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1/29/2016

'In My Head'

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by PAJAH WILLIAMS
Staff writer
Weight shifts from one foot to the other
Palms moisten
Invisible beads of sweat seem to drench your entire t-shirt.
Knees shivering with weakness
Wandering eyes because you don’t know where to direct your gaze
Stuttering speech
You’ve been caught off guard with spontaneous human interaction.
Body tense, a natural response to the persistent fear of being scrutinized
Mind never ceases to assume the worst
 Humiliation, shame, guilt, embarrassment
You’re such an embarrassment. You embarrass yourself more and more each day.
Every step you take. Every moment of eye contact. Everything you do.
It is irrefutable truth that you are physically and socially awkward.
Don’t say that. Don’t speak. Don’t think that. Don’t forget to breath.
Ah, inhale. Exhale – wait what was the question?
“Your name, sir?”
Alas, your mind morphs into a vague tunnel of blackness.
Silence. 
-
-
-
“It’s-I-hi.”
Palm to face

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1/19/2016

"Today I Walked (Pray for the World)"

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by JESSICA HOLLAN
Staff writer

​I took the long way to my building today
It was cold outside
I had no jacket with me
And by the time I reached my room my fingers were numb
But today I walked
I walked for all those who will never walk again
I walked for those who are too afraid to walk their streets
I walked because I am safe
And I am blessed
And I need not fear terror in my small town
So today I walked
I walked for Paris
For Japan
For Korea
For Mexico
For Lebanon
For everyone who fears their streets
Today I walked
It was quiet on my walk
It was peaceful on my walk
It was safe on my walk
On my walk I knew that I will never experience the pain those who are terrorized will feel
So today I walked slower
Because I am lucky
Because I am safe
Because I take my walk for granted
Over 1000 people died yesterday
Over 1000 people who will never walk
Today I did not walk for me
Today I walked for them

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1/19/2016

"The Fall of Leaves"

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by NICOLE BEARD
​Staff writer

You and I spiral
Gliding and sailing
Dancing descend
On a gust
A ripple
A whim
Brushing and creating friction
You and I falling
Shoving me away with a will unnatural and callous 
Holes have been chewed into the face of me
And devouring what you want
Unpunished
Fresh and supple when we started
My warty underside becomes food, but never satisfies thy hunger
Now you are ravenous, are you not
More and more you take, less and less I give
Crushed and disregarded
I'm lost among the faceless

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1/19/2016

"A bird caged"

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by NICOLE BEARD
​Staff writer
​
A bird caged
Is a flight unflown
Icarus doth fly too close
But what of those that fly not at all
Paralyzed by sharp tongues and iron-bent hands
They sit 
Though unrestricted 
Nothing stands in their way
Yet they remain dormant
Dashed of fear and freedom
Still they drown in their stagnation

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1/19/2016

"Silent Pictures" - Poem in Arabic, translated to English

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by RAKAN ALZEER
​translated by NICOLE BEARD
​خاطَبْت الصور ..كلمتهآ
حادَثتهآ عن وحدتي
و عن اشتياقي و رحلتي
و كيف في بلده غريبه لهفتي
و وين أقضي في فرآغي لحظتي
و متى أحزن و أفرح و أشتكي
و بـأي طريقة الهَمّ فيني يختلي
أو يداهم بالخبآ و يعَكّر صفوتي

خاطَبتها بنبرَة ألَم
و الدمع في عيوني ممتلي
"زحمة حَكَي"
هي الدموع زحمة حكي
يا رموشي عن دموعي كفكفي
و كفّني شوفي عن صورهم و امنعي
و عن جمالهم اصبري و تحمّلي
و عن اشتياقك ,,و الحنين اللي جالك
أرجوك ان تتجاهلي

خاطَبت الصور ،،و الرد منها مُنيَتي
صمتهآ يذبح و يقهر صرختي
أسأل..
أنادي..
أصوّت..
أجاوب..
أبيها عن عذآبي تكتفي
أو عالأقل تغيب
أو تحاول عن حياتي تنجلي

خاطَبتهآ..
و في المرّه الأخيره
و قبل ما أعلنهآ هجرتي
رَدَّتْ بهَمْس أرهَق مسمعي
أعيَتني أفهم قصدها !
أو حتى أكوّن فكرتي
حاولتها تعيد بالصوت العَلي
لكنّها بالجواب المُبهَم قالت أكتفي

أكتَفَت.. !!
و عن حواري أقلَعَت.. !!
لكن أنا.. !
خاطَبتها
و رجعت أكلمها و إصراري يعتلي
و الكرامه شيءً فـ شيءً تختفي

خاطَبت الصور ..كلمتها
و أبي هالعاده تنتهي
و الظاهر ان نهايتها ،،نهايه لدنيتي


   ..راكان الزير
I talked to the picture
About my loneliness
My homesickness
Where I can spend my free time when I was sad
How I complained to the people
How the sorrows attack my calm waters and made me sad

I talked to her with anguish in my breath
My tears were packed in my eyes
Tears were the traffic of conversation
I spoke to my eyelashes
Please, eyelashes, wipe my eye to get rid of my tears
And shroud my sight from seeing her
If all you want me to see is her gorgeousness, you should wait 
And if you are being missed or becoming nostalgic, you should ignore her

I talked to the picture 
And her answer was my wish
Her silence slaughtered my invisible screams
I asked
I called
I answered
I wanted her to stop punishing me
Or I will have to dismiss her from my life

I spoke with the picture
In the last time round, before I announced my leaving
She whispered to me and I painfully tried to listen
This whisper exhausted my hearing
It was hard to understand her intent
Or even build my thoughts about what she said
I could not recognize it
I tried to get her to reiterate by yelling
But with her silence she answered, 'No.'
She stopped talking 
Leaving my soul behind 
But I still attempted to talk to her
My strong instance did not bring her back

I continued to speak to the picture
I want this habit to end
But I think I will end before this habits ends

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