Hollywood High School Poetry Club

By Aurora Massari

A hush fell over the market-place
The cold wind comes inside
There seems to only be a trace
Of angels who confide

Seasons here are nonexistent,
Why the smile on every face?
They leave you, shocked and spent
In a blur of colored lace

Varying levels of chlorophyll
Account for colors well supplied
But everything is standing still
Time has stopped, death is denied

A magic overcomes this space
Where no one goes against their will
An no one needs to make their case
Or fear the rampant chill

The meaning is a relative thing
And merriment is dismay
But it's Joy that leaves a lasting sting
That haunts all hearts this happy day

I go outside in a heavy coat
The brisk autumn air brings in the cold
While the sun gives me warmth

I walk down the street
I see decorations for Halloween
Slowly being taken down
The days pass
I see them putting up old Saint Nick
Why?
I wonder since it's not Christmas yet.

I feel the heat slowly die
As the sky darkens
Shadows of deep red,
I walk to a store to buy some cake
For tonight's dinner at my home

I open the door of my humble abode
I smell the feast.
Aunts and uncles stand in the corner
While the younger do the same
But some like to stay in the corner with a sour face
.
I go to the crowd
Not sure who's hugging me
But now I have family.

After the greeting
I set the cake in the middle of the table.
There is enough to last for days.

--Jaclyn Navar

We are all zombies,
Wondering,
Floating,
Sleep walking around this god forsaken world,
A world full of danger and contagious temptation.
We are a world that takes and takes...
Until there is nothing left
Until all that is left is emptiness
We are all mummies covered in bruises and painful scars,
That are hidden under the many, many bandages
We are all werewolves angered by the simplest things like the moon
And the bitterness of life 
We are all bloodsucking vampires, robbing the blood banks dry
We are all monsters
Walking pieces of ...
Walking destruction
And most people don't care. 

Respect
Effort
Love
Attraction
Trust
Involvement
Ongoing
Near
Special
Heart
Integrity
Promise

Some like it, some hate it
But for me, it's a wonder and a part of life
To start something new and to end something old
All forms of life, we see them every day
We see the beginnings, however big or small
It can be a change but for some it can be none at all
True, there are still people who hate this
They like repetition and not a change of pace
I find it funny in a way
Even those who hate change experience it
From the start of the day, we're always changing
And the same goes for you and me
We have normal and healthy lives
When we go to bed and close our eyes
And when the morning sun rises
We wake and open our eyes
It's the beginning of a new day.

By Aliyyah Joseph

Her eyes opened
But she is blind
She is blind to the world
She is blind to the conflict at hand
She is blind to her brother's depression
She is blind to her parents' excessive fighting
She is blind to her brother's near death
She is blind to the divorce papers

But when she closes her eyes
She sees everything

A Sonnet by Aurora Massari
based on Shakespeare's Sonnet 18

You are to sky as sky is to the sea
So deep and strong and vast is your virtue
This countenance of yours, a sight to see
Reflects an understanding that is true

Though many tempests are on your path lit,
You can refrain and prove pure good intent
And calm the raging seas to find respite
My dearest friend, all hope you are content

A shame that all cannot see your light bright
But choose instead this work that can't compare
Or even start to represent your might
And though it has lack of artistic flair,

This success will still tell how I cherish
And now my love, you shall never perish

And lives life quite void of emotions

Never daring to turn back from this disconsolation 

Close your nervous eyes
Take a breath and count to ten
Let the words fall out
-Aliyyah J.

Just breathe, hold it in
Inhale and and exhale, and grin
Relax it's fine, K?

-Precelia A. 

by Precelia Acosta

I've seen this image, this figure, so many times
Never have I noticed the warts and filth on this face
Now that I have it is now a stranger
I passed by it hallucinating and expecting it
to look like this beautiful, amazing princess
But instead the Magic in the Picture has now faded
and it's place is the truth, warts and all
Behind all the fake smiles ad evil eyes
lies the lies and tears and angry hearts
the Magic Picture on the wall has revealed
my true nature, my true face
It has revealed what I already know, but
just didn't want to admit
the wretched mess of my character, the ugliness of my soul.
This mirror...
shows the truth

It burns me with sadness that he does not talk to me
even though I have done nothing to thee
I wish I could fix what I did
But is there anything to amend?

By Aliyyah Joseph

He does not notice me
Probably because he does not know me
but I know everything about him
I watch him from before
but he does not see me
His voice brings me shivers
And makes me, me

By Aliyyah Joseph

Written by the frenetic Aliyyah Joseph

Written by the ravenous Gabriella Martinez

Written by Lizeth C.

Written by the resilient Precelia Acosta

Written by the talented Aurora Massari

~The Angel Has Arrived~

A box has now surrounded me.
Representing the whole new world that no one can understand.
I see words on the floor, sky; everywhere.
The clouds are now crying with me.
Why can't I be in a place filled with felicity?
Didn't choose to be born.
Didn't choose to feel.
But one chose me.
A blooming angel.
Rescue me.
Be the light to my darkness.
And help me shine.


By: Lizeth Carranza

By Leah Jackson

Captain (sung): In the night, left only with my thoughts

        I wish I could just shut them out

        Because I know that every time I’ve fought

        Them they only seem to scream loud

        But I can never act on them, I’ve simply gotta wait

        Wait for what, there’s nothing to see

        Nothing to take off all this weight

        On my shoulders because I’ve had a dream

        A dream that can never be

        A world, a future, I can never see

        A world that involves him and me

        A world where he’s not a prince

        A world where I don’t have to wince

        At every lost opportunity

Ensemble: A world he can never see

        A world where he can simply be

        A man in love

Captain: In the night, I imagine him

        A night where he soars

        A vision I must condemn

        In the night, where he belongs

        And I am left alone

        In a world, a future I have never known

Ensemble: A world he can never see

        A world where he can simply be

        A man in love

Captain: But I know that it’s my duty

    To protect him from harm

    And I know that truly

    I must close off my heart

    But oh, I wish

    I could just have him see

    That wonderful vision

    Of him and me

    Of a world I can never see

                        Ensemble: A world he can never see

    A world where I can simply be

                                Where he can simply be

Captain and Ensemble: A man in love

I had a dream 
I was in a cage
I felt so alone, so invisible 
So many people were surrounding me 
Yet I still felt alone
I heard so much laughter, but it wasn't coming from me
I'm in a cage, and I want to get out
I remember yelling for help but no one could hear me
I remember wanting to get out
I had a dream, I was in a cage, wanting to get out surrounded by millions of people, 
Screaming for help, screaming to be free
Then...
I woke up.

Written by Precelia Acosta

by Precelia Acosta

I'm worn out
I have been used and reused over and over like a disposable bag
I have been damp wet and suck dry
I have seen the ruthless betrayal of the bitterness of life
I have sen great people suffer and the even greater suffer even more
I have seen people pay their ruthless debts to their murderous lives
I have seen people sucked in and spit right back out like noodles
I have seen people cry their eyes out for nothing
I have seen people be strong for things they should be crying over
This world has more suffering than I can say
This world is even more backwards than I imagined

2016 Anthology:

Angst and Other Anonymous Confessions