Dickinsons Ribbons: A Tribute to the Seniors Spring 2014

Produced by: Natasha Boateng- Wilson, Kelsey Book, Alan Blunt, Baylee Kimbar, and advisor Mrs. Cindy Foley

Editor-in-Chief: Celeste Blodgett

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Dickinsons Ribbons: A Tribute to the Seniors Table of Contents A Letter from the Editor....3 Eternal Winter by Alan Blunt, Celeste Blodgett, Natasha Boateng-Wilson, Mrs. Foley...4 Barren Trees by Celeste Blodgett..4 Penguin by Kristina Economou.......5 The House of Eyes by Kelsey Book...6 Cat by Baylee Kimbar..7 Father by Anonymous..8 Family Vacation by Natasha Boateng-Wilson.9 Sweet, Glorious Air Conditioner by Celeste Blodgett...10 Boston Skyline by Chris Leavitt...11 A Teenage War by Anonymous..12 Peacock Feather by Xanthi Perdikomatis......13 An Ode to Fragile Hearts by Anonymous.......14 Butterfly by Baylee Kimbar. ...........15 PROM by Celeste Blodgett..........16 Windchime by Adrienne Mazeika..........18 Beautiful by Natasha Boateng-Wilson..............19 Roots of the Future by Rachel Langhill.......20 ART by Baylee Kimbar..........21 Hey You! by Natasha Boateng-Wilson......22 Flowers in a Basket by Baylee Kimbar.............24 Two Flowers by Jessica Mulhearn.........25 Dried Flower Petals by Celeste Blodgett.........26

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LetterfromtheEditor:

DearReader,

Mrs.Foley,themembersofDickinsonsRibbons,andmyselfhavethoroughlyenjoyedcollectingand

craftingthisspringissue.IamastoundedbytheartisticandliterarytalentofthestudentsatWestBoylston,andI

amsohappywegettoshareatasteofitwithyou.Thisissue,asyoucansee,isatributetotheseniors,theClass

of2014.EverymemberofDickinsonsRibbonsisasenior,andwefeltthatthiseditionshouldhighlightthewide

varietyofcreativityrampantintheseniorclass.Theseartistsandwriterseachcontributeuniqueemotions,skills,

andopinions,bothtothisliterarymagazine,andtotheschoolcommunity.Asyouflipthrough,immerseyourselfin

eachpage,andenjoyeverywordandcolor.Iwouldliketothankyou,reader,forsupportingtheartsandtaking

timetostopandappreciatetruecreativity.Totheseniors,thankyoutothosewhoopenedtheirheartsandmindsto

contributetothisedition.Lastly,onbehalfofallthemembersofDickinsonsRibbons,IwouldliketothankMrs.

Foleyforherconstantsupportandactiveinvolvementasouradvisorandfriend.Wewillmissyou!

Enjoy,

Celeste Blodgett

EditorinChief

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EternalWinter

Ice,ascoldasmysoulTreesstandingsolitaryAlone,barren,death.

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TheHouseofEyes

Brookeascendedthethreestepsthatleduptothefrontdoorofthedecrepithouse.Hertremblinghand

hoveredmomentarily,inastateoflimbo,asshedecidedwhethertoknockorwalkaway.Justasshewasaboutto

retractherhand,thedoorswungcreakilyopen,andtherestoodtheblindman,gesturingforBrooketoenter.She

hesitated.Theblindmansfacewasagrotesquesight.Hispale,thinskinhardlycoveredthethrobbing,blueveins

thatspiderwebbedalloverhisshavedhead.Hisdrylipscrackedandsplitashisghoulishfacecontortedintoa

wretchedgrin.Worstofallwerehisglassyeyesthatpointedindifferentdirections:onewandereduncontrollably,

asifsearchingdesperatelyforsomethingtheotherwasfixedinanunseeingstareonBrookesowneyes.

Yourelate!theblindmangrowled.

Iknow,Icouldnthelpit.Whydidshesaythat?Shehadneverplannedtocomehere.Sowhyhad

she?Brooke,unabletocontrolherownfeet,walkedthroughthedoorwayastheblindmanshutthedoorbehind

her.Foraterrifyingmoment,shecouldntseeathing.Theonlylightintheroomcamefromthestreetlightsoutside

andwasfilteredthroughtheshreddedcurtains,bouncingoffvariouslustrousobjectsaboutthesmallroomwhich

gleamedlikedozensoflittlecatseyes.

Iunderstand,raspedadisembodiedvoicefromsomewherebehindher.

Iknewyouwould,gaspedBrookesownvoiceinresponse.Shecouldbarelyheartheblindmans

footstepsovertheimmensepoundingofherheartbeatinginherchest,threateningtocrackherribs.Click,the

blindmanflippedthelightswitch,andtheunshadedincandescentbulbwhichdangledfromtheceilingflickeredon.

StandingbeforeBrookewasawarpedbookshelfthatdisplayedglassjarsandcontainersofvariousshapesand

sizes.Ineachjar,suspendedinaviscousfluid,wasapairofhumaneyes:frostyblueeyesthatglaredicily,startling

greeneyesthatgapedvacantly,shriveledbrowneyesthatwatchedlifelesslylurideyeswhichviolentlypiercedher

withwhispereddarestoeternalstaringcontests.

TheblindmanapproachedBrookefrombehindandgropedherblooddrainedface,hisbonyfingers

examininghereyesockets.

Ihavesomethingforyou,hebreathedintoherear.

Really?Brookewasntentirelysurehehadbeenspeakingtoher.What?Theblindmansfingers

traveleddowntoherforearm,leavingatrailofgoosebumpsintheirwake.

This!Brookefeltaneedlepunctureherskin,andshecollapsedtothefloor,paralyzed.Thelastthingher

petrifiedeyessawwastheblindmanswanderingeyeasitfinallyfoundsomethingtofocuson.

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Father

Theman(I)onceknew

Sotender,sostrong

You(could)buildabuilding

Ithoughtwould(never)tumble

You(stop)pedbeingafather

(Loving)barsmorethanhome

(You)alwaysseemedto(leave)

Whenalittlegirlneededyoumost

Fooling(me)intobelieving

Youwereasuperhero

Tuckingmeintobedtoolateatnight

(AndI)feltlikeaprincess

Youpromisedyoudalways

standbymyside

I(will)neverforgethowmyyoungeyes

(Follow)edyourtruckuntilitdisappeared

Leavewithout(say)ing(goodbye)

Itdoesntstinganymore

Takemytrust(and)shatteritall

(Iwill)not(wait)upforyoutonight

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Sweet,GloriousAirConditioner

Sweet,gloriousairconditioner

YouaretheonlywayIcansleepatnight

Yourcool,crispairisrefreshingandquitedelightful

IshudderwhenIthinkaboutthetimesbeforemodernelectricity

WhenIburstintoourthirdfloorroom

Ibreathedeeplyandletthecoolairabsorbintoeverypore,everyfiberofmybeing

Igazeoutontothebeautifulday,gratefulthatImnotoutthere

Istretchoutonmybed

Smiletomyself

IcannotdenythatIdofeelprettyguiltyaboutwastingsomuchpower

Butscoldingisfarbetterthansweaty,stickyhumidheat

Theworst,however

IswhenIhearthathorrid,horridshudder

Likethemagiccrispcoolnessisallgonefromtheheavymetalmachine

Itdoesntcompletelyturnoff,buttheairthatflowsfromitisfarfromcool

AirConditioner

Yourarelyletmedown

Butwhenyoudo,itsabsolutelyheartbreaking

Pleasetrynottomakethathorridshudderagain

ThankYou.

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ATeenageWar

Running.Alwaysrunning.Frommyself,fromothers,itwillneverbeenough.WhenI'malone,Icravecompany.Whenanotherheartisbeatingnearmine,it'sasloudasathunderstormandIrunforshelterinthewarmthofmyownsoul.Tobelostinalabyrinthoflife.Mysentenceswillforeverbepunctuatedwithsemicolons,representingapossibleendbutafighttocontinue.Imustcontinue.Iamabletowithstandthepain,whetheritbeemotionalorphysical.ThephysicalpainIinflictonmyselfisbutalaughabletest,incomparabletothescarsIfeelformingeachdayinmybrain.Butwithasmileandalongsleeveshirt,Igooutintotheworldfeelingsmallerthanever.

Iseesadeyes.Ihavetrainedmyselftorecognizepainwithinthehappiestofexpressions.Hurtingiseverywhere.Iamnotalone.AmIinsaneforthinkingIwastheonlyone?Howselfishofme,assumingtheseemotionsarenothingtoanyonebutmyself.Likeeverysongyouhear,someoneelsehashearditfirst.Likeeverymovieyousee,itissomeoneelse'sfavoritemovie.Humanscravefeelingstheyprovewearealive.Theendlessstrugglebetweentheneedtofeelaliveandthehungerfordeath.Iamneversatisfied.Atmyhappiest,Iexpectsomethingtogowrong.Atmysaddest,Iremindmyselftomorrowmaybethebestdayofmylife.Insanitycloudsmybrainlikeafamiliarfriend,keepingmecompanywhenIfeelmostabandoned.IknowI'minsane.Iknoweveryoneelsehasnoticed.DoIwantthemtoknow?Theselfpityisaddicting.ThesupportfromfriendswhenIneeditmostmakesthehorribletimesworthit.

Lifeisabouttrainingoneselftorealizetheexactoppositeofwhatmybrainiswiredtocomprehend.Happinesscannotcomeoutofsadness,justassadnessshouldnotcomeoutofhappiness.Wechooseourfeelings.Ichoosetofeelsad.Depressionmaybeabattle,butthiswillnotbeWorldWarIII.Warisanunhealthy,communitydestroyinginstance.Iammycommunity.Mybodyismyland.Imustlearntokeeppeacewithinmyself.WhenIlearntolovemyself,warwillbeover.Perfectionisanunreachablegoal,andhatingmyselfisnotlogical.IhavethepowertochangewhateverIwantaboutmyself.Ihavetwofeetandavoiceofmyown.Ipossessthecourageittakestoreachoutandmeetnewpeopletostartoverformyself.It'stimeformetoconvincetheworldthatI'mnotworthless.I'mnotcrazy.IhavethepowertobecomewhoeverIchoose,andIwon'tstopfightinguntilIlearntolovemyself.

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AnOdetotheFragileHearts

Ihatethewayyoulaugh

andthewayyoupartyourhair

Ihateyourlistoffavoritesongs

andIhateitthatIcare.

IhatetheTVshowsyouwatch

andtheheavywayyoubreathe

Ihatetheeasewithinyourstep

asyougetuptoleave.

Ihatethatinthisworldsobig

youmakemefeelsosmall

Ihatethewayyouneverknewme

notnow,notever,notatall.

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PROM

Girlsprepareformonths

Theypickouttheperfectdress

Perfectshoes

Perfectbling

Guysrentatux

Havetheirmomsbuyflowers

Theyprobablydontshinetheirshoes

Orfixtheirhair

Nevertheless

Theupperclassmengather

Afewfreshiesandsophomoressprinkledin

Lookingfresh

Beautiful

Handsome

Teachersseemsurprisedwhenthestudentsarrive

Stunnedbytheirappearances

Kidsinsweatpantsshowingupinchiffon

Lace

Sparkles

Jewels

Thenightfullofendlesscliches

Thenightthatisoverhyped,fake,andcorny

Canturnouttobefunandspecial

Abondingexperience

100pluskidsdressedtothenines

Maybejustforamoment

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Orasecond

Everyoneisequal

Thejocks

Theplastics

Thetheaterkids

Themisfits

Areallthesame

Gatheredunderoneroof

Onedancefloor

Onenight.

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Beautiful

Inlife,oneexperiencesmanyfirsts.

Thefirstword,firststep,firstdayofschool.

Nonecancompare,however,tothefirsttimeonefeelsbeautiful

Thefirsttimesomeonecanlookinthemirrorandsay

Iamradiant

Iamglowing

Iambeautiful

Itsthetimethetearscomestreaming,

theworldbecomesabitbrighter,

andyoustandwonderingwhatkeptyoufromseeingyourself.

Whatblindedyouandkeptyoufromseeingthetruth?

Iamblindedbyselfloathing

Iamblindedbyhatred

Iamblindedbyabsoluteselflessness

Iamblindedbymypassivity

Timescomewhenthecloudsrise,

thesunshinesthrough,

andIseethatyes,

Iambeautiful.

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Heyyou!

Hey!HeyYou!

Yes,Imtalkingtoyou!

Ihaveaquestion.

Whydoyoudothis?

Whydoyouconstantly

Trick,manipulate,andabuse

Me,everyonearoundus,andevenworse,

Yourself?

Dontyouseewhatyoudo?

Areyoublind?

Ordoyounotcare?

SometimesIhateyou

Forthethings,youmakemesayanddo

AndsometimesIloveyouforthethingsyoumake

Mesayanddo

Guesswhatthough?

IAMDONE!!!

Iamdonewithyou

Iamdonelisteningtoyou

Iamdonelettingyoucontrolmyeverymove

AndIamdonelettingyouhurtyourself.

Fromnowon,Imakethedecisions

IdecidewhatIwanttofeel

IdecidehowIwanttofeelaboutME

Youredone.

Yourenolongerneeded.

Icanfendformyselfinthiscrazyworld

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Becauseyouhaveshownmeallthehate

Thatcouldbethrownatme.

Iamdonelettingyouhurtothers

Iamdonesittingidlybyandwatchingyou

Beatandtrampleothers.

Yourtimeisup!

Getgoing!

Nobodywillmissyou

Nobodywillwantyouback.

But,Iwillmissyou,andIllneverforget

You.

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