A special thanks to my amazing 10th grade English teacher at Lower Merion High School, Mrs. Mastriano, for introducing me and getting me addicted to rhythmic poetry.

 

Life After Death

  A doomed but pleasant ride with friends
  They chat and do not see the bends 
    In mourning for her girl all day 
    A cheerful word she can not say 
       His daughter's death he starts to mourn 
       Until his pain is fully worn

  The tree, the crash, and then life's end
  The wounds which doctors can not mend 
     Her life, the death makes pass away 
     The house she keeps in disarray 
        His pain he pricks out like a thorn 
        He savors life, he's now reborn

  A mishap she did not intend
  Her parent's union, death will rend 
     Her anguish she can not convey 
     Her pain is making her decay 
        He sees his wife as sad, forlorn 
        Her grief, his growth, a couple torn


                  Interpretation           hide

 The interpretation is up to the reader of course, but here are my intentions when I wrote it:

"Life After Death" tells the story of how a couple deals with its young daughter's death. After she dies in a car crash, both of her parents are depressed; yet while her father is able to recover and grow, the mother sinks lower and lower in her misery until the couple finally fall apart.

I originally wrote this poem as three seperate, completely rhyming, iambic tetrameter poems, one for each character - the mother, the father, and the daughter. I then interspersed the three poems to create flashbacks to the daughter's death and contrast between the downfall mother's downfall and the father's recovery.


               Success

   Success is like the pot of gold
   At rainbow's end from legends told
   A dream to look for and pursue
   Not really knowing if it's true
   If truly once success attained
   Supreme happiness is then gained
   But it's what makes us all survive
   Making us want to be alive

   In any way success' defined
   It's different for all of mankind
   Having a successful career
   Being someone who all revere
   Succeeding on a crucial test
   Coming in first in a contest
   Marrying someone whom one loves
   To have children as sweet as doves
   Improving the lives of the poor
   These are the things people live for

   But we can't waste our lives to wait
   For our success or horrid fate
   The crucial lesson given here
   Is not to wait for a time near
   In the present we should dwell
   Despite how future can compel
   The future holds nothing assured
   So isn't it truly absurd
   How many people waste away
   All waiting for some far off day?

 

 

 

 

 
                                        
             Life After Love

    The seagulls chirp and the wind blows
    The sand gives in under my toes
    The sun beats down on my bare back
    And a shell breaks with a slight crack
    The lifting outside salty smell
    Which I have grown to know so well
    A wave climbs up with its white crown
    And with the wave my pain flows down 

    A cold smooth hand brushes my shoulder
    The soothing water now turns colder
    I turn around but no one's near
    To see my single salty tear

    Her voice, her smell, her touch, her taste
    And all those years now gone to waste
    One year ago on this same sand
    We fell asleep both hand in hand
    Listening to the sea's heartbeat
    Our breaths they mingle, our lips meet

    As the sun rose I found a note
    And I recall each word you wrote
    Each word ripped my whole world apart
    Each word drove knives into my heart

    And though deep down I know you're fake
    I know that my heart you would break
    Each time I see a shooting star
    I think and wonder where you are
    I wonder what in him you saw
    I wonder what's my dooming flaw

    My greatest wish's my greatest fear:
    To once again have you come near
    At every turn I see your face
    Your memory I can not erase
    The seasons pass but you won't go
    You're my true love and my cruel foe
    Now in my sleep your name I call 
    I reach for you and then I fall

    The sunrise colors were so magic
    The red's now blood, and the sun tragic
    For bringing yet another day
    Another day with you away
    And when I close my eyes to sleep
    I can feel your silk-smooth cheek
    I hear you claim it's a mistake
    Tortured asleep, tortured awake

    Still you don't come, still I'm alone
    But in your absence I have grown
    In exchange for a diamond ring
    You have taught me a crucial thing:
    I know now not to trust or love
    A monster hides in every dove
    If I put faith in none at all
    I will survive and never fall
                                            
                          A New Hope 

"A man who lacks a foreign role 
How can a nation he control?" 
And yet two hundred K swarm in 
To hear him speak in great Berlin 
And Nic. Sarkozy rose to greet 
The man who brings all to their feet 

Although by millions he's admired 
What matters most is those inspired. 
Inspired by his call for change 
Who find the ways of old quite strange 
Quite strange that government does not 
Choose to help those most distraught 
And instead helps the utmost rich 
Leaving all others in a ditch 

Rallying young and old, black and white 
All fighting greed with all their might 

He brought a whole new group: the youth 
Who'd thought that politics lack truth 
But now form his most faithful base 
Believing they can change this place 

And from Chicago he began 
His answer always "Yes we can!" 
Oh yes we can give all healthcare 
And clean out our polluted air 
Oh yes we can find jobs for all 
And crush this land's dividing wall 
Oh yes we can improve our schools 
And reduce crime and enforce rules 
Oh yes we can raise up the poor 
That's what government should be for 

Hero of sick, of poor, of old 
He speaks for all, this leader bold 
By taking no PAC donation 
He's indebted to the nation 

Though they make claims of race and age 
Americans have left this stage 
We look now to each person's heart 
To see if each has played his part 
And while McCain sold us for oil 
Barack fought crime on our own soil 

At seventeen I can not vote 
But my ideals I can promote 
Just make some calls, go door to door 
All crucial things, you must fight for 

So if you care of our world's fate 
Please do not fret, it's not too late 
To again set this country straight 
Vote Barack president '08







My above poem "Life After Death" also won a competition and was accepted to go on a poetry website.

Other poems coming soon to this page include Black Sheep, Jonathan, Rachel, and a freeverse poem about a greek myth.

To see some of my first grade poetry at my first website ever along with my first grade mosaics, click here.

I would love feedback! Please send me any comments, criticisms, or suggestions you may have.