homecoming

breathless flight across stormy seas

a still-uncoiling saga of unsmiling passport pictures and

visa stamps.

sticker-plastered violin case, shoved

into an overhead compartment,

bulky yellow luggage tags,

a million black suitcases spiralling on

the carousel—

my belongings come

but my comings don't belong. 

a dream i should believe in,

a country that should be mine.

would thou requite mine love, dear world,

were i to pick one mask— check one survey-box,

limit my echo-chamber of a heart

and cease to be  

too white for vietnam,

too asian to be jewish. 

too jewish for america,

too american for israel,

(and yet: still not too much

to love.)

the sky opens up like a fragile orange

and in the sticky summer rain at the long son pagoda;

and during morning mass in st. pauls' cathedral;

and at a shrine inset by the cross, deep in the arizona desert;

and as my hand finds a time-worn crevice

to rest upon, to feel my pulse in time with the apex

of the western wall's crooning, arching hope;

i pray.

Two days until judging! Everyone’s poems are great so far!

Dreaming About the World

I fall asleep once again

Thinking about the world

Africa, Asia, Europe too

As I’m laying curled

I think about the animals

Zebras, cheetahs, and more

And want to go see these things

I want to go and soar

See the Amazon Jungle

Look at the kangaroos

Do almost everything

You can do!

And being the wanderlust

Who is in bed curled

I dream about the wonders

I dream about the world

Alright everyone, judging time! Before I start, I just want to say, everyone’s poems were really good, and I’m not just saying that (even though I know lots of people say things like this). I had a really hard time deciding. But since I had to, here we go. 

Honorable Mention: TheaterGirl! Your poem fit the theme very well and I loved your rhyming. However, it was a little cliche and could’ve flowed a bit better. Good job nevertheless!

Fourth Place: The Girl Next Door! Your poem was really cool and also relateable. In the words of Applejaguar, it has a sort of ‘smart’ feel. It was a little choppy in parts, though.

Third Place: Kitten! I loved your poem. It had a cool prosey-feel and I liked the story behind it and also how you used the theme.

Second Place: This was so hard that I actually couldn’t decide, and so we have a tie—between Blue Moon and Soren! I really loved both of your poems. Blue, yours was short but packed in so much into those few lines. It felt really cool and edgy, and almost choppy, but in a good way. Soren, I loved the almost prosey feel and the metaphors. I also thought the Halley’s Comet symbolism was super cool.

And finally, in First: Abigail! Oh my gosh, where do I start. Your poem was incredible. I loved the imagery so much, and it flowed so well and was so cohesive. I think my favorite line was ‘my belongings come/but my comings don’t belong’.

Congrats to Abigail and everyone else! I can’t wait to see the next theme! 

I really hope the next theme is 'Run' because I have an awesome idea for itttttttttttt

Ahhh, oh my gosh, thank you so much! Everyone did such a good job!  I'll post the new theme later today.

Congrats Abigail and everyone else who wrote a poem. Honorable mention for my first poem is pretty good, I'm sort of surprised I got on the list. Good job everybody!

Congratulations, Abigail and everyone else! You totally deserved first place and I'm excited to see the new theme!

Sorry for the wait! The new theme is escape.

Here's my poem. It's not so good, but it's a start.

Thoughts

I listen to my head

And think many things

Thoughts I can’t escape from

They all sort of just cling

Thoughts of dangers

And thoughts of us people

Mostly bad, I can’t deny

All seem so evil!

They are stuck so well

I feel like I’m in jail

I keep trying to rid of them

But I only just fail

Then I think of another way

To have other thoughts

I think about my favorite songs

And forget about my wants

Soon enough, I have escaped

Escaped from my mind

All is now so peaceful

And joy I shall find

I can work with that.

~

I've run for so long

Longing for escape

Escaping from nothing

Nothing looks safe

Safety is fleeting

Fleet feet follow

Following my blood trail

Trailing without rest

Rest when I'm dead

Deadening me slowly

Slowing my heartbeat

Beating me from miles away

...

But maybe they're not that far away.

They could be anywhere.

They could be here.

Listening.

Watching.

Making sure that

I

Cannot

Escape

~

Holy freaking moly - I'm gonna go hide from the darker side of my mentality thank you 

Bit weird and not the best, but I tried.

World shrinks as eyelashes obscure everything

Sink into the dark, the mellow nothing under my eyelids

Your arms, so strong you might have dipped them in

River Styx, encompass me, tiny hairs brushing over mine,

Pulling me closer…

eyes snap open, face jolts upwards, staring at the

Sunset-smeared sky, looking so perfect like I would never dream of

Escaping you

(I pull away and my footsteps echo like lost voices in a cave)

two-year streak

- 

two summers ago, at the top and bottom

of it all: i fell hard and long for you. 

two years later: my hands are empty. i

hold nothing to show for it all, and

i am chained, in a way; i want you but i

can think of nothing else. my attention can fly to

singularly you, you, you: i know

i want an endgame, you and me, but

where is my life going? (it doesn't matter though.

only: where is yours?) 

my dreams and eyes are dulled.

what would i feel like without you there?

so much more free, maybe with my way clear.

but i will keep tripping after you

as you run far, unencumbered: unknowingly

dragging me by my wrists, abraded by chains.

i can't tear myself away;

i can't escape.