The Tenth Muse - Newark Public Schools

My Guardian Angelby Jonpierre CalvaTime and time again I have felt alone,Stuck in a dark cloud, trying to get free;Feeling so lost within this great unknown.All that I can ask myself is why me?Wishing that all these things would quickly change,My world gets darker and darker each day.My life, spun out of control, beyond range,Yet in this darkened world there is a light;It is you, showing me the way out.You keep saying that it will be alright;You allow one to trust you with no doubt.When things seem to get dark and get stranger,You’ll always be there, my guardian angel.15

Darken Pathsby Damarys SanchezAlways know that the past is in the past;We will all make our hopes and dreams come true.All those things that made you sad will not last,So pick your head up, no need to feel blue.The stars forever shine bright just for you;They light the path for you if you let them.Be careful for they may see us as a fool,With no faith all of these things will be dead.Always remember that these stars can curse;Remember you may think that life is bad;Nothing you did back then will make you worse,Look for all the things that will make you glad.One day we will be happy to all seeThat all things lead us to smile with glee.16

Brokenby Chidimma EnekebeWhen I did need you, you were there for me,You are what keeps me grounded when I am down,Your love does keep me warm like Lipton tea,Each smile you gave to me does make me drown.Your presence brought along love, peace and bliss,As you whispered those charming sweet nothings,I was filled with passion with every kiss,All those moments we had became things.Things, the past, are in my heart does make riversOf pain, grief, anguish now that we’re apart.I am just left with the lonely cold shivers,Since you have been gone you’ve taken my heart.My heart is broken now that you are gone,The long lonesome days of despair just drag on.17

Loving Hateby Brianna MartinsLike rollercoasters and their wild turns,My heart beats faster with a single touch.Each time you are away my heart does yearn,Like an addiction I don’t get enough.As moon and sun you light up my dark world,With you time flies by like a subway train,With every glance my heart does flips and twirls,A love so strong that no one can contain.With you gone my perception has been cleared,All we once had was simply just an act;I now know why love always has been feared,You never meant to keep my heart intact.After pain and suffering I went through,I love hate more than I ever loved you.18

Divinityby Rocio SolórzanoI never could imagine such great splendor,Your love and grace remain second to none,But all my life I've struggled to surrenderAnd realize the battle has been won.The waters come and flood my heart in full,They wash my insecurities away,And when this world has my mind feeling null,Your sovereignty is here to light my way.As I grew older, obstacles grew near,And people tried to steer me from your love,But even when the world, I was to fear,The troubles of the rest I was free of.As great as this bond is that I possess,I'd wear it thin if someone else I’ll bless.19

Inept Yet Capableby Jonathan VelascoThis world is such a precious place to live;We, as a group, are always adapting;We push limits and continue to strive;Study what we see in hopes of learning.We look at the world with our eyes open;We gaze at the stars, the moon and the sun;We hope that our dreams will not be broken;These dreams that ensure we won't be outdone.We look at the stars, feel we can reach them;Look at the moon and think, can we walk there?We don't fear the unknown, for it's a gem;We only spend time on that which is rare.This world can make us feel small and inept.Despite these dreams, they will always be kept.20

Valuation Evaluationby Americo RodriguesSome say it falls from the branches of trees;Can it simply be picked at such great ease?Some must beg and plead for it on their knees.Is life to crash? Why is this such a tease?True greed is in the heart and in the mind.To those of you who are not of such luck,The thought of you can be too hard to find,Your voice has no true force, just like a duck!People look for you every single day;Your beauty is like that of a flower.Blood and sweat is sacrificed night and dayTo earn dollars, to achieve more power!Money seems to be one of your main peers,It is the main reason for the world’s tears!21

Disaster’s Realityby Claudine NwadiozorThe pen on paper is so swift and steady,Thoughts are recorded, memories recalled;He left so fast although he was not ready,Upwards ascended to him who was called.Seconds become longer, they feel like years,The world near its end, chaotic debauched.Inculcated pain visible through tears,This sorrow and all laughter and joy mocked.While in the midst of turmoil and the terror,An image of your face happily smilingAppears in my mind, and I remember,Your tender words are inspiring and heartening.Though you are gone, you still remain with me,Thoughts of you bring strength and hope, they’re the key.22

Wicked Natureby Gustavo CardosoRebirth is given to me when I breathe,To stretch my roots and be completely free,To disguise the evil within a wreathe,An exhibit for everyone to see.Not having dignity just for yourself,Hide me please to be kept safe and concealed.The birds sing songs that help me find myself.Wounds that time conceal, yet the bark reveals.They leave a mark and are not skin deep.All these things have been foresaw visions,As they take what I have and what I need.I am alone thinking of my demons.And all the great things that you do desire,I am left to be consumed by the fire.23

Hated Loveby Karina SalasOur bond was powerful, it was so great,The reason I got through the pains in life,But one day all that love turned into hateAnd all we had between us was our strife.As days went by, we grew farther apart.Our paths split up, we never spoke a word.Inside it hurt, I never meant to part,I never thought this would ever occur.These days we have a problem we should solve,I don't know if it’s better to forget.One thing I do know is it should dissolve,Our fallout is something that I regret.No matter what I do, I can't go back,Because my presence you don't seem to lack.24

Dexterby Odalys QuitoIn this cosmo, you need to be replaced,A wonderful sight, I pray for your life;On planet earth, you are a human waste,A swift strike, your life will end with my knife.At age of three, my mother was killed, leaving meBy your hands, I say ‘Tonight is the night,”I say good night, for death is a deep sleep;Sweet dreams, may you wake up with a bug bite.Although I can’t become someone undone,For I am born in blood and live for it,I wish to be the human on a midnight’s sun,Or do I blood is a crime I commit.I am the metaphor for humanity,For this world has been plagued with vanity.25

Life Goes Onby Sasha OkonWhen you first open eyes you then see light,Then you see those that look at you with love,And never stop this feeling that is right,You are a child, was brought from that above.You are a bird, which is young and waits to flyThat waits for mother’s word to leave its nest;She says that you are to be named her shyOwn child, who’s ready now to take her test.The thing that once happened before was just,A memory that is now stuck in mind;Time passed and now you do what you have mustTo your own bird that waits to be refined.Then you are left alone in your sweet home,And wait for your own life to stop its roam.26

The Eventby Taylor LeakeAlthough you’ve warned me time and time again,My pulse will often wing with butterflies.I must cross the line, you give no choice whenThe starting sound is where my success lies.I loathe all the days before I see you,But once we’re together I do forget why.My knees are weak and I’m numb in my shoe,Saying I hate you is the biggest lie.With elbows thrashing and rhythm steady,I find the strength when my arms are tired;Heal to toe I pass another easy,I can feel my lungs erupt in fire.The bell has rung approaching the final lap,We’re done for now as my team gives a clap.27

Aimlessby Rayner AbreuSometimes I feel as though I have no aim,Living life without a goal or resolve;I can’t say I have anyone to blame;They say it’s not an issue I can’t solve.Nothing really interests me as thought;Doctors study for more than I can bear;Chefs deal with too much stress, the kitchen’s hot;I’m afraid of heights, so I would not dare.But people can’t be forced to make a choice,The sky is endless and life is funny;I thought myself mute when I found my voice;Success isn’t hard, it’s not just money.Do not worry if you’re like me aimless;You’ll find your way, live your ripe life shameless.28

About a Sonnetby Ashley CaetanoThis sonnet is dreary and hard to write;I want to rip my hair and scream it out;I need to bite my nails all off tonightBecause I don’t know what to write about.But as I started to think hard enough,I came up with talking about sonnets,Yet writing this became so hard and tough.I just felt like giving up being honest.But maybe I will write about my lifeBecause now that is all my mind is on,And all I want to do is grab a knife,And grab onto my life and be long gone.A sonnet is rigid but can be done,But all you got to have is a good pun.29

Worth It Allby Corrina HunterThe future waits for you and oh the stress!The deadlines, writing tasks, the lack of sleep,Asks who are you but how do you expressYourself in such a way that moves them deep?They do not want a sob story, however,They do not want your life to be so grounded.They want nice straight A’s, someone who is clever,But like a perfect circle, thus well rounded.There will always be someone who is better;Someone whose skills surpassed you and got through;They receive that congratulations letterAnd you a “we regret to inform you.”You stress, and tear, because you’re not good enough;You fear the future because life is rough.30

Turn of the Tidesby Jorge EspinozaOn this fine morning, all my crew departsIn great shape awaiting what is to come.Although they leave their wives with heavy hearts,Stay with no reason and you’ll be a bum.After another round to check the sails,They'd be off to search for riches galore,And after that day we would have great tales,That would be passed down and cause an uproar.Once on the high seas things would take a turn,Despite our departure onto calm seas,Soon after great Poseidon did emergeThough we had no chance we fought on against the breeze.And after all efforts were exhausted,It only made him more aggravated.31

A Bittersweet Farewellby Brandon PollardSix years of fighting to remain so vital,Six years of hard work to obtain my dreams,Six years of humor to claim the main title,Six years of trying to conceal my screams,At last, this is all coming to an end,The gates of freedom will soon be open.The shackles that once restrained me now do bend,I shall soon spread my wings from this cocoon.Soon a new chapter in my life will start,As time goes by and I pass all the stages,Maturity by doing just my partBy continuing to turn all the pages.Sadly it will be hard to say good bye,Moving on from my old life that was mine.32

Corrupted Goodby Louis YepezThe life we live dawns sweet so honestyUntil the dark and tempting desiresOf riches form into dishonestyAnd throw the innocent in red fires.Were those who swear the truth for only you?Lie and cheat for gains on their own power,Or build walls that pierce the sky’s navy blueTo deny the chance of besting towers.When the hardest working men and womenMust bear a grief through their harsh and cold lives,While great luck comes to those not bitten,We must fight and claw upwards to survive.But through the pain and deep despair of life,Does love shine bright amidst life’s bonding strife?33

Moral Harmonyby Janay McDougaldThe beautiful liquid so light and swift,The heartless mass, a kingdom sits so still,And bright sun’s rays, like a bow on a giftWhere life sits waiting for a new-found thrill.The dark, vast, boundless space above us all,The mass empty and full with people scaredAs all the wicked life invade fair walls,The moon sits back to watch the show it aired.Yellow maybe the color of cowards,But life can thrive only with its presence,For contrary can leave life devoured,And hinder one from learning life's lessons.A life without chaos isn't valid,The good and bad can make a great ballad.34

Oathby Amber FloydDescribe what a true best friend means to you;Is it someone you share all your secrets with?Or someone that you are always close to?Are they your twin, or is that a myth?Best friends relate to you like no other.They’re the ones that I can reveal my soul to.Best friends are there to help one another,No matter what thick and thin they’re always there for you.A best friend is like a precious flowerOr guardian angel who lifts us to our feet,A bond that continuously grows every hour,A friendship that never ends bittersweet.To me, true best friends are never apart.Maybe in distance, but never at heart.35

Nonexistent Loveby Kayla CastanheiraI wander in this love that can't exist,Embracing moments that were all too short:My foolish tortured heart cannot resist,For I did nothing wrong but give my heart.My truth, desire, all of my lifelong trialsAre hidden, falling, taking me away;The love that I discovered is only vile,The time we wasted we have to now pay.These haunted feelings linger in my thoughts,Those things I yearned for, I no longer want.Even in this small quiet room I am lost,Suffering in such pain, I am not wrong.Our human frailties blind us every way;And forever is never what they say.36

Deceived By Thoseby Indira SawhDeception from the relatively close,Trust and protection deeply being stole,Infected severe in a lethal dose,It sinks into the soul and makes a hole.Virtue the mistake of such a deception,Resentment then perceived from sympathy,Concealed among lingers a misconception,False illusion is a cause not worthy.Happiness erased by a single lie;Broken is reason of a joyous life.Powerful to strive or fragile to die,Happiness achieved through struggle and strife.Perceived from the mind the eyes are deceived,Never again shall the trust be received.37

Volleyballby Kathryn JonesAs I put the team jersey on today,A rush of excitement comes over me;Walk out of the locker room, it’ll go our way,This game has got to end in victory.When the first ball is hit we start to move,It is our point and we don’t look so bad;We progress and from here we’ll just improve,Mistake is made, here comes facades of glad.The fingers are now being pointed, yes,Again the blame is tossed from girl to girl;We fall apart and start to look a mess,The ball which every player wants to hurl.Even though we, on court, we have to work,We carry on in lies and give fake smirks.38

A Summer Blueby Mary ConzaAs I look up dark clouds fill up my sky,The rain touches the earth with its cold pain.As I look up the summer birds south fly,The once bright green leaves a brown color gain.The sun awakens with a morning blue,The once chirping birds, hooting owls turn,The moon comes up with a pale yellow flu.Once more the cold whispering winds return.As I wish to stay in the summer days,Watching the ocean blue meet the hot sand,Watching you look past with your green eyed gaze,All in a picture perfect blissful land.Even in the coldest winter snow storm,A summer memory will keep me warm.39

Human Natureby Samaiyah QuddusMy endless crying echoes in dark skiesAs freedom comes with far away visions,Knowing whispers of hope are all but lies;My dreams are but a constant scream to listen.It is my nature that holds me to you,The feeling dragging me through lonely dark;The puppet, captured by the deep blue sea,The strings that tether me down to the ark.Restraining me as the wind whips my face,In life we are so troubled with the truth;Consuming passion change upon my brace,Detaches all else leaving me to choose.This foreign feeling holding back my mindLeft so alone to wallow in decline.40

Changing Facesby Tiara WilsonIf all that changed was good, content I’d be,Just as a butterfly once lived and crawledAs a caterpillar on that grand tree,Then changes could never leave me appalled.From a blank canvas to an abstract painting,As a dull seed to a big blooming flower,Maybe an ill-behaved puppy in training,No shift or switch would have the given power.But you my dearest friend change like no other,Like seasons of the year repeatedly,As a young child’s relation with his brother,Like the stock market in consistently.For this your presence leaves me in dismay,Yet this distaste cannot seem to display.41

Identical Flowersby Zarina EtheridgeDevoid of color, empty I become.Into the mundane, my soul disappears.A corpse appears, my heart remains so numb;My funeral, dry eyes will shed no tears.The vivid flowers placed straight on my grave.They shrivel up and die; was all in vain?Hues fade away, nothing of me to save.I felt a funeral, stuck in my brain.If the world destroys it, will I be gone?Resides within us all, but it will bePut six feet under and will not go on,In hiding, buried away, never free.Against the tides of time, souls die awayLike hues of a flower dull, we become grey.42

Endless Cycleby Denyson DukieviczThe year is almost up and just begun.Chilly fingers, dry lips, and raspy throat,Returning to the way the rhythm’s run,Donning a pair of pants and toasty coat.Orange begins to fall from limbs of trees,Like gliders, make their short and gentle flights.The ponds and lakes are cold, about to freeze,Less sunlight, shorter days, and longer nights.Exhausted eyes awake in morning haze,Walk to the sink for a splash of water,Counting the days until the summer rainComes back and makes the chilly wind hotter.The harsh winter will be here very soon,But as it comes, it gets closer to June.43

Unlucky Realityby Lisa OkonThe alarm rings, another day begins,She does not want to rise she has good dreams.With cranky face, she eats her sweet wheat thins,She got her coffee, just with those two creams.The days should be a kind of joyful bliss,A smile she thought was but a little tease,Like just a couple having their sweet kiss,She asks herself, “What is wrong with my

The Tenth Muse “So long as men can breathe or eyes can see, So long lives this, and this gives life to thee.” ---Shakespeare . Advisor. Mr. Townsend . Student Editors . Sofia Amorim, Romina Generali, and Giuseppe Ceballos . The Tenth Muse. is dedicated to . Romina Generali, Sofia A