Large and wide
Deep and Cool
Filled with the purest water inside
It was our village's hallmark pool..

Stone lined walls on all sides
WIth steps going down to the water
And stones for washing clothes
Which also doubled for scrubbing our feet..


Live with fish and water snakes
Who were friends with us kids,
Frogs who would sing chorus during the rains
and ferns green and bright on the walls.

With overhanging trees on the banks
We came running and dived into the water
somersaulted and torpedoed
and swam in all fashions and styles...


Swimming and diving from the banks
We played "catch me if you can"
from the time we are back from schools
Till it is dark and when calls come from our homes.

With swollen finger tips
and red eyes, but
After the long swim and bath
Having dinner right away and
slipping into a good night's sleep...

Days where there were no TVs to watch
Days where there no homeworks to be done
Days where what mattered most were friends
Days which take us to the sweet childhood..

Gone is the pride of our village
there are no kids who play in the water
For there is no water in the pond
except for a few months during the rains

Kids are no longer kids
They have TV to watch
Phone and computers to play
Virtual friends to play with

Lucky we were
to have such beautiful childhoods
Such memorable friendships
Such adventurous rainy seasons
....

By Elena Ramos©
1
Todays my last day of School before I graduate, go to the University and the most important thing summer vacations, I just hope to be accepted in a good University, and I am talking seriously. All my entire friends are going to travel or do something incredible as always before they start the University, but I cant. My vacations are boring, watch movies at home,I just visit  my grandparents house, or watch tennis games with my dad and brothers. I am the second son of four kids, Julian is the older, I am next, Ryan the third and Georgina the small one. My mother name is Lauren Parker but she was diagnosed with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS) which is basically a sickness that do not **** you but makes your life harder, not only physically but mentally also. Mom started to feel fatigued, loss her concentration constantly and memory, extremely pain in her muscles, and a inexplicable headache. It is a little bit hard for all of us because even if mom is alive she cant do anything for us, she started feeling this way after Gerogina was born, that was sixteen years ago. My dad Julian is the one who suffers the most, they cant do any activity toguether, even watching Tennis Chanel is hard for her, she is more time sleeping than what she spend awake. Georginas sweet sixteen just passed and sadly mom couldn’t  help her to plan the party. All the boys of the house, we help her to plan it, but our ideas **** up that much that she almost cancel the party. Even so, she did it, and she had a good time, all her friends came and dance a lot, my brother Julian buy her some alcohol because he is more than twenty one, and brought some friends with him supposedly to supervise everything and have things calm. Dad was not in the party because  he trusted Julian that everything was going to be fine. All Julian friends were wasted but for my sisters friends they were cool, so at the end we all have fun. Right now is almost Lunch, that means school will end soon. Arnold my best friend of all my life, is sitting next to me making some jokes about Mrs. Frances horrible make up, like if she did it in the dark. I cant believe that during my entire life I did not talk to Mary the hottest girl in the entire school. Her hair so light brown, her beautiful smile, her blue eyes, and her incredible capacity of being the best student of Seattle’s High School make me fall in love of her, sadly I was never able to speak to her, not even a hello in the cafeteria line. Girls like her make boys feel stupid for even believe we have a chance with them. Even Arnold feel the same way with her, just that he is not able to admit it, because he thinks we can fight for her and end our friendship. Lunch is here, we are meeting Sarah a friend of us, but she is a junior, sadly we wont graduate with her. We had this little pact that the three us were going to the same University together and that Sarah was going to meet us the next year too. Seattle pacific University is our best option for now. They offer Arnold a half scholarship, something awesome that I wish could happen to me, thanks god my parents save money for school during their entire life. I live in Seattle the largest city of Washington, Sara mom reserve a table tonight for the three of us to celebrate were out of school in the space needle. Later we can got to a party or something alike, definitely tonight were having some fun. We just meet Sara in the hallway.
-Hey donkies!-said Sarah-
-Hello Sarah-I said in a sarcastic mood. She is an incredible person, probably with the only girl I being so close to. We have even sleep together, I mean the three of us, sometimes when its get to  late and we have a lot to study.
-Nerd, how you doing?-ask Arnold to Sarah.
-Great airhead, cool that your almost graduated!-.reply Sarah.
-Yeah, is pretty awesome that we make it until here, I am ready for the University, imagine how many pretty girls would be there waiting for a nerd to do their homeworks or a shoulder to cry after a break with her boyfriend-Arnold laugh.
-Yes, your still an ******* inmature, I cant believe you have a half scholarship-Sarah said.
-Its fine the two of you, let quick so we can make it to the cafeteria line, before all those ******* of the football team-I said.
The cafeteria was still empty, we made it before the athletes. I even said goodbye to the lady who served the food. She was nice to me, she serve me more green grapes or more French fries every Tuesday. This is one of the things I will miss the most from the school, too many memories, things that with the time I will forget, i wish to have more time here, I guess I love my school, or I am scared of growing up, and becoming an adult. We sat in the last table of the cafeteria, I wanted to observe all the room for the last time, full of people I used to know. It is funny how ironic the day gets, you desire this last day of school all your life, but when it comes, you want to fall back again to the first day of school where you start everything, where you meet your best friend of all your life, Arnold and Sarah in this case, your first breakup or your first party, or the day you kiss a girl for the first time, something it has not happened to me yet. I want it to be real and true, I know it sounds funny, but I am still a old school boy, when its related to how treats ladies. Even if I had the chance to be with one I will never do something, first of all because I respect them a lot, I always think of Georgina, I will treat girls the way I wish my sister be treated someday by a dude.
-In what your thinking Alex?-ask Sarah eating in a silly way her sandwich.
I reply-Well, to be honest I am sad-
Arnold laugh instantly after my answer-how you dare to say your sad, if you were always saying you wanted to graduated and getting the hell out of here-.
-I know I said it, but think in this, what will happen after we graduate, we wont see you often Sarah, you will have new friends, Arnold you will be busy meeting new girls and being a Casanova, and I probably will be in my dorm reading some Mangas, or listening music, or worst talking with my family.-I said.
-Don’t worry Alex it wont happen, I bet you wont do skype with your family only once every six months, I swear. Don’t take your mangas collection, you will seem yourself weird and nerd, not to offend you but its true, and yes I will be a Casanova, hope god listen you-.Arnold said in a inspirational mood.
-Thanks dude, you’re the best-I said to Arnold – and about my manga collection I don’t promess you nothing, I gues that instead of taking the all I will only take ten, and read the rest online-.
-I cant believe your sad Alex, I wish to be graduating now, I cant handle one year anymore-said Sarah.
-Well your day will come soon Sarah, your senior year will be awesome I promess-I said.
While everyone was getting ready for the last period of class I couldn’t take my eyes off Mary, beautiful face. She was wearing this beautiful white dress, with her pink Vans. All I can said she look like an angel,her breast was incredible good locking, all in her was just perfect. Sadly she was dating someone bigger than her, he picked up her always after school, all I can said is that a lady like her deserve something better, a men that respect her, take care, and treat her delicately; but that ****, dressed like a lazy men, his hair was awful, the loudness of his music was horrible, and he smoked in her face, I mean at 2 centimeters from her face. Sometimes I said to myself she deserves me, even if it was a crazy idiot idea I knew I could treat her as the lady she was and make her happy.

Bell just ring, last class period, maybe the teacher will said some last words and school stuff be decline today. I just want it to end now, I want it to be night, I want to go to any good party we were not invited but we enter anyway. Sara mom was too gentile in paying a dinner for the three of us. I guess that school will end but I feel its time to wake up a part of me I never knew it existed; the free man. ©

CHAPTER 2 SOON ...

She suffered the situation.
Sleepless nights
Empty wallet
Unfinished food
Undone homeworks
Confused mind
Broken friendship
Unworthy decisions
Physical tiredness
Disturbed emotions
She thought of it all.
Asked herself how the hell did this happen?
How did I let this happen?
Of all the things
It is all unworthy
It all happened
It will never be back
Pushing the thoughts away
Changing herself day by day
Always telling herself
It is all unworthy
Thus, allowing herself to hate
Hate of doing those
Hate of believing those
Nonetheless, it all boils done to one
*It is all unworthy

When I was younger, I wanted to grow older
I couldn't wait til I was taller
So I could finally ride the rollercoaster

Adults seemed like they were always right
Always the ones scolding, not putting up a fight
As if they had no problems and their burden was light

They had no projects & homeworks
No papers, theses & essays
No cramming, just relaxing

But as I grew older, I wanted to be younger

So I could get away from my boss
So all the paperworks would be lost
So I won't have to work just for so much cost

I miss my mom at night comforting me after a nightmare
I miss when we'd run around in underwear and no one would care
I miss eating grandma's cookies, and wishing I had more share

Those were the days with no responsibilities, full of carelessness
My biggest problem was choosing what color to use for my princess
Or what color I'd pick next for my braces

But growing up is inevitable

Just like how the sun rises and sets
Just like how we made careless mistakes
Just like how we had to learn the hard way

So while you're young, embrace it
Live every moment to the fullest
Make mistakes, take risks, never let an opportunity pass

Because life is too short for that

Long and endless nights,
Of blood, sweat, tears, and charcoal.
Melting into smile.

Haven't slept in days,
If I could I'm sure I would,
Cigarettes will do.

Paradox in hand,
I form an open window,
Illusive, by fLaw.

Golden lights are on,
Check. Chronic aches and pains. Check.
Perfectionism...

Check. Coffee is my blood,
A running joke amongst us slaves,
We might die without.

Humor's important
Now, because I'm already
Two-far and long-gone.

Far-along the shores
Of distant kingdoms wreckage.
Lost within again,

Shattered and washed up
Into mountains of peril,
And treasures turned dust,

Aftermath beheld
In retrospect, I should have,
Could have would have dones.

All within a shape.
I finish my drink and sit,
Dusty nose n ****.

I want to give up,
Whispering Sith Professor,
Harks of homeworks past.

Birds in the distance,
Crickets lost within the night,
Still life in mid-flight.

Still life is my life,
Satan is the only way,
Jazz is close second.

Fellow holograms,
This is not an SOS,
This is a farmhouse.

…....


Jk, pls send help.
I fear if I keep going,
I may never stop.

I may not want to...
These are my last words before
I return to dust;

If anyone has
The heart to come and unwind,
Brains from my behind.

A cuppa tea, or,
A splotch of green to withhold
Things from coming apart,

If anyone wants
To comfort such who in
Nothingness departs,

I'm with Descartes,
In storms of bleeding hearts, a
Pupil of Fine Arts.

Spend your weekdays with assignment,
Homeworks,
Stress,
A bit of fun,
A time with your friends,
A time to stare at your crush,
Keep it real.

On Saturday morning,
Wake up in your bed,
No way you would get up early,
Have breakfast in bed,
Read some books,
Write something,
Go for morning walks,
Watch the sunset,
Make some time for a dinner with your parents,
Hang out with your friends.

Just give life a little meaning even if you're alone in it.

The freshness of youth
hits my face like sweet sea tides.
Wake up, girl! Just be younger today.
Your dying soul -- it is not rotten
yet.

We do not have summer nor winter,
girl, you decide your own season.

Eat well, sleep enough, brush your teeth, wash your hair, go to shower!
And clean laundry, honeybee, as important as cheery selfie.

Small thing by small thing,
I know you can do it.
Never again let your books cry at night, pretty.
Read them, all of them.

Go to school
to make friends.
Do your silly homeworks.
Don't listen to your teachers,
just read. Read your books,
read them, all of them.
Don't change major. You know where you
are
going to.

Small thing by
small thing. Easy! You are bigger than those
small things.

Your time being old is over,
daisy, now you may
be
young
forever.

We should be taught more often we are wrong.
A figure behind the chair leans over the scripts of younger hands
rocking as we edit blotched letters dangling  figs.
Homeworks describing the Viking day to day now reveal
flat soles on hard mud and the clarity of those lettuces you admired in the LRB
economical by the lb and ‘freshly efficient’.

if only i was my old self
i didn’t need to worry much
just had homeworks and tests
thats all
the new me
the changed me
the messed up me
that now knows everything
loneliness
fear
trauma
and everything else
that changed the light into darkness
changed the happy me
the pure innocent me
the old me..
that was carefree

I miss the days I used to go to school,
I miss the blue uniform,
The oversized hoodies
And the black uniform shoes.

I miss the days I used to go to school,
I miss sneaking in snacks in the bus,
And the food fights with my friends.

I miss the days I used to go to school,
I miss the sports classes,
When we ran rounds together as punishments,
And made excuses to sit back.

I miss the days I used to go to school,
I miss classes where we passed chits,
The times when we did last minute homeworks,
And covering up for your absence.

I miss the days I used to go to school,
I miss you, my friend,
I miss your presence,
And all our times together.

I look outside the ***** window on the bus.
Everything goes so fast, and so slowly at the same time.
So much to do all the time. To make the reality better.
But since we work every second, we never see the simplicity of treausrues in the everyday.

Like how elegance a leaf is dancing silent, or how the sun light touch the leafs and it looks like gold.

No, we don't see that. We only see all we have to do. Homeworks, get a job, get a better house, travel and all that.

But take a second and just breathe. You are still alive.

The Year has come to an end. No more time for laughter and fun for we must graduate and practice is ahead
There will be tears and maybe a laugh or two. Saying goodbye to those we once knew.
People we were friends with going to different schools. But we won't say goodbye. That would mean the end. We'll say See you later in hopes it really might come true.
There will be Yearbook signing and hugging our favorite teachers. Cleaning out our lockers laughing at the things we kept for no reason. Turning in late homeworks in hopes it's not too late.
This is the end of middle school but the beginning of a whole new life. We did the same thing for elementary and we'll do the same thing for college. Parting with thoses who helped us grow. And finding those who help us even more. Middle school was fun but I can't stay forever. It's time for me to grow my wings and Fly away into my new life.

versione inglese

Dear Italy

I smoke, I go in, I change my face
We already know how it ends
I have to be careful, ****!
If I knock her up then my mother...
Because I am still a child
A bit Italian and a bit Tunisian
She's from Puerto Rico, if that happens it's a disaster to Trump
But what "politics" is this?
What's the difference between left and right wing?
Ministers change but not the broth
The ******* is here to the left, the toilet is down there on the right
Straight towards my own path
Better than nothing, more than anything
Anyway, just wait outside
If mom doesn't like you, I don't like you neither
You tell me: "I knew it" but I don't fall for that
It's not like I'm a fool
There's always someone who is close-minded and is staying back in time
Like in the Middle Ages
Newspapers over do it, they talk about the foreigners as if they're aliens
With no passport, looking for money

I feel lucky
at the end of the day,
When I'm lucky
it's so great
I'm a crazy person who reads, a crazy outlaw
A maverick, who writes: "Whoever reads this is stupid"

Oh eh oh, when duty calls
Oh eh oh, I answer: "I'm here"
Oh eh oh, you tell me: "Listen to your mother"
Oh eh oh, one, two, three: I'm already there
Oh eh oh, when they tell me: "Go back home!"
Oh eh oh, I reply: "I'm already here"
Oh eh oh, I.L.Y. dear Italy
Oh eh oh, you're my better half

Wait, I hear my ears ringing
Suspense, a moment before the sequel
Appearance fee doesn't include money
Crash Bandicoot, harvest the apples
Nice faces in my group
Like a ni* on his way to Benin City
I don't waste words, I don't talk to Siri
I'm happy to make music for kids
Before leaving a comment, think
Before peeing upwind, steer
Before frittering the salary away, wait
I go back to Baggio, or I won't feel up to anything without it
Shake it!
Your phone maybe doesn't get a signal in the hinterland
We end up freestyling on a raft in Darsena
My WhatsApp chat looks like the Instagram one
Love and ambition already are in my starter pack
Azkaban prisoners escaped from Alcatraz
We did our homeworks just to get it by

I feel lucky
at the end of the day,
When I'm lucky
it's so great
I'm a crazy person who reads, a crazy outlaw
A maverick, who writes: "Whoever reads this is stupid"

Oh eh oh, when duty calls
Oh eh oh, I answer: "I'm here"
Oh eh oh, you tell me: "Listen to your mother"
Oh eh oh, one, two, three: I'm already there
Oh eh oh, when they tell me: "Go back home!"
Oh eh oh, I reply: "I'm already here"
Oh eh oh, I.L.Y. dear Italy
Oh eh oh, you're my better half
Oh eh oh
Oh eh oh
Oh eh oh
Oh eh oh
Oh eh oh, when duty calls
Oh eh oh, I answer: "I'm here"
Oh eh oh, you tell me: "Listen to your mother"
Oh eh oh, one, two, three: I'm already there
Oh eh oh, when they tell me: "Go back home!"
Oh eh oh, I reply: "I'm already here"
Oh eh oh, I.L.Y. dear Italy
Oh eh oh, you're my better half
Sto

Some working from home
Some working at home
Some working on home
Some losing their home
Some losing their work
Some having homeworks
Some are home alone
Some going to God's home....

The sunshine, flooding the room with it's light,
the fragrance of the flower, filling the atmosphere,
the chirping sounds of the bird, loud and clear,
the aroma of the food, satisfied the hunger.

Too much of darkness, she was invisible to see herself,
the smell of the rain, is what she loves,
she sobbed weakly, everyday,
she starves herself to feel the pain.

She needs love, she needs medication,
To recuperate the pain she was going through.

"Cheap" is what she was labelled, little do they know how dear she was,
her smile , it's like a glowing star, it glows just for a moment.

Homeworks with questions that had solution,
what was running in her mind was unresolvable questions.
She's just a girl remember ? Just another crazy happy-wannabe girl, remember ?

She is fine, she is happy,
no one should know even if she is holding back a tsunami of emotions.
She can't let anyone know how she feels or else no one will respect her the same way they used to or did they ever ?
She said so much without saying anything because she knows her silence was all it could be heard.
She wasn't good enough, was she ?

It's not about turning off the light but it's about utilizing even the little amount of light to make a change.
This is about giving yourself one more day, one more opportunity to wake up in the morning and to live a life you want.
It's about staying alive because the future is coming.
You don't have to see it, you just have to believe it that you could make it.

It may sound pointless because not every one really fathom what she's going through, do they ?

-Manisha

I wish I could be there for the one last time
To be late in morning sessions
To do homeworks looking each others
To answer questions which is promoted from behind
Wondering about what is written on the board after maths classes
Saying lies and laying down
Eating each others food
Drawing on the walls and benches
Begging for coins to buy candies
Getting into others umbrellas when in rain
I wish to be there once again

© Vaishnavi P
@quotesofysh