In tenth grade myself and nine other students were sent to the principals office to be dealt with due to too many tardies.

As I waited for it to be my turn to give my excuse, I listened to the other excuses so as to make certain I didn't use the same one someone else used. The excuses were many
and lame.

Finally, I was next in line and the principal
Said in frustration, "No excuses are going to be sufficient unless it has to do with the torrential rains we've been having lately.

I had my excuse! I told him, well I had every intention to get to school early this morning. I woke up early and everything
was going according to plan without a hitch. Then, as Fate would have it, I turned the key in the ignition and the car wouldn't start. And it was due these torrential rains lately.

He asked, "What does your car not starting have to do with the rain?"

I said, "The **** thing must have been flooded!"

He laughed and excused me.

By Arcassin Burnham

I don't really count my blessings
If I did,
I'd keep a notepad,
I haven't really learned my lessons
If I did
I'd be on the right path,
Or a bunch of outskirts pushing and landing
In my way and putting voices in my head to
Help me take away the pain of feeling the
Pressure to move forward in my life and
Better myself in this cruel and sick twisted
Planet where there are all false teaches,
No more fake speeches,
No more stars in the sky for people's reaches,
No more fun or sunshine
For the people that get stepped on and
Ridiculed,
No more keeping folks in line for all these
Stupid rules,
Things have been getting real vacant
leaving my life to struggle,
I will not die a coward.

/

I've been on my own since the day
has gone
all my friends are gone
I'm just still at home
of course I'm all alone
I'm just waiting on......
the right day
I've been on my own since the day has gone
the skies are red
I'm feeling dead,
but I wanna die the right way
with something lodged in my head
I've been on my own.

I forgot my jacket upstairs in the law office that bears my last name on the wall
It's a fancy building, so I need the elevator operator to take me up
'Are you Mr. Maladi's daughter?' he asks
No, actually. I'm Mr. Bradley's daughter
It takes a second before the pieces connect
'I'm so sorry'
He hugs me, teary-eyes
'I loved the man, he was such a good guy,' he nods

It's been over four years

My dad always said to make friends with the people who support a building
He said you never know where they've been
And that too often they're taken for granted, when they're always there when you need them

And today I saw the effects of this
My dad living the way he taught me

I have never been prouder to be his daughter

Scribble your memories on the back of my hand
So they're always there when I need them
When the road's unclear and the coast is flooded
And I'm not sure which way leads to trouble
Because I know you've been here before
and you managed to get back to the shore

I want to walk in the path you cleared
and I wish you were here to show me
Because I'm alone and blinded by fear
Fear of the monsters that scarred your beautiful skin

and I wonder how you did it without being afraid.
Or how you even managed to get over it all
How did you muster up the courage to fight
when the competition was clearly unfair?
How were you so sure you would avoid the rocks this time?
when you had hit them a million times before
Where did you get the strength to stand
After life had just knocked the wind out of you?

But I'm grateful all the same
Because for all the quests I'm yet to go on
and all the dragons I'm yet to slay
I owe it to the path you cleared with your sword

And I wish I could say I won't fail
But I know that you know me too well
and I can only promise to try again each time.
So scribble your memories on the back of my hand, ma
and I'll use them as a map, instead of the silly stars
And unlike them I know you won't lose me
Because the fight you fought was all for me
So that I can earn my victory like a true Queen.