If Only

High school, finally, or at least I thought so. I thought I would never miss middle school, and I’m not, except for one class; I miss the worse torture of all, or so they say. I miss my 90 minutes of English class. Especially with the worlds best teacher, literally. Everyone might know her as Mrs. Meadows. It’s not like I don’t like my new teachers, I do, and they’re incredible teachers, but when you’ve had the same teacher for sixth and eighth grade then of course you’ll miss them, especially if they are your favorite teacher of all times.
So here I am, walking down these still unknown halls. Like always, Mrs. Rohas (one of the high school English teachers) stands on the top of the stair case going to the third floor. I keep my eyes on the ground to not meet her evil eyes. I’m about to give her a kind, welcoming smile, because no one would like to get on the bad side of someone that looks like a female, three feet tall version of Dr. Snape. I greet her with a “Hello Mrs. Roha…” until I catch a quick glimpse of someone.
“Mrs. Meadows!” a tenth grader shouts behind me. It’s her!
“Mrs. Meadows!” I then exclaim and rush toward her. I wrap my arms around her as a true welcoming hug.
“Are you going to start teaching here in high school?” another tenth grader excitedly asked. I let lose because I hear no answer. I stand back and see her shake her head quickly and point her nose at Mrs. Rohas in a discreet way, hoping the evil lady wasn’t paying any attention. I quickly grasped the signal she was giving us, but again the tenth grader asked. She then opened eyes wider, shaking her head again in the same quick way, warning us to not talk about the subject when Mrs. Snape was around.
I start to giggle a bit because the tenth graders just didn’t get her expression, “Alright, bye Mrs. Meadows!” and waved as I walked away to my next class. If only she’d start teaching in high school instead of Mrs. Rohas. That would be the best thing ever.

Lord of the Flies Movie and Book

The movie The Lord of the Flies, directed by Harry Hook wasn't as appealing as the book by William Golding because the symbolism is lost or not noticed, the captains presence changed the dynamics of the kids and how the comparison of Jack being like the Borgia Pope (in the dark stages of the Catholic church) was shown in the book but not the movie.

In the book, one of the symbols that wasn't shown at all was the forest scar. The forest scar demonstrates how before the plane had crash-landed, the island was a paradise, but now that the plane had crashed it left a permanent scar showing how when humans had first arrived to Earth there was destruction and how we had abolished everything that was paradise. Without this symbol, part of the allegory is not present.

In the movie, the director decided to add an extra character, the captain. In the book there is no captain or any adult that was ever alive during the time that the kids were on the island. The captains presence changes many thing from the book. One of the important things that it changes are the dynamics of the kids. The kids were supposed to take care of the captain and because the captain was still alive, the kids hadn't come up with the "beastie", which was one of the most important things in the book.

The book is an allegory, and one of the things the book shows is the comparison of Jack being like the Pope in the dark stages of the Catholic church. You can notice that from the beginning of the novel from the time that Jack shows up to be the leader of the choir. He was physically shown as the leader of the Catholic religion in the island, but he didn't show any characteristic that the Catholic religion should have; peace, love and empathy. In the movie, you couldn't see that because Jack isn't the leader of the choir, and also there isn't any choir.

Really, many things of the book were taken away from the movie. This makes me think that the director, Harry Hook, of the 1990 Lord of the Flies didn't spend enough time noticing the true meaning of the book. These important parts of the book were taken away from the movie causing the disappointment to the people who read the book and saw the movie as well.

Your Version Lord of the Flies

Lord of the Flies Ending "Your Version"
Ralph laid on the sand facing up at the dark clouds of smoke. His mum and dad flashed in his head and remembered how much he needed them, but he was sure he'd never see them again, or even see tomorrow again. His eyes slowly shutting. Slowly like his breath that started to vanish every second more and more. The burning air from the flames clad his injured skin making it worse and worse by the second. The ashes fell on his cheek like a blanket putting him to sleep, forever. He thought this was his last sight, the red and orange savages burning down what used to be the assemblage of all sorts of trees acting as one forest, but it was almost all gone. Only a mater of seconds.
Ralph was about to give up on his breath, until he saw a black shadow much taller than him, like an adult, a man, but his eyes then shut. He felt a pair of arms lift him off the ground, and then he heard a low voice come from the man. "He's alive sir! Your son is alive!" Ralph kept on reminding himself that he was dreaming. As the man started to walk, the sound of a helicopters blade slicing through the air and then nothing else. No sounds, no sight, no smell, no nothing.

* * * * *
Impatient he waited in the emergency room. His son was finally back after going through God knows what. Tapping his heal on the floor, wanting to see when the doctor would show up and say if he could go see Ralph. He moved his arm to the seat next to him and wrapped his arm around his wife. "He's going to be okay. He's going to be okay" Alfred looked at her in the eyes, but he meant it more for himself. He then looked away from her and repeated the it again but in a lower voice, "He's going to be okay."
"I know he is, Alfred. Do you?" he heard her sweet, soft voice next to his ear.
"Yeah, I ... I think so too." he smiled at those words. He looked at her again. She was biting her lip, clawing her nails on her knee and tapping her heal on the floor as well. He noticed tears flowing down her cheek. She seemed to cry not of sadness but of joy that her son was alive, and that she would see him speak again, smile again.
Suddenly a tall, slim man walked through the door wearing a white coat. The couple both stood up at the same time. Their heart beat raced, then the doctor said what they've both been waiting for, "You can go and see your son now." and he addressed the parents with his hand to follow him, and so they did. Alfred's pace kept speeding up like his breath. He could barely noticed, but his wife started clawing his hand as she had done with her knee before. As the man opened a door, the father and mother barged in and saw their son laying on the bed. Ralph just stared at the roof with pain shown all over his eyes. He seemed to not noticed the abrupt entrance of his parents. He just looked at the ceiling and his mind flashing back at all the horrors he experienced.
Now, not only was the mother crying but also Alfred. Tears burster out of his eyes as they both said their son's name, "Ralph..." Ralph blinked twice and turned his head to see that both his mum and dad where standing right at the door. He couldn't help it but to cry as well.
"Mum, Dad?" his grimace seemed to have gone away now, and all the wounds seemed to not be felt anymore. They both raced towards him, and wrapped their arms around Ralph. He was back home, were he belonged. No island, no Jack, no Roger, no beast. Just him and the warmth of his parents.
"We missed you so much." she said with a broken voice. Ralph hugged his parents not wanting to ever let go, but he though that would be impossible, because either way his dad would leave for a battle on some ordinary, unexpected day.

* * * * *
Alfred sat on the border of the bed that Ralph was laying on for the past three days now. He stoke his hair behind his ears. "You have to get a haircut, Son."
Ralph looked up at him and spoke, "you have to get a haircut as well, Dad. Isn't it that your hair has to be short for the Navy?" Ralph asked in disappointment.
Alfred shook his head and smiled a bit. "I'm not in the Navy anymore. My last mission was to look for you."
"why?" Ralph asked.
"Well, the main reason why we almost lost you was because of the war. I felt how it was not having part of my family with me for almost four months, and you never know if you'll ever see them again. I now know how you feel whenever I go." Alfred now seemed to be looking at the door, but he was just staring back into those times.
"Thanks, Dad," Ralph smiled and looked at his father, "I couldn't ask for anything better in my life." his voice started to break up, and again his tears of joy flowing down his eyes. His arms wrapped around his father and now he knew it would be forever.

Rationale
This "Your Version" is written this way to show the allegory in the story. It shows the ending of World War (ii). When the war ended, everyone was back with there families and there was peace again. Maybe the scars were still there, but it was all over now. When Ralph was remembering the thing that happened in the island, it shows that the scars are still present, and when the father quit the Navy, it shows the reunion of the families. The story was also written this way to make the allegory easier to understand when the dad actually mentions that he almost lost his son because of the war.

You can't have it all

But you can have the sand and its soft touch on your feet
like small, powdered crystals tickling your toes.
You can have the slimy saliva from your one year old dog's tong
lick your nose
waking me up at six A.M.
You can have the intense, uncomfortable breath from your adult brother
and his evil, pitch-black eyes looking at you
as if staring into your soul saying
if you don't give me your phone now, you will suffer.
You can have music,
though often it is unwritten,
like your future that is waiting for you to slide the pen
on the blank paper that will soon be your favorite lyrics.
You can have the smooth texture of a chocolate
melting on you tong,
and under the sweet caramel
gently falling on your lips
dripping on your chin.
You can have your sister, always blaming you, never showing care,
but always being there for you.
You can brag about song you played,
but didn't write, sometimes taking you where you want to be.
You can go to the mall
where your brother got beat up, but never showed fear.
You can't see your grandma,
but you can tell her smile on the full moon,
us knowing that she's still here.
And you can be grateful for the sticky juice from a watermelon,
the way it drips from your chin, half sweet, half ice-cold, grateful
for Jesus, his great morals that saved us all from eternal darkness,
for light showing you the way of every single day, and for rain, the water,
us splashing in puddles.
You can have a dream, the dream,
the dream of one day having the perfect song,
the flashing lights from your first hit song.
You can have your brother by your side,
never letting go, you can have paint and notes,
the evidence of improvement, and Japanese food with soy sauce
black like the night sky.
You can't count on silence to get you where you want
but the talent to inspire can help you bring a conversation,
the feeling of helping them find there way, together,
until you learn about laughing, about never giving up,
and here are birds, always flying together, wherever they want,
as real as the skys. And when happiness gives up on you,
you can still remember how beautiful you are
bringing back a smile, the dreams you're on your way to fulfill
while the rest just live in the past.
There is the lesson taught when you were a child
Sweety you can't have it all
but Mama I can have you.

Stay With Eyes Open

I dream of one day to do what I love, you probably all do, but some keep on leaving their eyes shut. Some do what has been already done, they lose hope in themselves and follow footsteps. Don't you think that if you just get off your bed and keep walking you will do the undone? You will prove people wrong? Show yourself. Everyone is different for a reason. Be your own person and do what you were born to do. Say what you were born to say. Be who you were born to be. he only ones who make it far are those who follow their dream, and do what they were meant to do, because without a dream, what point is there in life. I don't know about you, but I have a dream.

Synopsis: The poems I chose were about dreaming, and never letting go of them. Stand up and be strong, you know you can do it, so why don't you?

A Dream Within A Dream by Edgar Allan Poe

Dream Variations by Langston Hughes

O Little Root of a Dream by Paul Celan

Birds Appearing In A Dream by Michael Collier

Cradle Song by William Blake

The Dream of the Just by Dana Gelinas

Blushing Bride- Benjamin Moore- 2086-50

Her father
his arm around hers
only minutes 'till letting go.
Her feet
heading towards a new life
with the one she loves.

The sound of the organ
announcing the bride.
She walks with her father
one last time.
she sees him...
Her true and

only love.

Birds hum
outside the open doors
stepping with the beat of the sound
from the organ
as well as a butterflies flapping
inside.

She lets go of her dad's arm
to be held by her groom,
to be part of one,
to be part of a dream
come true.

Marley and Me

Marley and Me by John Grogan
Sara Moreno
Memoir
I got this book from my English teacher library, Mrs. Meadows.
John and Jenny Grogan moved into a new house not knowing that their life would change forever when they decide to adopt a tiny, yellow puppy lab that then grows out to be a chaotic, missed behaved family member.
We were young. We were in love. We were rollicking in those sublime early days of marriage when life seemed about as good as it can get.
On the first chapter with ten pages John and Jenny, a just married couple, both move to Palm Beach, Florida. It shows how Jenny worries that if they ever have a child; she won’t take care of it because of how bad she is caring for living things. John shows an example with a plant Jenny was supposed to supervise, and she let it die because she watered it too much. The decision came to her that they should get a pet dog to use it for practice for when they decide to have a kid. You can also see how much John wishes the dog will be like his first dog, a perfect dog. He searches in the internet for all the information he could find about Labradors and then agrees with Jenny. When they go to meat their future dog, a random adult lab attacks them and licks John to death, so in the couples head, they just hope that Marley doesn’t end up like the father.
This book is a touching; heartbreaking experience towards the end but it has humor and a bit of romance between John and Jenny. I liked this book in a way because of all the good times the owners have had with Marley, reminding me of my old dog, but because it reminded me of my dog did I feel heartbroken but because the description imagery made me feel like if I was living Johns life.
The cover of the book shows two people representing John and Jenny with a puppy who represents Marley. Together in the picture, they look like a happy family with a perfect life because of the kind smiles you see on their faces, but this isn’t the original cover. This one was made after the movie had come out.

No beastie

I've been alone, hearing evil, waiting for this beastie Jack hunter creping towards piggy irregular sketchy step no ghost no squid no beastie Jack Ralph won't be cheaf no more? No! Jack'll hunt point by point, Piggy first then all. No ghost no squid no beastie Jack

Earthquake in Japan

Even if you haven’t been fastidious you would know that on March 11, 2011 an earthquake stroke Japan causing massive tsunamis on the Pacific Ocean and Japan. A copious amount of people were reported missing-dead-and houses turned to bits making survivors feel a pang over the lost lives. It is crucial to send adept helpers to the places where the earthquake hit hardest. It is said that this fitful earth movement was so strong that it was almost impossible to grapple against the harsh earthquake.
Even if this was a devastating event, others deployed it to facilitate the prediction of the tsunami that hit the Pacific coasts of the Americas. Even if the tsunami didn’t decelerate, there was enough time to evacuate enough people from the coasts.

House on Mango Street

House on Mango Street
Sara Moreno
The House on Mango Street by Sandra Cisneros is an inspiring story that is written in a poetic way that helps describe the protagonist’s feeling, actions or to give a reader a clue why she is writing the certain vignettes. The title of the book is House on Mango Street because the main character does not like living or even being a part of Mango Street because she is ashamed of her heritage and her small, basic home. She wants, more than anything, to have a nice home for her own and not be part of Mango Street, but yet she knows that she'll always be from that place no matter where she moves to because that’s where she grew up in, so deep down inside, she knows that she will always love Mango Street.
The main character or the protagonist is Esperanza, an American Mexican girl, that is different from the girls of her type in the way that she doesn't want to be the typical Mexican woman that is less important that the man. She wants to be the one that works and not the one that stays in the kitchen or takes care of the children by herself. She independent in a way because she thinks differently that the rest. She thinks that the way to get out of poverty is to work hard and do good in school unlike the other girls who either think that they should marry a rich man or that it won’t be possible for a woman to get out of poverty because the woman shouldn't work.
House on Mango Street is written, how I mentioned before, in vignettes. Each vignette have a different story that describes the troubles of growing up in poverty and how it's like being a woman in a place with sexism. It fist starts to be told from when Esperanza was a child but as the book goes on, Esperanza starts to grow and starts maturing. In the beginning it seems like if she where around eight or nine years old, around the middle of the book she seems to be teenager but at the end she seems to be around seventeen, and then a young adult.
The memoirist came to noticed many things at the end. One of them is that she noticed that no matter where she moves to, she will always be part of Mango Street. She moves from her small, pitiful house but she seems to start missing it after she's got the house she's always wanted. Another thing she noticed was that even if she is a woman, she could still accomplish her dream of having a nice home of herself and have a decent job because she worked hard and didn't make stupid decisions like marrying the wrong man or get pregnant before she should.
This novel is inspiring in many ways especially to woman and people who live in poverty. It shows that no matter who you are or how you live, you can always do what you wish if you just try hard and never give up. It also shows that one you have a home, you will always be part of it. Another thing that I like is some lines like where “You must keep writing. It will keep you free.” And Nenny, I say, but don’t hear me. She’s too many light years away. She is in a world we don’t belong to anymore. Nenny. Going.”

I believe

I believe that
when a kid
falls from their bike
they will always get back on.

I believe
that a fledgling
will always
learn to fly

I believe that a drop of water
on a leaf
will fall
but feed a tiny seed
making it a tree

I believe that
a smile
doesn't always show happiness

I believe that
a smile can turn to a frown
but a frown
can easily turn to a smile

I believe that
there is no
bad days
you just make them feel bad

I believe that
when you dream
your not always asleep

so why don't you
just wake up
little fledgling
and flap your wings

short story

Okay, let me apprehend, so yesterday my brother told me that Egypt was now in anarchy. Yeah, I knew that people were trying to get rid of the “president”, but I never knew they would get rid of him so fast. I watched the news, and I saw about millions of people on the streets causing calamity. There was so many people that even a cow could assimilate in the crowd, but never did I know that they would get rid of him so fast. But just like that, bam! He’s out of the government. How did it happen? I had also seen that he had talked to President Obama, and that he said something about him not being able to accomplish his promise, and that he will try to.
But how did he leave the government? Did he just quit, they shot him or something? They kicked him out somehow? I really don’t know. I’ve been watching the news every day, and when the best part comes, I don’t watch it because I was playing Sims. You know, you really have to be more meticulous about things sometimes. You never know what you can miss out on.

You know what, now that I think of this, because of this huge crowd of people that protested against the Egyptian president, it makes it look like he’s worse than Chavez, but then I thought again “there is no way that that would be possible. Maybe the president or ex-president of Egypt was in power for about 30 something years, but Chavez takes tons of money from Venezuela and, counting me, but I think that not many people know how bad he is because he lionizes those with more power than him and those who can make him more powerful. He gives them so much money, Venezuela’s money and much more, but who am I to say who is worse, I’m just a girl that her family lost millions of dollars because of him.

Short Story

Cold wind cladded my skin. The week, yellow light of the candles where starting to fade away. Soon the only source of light Edmin and I would have was the one of the harsh lightnings plummiting from the dark clouds. We could hear just the rain drops crashing to the ground and the thunder so loud it made our ear drumbs shake. Our arms wraped around each outher giving us enough warmth to not make a big deal about it, but we still froze even if our cloths was starting to dry up from this horrible storm. At least we could stand staying in this place until most of the anarchy is fixed in this town.

I looked at Edmin for a while and I could bearly make out his face with such dim light. For the first time in ten years of my sons life I saw worry in his dark-blue eyes that where almost coverd by his souking black hair. Also, for the first time, his skin looked pale like snow probably because of the cold. I couldn't stand seeing him like this, so I thought of a way to cheer him up, "Don't worry, we can conspire and figure a way to get out of here." I stated with a low, uneaven voice and shaky lips; probably not from the weather, but from the fact that the cops could find us any moment now, just like they did with Edmin's father, my husband ten years ago. Edmin was just five years old.

"I don't care if I get out of here or not, I want Dad back." he declared with a strong, demanding wheep. Tears came down from his eyes. He couldn't just aprehend, could he?

"Dont you get," I paused to let go of him to look straight at his eyes. " they arrested him a long time ago. Fom what I know, he might not even be...." I stopped my words in an instant as I couldn't even finish the sentance. I couldn't hold the cry in anymore. Tears flooded my eyes as well as my heart. I burried my head in beatween my knees. I rememberd the last time I saw him....

" Edmin, stay with your mom." Chris wisperd to Edmin as he knudged him towards me. Edmin held on tight to my arm. I stepped away from the door even more from what I was, but Chris got closer to it. He looked back at me with that same replica of Edmin's eyes. The only difference was that Chris had slightly thinner lips than him. He turned back around and slowly placed his palm on the golden knob, turning it, then opening the door to see a police in the entrance. Chris swoloed and in a very polite manner, he spoke, "May I help you in any way sir?"

"Is your name Chris Woods?" the cop said in a loud intimidating voice.

"Yes that is me."

"May I speek to you outside?" Those words made me siver, but I never knew that they would change my life.

Chris looked at me again and mouthed three words, "I love you." then the police leaded him out the house. I frozed in my spot and felt like my breath was gone. Fear over powerd my whole body and I practicly stayed paralized. The door closed behind him, and from that day, I havn't seen him again.



I lifted my head to take a short glance at him and say I was sorry for the crusal words, but he just staird at the distance, and I knew that he was remembering the same momment.

Gladys

I couldn't sleep, I truly couldn't. Tomorow was going to be the first day of school after Christmas vacation, and I really didn't want to start; I didn't want the last day of sweet vacation to go by so fast, so I just layed there on my bed and looking at the roof thinking about anything really, until I heard a cry coming from the room that was partly connected to mine in a way. It was Gladys, my little sister. She does't cry anymore at nights, so I thought for a momment what might of been going on. I sat up on my bed in a way that my bare feet touched the cold-tiled floor. I waited there for a momment to see if the weeping would stop, but it didn't. I finally stood up and headed to peek though the arch that sepporated our rooms. It was to dark for me to see, so I walked towards her bed, so it would be more clear what was going on. "Gladys, whats going on?" I asked in a sweet, soft tone.
"Ma... ma..., Mama left me alone. I don't want to be alone." she weeped in a low voice. I sat on the border of the bed. Afraid that she would slap me and say "don't touch me!", I slowly moved my arm to her and carefuly pased my cold fingers through her beautiful, soft curls.
"Want me to stay here with you?" I asked.
"Yes!" and she puled me to lay down next to her small, pettit body. I hugged her and her tears fadded. She hugged me back and I smiled. I sang her a lullaby and she sang along. I looked at her, and I knoticed, she's not a little baby any more; she's growing up." My baby sister is growing up." I told myself. One day she won't even care about me, or maybe care about me more, but whatever happens, she will always be the best sister someone could ever have.