Is it called 'English' or, 'Write This'?

--Author's Note--
A piece written in remembrance of the good old days and the things that have been long forgotten. 
  
Searching through my old accounts, I have suddenly found myself caught up in the world of Blogger again, reading and reminiscing about old posts that have been made, realizing and remembering just how much I used to and still do love to write. But the things I'm writing now, in high school, seem to be all wrong, making each piece a daunting task, tempting me with ways to slack off and presenting deadlines that seem to creep up behind out of nowhere, startling me when they suddenly hit foregrounds. I wish somehow this world of creative and thoughtful writing us students indulged ourselves in throughout middle school would come back and open up to the high school world, where now, it seems tradition and order is all that is cared about. Sure we get to start each class with "ten minutes of free reading time", (which not to mention has been threatened to be entered as a grade if we don't stay on task) but why can't we have the choice to just ten minutes of free writing time? This doesn't seem much to ask since, after all, English class doesn't just have to do with reading. 

Balanced comparison papers, ITS CLEAR paragraphs, and strictly structured pieces are supposed to be the new fashion statements in writing but none of these really give us students a chance to dabble in our true abilities as writers since the restrictions and requirements constantly hold us back. Though a cheesy analogy, it's in many ways like taking away the ability for a bird to fly. If a bird has no wings and writers have no freedom, how can they be expected to soar?

No Regrets

This final piece of the school year is a reflection on where I have come in the past two years.  The inspiration came while I was taking a drive with my mom to Chicago and saw just how worn out all the trees and roads looked.  It made me think about all the good times I have had with the people in my life and how much I, along with everyone else am growing up and also growing old.  I decided to set myself in this poem as a bird figure, not actually revealing that the bird is human, let alone me until the end.  I did this because when I think of growing up I think of how kind of like a bird at some point you have to be willing to spread your wings and just soar.  So with this piece I guess I am sort of signing out.  Signing out of 8th grade with. . .

NO REGRETS

Passing in and out of the luminescent shadows of long city roads,

Memories of tiny birds chirping and swaying return.

Hearings of a soft cry to their mother,

Chirp, chirp.

And an excited titter to their father,

Caw, caw!

There are visions of them attempting to fly,

Trying to soar high above where their beautiful wings can take them.

The small boy seems to flounder in the weeds,

Not knowing what to do.  

But the female bird,

Naturally she soars

Like she has been at it for years,

A long flight, through warm weather and sunshine,

wind and storms.  

Occasionally, her wings will fail her,

falter in a storm,

break in the wind.  

But even though,

She carries on.  

Watching her,

Makes everything seem okay.

Somehow this incredible, average bird

Can transcend into a beautiful dove

Soaring above mountains

Over the sea,

And beyond.   

There were mistakes,

Childhood days spent doing wrong.  
No matter though, she has learned,

She has moved on.  

So with the disappearing old winds,

And the coming of new ones,

That little bird will fly,

Turn into a beautiful creature through the years,

And as she does so she will state:

“It’s no use fretting over what can’t be changed--

I have,

No regrets.”

Remember the Hardest Part

--Author's Note--
Okay, the inspiration for this piece was taken from the movie Toy Story 3... yes I was watching it and it was really good.  I liked the idea this movie brought to me about growing up, breaking free, and going off on your own.  It made me think of my brother and how only two years ago he was off to college and living on his own.  This poem is from his point of view and shows that no matter what, you will always have memories to guide you through the times when it feels like your all on your own.  I'm pretty sure this is defiantly not what he was feeling when he left but that's okay, it's nice to think that he could have.  

Leaving always proves to be
the hardest part.  At first when I
left I thought I would be happy to be
gone, but now alone in this big terrain I
realize just how much I miss them.
Back at home, I imagine
the rest of my family sitting
content around the kitchen table in
silence.  All are careful to avoid eye
contact since they know that mom
is on the verge of tears.  Thinking
back, I remember
that last day.  When she
laid a hand upon my shoulder and
said, "Fear not for we will always be
here to support and love you.", "We will
always be here."  But I can't help but to
wonder, Where will life take me, where will
it leave me?

Smart Cars, Smart Water and Stupid People

--Author's Note-- 
Just something to think about.  

Today while engrossed in cleaning up the house I got to thinking about those who pay for things like their house cleaning to be done for them.  Personally, I find it really unnecessary to have a total stranger come into your house just to get it cleaned -- something that we all, no matter how busy can manage to do.  Sure I understand if the resident has a bum knee or some type of physical problem, but those of us who are capable of cleaning, can bust some butt once in a while to do so!  If we know how to change the tires on our cars, paint, or even less extravagant, know how to clean, why not save some money and get it done ourselves?


People hire others to do their work for them for one of two possible reasons.  One, they truly are too busy to get anything done themselves or two, they just have more money than they know what to do with.  Being too busy is overrated because it doesn't take long to clean up a room at all, it can be done in any time of being home.  If the home owner seriously is never home but to sleep, why would they even have their own home?  Spending money just to spend it to me, seems ridiculous.  If you honestly have more money than you know what to do with, I think it should be going towards something meaningful, donated, or even just saved instead of wasted on things that you don't need.          

We truly do live in a waste land.  It's not that all the people in America don't use their money wisely, it's that some people who are fortunate enough to have more than others use their money to get things done that they could have otherwise done themselves.  Now I'm not saying that I know everything about the current standings with our economic crisis and why we are in it, in fact I know little about this topic.  What I do know however is that many Americans continue to basically throw away their money on things like having their homes and cars cleaned.  It has come to a point where we need to not only realize that our spendings have gotten out of hand but that sometimes we need to stop sitting on the couch and seriously get things done for ourselves!

  

A Thing about Life

--Author's Note--
This second response to The Truman Show took the form of a poem, as you probably can tell.  I really don't think I like it that much because it's kind of short and choppy but what it's saying is something I like.  Please help!!! 

There is something about,
this life
that I just can't stand,
I have to...
Go.

He asks me to stay,
But I can't,
It was all a lie
There is no use.

My life needs to truly
Start somewhere else
For "Life is fragile",
Life is worth the fight. 

Into the new world
Where she awaits 
and I stand,
as a real person,
independent,
new.

It is here I will stay,
until the end
where my life is mine,
for no longer
will I allow myself to be...
Controlled.

Life isn't ALL it Seems to be

--Author's Note-- 
Day one of The Truman Show.  So far the movie has been really enjoyable.  This piece is a little different than my normal style, it takes more of a "fun" approach to writing.  Sorry if some of it, (or all of it) comes across as corny. 

 
Imagine living your entire life as a world-wide television star without even realizing it!  That's how things are for Truman of the existential movie titled The Truman Show.  Hidden cameras and well played scripts succeed in stalking him everywhere he goes and it seems that everyone is in on the idea of keeping it a secret from Truman that his life is and always has been the basis of a TV show.  In The Truman Show, the actors side as the "normal" people who have major effects on what Truman chooses to do with his life.  It is an all around test to see how Truman, or rather each of us, react to certain depressing or odd situations in life.  Will we pass all of the tests or will we be caught drowning under the pressure?

Everyone has fears.  Fears of territorial things like heights, fears of being in certain conditions like tight spaces or darkness.  But no matter what our fears manifest as one thing will always be true; in life, we come across certain things that seem to nag at our fears, tempt them to burst open wide like a flower at the first glint of spring.  The events that the directors and actors of The Truman Show put Truman through such as pushing him away from a girl that he's interested in and also "killing his dad" show that humans react in interesting and sometimes insane ways when bad situations attempt to kill our happiness.

It is not out of the ordinary for a person to say, stay cooped up in their house after one of their parents passes away or, inherit fears from bad situations like Truman and the fear of water he gained from watching his father drown.  This however is not what our lives should take the form of.  We must always remember that when worst comes to worst, we shouldn't always mourn in the bad of situations for many years after but learn from them and realize that even though it may feel like we have lost in the moment, our futures will hold a boatload more knowledge.