope in her

heart.

I see it

In the sky

I wave 

As it passes by

It has two wings 

and a nose

And holds people

I can see all of the people

And their beagles 

Through the windows

I want to fly

High up in the sky

So book a fight

In July 

I want to see 

My closet ally

My closest ally

Oh how sweet he is

He always seems

To be needing to take 

A wizz

That you wake up for

Do you know that one thing

That brightens your day

Do you know that one thing

That makes you feel amazing

Do you know that one thing 

That makes you smile

Do you know that one thing

That lets you soar like a plane

Do you know that one thing

That lets you shine like the sun

Do you know that one thing 

That comfort you

Do you know that one thing

That brings you joy

That one thing you can’t live without

That one thing that makes you, you

Do you know that one thing?

I do

Do you?

It greets you when you wake up

It puts its whole weight on you

Pushing you down.

It feels like fifty pounds of bricks

Resting on you

All at once.

You finally get up and

Outside the window

You see 

clouds.

They wave and give you a sly smile

As if they’re planning some evil scheme

Throughout the day 

They follow you

Trailing behind you

Everywhere you go.

But out of nowhere

They start to

cry.

“🤬!” you say

When you realize you didn’t bring an umbrella

It begins to pour

      plip 

            ploop 

                  plip plip 

                        plip ploop

But after a while

You see

The clouds begin to shift

Sunlight peeks through

It hugs you like it hasn’t seen you in years

And it whispers in your ears

“hey,

you’re going to be okay”

losses 1st 

day.  1 win 

2 losses 

2nd day.

Loud laughter 
distracts in  

between it.

No captains. 

Just coaches. 

Who say they

know but don’t.  

It is fun 
but is it?

Loss like a
storm.  Blowing 
through a strong 
player’s mind.
Destroying 
the focus.

Silver brack 

et.  1 win 

1 loss.

runner up 

in the run

ner up brack

et.  Always.

Just to face my own troubles

Within my blood, sweat and tears

Lies pain, cries and fears 

This disease is eating me alive,

stabbing me with knives

I’m left to face this living nightmare

Take me away from this pain I can’t bear

I try to cry for help 

Yet scared no one will answer my yelp

I try to escape from this 🤬 

Yet scared to break out of my shell

The monster continues to mess with my head 

However, my mother always said

At the end of the tunnel, there is light

I now must win this constant fight

My only choice

is to use my voice

The truth untold 

Is ready to unfold 

Onto my tongue

Like a soft touch

A lot comes down 

But it really 

Ain’t much

We only see it 

When we’re in winter

Sometimes I need to 

Burn some tinder

Some people see it

As a fantasy 

While others see it 

As a catastrophe

In my opinion 

This season's amazing

It’s as if 

I was stargazing 

Winter is here

And I can’t wait till next year

Baking in June heat

Leaning back

In a cold metal chair

Time is ticking

The last day has arrived

The teacher’s voice is 
A mouse’s squeak

Drowned by the conversations

Between students

Anxious for the release

Now free

Days are what you make them

Lounging at home

Or splashing in cool waves

On family vacations

Ice cream cones melt
Under the sun

And dribble down on to hands

Sticky with sweetness

It doesn’t matter

It will rinse off in the pool

Sprawled out on the grass

Rays touching your skin

Warming your body

Making you radiate the spirit 

Of summer

But eventually

Every wave has been splashed in

Every scoop has been licked

Every pool has been dived into

Everything has been done

It seems that summer fun

Has run out

So summer homework

And back to school preparations

Fill the days

make me smile

Lets

Laugh 

Cry 

Together forever 

you’re always here 

When i need you 

Even when i don’t

It’s fine because you’re mine

I’ll forgive you for all the times you peed on my rug.

                     

Your sweet smile is like a lollipop

Addicting 

why did you have to go

Leaving me in pain 

After all these years

Your last cry cut me through like a knife.

                           

Our precious memories 

Here nailed down 

I remember like it was yesterday

I’ll never forget you and your sweet smile

my lost pup 

It blooms 

like a growing child

It dances in the wind 

With the forest breeze

The vibrant pinks shine bright

Like stars in the night 

It comes and goes 

With winter and summer 

When she blooms,

She will shine the brightest

Conquering hearts

And those who underestimate her

She won’t ever die

She will always come back and

Blossom every summer

In full bloom

And won’t ever stop 

Ever again 

The pink will always shine bright 

Nothing can change that 

last saturday 

from a woman at a wooden stand

the word Local handwritten on the jar

take a spoon with tiny metal letters down the handle Made In China 

tiny stamped indents on it's smooth surface

take a mug from the cupboard

one your grandma brought back 

from ireland years ago

deep blue painted over ceramic made from cream

take out the box of tea labeled Paris

even if you got it in Rhode Island

it smells like currant and something sweet

only a few bags left

take the kettle off the burner when it starts to whistle

and watch the steam fill the air

as you pour

feel the warmth radiate from the sides of the cup

take a sip