During the warm months of spring and summer one of my favorite places to go is the bike trail that runs from Fairview Park to Rock Springs. I love taking walks there with my friends, my mom, or my puppy. Everything on the trail always seems so calm and peaceful as I’m walking underneath a leafy green canopy. One of my favorite landmarks on the trail is the “bikini tree.” It is a tree shaped like a woman that has a bikini painted on it. Sometimes when I walk at dusk I will see a deer emerge from the surrounding woods. Once when I was with my mom we spotted a dozen of them.

leafy green canopy
from between the trees—eyes
peering into mine

Emily is my sister. She’s also one of my best friends, despite the fact that she’s four years younger than me. She’s a beautiful person inside and out. She’s silly and outgoing and can always make anyone smile. She has a big heart and loves children, especially babies. Sometimes we fight, but usually only when we’re hungry. We always get cranky when our stomachs are empty, but we’re always laughing together by the time we get to dessert (we figured this out on a vacation to Williamsburg once). Even though we’re sisters we sometimes like to have sleepovers together. We’ll stay up all night talking and sharing secrets. We have so much fun together. I couldn’t ask for a better sister.

home from college
two sisters catch up on gossip—
sea of blankets

The cottage on the side of the mountains in Denver Colorado blends into the mountainside.  The lime green roof from far away begins to look like tree tops to the point the cottage just looks like a mass of trees.  Master’s who understood the beauty and amazing components of nature built the cottage.  From one side of the cottage you see into the depths of nature and the other side allows you to view the lights of town and the busyness of city life.  No matter what side you are on the sunrises and sunsets take your breath away every day. 

crooked mountain trees
blocked from view
a hidden cottage

Amanda Aukerman (3)

Deb, someone who inhabits a home in Illinois but hails from Ohio, has more love than anyone I know.  She is the only girl out of a family of four brothers missing her mother who was ready to leave when she left.  She chases after two year olds all day long to help make her material life a little easier.  As a mother, wife, daughter, teacher, volunteer, she is one of the most complex people I know and I am glad to know.

a hug can mean so much
comfort and love
all in one gesture

In my hometown there is a forest preserve called McDonald’s Woods. It’s a large forest filled with deer, tall oaks, and tons of pines. There is a certain spot where a worn bridge leads to a stairway delved into a small hill. A babbling brook runs under the bridge, only a few inches deep. The water is always clear and often reveals the tracks of the most recent animals. Atop the hill is a wooden seat amidst the tall, column-esc trees overlooking the mini valley below. I like to wander there in summer and fall to admire the colors and to think.

rain-bleached bridge
raccoon prints
beneath the glinting stream

Andy Jones (6)

Dorothy is a friend of mine I made this year. She is a spunky girl who comes from the Quad Cities in Illinois. Her major is in Acting and she is a very funny actress. She’s told me that the majority of the roles she has played have been dowdy women such as the Mother Abbess from “The Sound of Music.” Dorothy has this giggle in her that is always present. When we are with her she is just a wild spirit never being dragged down.

giddy thespian—
a stern face
is presented

The paved streets take over the boarders while cobblestone weaved into the depths of the mismatched buildings tightly packed together; cars can barely make it through as it is, let alone the people traveling from shop to shop. Windows filled with trinkets, colourful glass, lost treasures, and less valuable printed T-shirts. Ice cream parlors, grills and the occasional bar. Flowers and plants hang out of boxes and bask in the sun along the shop walls. Doors and windows sit wide open—Florida heat and ocean breeze mingle. Even though the closest water is the channels, the faint sound of waves carries. The buildings, the cathedrals, the streets are permeated with history. Wrought-iron gates seal in mossy, above-ground cemeteries--the names are long-since worn away. Equally worn fort still stands strong at the mouth of the channel, black cannons still inaudibly whistling. The roar of the ocean drowns it out.

dolphins surfacing
by summer
home docks

She is forever learning. When those her age have long-since established their way of doing things, she keeps searching for enlightenment and coming through like a nurturing whirlwind of energy and vigor. She never ceases and does what others consider impossible. Her scholarly abode is small, but quaint with large uncovered windows that allow the light to pour in any time of year (and it seems to, regardless of the weather). Books and multicultural mayhem somehow meld together within the one individual who is truly excited by life, but needs a reminder to live her own. Others feed off of her energy for motivation and encouragement; somehow she always finds more to give.

mother rediscovers
life differently . . .
daughter

I can escape from life on the basketball court. I love playing and watching basketball. Any time I have a chance to go shoot hoops I do. It’s a great stress reliever. I can run out my frustration, or just shoot around and I’ll eventually get over the stress. The sounds of the gym are very relaxing to me. My ears always perk up when I hear a ball bouncing and the sound of a swish basket is just beautiful.

stress overwhelming
I am calmed by
bounce… bounce… swish!

Elise Wildman (3)

My grandpa was born, raised, and died as a farmer. He proudly owned Agnus cattle. He showed them for 4-H and let his four children show the cattle too. He worked hard everyday and never complained about how hard a farmer’s life can be. He put his faith in God to provide the rain when needed, and to have safe planting and harvesting season. He liked to have fun with his grandchildren, especially when it came to tricking them. He could grab a hot electric fence and not get shocked by it. He would play tricks on my older cousins saying that the fence was off, so they would grab it and get an unpleasant shock. He would just sit there and smile. He and I were shopping buddies and would go grocery shopping for my grandma. We would always get a pound of baby swiss cheese and munch on it the rest of the afternoon.

hard working farmer
enjoys swiss cheese
with his youngest grandchild

Elise Wildman (6)

Mrs. Adams, previously Ms. Collins, lived in the town equivalent of a shack with the rest of her family. When you entered, the paint smell poured in your nostrils. Their house was infested with every bug imaginable. It started to invent its own just to increase their numbers. We called them “monster bugs”— bodies about six inches long with legs on every side so you could flip them over and they’d continue on. They looked kind of like centipedes. But in this place, there was always escape into books. Mrs. Adams found her own way to thrive in this environment, devoting herself to little projects. The shed became her office. As yet uncompleted. She made a business of selling the walnuts that had fallen off the trees in their backyard. One customer. But in this way she made a happy living.

legs on all sides—
no matter which way she falls
she keeps going

Gordon Gilmore (2)

Recently, I’ve read a book entitled “Plato and a Platypus Walk Into a Bar”. This book taught me about the concept called philogagging, or otherwise known as joking around using philosophy. But I think this is the only way that we can maintain philosophy as a discipline of study and therefore is the only way that we should practice it. Why is this? Taking things seriously leads to a lack of progress in that area. If you take things seriously, you are unwilling to change them. Something taken seriously becomes law, and when you’re abiding by laws how are you to go about coming up with ways to work outside them? Given, you need to have an understanding of the original “laws” so that you may know what you’re working with. But then, if you no longer think of them as laws, you become more liberated to bend them and play around with them.

crossing the road
the chicken wonders
why

Walking down the streets of Luebeck, Germany, all I could think of was how gorgeous it was. The roads are decorated with aged red bricks. The buildings are old, showing the history of the town, but they are so well kept they look new. Along Town Square there are little shops in front of them. Fruit stands stand randomly on the streets where fresh strawberries and other fruits are being sold. The “Pizza King” sends aromas to me. Ice Cream restaurants stand on every corner. The town reflects my personality so well and makes me very comfortable

brick roads draw me in
old buildings remind me
of years past

Vina, originally born in the Phillipines, grew up in America. This, I am very grateful for because otherwise I would have never met such a wonderful person. In seventh grade she spoke to me, but I was working on my homework, so she thought I wasn’t very friendly. Then, in eighth grade, we became best friends. We have had so many memories together, but the best ones I have are just going over to her house and watching random movies. We would sit on the couch, drink hot chocolate, eat popcorn, or whatever she had lying around and watch a movie that often became our newest addiction.

I curl up covering my eyes
watching a horror movie
she takes a picture

Moth scented blankets fill the closet at my grandmother's. The scent crawls up my nose at night as a curl up in a ball on living room floor. The gonging of the clock interrupts my sleep. I tighten the blanket around me. My bunny starts to lose circulation. Smoke sneaks into the house into the house from the outdoor porch. A glass of orange juice and cigarettes greet my grandfather's hands in the morning. I tiptoe through the kitchen. Pancakes sizzle of the skillet. They are bunny shaped, spotted with chocolate chips. The aroma teases my tummy. My toes meet the edge of the porch, grandpa sees me and clears my place for landing. My arms around his neck, I snuggle into his cheap cologne. The heat of the summer morning is crawling under the doors, my back sweats against his warm beer belly. My toes press the wicker table.

haunting gong
my stuffed bunny
gasps for air

Kersten Haile (3)

Grammy is famous for her cat naps. As a child we would play Star Wars and build large pillow forts. Despite the woman’s age she always kept up with us. Cat nap time always come though. The game commences. Grammy moseys up the sorority stairs to her apartment. Nap Time. Her eyes twinkle. Youth runs through her veins. The lines on her face are unjust to the youth her heart holds. Smoking might have causes some of it. The lines turn upward. Years of laughter, even in the face of pain, greet you when you meet her. The oldest of four sisters she is the grounding source of many. Her worries don’t seep into those around her—they ruminate inside. A secret. She tells me of a new invention. BBC and the Discover channel have been good to her over the years. Her laughter is a cackle. Grammy play’s the witch on Halloween.

smoker's mouth
laughs…
lines everywhere

Banff is full of wonders. I remember walking through dense northern forests where the light only shined through at opportune places. Then, in complete spontaneity, open sky. The sunlight reflects off the waterfall. Now that the trees aren’t in the way, the waterfall fills my ears with sound. The continuing hike reveals more wonders. Forest creatures approach us and inquire about our food. After a long walk, nature rewards. There is a lake almost too blue for the eyes to handle. Behind it stand mountains that look more perfect than the postcard. The glacier between them stands strong and makes me want to stand there forever.

tired feet
mountains that
have been standing longer

Nicole Zabrinas (8)

There’s this girl I have known since I could crawl. When mom did my hair, we would make faces at each other. Before I left for school, she would always say goodbye, and we would wave at each other. If nobody was around, I would do a crazy dance and she would join me in perfect unison. She has watched me grow, and would look in my eyes everyday before leaving for school. Some days she would tell me I looked tired or beaten down. Other days she would tell me I was beautiful. She has watched tears fall down my face and she has watched me smile. We have taken pictures, but somehow the flash always gets in the way. Mirrors can break and shatter, but she will still be there when I grow old.

growing up
I watch my face
in the mirror

Nicole Zabrinas (8)

There is a place—a magical place—where my sisters and I would go whenever we were upset or when we needed answers to life’s most trying, difficult questions. “Will I get a pony for Christmas?” “Will Nicholas hold my hand on the bus tomorrow?” This serene, quiet place was underneath our neighbor’s willow tree, and the cascading branches provided a cool, shady respite from the glaring summer sun. We would ask the tree, which we had named “Rainbow Sunshine,” any question, and then we waited in anticipation for the wind to blow the branches to the left, which meant “yes,” or to the right, which meant “no.” Of course, if the branches didn’t go the way we wanted, it was clearly a mistake, so we waited until the wind would blow the opposite direction. Rainbow Sunshine may not have made all our wishes and dreams come true, but we still enjoy congregating underneath those branches that spoke to us long ago.

answers revealed
in the willow branches—
our own Magic 8 Ball

Her name is Emily, and she was my best friend. First day of kindergarten. New box of crayons. Mrs. Korkhouse announced that it was free time, and everyone rushed to the pretend kitchen in the back corner of the room as I sat there, taking it all in. The tears welled up in my eyes as I watched everyone pair up together, best buds after only a few hours together. Emily moseyed over to my table with a plastic plate and some plastic eggs. She set the food in front of me and said she thought I looked hungry. My eyes became faucets, and I wailed that I had no friends. She looked at me with absolutely no expression, and firmly stated “I’m your friend. Now stop crying and help me in the kitchen before the toast burns!” We were inseprable until we graduated from high school. Now we have gone our separate ways, and despite the fact that we are many miles apart, I wonder if she ever cooks eggs and toast and thinks of me.

plastic eggs—
our friendship will last
just as long

Alyssa Thompson (7)

The view of Florida while parasailing is one of the most majestic things to be seen. From the sky, the blue waves crashing on the shore reveal new patterns of sand as the water swirls it around on the beach. Tall palm trees scattered across the beach look like statues that can be touched by your dangling feet. Dolphins glide through the water in pairs or threes. From the sky, there is such a sense of calm while looking down at nature’s beauty.

overlooking the blue sea,
my feet graze palm trees…
sky bound serenity

My little sister if the ultimate social butterfly. Floating from activity to activity, her energy is limitless. Her loyalty as a friend at age 15 is something that most adults aspire to obtain. Her laughter is frequent and contagious. Her eyes are always sparkling, even during the most tedious of tasks or conversations. Without her, my life would not be quite as adventurous. She never fails to remind me to keep a sense of humor about all things in life.

fluttering by…
the young teenager
radiating with personality

The only stationary place that is really special to me is my grandmother's house. Its really tiny — only four rooms (one bath, kitchen, bedroom, and living room), a flooding basement, high steps into the basement that my uncle built, and so on. It is the only building that hasn't changed in my lifetime nor my mother's for that matter — my grandfather (my mom's dad) built the house when my mom was a toddler and another house down the street. The house has changed on the outside; my uncle is a carpenter and re-roofed the house, added siding, has recently added new drywall inside, and built a big front porch. My grandmother was my babysitter as a child and her house was like a second home, if not the first with how much time I spent there. And I love the iris she has in her front yard — she always makes sure there are plenty of lavender/pale yellow and deep purple ones.

whining earbuds
block out all
but Harry Potter

My boyfriend, Colin, can sometimes be a complete mystery, but I just accept most of those things. He's wacky, a goofball, and loves ginger ale. He has a really old sprint cell phone and he keeps trying to convince me to switch from AT&T so it wouldn't cost anything to talk on the phone and I'm kind of just listing stuff at the moment. He has a way to always make me smile, calm down, make me feel safe. He loves when I play with his hair or I rub his back and I'm rambling so...here's some haiku.

spring break
his phone
low on minutes

lazy circles
on his arm
late night movie

twin bed
his arm
the perfect pillow

There was a man named Jason who had lived his entire live in a small town with no excitement or adventure. One evening, Jason was asked to take a journey with his youth group. This was just the escape Jason needed for he went to the Rocky Mountains and entered a mystical world of white bewilderment and life void from his small town in Illinois. This is a place where he would wish to die; this place was serenity.

deer gaze—
the delicate snow
dances to the ground

Matthew was a man who always made jokes and took all comments and complaints about him in stride. When he was met with adversity, Matthew triumphed and learn from every move he made. Everyone around Matthew sees him as slightly irresponsible without time management skills but when it comes to crunch time, Matt gets his work done and excels in doing so. All this was made possible by learning from his brother, Jason.

dead day
studying begins
and is met with victory

If one were ever to ask another for a list of places that would make for a good vacation, Florida would no doubt be one of them. Some would complain that the hot and humid weather could make it bad, but the shops with shirts that have semi-vulgar pictures and phrases on them and the merchants at the boardwalk who will sell a person beautiful crafts, more than makes up for it. However, the most beautiful place isn’t made by humans, its where the ocean meets land; the beach. Many have tried to capture this mystical places beauty with camera or brush; but only when it is seen personally can its true beauty be appreciated.

setting sun
glistening off the water—
soft sand

Brett Coffman (5)

Zach, he hails from Mt. Zion. He goes to a community college school part of the year, and works for his father in the summer part. Whenever he comes over, hilarity ensues. If there is ever a sour moment, a quick pun or joke quickly turns the mood around. Work from school prevents us from meeting during the week; so our meetings always take place on the weekend. Then an adventure of sorts ensues, whether it involves getting groceries or fast-food, it is always kept exciting. His name is Zach, my cousin and best friend.

Taco Bell drive thru
the man with a gold chain
makes us laugh

My car is a very special place to me. Well, I should say my mom’s car because I don’t actually own it. It is still a very special place to me though, regardless of whether I own it or not. When I am in it I feel so save even though I have been in an accident in it. Having survived the accident and almost losing the car because it was “totaled” I feel a strong connection with it and riding in it now gives me such a great sense of confidence. It isn’t the fastest or newest or most expensive but it is still amazing to me how a 12 year old Chevy Berretta can be so cool, at least in my book. When I’m inside driving down the street and a song come on the radio that I like, love, or know I have no problem just belting it out at the top of my lungs something I wouldn’t do in the midst of anyone but my closest friends.

stop light—
drivers wince
as I sing

Jennifer Sue Wright is one of my best friends in the world. We have known each other since grade school but since she is a year younger than me we weren’t close friends until high school. She is a very shy person and it takes a while for her to open up to someone but once she does it’s hard to close her back up. She is a red head and in this instance the stereotype fits. She has a temper about her but it isn’t very powerful. Also she would avoid a confrontation with someone she considers a friend because she hates to have people mad at her especially a friend. She is a great person but her conscience makes her feel guilty for even her slightest mistakes. She believes herself to not be pretty even though no one feels the same way. Even with her quarks and flaws she’s my great friend and confidant.

the mirror
she doesn’t see
what the world sees