VOICESWITS Digital Chapbooks

Vol. III2012-2013

VOICESVol. III

VOICES2012-2013 Digital Chapbooks Vol. III

Copyright 2013 Literary Arts, Inc. All Rights Reserved. This book may not be duplicated in any way—mechanical, photographic, electronic, or by means yet to be devised—without the written permission of the publisher, except in the case of a brief excerpt or quotations for the purpose of review.

Literary Arts StaffAndrew Proctor, Executive DirectorJenny ChuLydah DeBinSusan DenningJennifer GurneyMary RechnerEvan P. SchneiderMel Wells

WITS InternsAcacia BlackwellEleanor Piper

Board Of DirectorsSusheela Jayapal, ChairBetsy AmsterRick ComandichAlice Cuprill-ComasRebecca DeCesaroTheo Downes-Le GuinMarie EckertRobert GeddesPamela Smith HillAmy Carlsen KohnstammFrank LangfittJohn MeadowsJessica Mozeico-Blair

Amy ProsenjakJames ReinhartBarry SandersJacqueline WillinghamThomas Wood

Strunk & White SocietyAn honorary society of distinguished advisorsGwyneth BoothBart EberweinBrian GardDiana GerdingMolly GlossCarrie Hoops Ursula K. Le GuinBarry LopezJulie ManciniBrenda MeltebekeDiane PontiMichael PowellHalle SadleSteven TaylorSteve Wynne

Digital Chapbooks Staff Editors: Mel WellsDesigner: Rebekah Volinsky

Writers in the Schools is a program of Literary Arts, a community-based nonprofit literary organization whose mission is to support writers, engage readers, and inspire the next generation with great literature. For more information please contact:

Literary Arts925 SW Washington St.Portland, OR 97205503.227.2583www.literary-arts.org

Writers in the Schools viiSupport ixIntroduction xiii

BucketheadLiam Carmody 13

Una Carta A DiosLiam Carmody 15

InvisibleHanna Eddings 17

Una Carta A DiosHanna Eddings 19

El GatoFrancesca Fontana 21

RobertoFrancesca Fontana 23

Una Carta A DiosMagena Fura 25

La Receta para una “Sophia”Sophie Miller 27

Una Carta A DiosSophie Miller 29

La Vida De Un GatoIris (Rosa) Parshley 31

Una RecetaIris (Rosa) Parshley 33

Soy una gataKristina Peterson 35

RobertoKristina Peterson 37

El gatoRobert Powers III 39

Contents

Como hacer un RobertoRobert Powers III 41

La FotografíaRuby Reed 43

Una Carta A DiosRuby Reed 45

Solo Una NocheLiane Smith 47

Una Carta A DiosLiane Smith 49

Paciencia Y FeEmma Snyder 51

Mi CulpaEmma Snyder 53

La RecetaMadeline Stapleton 55

CarlRaizel O’Brian 57

Writers in the Schools 60

Writers-In-ResidenceCarl Adamshick, Lorraine Bahr, Carmen Bernier-Grand, Chuck Carlise, Lisa Rosalie Eisenberg, Elyse

Fenton, Amanda Gersh, Cindy Williams Gutiérrez, Javier Hernandez, Jonathan Hill, Hunt Holman, John Isaacson, Sara Jaffe, Ramiza Koya, Jennifer Lauck, Amy Minato, Laura Moulton, Mark Pomeroy, Ismet Prcic, Joseph Rogers, Desmond Spann, Matt Zrebski

Visiting AuthorsSherman Alexie, Nikky Finney, Stephen Greenblatt, Javier Hernandez, Anis Mojgani, Jeffrey Toobin

Participating TeachersAmy Ambrosio, Gene Brunak, Sandra Childs, JoAnna Coleman, Stephanie D’Cruz, Jerry Eaton, Jennifer

Edelson, Bianca Espinosa, Lise Flores, Stefanie Goldbloom, John Golden, Ben Grosscup, Jordan Gutierner, Emily Hensley, David Hillis, Cindy Irby, Tom Kane, Stephen Lambert, Dylan Leeman, Barb Macon, Darryl Miles, Irene Montano, Steve Naganuma, Amanda-Jane Nelson, Michele Potestio, Mary Rodeback, Alicia Smith, Kris Spurlock, Norman Stremming, Dana Vinger, Virginia Warfield, Elisa Wong, Tracey Wyatt

Participating PrincipalsPetra Callin, Carol Campbell, Peyton Chapman, Brian Chatard, Kelli Clark, Paul Cook, Shay James, A.J.

Morrison, Vivian Orlen, Macarre Traynham, Charlene Williams

District LiaisonMelissa Goff

Writers In The Schools

SponsorsLisa C. AlanCarole AlexanderSally & John AndersonAnonymous Ray & Jean AuelCari Bacon FlickBill Bagnall & Clayton LloydKimberly BakkenLinaBeth BarberRosemary BarrettTom & Molly BartlettKim BatchellerDianne BocciDiane BolyBoora ArchitectsTom & Kristen Boothe

Gloria Borg OldsNancy & Roderick BoutinEvie BrimKathleen BristowRichard L. BrownRichard T. Brown & Ruth RobbinsPeggy BusickKaryle ButcherPetra CallinClaire CarderVictoria CareyDoris CarlsenAmy Carlsen Kohnstamm & Kevin KohnstammChristine CarrElizabeth Carter & Cary SneiderSantha CassellNicole CastonguayBrent & Barbara ChalmersPeyton ChapmanClark & Susan ChipmanJan A. ChristensenJoan Cirillo & Roger CookeOlivia Clark & Dennis MulvihillAva Jan ClementsThe Collins FoundationRick Comandich & Maya MuirAnne ConwayMary Louise & W. Bruce CookDeborah & Jim CoonanTom & Barbara CooneyDavid & Denise CoreyNeale & Marian CreamerAlice Cuprill-Comas & Richard M. ShortEloise DamroschMichael E. DavaltCheryl & John DawsonCharles H. DeaverRebecca & Michael DeCesaro

Support

The following individuals, businessesand foundations made Writers in theSchools a success in 2012-2013:

Becky Denham, M.D.Susan & Michael DenningLoree A. Devery & Robert J. TrachtenbergMargaret DeyDavid & Julie DietzlerTerrence Dolan & Catherine BlosserTheodore & Nancy Downes-Le GuinAnne DraperVeronica DuczekPaul & Francesca DudenCarol DuncanJustin Dune & Carol SandersJo J. DurandHeidi W. Durrow & Darryl WashBroadway BooksAnn P. EdlenTina Edlund & Sydney Edlund-JermainSheila Edwards-LienhartSue & Ed EinowskiNancy EllisSusan ElmerAnn & Ron EmmersonEt Fille WinesLaura EvansKendra & David FarrisJeanette FeldhousenMyron FileneStephanie FineFirst Tech Federal Credit UnionNancy FishmanLiz FitzpatrickEllen Fortin & Michael TingleyFrederica FragerJacqueline FrankHolley & Richard FranklinRichard FrantzJulie FrantzTerri FreemanMarilynn FrileyThe Heathman HotelBob GeddesJanice GeierDiana GerdingJane GlazerBarbara HallPhilip S. Harper FoundationVirginia Harris ScottBianca HartSusan Hathaway-Marxer & Larry Marxer

Jane HeislerBetsy HenningEdward & Leah HersheyNancy HogarthThe Holzman Foundation, IncTerri & Robert HopkinsMary Jo Hurley & Lynn MillerKurt Hutton & Melissa BurchIrwin FoundationPaul & Jane JacobsenShay JamesSusheela Jayapal & Brad MillerBrita Johnson & Allen PooleGrant & Elaine JonesLisa Jordan & Judith GeorgeElizabeth S. JosephJuan Young TrustMarjorie KafouryDiane KendallAnne KepnerKate KilbergKinder Morgan FoundationMarianne KingMargaret KingBarbara KingsolverTamara & Ronald KizziarKnowledge UniverseSusan & Rick KoeCathy KoernerBettyLou KoffelJon & Karen KruseLaurie LaBatheTracy LaidleyJames LainMaude LamontSusan LaneFrank Langfitt & Mary Janet SteenLinda Larsen-WheatleyIrwin LavenbergUrsula & Charles Le GuinGraeme & Martha LeggattKirsten & Christopher LeonardShannon LeonettiJane & Robert LightellAnne LipsitzMelissa MaagKathryn Madison & Jeffrey WertzPhillip M. MargolinCarolyn & Thomas Marieb

Linda MarshallMary MartinezRobert MathesonCarol Mayer-Reed & Michael ReedMonique McCLean & Lars TopelmannWilliam & Susan McConnellPete McDowellBrad & Julie McMurchieJohn Meadows & Libby BarberBrenda L. Meltebeke & Scott K. StuartRob & Kate MeltonDavid & Debbie MenasheToinette & Victor MenasheAnne Mendel & Mark HenryCourtney L. MersereauDr. Elizabeth & Dr. Brock MetcalfRuth & Arnold MetzLora & Jim MeyerKelly MiddletonJames F. & Marion L. Miller FoundationDeidra MinerFern MomyerDouglas & Candace MorganConnie MorganMargaret MortonMona MozeicoJessica Mozeico-Blair & Jordan BlairMultnomah County Cultural CoalitionV. Annette MurphyThe Nara FundElizabeth NeelyJoanne NehlerTom & Chris NeilsenJennifer NeilsonJohanna Nelson & James BohemAmy NistKatherine O'Neil & Toby GraffJan & Steve OlivaCarol OlwellIrja OravMary OschwaldJo Ellen OsterlindPacific Northwest Law, LLPEllen PayneBonnie PetersonAndie Petkus PhotographyNita PettigrewNancy PhillipsHeather Pinney & George Penk

David PollockNancy & Dick PonziPortland MonthlyAmy ProsenjakMichael & Alisa PyszkaWendy RahmBonnie & Peter ReaganLeslie Rennie-Hill & Ken HillMichelle ReynoldsRae RichenRobin Roberts & John L BackesRosemarie RosenfeldRuth RothHalle & Rick SadleJanet Goetze SandersonHarold & Arlene Schnitzer CARE FoundationDonna Kay SchreinerAnne ScottSue SellNorm & Barbara SepenukNatalie & Joel SerberGail ShaloumManya ShapiroMartha SharmanStephen & Micky ShieldsR. Philip & Barbara SilverLori SingerShirley A. Skidmore & Ronald E. QuantKaarin & Van SmithMarjorie M. SmithShauna SmithMerri Souther WyattBarbara SpenceJean StadamireThe StandardDennis & Ann StenzelKatherine StevensLee Stewart & Chris SherrySharon StewartMicah D. Stolowitz & Shauna KriegerPatricia & Marvin StraughanGreg & Martha StruxnessRoslyn & Donald SutherlandTargetHerbert A. Templeton FoundationMacarre TraynhamVictor TrelawnyElizabeth TsaoU.S. Bancorp Foundation

U.S. Bancorp Foundation, Employee Matching GiftsAnn & Tom UsherKaren Van VleckAlice VauxJulie & Ted VigelandCarolyn VintonNancy WalkerKristi Wallace Knight & Eric WallaceAnne WarnerEmma Lee & John WeibelWessinger FoundationDara WilkCarolyn WilliamsCharlene WilliamsDr. Diane WilliamsJanet WilliamsonJackie & William WillinghamChristina & Reed WilsonNorma L. WinemillerLynn & Paulette WittwerJeff & Lynn WolfstoneTom & Marcia WoodSteven E. Wynne & Deborah J. HewittLinda M. WysongDr. Candace YoungMorton & Audrey Zalutsky

Community PartnersAnnie Bloom’s BooksBipartisan CaféBroadway BooksGirasole PizzaGlimmer TrainLewis & Clark CollegeMultnomah County LibraryOregon Public Broadcasting Portland Art MuseumPowell’s BooksReed CollegeTabor SpaceTin HouseUniversity of OregonWordstockWorkshop for Teen Artists + Writers at Marylhurst University

Dear Reader,

The Writers in the Schools program has been serving Portland’s public high school students with creative writing residencies since 1996. In recent years we’ve begun providing additional literary experiences for students off campus. To learn more about Students to the Schnitz, Verselandia! and our College Essay Mentoring Project, go to www.literary-arts.org/wits-home/projects.

Last year, 1,124 students participated in semester-long writing residencies taught by local, professional writers during the school day at 11 of the city’s public high schools. Poets, playwrights, journalists, fiction writers, memoirists, and graphic novelists modeled the disciplined passion of a creative life in 44 classrooms. Residencies were planned to deepen existing curricula, and designed to meet state and national standards for the arts and language arts.

During the residencies, students wrote, revised, edited, and had the opportunity to publish their writing in our print and digital anthologies. Many also shared their work throughout the city, thanks to our community partners: Annie Bloom’s Books, BiPartisan Café, Bluehour Restaurant, Broadway Books, Girasole Pizza, Portland Art Museum, Powell’s Books, and Tabor Space.

You’ll find the three volumes of digital chapbooks brimming with moments both heroic and intimate. I’d like to thank our editor Mel Wells, Literary Arts’ Program Coordinator, along with WITS interns Ellie Piper, a student in the Portland State University MFA program, and Hannah Femling, a student at St. Olaf College. Our digital chapbooks are beautiful due to the work of design intern Rebekah Volinsky; thank you!

A vast cadre of writers, teachers, librarians, principals, interns, volunteers, and community supporters makes our work with youth successful. If you would like to contribute to our efforts, please visit our website where you will find more information on how to give.

Mary RechnerWriters in the Schools Program Director

Introduction

Liam CarmodyBuckethead

Wilson High SchoolCarm

en Bernier-Grand13

Me llamo Buckethead. Mis dueños me llaman Buckethead porque tengo un cono cerca de mi cuello. A mi me cae gordo el cono porque no puedo arañar mi cuerpo. No sé por qué tengo este deseo me arañar, pero desde hace la semana pasado, he tenido deseo de arañar. Quiero que el cono desaparezca. Estoy esperanzado de que pronto el cono va a desparecer. A fuera del cono, mi vida es tranquila y tengo dueños tan simpáticos. Mis dueños siempre me dan de comer y me siento bien cerca de ellos. Yo amo mis dueños, pero yo que me quiten mi cono.

My name is Buckethead. My owners call me Buckethead because I have a cone around my neck. I don’t like the cone because I can’t scratch my body. I don’t know why I have the desire to scratch, but ever since last week I have had the desire to scratch. I want the cone to disappear. I’m hoping the cone will disappear soon. Other than the cone, my life is tranquil and I have fun owners. My owners always feed me and I feel very close to them. I love my owners, but I want them to take off my cone.

Buckethead

Wilson High SchoolCarm

en Bernier-Grand

Una Carta A DiosLiam Carmody

15

Querido Dios,

¿Puedes ayúdame? Necesita ayudo con mi pelo. Cuando voy a cortar mi pelo, siempre me dan mal cortar de mi pelo. Quiero encontrar a una buena peluquera el pelo, pero es tan difícil. Por ejemplo, yo recibi un cortad de pelo hace dos días, y me cae gordo. Ahora mi pelo están muy corta, y no lo quiero eso corto. Por tres anos yo he tratado de encontrar una buena peluquera, pero no tengo suerte. Posible-mente en el futuro yo voy a encontrar una persona calificado. ¿Puedes darme una persona calificado para cortar mi pelo?

Con amor, Liam

Dear God,

Can you help me? I need help with my hair. Whenever I get a haircut, I get a very bad haircut. I want to find a good stylist, but it is very hard. For example, I got a haircut two days ago and I hate it. Now my hair is too short and I don’t want it short. I’ve been trying to find a good stylist for three years, but have not had any luck. Maybe in the future I will find a qualified person. Can you send me a qualified person to cut my hair?

With love, Liam

A Letter to God

InvisibleHanna Eddings

Wilson High SchoolCarm

en Bernier-Grand17

Me llamo Julieta, pero nadie lo sabe. Para las personas en mis clases solamente soy otra persona. Para mis profesores solamente soy otro papel para leer. Para todos soy invisible. Siento tristeza cuando nadie habla conmigo en mis clases. Quisiera hablar con las chicas en mis clases y salir con amigos, pero cuando digo algo, nadie me oye. Solamente hay una persona que sabe quien soy; mi hermana. Ella es mi opuesto—todo lo sabe. Todas las noches, ella me llama y pregunta cómo estuvo mi día. Es mi mejor amiga. Me dice que necesito hablar más fuerte y hacer amigos con los otros estudiantes. Pero es temible. ¿Qué si no les gusto a las otras personas?

My name is Julieta, but nobody knows it. For everybody else, I am just another person in the class. For my teachers I am just another paper to read. I am invisible. I am sad when nobody talks to me in class. I would like to talk to the girls in my class and go out with friends, but when I say something, nobody hears me. There is only one person who knows who I am; my sister. She is my total opposite— she knows everything. Every night she calls me in and asks me how my day was. She is my best friend. She says I need to speak louder and make friends with the other students. But that is scary. What if the other students don’t like me?

Invisible

Wilson High School

Una Carta A DiosHanna Eddings

19Carm

en Bernier-Grand

Dios,

Ayúdame! No tengo tiempo para hablar con mi hermana antes de que ella vaya a la universidad. Ella sale en tres días. Voy a extrañarla. Había querido pasar tiempo con ella, pero las dos tenemos muchas otras cosas que hacer. Yo tengo tarea y las clases y ella necesita prepararse para la universidad. No hay bastante horas en el día para hacer todas las cosas que quiero con ella, y solamente tenemos tres días más. Entonces, ¿ puedes ayúdame? Hay dos opciones: haz algo para que no me des tarea, ó pon uno ó dos más horas en un día. ¡Muchas gracias!

Hanna

God,

Help me. I don’t have time to talk to my sister before she goes to college. She leaves in three days. I am going to miss her. I wanted to spend time with her but we both have other things to do. I have homework and classes and she needs to prepare for college. There are not enough hours in the day to do all the things I want to do with her, and we only have three more days. So then, can you help me? There are two options: do something so that I don’t get more homework, or put an extra hour or two in the day. Thank you!

Hanna

A Letter to God

Wilson High School

El GatoFrancesca Fontana

21Carm

en Bernier-Grand

El cielo estaban gris y llovía mucho cuando me desperté esa mañana. Como cada mañana, caminé a las basuras de las casas para buscar comida. No tenía suerte muchas veces. Por mucho tiempo estaba solo. Nunca tenía un nombre o una familia, de gatos o de personas. Dormía debajo de los coches o en los tejados de las casas. Caminé a las basuras y no encontré nada, como siempre. Pude oler la comida de la gente y oir sus voces en las casas. Eran felices, y me hacían triste. Tenía hambre mientras me eché cerca de unas de las casas. De repente, vi piernas caminando por las basuras. Sus zapatos eran rosados con flores pequeños, y cuando miré para arriba, vi a una persona. A la misma vez, ella me vió y sonrió. Tuve miedo, pero ella salió rapido a su casa. No sabía si debería quedarme o salir, pero antes de hacer nada ella reapareció con un plato de leche y lo puso enfrente de mi. Ella me acarició y salió una vez más a su casa. Después de este día nunca tuve hambre, gracias a la niña. Cada mañana me dio leche, y a veces pescado, y jugaba conmigo. Un día vi sus piernas con los zapatos rosados con las piernas de una persona grande—su padre. El me trajo a la casa y ella me puso un collar. Ahora la niña es mi familia y tiene un hogar.

The sky was gray and it rained a lot when I woke up this morning. As I do every morning, I walked towards the garbage cans of the houses to look for food. I didn’t have any luck. I was alone for a long time. I never had a name or a family of cats or people. I slept under cars or on rooftops. I walked towards the garbage cans and I didn’t find anything, as always. I could smell people’s food and hear their voices inside their homes. They were happy and it made me sad. I was hungry and I started walking towards one of the homes. All of a sudden I saw legs walking towards the garbage. The shoes were pink with small flowers and when I looked up I saw it was a person. She looked at me at the same time and smiled. I was afraid, but she left her house in a hurry. I didn’t know whether to stay or flee, but before I could do anything she reappeared with a bowl of milk and put it in front of me. She petted me and came out of her house once again. I was never hungry again after this day, thanks to the little girl. She gave me milk every morning, sometimes fish, and she played with me. One day I saw her legs and the pink shoes walk along with a big person—her father. He brought me inside the house and put a collar on me. The little girl is my family now and I have a home.

The Cat

Wilson High School

RobertoFrancesca Fontana

23Carm

en Bernier-Grand

“¡La ultima y nos vamos!” nos dijo Mario, y pronto nosotros salimos del bar. No pude caminar muy bien—yo estaba muy mareado y el mundo me daba vuelta. Ibamos al coche de Mario y él empezó a conducir. Nosotros reímos y cantamos muy alto con el radio, y miré los luces de la calle que pasaban por el coche. De repente el coche se fue de la calle. Oí un grito, no sé si fue de mi. El coche se estrelló contra los árboles y no pude ver nada. Oí el vidrio de las ventanas rompiendose en pedazos.

Esperé no morir. No sabía si un minuto o un hora pasó, pero finalmente abrí mis ojos. Mi cabeza me dolía mucho y había vidrio por todas partes en el coche. Llamé a mis amigos, pero ninguna persona en el coche se movió. No sabía si ellos estaban muertos pero oí las sirenas de la policía. “No puedo ir a la cárcel,” pensé, y sin un segundo pensamiento salí del coche y corrí, y esperé que mis amigos pueden perdonarme

“One last drink and we leave!” Mario said to us, and soon after that we left the bar. I couldn’t walk very well—I was dizzy and the world was turning around me. We were going to Mario’s car and he started to drive. We all laughed and sang loudly with the radio and I looked at the lights of the street that passed by the car. Suddenly the car was off the street. I heard a scream; I don’t know if it was me. The car crashed against some trees and I couldn’t see anything. I heard the glass and the windows crash into pieces.

I hoped I wouldn’t die. I don’t know if a minute or an hour went by, but I finally opened my eyes. My head hurt a lot and there was glass all over the car. I called for my friends but none of them moved. I didn’t know if they were dead but I heard the sirens of the police. “I can’t go to jail,” I thought. And without thinking about it for a second I got out the car and I ran and I hoped my friends would forgive me.

Roberto

Carmen Bernier-Grand

Wilson High School

Una Carta A DiosMagena Fura

25

Querido Dios,

Tengo un pequeño dolor porque no voy a estar con mi familia por mucho tiempo más. El próximo año voy a estar en la universidad. Voy a extrañar a mis padres y mi hermanito, pero especialmente a mi gato, Mocha. Estoy emocionada por salir de la casa, pero esto también me da miedo. Espero que mi familia me envié paquetes como comida y regalos, y espero que no le den mi dormitorio con otra persona. Espero que mi familia no me olvide cuando salga de la casa. Por favor, ¡ayúdame!

Gracias, Magena

Dear God,

I’m feeling pained because I will not be with my family for a long time. Next year I will be in college. I will miss my parents and my brother, but especially my cat, Mocha. I’m excited to leave home, but it also scares me. I hope that my family will send me packages like food and gifts, and I hope they will not give my bedroom to someone else. I hope that my family will not forget about me when I leave home. Please, help me!

Thank you, Magena

A Letter to God

Carmen Bernier-Grand

Wilson High School

La Receta para una “Sophia”Sophie Miller

27

Ingredientes:Tres tazas de alegríaUna manada de risitasUna cucharada de cariño y amorUna cucharada de locura

La Receta:Necesitas los ingredientes, una cacerola y un horno para hacer una “Sophia”Ponga tres tazas de alegría en la cacerolaPique la manada de risitas en pedazos pequeñasAñada las risitas a la cacerolaBata la cucharada de cariño y amor con una cucharada de locuraMezcle todoHornee la mezcla por diez días a una temperatura muy calienteEnfrié por dos días Prueba la mezcla, si es dulce, ¡esta lista!Si no es dulce, repita la receta

IngredientsThree cups of happinessA handful of gigglesA spoonful of love and affectionA spoonful of craziness

The Recipe:You will need the ingredients, a pan and an oven to make a “Sophia.”Put in three cups of happiness in the panDice a handful of giggles into small piecesAdd the giggles into the panStir in the spoonful of love and affection with the spoonful of crazinessMix togetherBake for ten days at a very hot temperatureCool for two daysTaste the mixture, if it is sweet—it is ready!If it is not sweet, repeat the recipe.

Recipe for a “Sophia”

Carmen Bernier-Grand

Wilson High School

Una Carta A DiosSophie Miller

29

Querido Dios,

¡Muchas gracias por su regalo para mi! Me encanta mi mascota nueva, ¡pero no tengo espacio para una ballena! Yo sé que ella es un bebé pero necesito más espacio para cuidar a mi amorcito (la ballena). Si puedes darme dinero para comprar una piscina y comida para mi ballena…¡voy a estar más feliz! Ella no puede sobrevivir en mi baño por mucho tiempo más porque ella está creciendo tan rápido. Ella come mucho también. Muchas gracias por el regalo, ¡pero ayúdame por favor!

Sophie

Dear God,

Thank you very much for your gift to me! I love my new pet, but I don’t have a lot of space for a whale! I know she is a baby but I need more space to take care of my little love (the whale). If you could give me money to buy a pool and food for my whale I would be very happy! She can’t survive in the bath tub for very long and because she is growing so fast. She eats a lot too. Thank you very much for the gift, but please help me!

Sophie

A Letter to God

La Vida De Un GatoIris (Rosa) Parshley

Wilson High SchoolCarm

en Bernier-Grand31

¡Hola! Mis dueños me llaman Tigre. Soy un gato naranja con rayas. Soy muy guapo. Todos los gatos y los humanos piensan eso. Me gusta mi casa, pero no me gusta la comida que mis dueños me dan para comer. La comida es muy dura y el sabor es como el papel. No puedo ir afuera, pero no necesito ir. Toda la casa es mi territorio. Puedo jugar con las serpientes (actualmente son pedazos de cuerda), las ratas (son falsas), y los pájaros (plumas en una cuerda). A veces me gusta pelear con mi hermana Cleo, pero a ella no le gusta pelear conmigo. Pienso que mi vida es perfecta y mis dueños son lo máximo.

Hello! My owners call me Tiger. I am a striped orange cat. I am very handsome. All the other cats and humans think so. I like my house but I don’t like the food my owners give me to eat. The food is very hard and it tastes like paper. I can’t go out, but I don’t need to. The whole house is my territory. I can play with snakes (actually they are pieces of twine), rats (they are not real), and birds (feathers on a string). Sometimes I like to fight with my sister Cleo, but she doesn’t like to fight with me. I think my life is perfect and my owners are the best.

The Life of a Cat

Carmen Bernier-Grand

Wilson High School

Una RecetaIris (Rosa) Parshley

33

Los Ingredientes:• Una taza de inteligencia• Una cucharada de dureza• Una media taza de seriedad• Un poquito de alegría

Los Pasos:1. Lavese las manos con agua y jabón.2. Ponga la taza de inteligencia en una olla.3. Bata la inteligencia hasta que esté suave.4. Añada la cucharada de dureza.5. Hierva la dureza y la inteligencia por diez minutos.6. Pique la alegría en pedazos muy pequeños.7. Ponga la alegría y la seriedad en la olla.8. Mezcle todo en la olla bien.

The Ingredients: A cup of intelligence A spoonful of hardness Half a cup of seriousness A little bit of joy

The Steps1. Wash your hands with soap and water.2. Put the cup of intelligence in a pot.3. Mix the intelligence until smooth.4. Add the spoonful of hardness.5. Boil the hardness and the intelligence together for ten minutes.6. Dice the joy into small pieces.7. Put the joy and the seriousness in a pot.8. Mix everything in the pot well.

A Recipe

Wilson High School

Soy una gataKristina Peterson

Carmen Bernier-Grand

35

Hola, me llamo Annabelle. Soy una gata con colores grises y negros, y soy blanda. Soy más pequeña que otras gatas y las otras se reíen de mí y me hacen sentir mal por eso. Me gusta caminar todos los días por los calles para ver cosas nuevas. Cuando me acarician, yo ronroneo. Me gustan todas las personas y vivo con una familia muy amable. Ellos me dan comida todos los días. La leche es mi favorita. Ellos duermen conmigo en sus camas. Me encanta mi vida porque puedo hacer lo que quiero. Tengo muchos amigos y ellos viven por mis barrios. Me gusta dar un paseo en el parque, oler el aire fresco y ver los pájaros.

Hello, my name is Annabelle. I am a gray and black cat, and I am soft. I am smaller than other cats and they laugh at me and make me feel bad. I like to walk the streets every day and see new things. I purr when people pet me. I like everybody and live with a very nice family. They give me food every day. Milk is my favorite. They sleep with me in their beds. I love my life because I can do what I want. I have lots of friends and they live in my neighborhood. I like to take a stroll in the park and smell the fresh air and see the birds.

I am a cat

Carmen Bernier-Grand

Wilson High School

RobertoKristina Peterson

37

Era un noche fría y mi amigo Mario vino a mi casa y yo y Carlos nos fuimos con Mario. En el auto del padre de Mario fuimos a un bar y tomamos mucha tequilla. Yo dije, “Para el coche porque tú no puedes conducir.” Él continuó y de repente chocó con dos personas y ellos y Carlos murieron. Yo grité por la policía realizando que yo estaba vivo. La policía vino y sacó a Mario fuera del carro y le puso sus manos en su cabeza. Fue un día muy triste porque mi amigo decidió beber tequilla y mi amigo Carlos está muerto. Yo tengo suerte porque no bebí tequilla y estoy vivo.

It was a cold night and my friend Mario came to my house and Carlos and I went with Mario. We went in Mario’s father’s car to a bar and drank lots of tequila. I said: “Stop the car because you can’t drive”. He continued and suddenly he crashed into two people and they and Carlos died. I yelled for the police realizing I was alive. The police came and took Mario out of the car and put his hands over his head. It was a very sad day because my friend decided to drink tequila and my friend Carlos is dead. I was lucky because I didn’t drink tequila and I am alive.

Roberto

El gatoRobert Powers III

Wilson High SchoolCarm

en Bernier-Grand39

Mi casa es muy grande con mi familia y una mujer, quién es muy gorda. Tengo treinta y un hermanos y hermanas. ¡Ja! Mi tío es un perro, pero yo soy un gato gordo. Mi nombre es Esperanza pero yo soy un chico. Es mi opinión que me quieren matar porque ellas me dan comida todo el tiempo y ahora estoy muy gordo. Es muy horrible porque yo necesito quedarme en esta casa. ¡Qué horrible! Ayúdeme, por favor.

My house is very big with my family and a woman who is very fat. I have thirty-one brothers and sisters. Ha! My uncle is a dog, but I am a very fat cat. My name is Esperanza but I am very small. It is my opinion they want to kill me because they give me food all the time and now I am very fat. It’s terrible because I have to stay in the house. How horrible! Help me please!

The cat

Como hacer un Roberto

Robert Powers III

Wilson High SchoolCarm

en Bernier-Grand41

Ingredientes:1. Una taza de trabajador2. Un litro de alegría3. Un poco de inteligencia

Instrucciones:Ponga una taza de trabajador en la estufa y hierva todo lo perezoso. Después, ponga un litro de alegría

con el trabajador en la olla por 17 años. Al final, póngalo en la licuadora y añada un poco de inteligencia. Cuando todo se mezcle bien tendrá un muchacho, quien es muy simple y trabajador.

Extra: añada una cucharada del diablo para tener un chico malo.

Ingredients:1. A cup of Hard Worker2. A liter of joy3. A little bit of intelligence

Instructions:Put the cup of Hard Worker on the stove and boil all the laziness. After that, put in the liter of joy

with the Hard Worker in a pot for 17 years. Finally put in the blender and add a little bit of intelligence. When all is mixed well you will have a boy who is simple, and a hard worker.

Extra: Add a spoonful of devil to have a bad boy.

How to make a Robert

La FotografíaRuby Reed

Wilson High SchoolCarm

en Bernier-Grand43

Soy una adolescente y no estoy muy alegre en estos momentos. Me siento emocional, irracional, y estoy enojada. La escuela es muy difícil. Mis padres no son justos. Mis amigos me enojan, y sólo quiero dormir. Quisiera que todo desapareciera en el aire, pero sé que no es posible. ¡Algunas veces quiero gritar! Entonces grito y corro, y salto y después me siento mejor. Porque mi furia se escapa, puedo estar más relajada. Ahora puedo concentrarme en las cosas que necesito hacer para no estar tan enojada y estresada todo el tiempo. Muchas personas no me entienden, pero así es la vida. Ellos no saben como soy, y qué tengo hacer cada día para que mi vida sea buena en el futuro. Esto es lo que todos me dicen: que tengo que ser inteligente, sacar buenas notas, hacer cosas que a las universidades les gustan, y mi futuro va a ser mejor. ¡Pero sólo soy una persona! Necesito más tiempo para ser niña, no adulta. Pero así es la vida, y voy a ser lo que tengo que hacer para tener una vida alegre. Y si para tener eso necesito trabajar mucho ahora, tengo que hacerlo. Y puedo hacerlo.

I am a teenager and I am not very happy at the moment. I feel emotional, irrational, and I am mad. School is very difficult. My parents aren’t fair. My friends make me mad and I just want to sleep. I would like everything to disappear in thin air, but I know that is not possible. Sometimes I want to scream! Then I scream and I run and jump and then I feel better. Because my fury escapes, I can be more relaxed. Now I can concentrate on things that I need to do so that I don’t feel so angry and stressed all the time. Lots of people don’t understand me, but such is life. They don’t know how I am and what I have to do every day so that my life is better in the future. This is what everybody says: that I have to be intelligent, get good grades, do things that the university likes, and my future will be better. But I am just a person! I need more time to be a little girl, not an adult. But such is life, and I am going to do what I have to do to have a happy life. And if for that I need to work hard now, I have to do it. I can do it.

The Photograph

Carmen Bernier-Grand

Wilson High School

Una Carta A DiosRuby Reed

45

Dios,

Yo creo que no voy a tener comida para el invierno. Estoy muy triste porque mi familia necesita comer, pero yo no puedo encontrar más nueces. ¡El árbol en donde vivimos es grande, y hay muchísimas hojas! Pero ya no puedo encontrar unas nueces. ¡Yo creo que las otras ardillas que estan en el bosque son ladrones, dios! Es por eso que estoy escribiéndole. Yo necesito que los árboles produzcan más fruta, por favor.

Por favor y gracias, Tomás la Ardilla

God,

I don’t think I am going to have food in the winter. I am very sad because my family needs to eat, but I can’t find any nuts. The tree where I live is very big and there are lots of leaves! I think the other squirrels in the forest are thieves, God! That is why I am writing to you. I need the trees to produce more fruit, please.

Please and thank you, Thomas the Squirrel

A Letter to God

Solo Una NocheLiane Smith

Wilson High SchoolCarm

en Bernier-Grand47

Salimos del bar muy tarde esa noche. La luna brillaba fuerte en la oscura de la noche. Carlos todavía estaba cantando la última canción que oímos antes de salir. Fue una canción horrible, pero Mario y yo empezamos a cantar también, teníamos que vivir el momento.

Cuando llegamos al coche dejé de contar porque sabía que Mario no podía conducir. Nadie podía conducir. Tenía que decir algo.

“Mario, no debes conducir ahora,” le dije con cuidado. “No te preocupes, Roberto. Yo puedo hacerlo.” él me respondió. “¿Debemos esperar hasta la mañana? Sería más seguro,” yo sabía que él no quería esperar, pero todavía esperaba que estuviera de acuerdo conmigo. “No, Roberto. Yo puedo conducir ahora. Tengo que devolver el coche esta noche. Puedes esperar

aquí si quieres, pero Carlos y yo nos vamos.” Yo sabía que era peligroso y estúpido, pero no tenía otra opción; tenía que ir. En el coche podía

ver que Mario estaba enojado. Manejó tan rápido que no pude ver nada afuera; él no pudo controlar el coche. De repente, vi una luz que brillaba muy fuerte como el sol y todo desapareció.

La luz quemó mis ojos cuando me despertó. Después de unos minutos, pude ver que estaba en una sala blanca con una ventana grande. La mañana había llegado. Me dolía todo el cuerpo. No sabía donde estaba; no recordé nada. Cuando mis padres entraron, corrieron a mi lado.

“¿Qué pasó? ¿Dónde estoy?” les pregunté. “Estás en el hospital. Estuve un accidente...” me dijo mi madre.Cuando oí esas palabras pude ver el bar, la luna, Mario, y Carlos. “¿Dónde están Mario y Carlos? ¿También están aquí?” Vi la expresión en la cara de mi madre y

sabía que no quería oír su respuesta. “Mario está en el cárcel...” ella me dijo con cuidado. “¿Y Carlos?” “Roberto, fue un accidente horrible. Carlos no sobrevivió. Había tres personas en el otro coche, y

ellos se murieron también. Lo siento mucho, Roberto.” Recordé todo y, en este momento, quería morir también.

We left the bar very late at night. The moon was shining bright in the dark of the night. Carlos was singing the last song that we heard before we left. It was a terrible song, but Mario and I started to sing too. We had to live the moment.

When we got to the car I stopped singing because I knew Mario couldn’t drive. Nobody could drive. I had to say something.

“Mario, you shouldn’t drive now,” I said cautiously. “Don’t worry, Robert. I can do it,” he answered. “Shouldn’t we wait until tomorrow? It would be safer.” I knew he didn’t want to wait, but I hoped

he would agree with me. “No, Robert. I can drive now. I have to take the car back tonight. You can wait here if you want,

but Carlos and I are leaving.”I knew it was dangerous and stupid, but I didn’t have another option; I had to go. In the car I could

tell that Mario was mad. He drove so fast that I couldn’t see anything outside. He couldn’t control the car. All of a sudden, I saw a light as bright as the sun and everything disappeared.

The light burned my eyes when I woke up. After a few minutes I could see I was in a white room with big windows. Morning had arrived. My entire body hurt. I didn’t know where I was; I couldn’t remember anything. When my parents arrived they ran to my side.

“What happened? Where am I?” I asked. “You are in the hospital. You were in an accident…” my mother said. When I heard these words, I could see the bar, the moon, Mario, and Carlos. “Where are Mario and Carlos? Are they here too?” I saw the expression on my mother’s face and

I knew I didn’t want to hear the answer. “Mario is in jail…”she said carefully.“And Carlos?”“Roberto, it was a terrible accident. Carlos didn’t survive. There were three people in the other car;

they died too. I am very sorry, Robert.”I remembered everything, and at that moment, I wanted to die too.

Just One Night

Una Carta A DiosLiane Smith

Wilson High SchoolCarm

en Bernier-Grand49

Querida Dios,

No creo en ti pero no tengo nadie en mi vida con quien puedo hablar. Necesito hablar con alguien porque no puedo seguir viviendo así. Estoy sola en este mundo. Cuando me despierto cada mañana pienso en todo lo que he perdido. No quiero hablar de lo que pasó pero necesito tú ayuda. Si tú eres como todos dicen, yo sé que tú entenderás. Me siento como la lluvia que cae del cielo y llega a la tierra perdida y sola. No quiero vivir en las noches nada más, quiero estar con el sol donde la luz llena cada minuto con algo nuevo. Yo sé que no creo en ti, pero eso puede cambiar. Yo quiero esperanza para el futuro pero no tengo eso ahora. Yo sé que no puedes cambiar el pasado pero, por favor, ayúdame porque no quiero seguir viviendo así. Tú representas la única esperanza que tengo. Por favor ayúdame.

Dear God,

I don’t believe in you but I have nobody in my life to talk to. I need to talk to someone because I can’t go on living like this. I am alone in the world. When I wake up every morning I think of everything that I have lost. I can’t talk about what happened but I need help. If you are like everybody says, I know you will understand. I feel like the rain that falls from the sky and reaches earth lost and alone. I don’t want to just live at night. I want to be with the sun where light fills every minute with something new. I know I don’t believe in you, but that can change. I want hope for the future but I don’t have that now. I know you can’t change the past but, please, help me because I can’t keep on living like this. You represent the only hope I have left. Please help me.

A Letter to God

Paciencia Y FeEmma Snyder

Wilson High SchoolCarm

en Bernier-Grand51

Sé mucho sobre este mundo en que vivimos. También tengo ideas para mejorarlo, pero no puedo comunicarlas a nadie. Estoy en las nubes, y no quiero bajarme. Creo que todos necesitan subir a mi nivel pero algunas personas no quieren ni pueden hacer esto. Estoy llena de tristeza porque nadie entiende lo que siento y quiero, no solamente para mí pero también para toda la gente. Pero, soy inteligente, y también tengo la capacidad de reparar este problema. Sé que es difícil cambiar rápidamente. Sólo necesitamos: tiempo, paciencia, y fe. Podemos cambiar, ¡lo sé! Tengo fe, y necesito compartir esta fe con todos.

I know a lot on the world we live in. I also have ideas to make it better, but I can’t communicate with anybody. I am on the clouds, and I can’t get down. I think that everyone needs to come up to my level but some people don’t want to or they can’t do it. I am full of sadness because nobody understands what I feel and want, not only for me but for all of the people. But, I’m intelligent, and I also have the capacity to fix this problem. I know! I have faith and I need to share the faith with everybody.

Patience and Faith

Mi CulpaEmma Snyder

Wilson High SchoolCarm

en Bernier-Grand53

Me siento responsable por esto. Conozco al dueño de ese bar, y creo que si hubiese convencido a Mario a no beber mucho y también a no conducir, todo lo que pasó no hubiese pasado. Yo sé que no puedo beber alcohol. Bebía mucho durante la prepa, y no creía que había consecuencias en mis acciones. Algunas personas están muertas, y es mi culpa. ¿Qué puedo hacer? Mario es un buen amigo y no necesita esta culpa. ¿Qué va a pasar con la universidad? Nadie me quiere ahora, yo creo. Estoy lleno de crimen y tristeza. No puedo continuar.

I feel responsible for this. I know the owner of the bar, and I think that if I had convinced Mario not to drink so much and also not to drive, everything that happened wouldn’t have happened. I know that I can’t drink alcohol. I drank a lot during high school, and I didn’t think there would be consequences for my actions. Some people are dead, and it is my fault. What can I do? Mario is a good friend and doesn’t need to feel guilty. What is going to happen with college? Nobody wants me now, I think. I am full of crime and sadness. I can’t go on.

My Fault

Carmen Bernier-Grand

Wilson High School

La RecetaMadeline Stapleton

55

Ingredientes: 1. Un poco de verdad2. Una tasa de trabajo3. Una cucharada de peligro

Instrucciones:• Primero, en una olla, ponga un poco de verdad en la estufa y mezcle por una hora. • Calenté el horno a 300 grados, ponga una tasa de trabajo en la olla y póngala en el horno.• Finalmente añada una cucharada de peligro con la verdad y trabajo en la olla y cubrala con la tapa. • Después de tres horas, en el horno, enfrié por treinta minutos. • ¡Ahora, cómalo!

Ingredients:1. A bit of truth2. A cup of work3. A spoonful of danger

Instructions:• First, in a pot, put the bit of truth on the stove and mix for an hour.• Heat the oven at 300 degrees, put the cup of work in the pot and put it in the oven. • Finally add the spoonful of danger with the truth and work in the pot, cover with a lid.• Leave in the oven for three hours, cool for thirty minutes.• Now eat it!

The Recipe

CarlRaizel O’Brian

Wilson High SchoolHunt Holm

an57

MOLLY: Hey Carl! I was just in the area, and I thought I would drop by. Wanna hang out?

CARL: You know that this is not fair to me.

MOLLY: What? Why? I am here for completely innocent reasons.

CARL: Molly…don’t put me into this position.

MOLLY: I don’t understand. Carl, come on, it’s cold outside, can I come in and we can talk about it? Don’t worry, we won’t do anything that would upset her.

CARL: Okay…why don’t you sit over there.

MOLLY: I have always loved your house, Carl, it is just so cozy! Of course, a lot of that is because you are here.

CARL: Molly, stop it. You are a good friend, but I am dating Alice and I love her!

MOLLY: Carl, things can always change. Besides… Gets up and walk towards Carl We don’t need to tell her about us. It can be our little secret…

CARL: MOLLY!! Stop it! There has never, and will never, be an “us.” There is, however, and will always be a “me and Alice.” So stop, just stop. Sighs You should leave now.

MOLLY: Fine. Molly opens the door to leave, but when she opens it she finds Alice walking towards the house. Alice sees her, quickens her pace, and comes to the door.

ALICE: Glaring You!

MOLLY: I was just leaving. Bye…

ALICE: Umm, yeah, no. Carl told me all about you, Molly.

MOLLY: Yeah, I am just going to leave now.

ALICE: STOP!

Everyone freezes.

ALICE: Quietly and sternly Molly, we are going to talk. Now. Normally Who do you think you are? You are not hot, smart, funny, and your personality sucks! He is mine! He is not interested in you! So quit chasing him around sarcastically like a poor little puppy dog who hasn’t eaten in a year and has been kicked out into the cold with nobody to love you. Well, guess what, hon: you are not wanted here! You are needy and possessive! And, okay, fine, I am little possessive too, but you are possessive of stuff that is not your possession! So pick up your sorry ass and walk out that door now, and DO NOT come back, or I swear I will do you so much damage that you will look like a kicked-out starved puppy. Got it?

CARL: Hold on! Everyone! Alice, come on, that’s a little harsh. Molly, don’t take this to mean anything, but Alice, she is not that bad. Yes, she is possessive, and needy, but you don’t need to be so harsh.

ALICE: Hey! I have given you so much time to get rid of her! She needs to be taken care of.

CARL: Okay, Alice, we are not in the mob or anything, gosh.

ALICE: Oh, shut up Carl! Sighs Okay, sorry, sweetie, you’re not the one I am mad at.

MOLLY: Okay, I am going to leave now….

ALICE and CARL: in unison Oh, no you’re not.

ALICE: HA! That was so funny, how we said it together. We are such a united front! Ha!

CARL: Yeah, that was great. But back to you, Molly, I don’t want to be mean, but what Alice said is right. You need to just stop talking to me if you can’t control yourself. Okay?

MOLLY: Okay… but, Carl? Can I ask for one thing from you before I go, and we never speak to one another again?

CARL: You can ask. But, I can’t promise you I will do anything.

MOLLY: Can I have one kiss from you before I go to never see you again?

ALICE and CARL: in unison NO!!!!

Startled, Molly quickly scurries out.

END OF PLAY

Writers-in-Residence 2012-2013

Carl Adamshick is a poet who recently won the Walt Whitman Award and the Oregon Book Award for his collection of poems, Curses and Wishes.

Lorraine Bahr is an award-winning actress, playwright, and director. She teaches Acting at Portland State University, Washington and Oregon high schools, and at Young Musicians & Artists; she is co-founder and Associate Artistic Director of Sowelu Ensemble Theater in Portland. Lorraine is also a regular performer for Portland Playhouse. Her produced plays include Life Alone, Bottomless, Count Time, Charlie Stone, and Live Nude Fear. Her monologue, “Eight Break-ups” has been published in Poetry Northwest.

Carmen Bernier-Grand is the author of eight books for children and young adults. Her César: Yes, We Can! ¡Sí, se puede! and Diego: Bigger Than Life have been Oregon Book Awards finalists. Those biographies and her Frida: ¡Viva la vida! Long Live Life have received Pura Belpré Author Honor Awards. Bernier-Grand also teaches writing in the Whidbey Island Writers MFA program. In 2008, the Oregon Library Association’s Children’s Division gave her the Evelyn Sibley Lampman Award for her significant contributions to the children of Oregon in the field of children’s literature. In 2010, she received an Oregon Literary Arts Fellowship to research her book Picasso: I the King, Yo, el rey, published in 2012. Her latest book, Alicia Alonso: Prima Ballerina, received starred reviews from Booklist and Publisher’s Weekly. She lives with her husband, Jeremy Grand, and Maltese dog, Lily, in Portland, Oregon.

Chuck Carlise was born in Canton, Ohio, on the first Flag Day of the Jimmy Carter administration, and has lived in a dozen states and two continents since. He is the author of two chapbooks, A Broken Escalator Still Isn’t the Stairs (Concrete Wolf Poetry Series 2011) and Casual Insomniac (Bateau 2011; “Boom Contest” winner). He recently completed his PhD at the University of Houston, where he was awarded the 2012 InPrint/Paul Verlaine Poetry Prize and served as Non-Fiction Editor of the journal Gulf Coast. His poems and essays appear or are forthcoming in Southern Review, Pleiades, DIAGRAM, Best New Poets, and elsewhere. He currently lives in Portland, Oregon, and Santa Cruz, California, where he teaches part time at UCSC.

Lisa Rosalie Eisenberg is a cartoonist and illustrator. Her comics have appeared in the anthologies Papercutter, So…Buttons, Bearfight!, Digestate, Runner Runner, and The Strumpet. Since 2008 she has self-published the series I Cut My Hair, a collection of fiction and nonfiction comics. She is a teaching artist with Young Audiences and a Comics Certificate Program Advisor at the Independent Publishing Resource Center. Lisa has also taught comics classes at Open Meadow Middle School, Stumptown Comics Fest, and Caldera.

Elyse Fenton is the author of the award-winning poetry collection Clamor. She has published poetry and nonfiction in The New York Times, Best New Poets, American Poetry Review, and Pleiades, and has been featured on NPR’s All Things Considered. She received a BA from Reed College and an MFA from the University of

Oregon and has worked in the woods, on farms, and in schools in the Pacific Northwest, New Hampshire, Mongolia, and Texas. She currently teaches at Portland Community College.

Amanda Gersh is a South African-born writer of fiction and humorous nonfiction. Her stories have appeared in Tin House, One Story, Open City, The Believer, and The Mississippi Review. Writing as Amanda Howells, she is the author of a Young Adult novel, The Summer of Skinny Dipping (Sourcebooks, 2010). Amanda has an MFA from Columbia University and has taught fiction writing at PSU and Gotham Writers’ Workshop.

Poet-dramatist Cindy Williams Gutiérrez collaborates with musicians, thespians, and visual artists. Her collection, the small claim of bones, is forthcoming from Bilingual Press/Editorial Bilingüe (Arizona State University). Poems and reviews appear in Borderlands, Calyx, Harvard’s Journal of Feminist Studies in Religion, UNAM’s Periódico de poesía, Portland Review, and Rain Taxi. Her CD, “Emerald Heart,” re-imagines Aztec poetry accompanied by pre-Hispanic music. Her plays have been produced by Miracle Theatre Group and Insight Out Theatre Collective. Cindy earned an MFA from the University of Southern Maine.

Javier Hernandez is a journalist. He most recently worked as a staff reporter for the New York Times, where he wrote about everything from the unknown risks of government cancer-screening programs to the lives of nighttime beach wanderers. A graduate of North Eugene High School, he studied government and music at Harvard. He has appeared on national and international news programs, and his work has been quoted by US President Barack Obama.

Jonathan Hill is a graphic novelist cartoonist, and illustrator. His first graphic novel, Americus, a collaboration with MK Reed, has garnered a handful of accolades including YALSA 2012 Best Graphic Novel for Teens Nominee, ABC New Voices 2011 Title, Graphic Novel Reporter Best of 2011, and the 2012 Carla Cohen Free Speech Award. He currently freelances, teaches comics classes at the Oregon College of Art and Craft, and is working on his next graphic novel, The Searchers.

Hunt Holman is a playwright whose Willow Jade premiered at Portland Playhouse and received a 2010 Drammy Award for Outstanding Original Script. His other plays include Spanish Girl, which premiered off-Broadway at Second Stage Theatre in their New Plays Uptown Series and was published in the anthology New Playwrights: The Best Plays of 2003. His play Gun Club was developed in Cherry Lane Theater’s Obie award-winning Mentor Project and later premiered at Hypothetical Theater, and his play The Dawn Patrol received a staged reading at Williamstown Theater Festival. Hunt graduated from Columbia University’s School of the Arts.

John Isaacson is a cartoonist and writer whose comics and journalism have appeared in the Willamette Week, The East Bay Express, The Santa Barbara Independent, and the Side B and Bridge Project anthologies. His first graphic novel, Do It Yourself Screen-Printing, was published in 2007. He currently self-publishes a mini-comic, Feedback, which reviews concerts by local bands in comic form.

Sara Jaffe is a fiction writer whose short fiction has appeared in numerous publications, including Paul Revere’s Horse, NOON, Fourteen Hills, and Encyclopedia. She is co-founder and co-editor of New Herring Press, a purveyor of innovative prose chapbooks, and also edited The Art of Touring, an anthology of writing and visual art by touring musicians, available from Portland’s Yeti Publications. She received her MFA from the University of Massachusetts Amherst.

Ramiza Koya’s fiction and nonfiction have appeared in publications such as Washington Square Review,

Lumina, and Catamaran, and she has been a fellow at both MacDowell Colony and Blue Mountain Center. She has both a BA and an MFA from Sarah Lawrence College, and has taught in Spain, the Czech Republic, and Morocco. In addition to teaching composition courses, she also works as a freelance writer and editor. She is currently an adjunct instructor at Portland Community College.

Jennifer Lauck is a three-time Oregon Book Awards finalist and has penned three memoirs, including the New York Times bestsellers Blackbird, Still Waters, and Found (March, 2011). She has a collection of essays titled Show Me the Way, worked nearly ten years as an investigative reporter in TV news, and has a BA in journalism from Montana State University. Lauck received her MFA in creative writing from Pacific Lutheran University in 2011.

Amy Minato is author of a memoir, Siesta Lane, published in 2009 and a poetry collection, The Wider Lens, published in 2004. Her poetry has appeared in Wilderness Magazine, Poetry East, Windfall, Cimarron Review, and The Oregonian Poetry Corner, and has been recognized with a 2003 Oregon Literary Arts Fellowship. She teaches creative writing independently and through Fishtrap, Breitenbush, Sitka, and Opal Creek.

Laura Moulton is the founder of Street Books, a bicycle-powered mobile library that serves people who live outside in Portland, Oregon (streetbooks.org). She has taught writing in public schools, prisons, and teen shelters, and is an adjunct professor at Marylhurst University and Lewis & Clark College. Her social art practice projects have involved postal workers, immigrants, prisoners, and students. She earned an MFA from Eastern Washington University. For more information, visit lauramoulton.org.

Mark Pomeroy grew up in northeast Portland. He has received an Oregon Literary Fellowship for fiction and a residency at Caldera Arts. His short stories, poems, and essays have appeared in Open Spaces, The Wordstock 10, Portland Magazine, The Oregonian, the Waco Tribune-Herald, and What Teaching Means: Stories from America’s Classrooms. A former classroom teacher, he holds an MA in English Education from Teachers College, Columbia University. He lives with his family in northeast Portland, where he’s at work on a novel.

Ismet Prcic is a Bosnian-American writer, teacher, and theater artist. His debut novel, Shards, won an L.A. Times Book Prize for First Fiction and was a finalist for the Dayton Literary Peace Prize. Ismet is the recipient of a National Endowment for the Arts Literature Fellowship for fiction in 2010. His work has appeared in McSweeney’s Quarterly Concern, Bat City Review, Faultline, Prague Literary Review, and elsewhere. He is an adjunct instructor of theater arts at Clark College.

Joseph Rogers is an award-winning writer whose work has been published in places such as Pindeldyboz, Opium, Bridge, Verb, Exquisite Corpse, and Painted Bride Quarterly. He has an MFA from Brooklyn College, where he taught fiction for five years before heading west. When he's not teaching at Portland Community College, he writes stories and songs that are rarely performed.

Desmond Spann is on a mission to motivate and inspire positive changes in people's lives while having a crapload of fun. Under the name DLUXTL (TL=The Light) he performs spoken word, plays keyboard with Hip-Hop fusion band Speaker Minds, emcees (rap), and produces. He has dedicated his life to creating more passionate people who express themselves freely. Desmond uses rap, poetry, and performance as vehicles to encourage students to be bold in finding their unique voice.

Matt Zrebski is a multi-award winning playwright, composer, script consultant, teaching artist, and producer-director whose career has been defined by new play development. As an Artistic Director, he

mounted over 40 world premieres, and has had several of his plays produced, including Texting the Sun, 1 ½, Big Sis, and Ablaze. As the Resident Teaching Artist at Portland Center Stage, he teaches playwriting through Visions and Voices, and is on staff for Acting Academy at Oregon Children’s Theatre. Zrebski holds a BFA in Theatre from the Meadows School of the Arts at Southern Methodist University.