Total Peace

 

Total peace is of the rare kind,
So sacred and divine,
So special and so distinct.
It's so utterly hard to think

That such a scarce kind that we know
Might produce such a mighty glow,
Where all are radiant and in joy,
Every girl, woman, man, and boy

Live together on this Earth,
Cast from one great mighty birth,
Of perfectly pure tranquility,
Of incandescent liberty.

All are rays of that mighty glow,
From tht scarce kind that we know
Where all are happy and with glee
Live long days, in harmony.

_ . _ 

I was born in NY at LIJ hospital. Currently I attend Townsend Harris High School where I am ajunior. At the school, I take a creative writing elective which I started this semester and next year I hope to take more English and creative writing classes. I hope to pursue English, the arts, and humanities as my fields of study for the future. These areas have always interested me. I’ve always enjoyed reading as a hobby and also art and drawing. I have one brother in the 7^th grade who also enjoys art.

* * * * *

The Peace and Harmony We Need

Oscar OROZCO

Peace, a word dreamt about since the beginnig of time
Peace, a state that was difficult to achieve back in 1939.
There was almost half of a world in fight
It all began in Poland on September 1^st, a gruesome night.

It was the Axis versus the Allies, the bad versus the good.
Hitler, Mussolini and Stalin wanted to take over the world and they understood
That this would mean a fight to death and a lot of work.
The tranquility and peace on the Earth was destroyed by these jerks.

People lost their jobs and many were hungry.
These dictators forced everyone to fight for their country.
Relationships were torn and families were lost.
All over the world, the peace was gone, and people fought at no cost.

Germany and Italy threatened the rest of the sphere.
The US entered the war zone in 1941 after Japan smeared
Pearl Harbor off the face of the map
Franklin D. Roosevelt was infuriated and declared the war would be done in a snap.

After a couple of endless years of war, the US dropped the A-Bomb on Japan,
Thousands were killed, many were innocent men.
The dictators in Germany and Italy had fallen months before
Europe, the old continent had to be rebuilt once more.

In June 1945, fifty nations signed The Charter of the United Nations.
Here the countries would discuss peace and have patience.
It now has 166 nations that work for peace and security
The betterment of humanity is discussed and so are the past and its obscurity.

So, as you can see the past wasn't so great
It was filled with fighting, anger, blood, and hate
So from now on let's save the innocent and discuss our disputes
Let's keep the peace, not copy our past and stop from fighting over something minute.

* * * * *

No Names At All

Denise MARTINEZ
Townsend Harris High School

To run and play,
To dream and hope.
Is this not what childhood is for?

What is a man to declare his right supreme?
Supreme to that of justice and God,
One man, a lost man has doomed the children of that day.

They cannot play, they cannot dream.
Their life is a nightmare.
They have no names,
No names at all.

Instead, a star to stand for all,
A patch on a withered and torn garment,
This is who they are,
They have no names,
No names to call.

They are just numbers,
Mothers know not their faces.
They're withered like their clothes,
Like their dreams, the ones they've lost.

They are now distant fragments in their memory
A smile is now a blackened line with soot and fear
Where there was hope there is despair.
Where there was love there is now loathe.

When the sun goes down, and the lights go out,
Where are their lullabies?
No cooing from mothers' lips,
Asleep they go to the sounds of war.

But do they dream at all?
These oung prisoners of war,
Forgotten and dismissed,
They have no names,
No names at all.


* * * * *

A World of Peace and Harmony

by Chantal BRUNO
Townsend Harris High School

A world of peace and harmony
No wars, no enemies.
Nature, men, women, boys,
Girls, and animals
Together Living in friendship, happiness, and love
A world of peace and harmony
A world without war and enemies
Let us build a world of love
Working together
We can live in peace!
Why not?
A world of peace and harmony
Nations, governments,
Leaders and people
Everyone working together
We can do it!
Why not?
A world of peace and harmony
A world of equality
Without prejudice
Without disagreement
Love, respect, and consideration
Why not?
Togetherness
It is not a dream, it is not a fantasy

We can do it!
Why not?
A world of peace and harmony.

* * * * *

Resilient Hope

Sidrad MAHMUD
Townsend Harris High School Grade 11 (16 yrs old) 

Staring at her face one sees that life has aged her.
Each wrinkle has its story.
Each white hair has had its tear.

The strand resting gently on her brow
slipped in with the first impact
that took away her home-
the same home
in which she mourned for her son
the month before;

Sobbing to form the valleys
meandering around her lips
-lips stained red
like the roads of her foresaken ancestors.

Yet her verdant eyes hold out hope
as she watches the sunlight caress her granddaughter's
ashen cheeks.

_ . _

I have spent the last almost sixteen years here in New York with my two brothers and parents, enjoying the vibrancy of multicultural life and excitement. I go to the movies, shop, read, keep up with global events, spend time with friends and bike ride. Amidst all the fun however, I have also come to empathize with those in need. I hear about people whose whole lives are destroyed by earthquakes in Iraq, the thousands of young children dying from starvation in Africa and the intolerance ending lives in the Middle East. It makes you want to do something to help. That is why I was interested in this poetry project to begin with. If it's not possible to physically help feed people or create peace, than at least writing a poem will allow people to know that others in the world are not as lucky as us and that will make a difference. After college, I hope to become a doctor. When I achieve enough knowledge and experience, I dream of being able to go to some of these places and help people through medicine. Until then, I can only take time to continue caring and be grateful for what I have.

* * * * *


Silly Little Joke

Elizabeth FINK
HAFTR, High School


A laugh can't hurt,
A laugh can't kill.
Just one little joke,
Can't make things ill.
That one little remark,

That lapse of mind
Will shake that poor girl,
It will make her blind.

She'll laugh it up,
She'll pretend it is ok.
She'll dismiss it, that moment,
But, it will never truly be that way.

When she thinks she's asleep,
Or when she's alone and awake,
Her tears will suddenly burst,
And your silly little joke will make her shake.

Surrounds Us

Jane KIM
Townsend Harris High School

Whether out on the streets
Or in a twelve-story mansion
Whether in the French Revolution, year 1789
Or in the twenty-first century, year 2003
Poverty surrounds us, each and every one of us.

The poor are with us,
No matter our status
Either the poor in spirit
Or the poor in material wealth
Poverty surrounds us, each and every one of us.

The first and second estates, no matter how high their status
Or what their title is
The poor were there to fight for their needs
The poor third estate surrounded them
Poverty surrounds us, each and every one of us.

The president of the US, no matter how high
His status or his title
A walk down the streets of the projects
Shows the poor begging for their needs.
Poverty surrounds us, each and every one of us.

Peasants were seen all over
Fighting for bread
The homeless are seen every few blocks
Too poor in spirit to even ask for bread
Poverty surrounds us, each and every one of us.

From the streets of Paris-July 1789
To the streets of Times Square-November 2003
Closing our eyes doesn't make it go away
No matter our status, no matter our title
Poverty surrounds us, each and every one of us.

* * * * *

All we want is peace
We do not want war.

All we need is a bond of truth
We do not need destruction.

All we strive for is closeness
We do not strive for anxiety.

All we desire is friendship
We do not desire enemies and hatred.

All we want is peace, happiness, and security.
That is what we want.
PEACE.

* * * * *

A Dream

James ZHENG
Townsend Harris High School

I was a rich man, a millionaire
Who cared about noone except for me.
I was living in a life of misery,
Until this dream that suddenly came to me.

A spirit came and took me away,
To a strange land I've never seen.
I looked around my surroundings,
And was shocked to see the conditions I was in.

There was a boy on my side,
Who was as skinny as a thin, wooden stick.
His shirt was torn, his hands were scrapped,
He was saying "Sir do you have food?"

I just kept on walking in this strange land,
And I saw an elderly sleeping on a rag.
Her face showed signs of hopelessness,
As she laid in this miserable land.

Then out of the corner of my sight,
I saw a familiar face: it was my dad.
He was in his younger days,
When he was poor and had to ask for help.

He said to me "Son remember
To give the less fortunate, to help the needy,
To care for the parentless, to share with the world,
God will surely bless you, and give you more."

Then I woke up suddenly and realized the mistakes I made.
So I went to the charities for an important task.
I donated portions of my abundant wealth,
To the less fortunate, to the needy, to the parentless.

Ever since that day, I as a happy man.
And never again was I miserable
Because helping other was the best thrill I get.

* * * * *

Proud to be an American

Peter STERBENZ
Townsend Harris High School


Candles, candles all around,
In a vigil, not a sound.

So many flags all in sight,
You know we will put up a fight.

To see you cry, to see you weep
Makes me realize it's time to get off my feet.

It's time to start to help the man,
To put our city back together again.

I find peace looking in the sky tonight,
Even though our tin brothers were brought down in flight.

The hope, the love for one another,
The peace and inspiration we still can discover.

I find it hard to comprehend,
But I know this will not be the end.

Stand up strong and sing along,
I am glad to be an American!

* * * * *

You are...

Rajini D. RAMSUKH
Hillcrest High School


You are like the scent of a rose,

                  the posture when you pose

You are the light of the glowing moon,

                  appearance at God's coming noon

You are the many drops in the ocean,

                  like the passionate potion

You are the chlorophyll that gives trees complexion,

                  life’s total majestic caption

You are the touch that lifts me up,

                  who holds me like a trophy cup

You are both the blue sky and white clouds away,

                  the one who makes me sway

You are the sunset and sunrise's play,

                  I always like to see when I'm on the clay

You are shining over and on top of the peak

                  the one that makes me want to seek

                  up there now we will never creek

But now we are everlasting breeze,

                  and we will perceive.

* * * * *

Why?

Michael MOUTAL
Townsend Harris High School

Why did september 11^th have to take place?
What happened to the security
That is supposed to be protecting me?
Will we ever see the killers' face?
Or is it just a big disgrace?

* * * * *

The Chosen One

Rachel ROSENFELD
HAFTR High School, 10^th Grade


Why do they all like her?
Why is she so special?
Am I really that different?
All she is, is a little
Taller!
Skinnier!
Nicer!
Smarter!
Prettier!
That should be me over there surrounded by them.
Why is she the chosen one?

_ . _

My name is Rachel Rosenfeld and I am in the 10^th grade in HAFTR High School on Long Island. I have two younger brothers. My favorite subjects are Math and Chemistry. I enjoy expressing my feelings through writing stories and poetry. I love to sing and have been doing so since I was much younger. I hope to pursue a career as a singer. I would love to be on Broadway, and be famous one day!