“What Reasons Do We Have?”
by Madison Luján from Southern High School
Peace stood during the creation of Earth
Peace stood during the unity of civilization
She nurtures friendships
She gives happiness
She defends from harm
She allows connection
Why isn’t she standing?
Is she like Motanui?
Did we steal her heart?
Did we resist her love?
Was this fist
Responsible for her death?
Was this fist?
Or yours
Should she be suffering?
My fist
Your fist
For It was open
Now clenched
It was free
Now cuffed
Could we not forgive?
Could we not “walk away?”
Soon we’ll ask,
What reasons did we have?
We fought her
His lousy girl
Who’s going be with someone else tomorrow
Disagreeing
Which will soon change tomorrow
And pride
A lousy ballon that will only inflate and deflate for 5 minutes
I hope I POP that balloon with my piercing words
For blood
A punch
And arrest
We are Chamorros of bonitan Guahan
We are not violent
What reasons do we have?
We are one
Fighting against our own blood
But still
What reasons do we have?
Apparently nothing
What reasons DON’T we have?
Stick together,
Eat, live, and swim
As Chamorros,
We walk on the peace of land
We’ve voyaged the seas
With our God,
With our pari,
With our mali,
We don’t balutan,
Until we share the food,
We share responsibilities
At least at my school,
There are school fights
When those fights occur,
The same things happen…
Over and over and over again
People don’t seem to learn
To care
But one thing
One thing I can never understand
Why does the crowd gather so fast?
So quick!
Where is the excitement?
Why are you amused?
Did you forget?
That is someone’s daughter
Someone’s niece
Someone’s older sister
Your OWN sister!
To see you smirks wither when you watch her baby sister watch that video
Would you like to be humiliated
Why are you laughing?
What would he think looking down on us?
Are you even listening?
You’re not!
I watch my words go through your left and right ear!
Just to look cool
Just peer pressure
Who are you?
Where did you come from?
Or more importantly, where else do you want to be from?
What else do YOU want to be then peaceful?
“The Story of a Grandmother”
by Ryan Grey Santos from Okkodo High School
Thunderous crashes in the distance
getting closer and closer to the town
bombs crashing into the mountains and trees
the chaos of children running from the school
as the sky darkened with dusts
screams of terror echoed through the province
run with me
older sister says
her warm, trembling hand
to guide her into the jungle
a dim candle in the darkest of hours
her silent voice
that whispers soft sorrows and bleak wishes
as the rush of muddy boots rage through the jungle
soldiers in search of a massacre
like ants the sisters
trembled at the feet of giants
duck and cover
older sister says
hide behind the leaves of the bushes
kneel to mother earth
and pray that you might fight to see another day
we eat what we can catch
drink what we can find
and look to the sky for bombs
look beyond the trees for someone we know
look for some kind of semblance
of life before war
bow to them
as the soldiers peer into the soul of every girl on the street
lined up like cattle for the picking
put on a strong face she says
mask yourself in dirt
dont let them think they can take you away from me
the sun bled into red stripes that day
the soldiers stripped them of their dignity
peeled away their tongues
rid them of the voices that made them who they are
war became a distant memory
when the occupation ended
but the bellows of bombs
the cries of children will always linger
peace was not the day the streets once
filled with blood and bodies and red suns
became a place of festivals and joyous laughters again
peace was not the day the town was rebuilt
and all its structures refurbished and cleansed
like it was once before
for nothing would ever be the same
when a young girl became a woman
at the end of a gun
peace was becoming a teacher at the local school
and installing the values of a younger generation
who would never know the pains of the past
peace was grandmother falling in love
with my grandfather at a town disco
and realizing life had so much love left to give
peace was building a family from swollen hearts and palms
a house from the shambles of bombs and blood
peace was the moment she looked into her childrens eyes
and realized what true peace was
that children would no longer look to the sky
for planes and bombs
but for butterflies and the swift breeze of life
for life has so much to love left to give
“Writing Like a Lover”
by Nikolette Salas from Tiyan High School
Tick Tick Tack
Slam my keys, retreat back
Back home after school,
Another day, riots resume
Pick them off like petals,
May the words I have be stronger than metals.
I am no fighter, I love like a writer.
Let me build you a staircase to heaven.
Here is a bouquet of hope
Every shot that was fired was a loss
For a goal.
For every swing, you right hooked
Your future to the floor.
Your selfish satisfaction just might
Ruin it for us all
I can’t fight for my life, all I can do is
write up these walls.
Write peace for tomorrow?
Can these words of mine attack like canons with no bloodshed?
Should I cry so you pity my poor head?
How much more do I have to do
For you to not actually give in to your temptation-
Here’s the truth.
Peace, you cannot buy,
But salvation isn’t always true.
Just because you can’t fight demons,
Doesn’t mean I should fight them all for you.
I am not a piece you can play,
I have a life to brawl for,
I will write like a lover,
So no more have lose
A love they fight for.
“I’ve Finally Found Peace”
by Junior Brub from George Washington High School
I used to think wealth and power was so scarce
i used to look up to my idols, and those millionaires
I thought they had it all… and my morals were theirs
But as i grew older i’ve come to realize..
Peace is what i have in mind. i do not care ….
vengeful hate, and angered debates
society is blinded, reincarnate
war and conflict, sides create
so please, let’s not discriminate
as thousands and thousands of people perish
innocence and loved ones we must cherish
warmth, comfort, and secure
children around the world, they’re all so pure
But with this society, they’re bound to fall
because of most people that have it all
and that is why i subside to a world where we will confide
love and life with joy it’ll increase
we are all dumbfounded because I want peace.
Agitation and distress, reputation to impress
i just can’t seem to rest with all the conflict
a-mess diversity empowers and greedy devours
but what’s left?
I want peace.
A piece of mind where one day i wake up
not afraid of what the future lies ahead.
when i wont be afraid to get out of bed.
because all around is just negative and red
when evil and anger is in one’s head.
i’m trying to find peace.
In war there is no winner
People are starving as their stomach gets thinner
famine increases and everyone’s a sinner
But most people’s concerns are “who is the winner?”
This is not funny, how would you like it if your child was hungry?
some people are just so hateful and blind,
they choose to step over the line,
but all it takes to prevent a war,
is a peaceful mind.
in harmony and sympathy
thoughtfulness and epiphany.
please?, it isn’t just for me,
we all want peace.
Peace isn’t just world wide,
it’s also who you invite
into your home and without spite
because i learned it’s sometimes just better
to cut someone out of your life
for our inner peace, then only then can we reunite.
But what can i do? I’m like a helpless bird in the vast earth…
just trying to find peace.
oh to be able to dine with my friends and
have long talks or be able to enjoy some of our late night walks
without the thought of worry and the negativity of a strangers dialogue
i’m trying to find peace
no more stress is on my mind
although problems will come in due time
but until then i’ll try to shine
because peace… is what i have in my mind.
at least now i can say…
I’ve finally found peace, and it’s here to stay