A dedication to you, my brothers and sisters, who bleed white and blue.

The Best Four Years

we arrived.

wide eyed and full of 8th grade pride,

we quickly learned our place,

“freshman” seemed to be it’s own race

Our parents claimed

“don’t be a fool, and don’t act lame

as these four years are some of your best

now shut up and study for your test”

A confused look showed on our face,

these four years? I think you’re mistaken

I think of the best years of my life relaxed at a pool

not sitting in freshman bio starting to drool

The year passed slow, but finally it was June

as we saw the seniors throw arms to the sky.

We all looked longingly wishing it was us who could toss the hats,

walk across that stage, and never return to high school class

Sadly (or not?) it was not our time

and we returned as sophomores

The year of preparation

for IB….

IB arrived,

with homework unmatched,

the Lord Baron warned us,

as we cried “is it really worth it?”

We closed off our social window

and boarded our bedroom doors

to spend long nights writing papers

and keeping up with the work

Again we hear our parents say

“Embrace your work,

these years should be your best

I don’t want to hear you complain about your 36 tests”

Some remained unbroken,

some had simply left,

We were warned the programme is very demanding

leaving all of us familiar with one word; stressed

Senior year has finally come,

IB part 2,

with the friends I have luckily gotten to know

held together by experiences like glue.

When I reflect back on my almost 4 years here

almost like a jab in the chest

I become overwhelmed,

Actually, these years were the best

So much we have learned,

so much we have progressed

so many people we now know

and so many we’ve impressed

So many times we’ve walked these halls

so many times we’ve felt stressed

so many memories of picking each other up

and it was pretty fun (even those tests)

We all claim,

“Thank God that this is done,

another year of that and

my head would get the gun”

But the real world is coming

with more responsibility

more experiences

more fun?

Less of moms cooking

no more sleeping in our own beds,

no more running to hug mom

on ugly, not so good days

More independence,

but more ways to mess up

hoping for success

and the eventual rise of the champagne cup

New people to meet,

new places to explore

But holding strong to memories

of best friends we’ve had before

So before you say

“ The Best Fours Years? What a waste,

I can’t wait to get out of this place”

Think of the memories

think of the day

when you first strapped on your backpack

or finished a 3am essay

think of the halls you’ve walked

a millions times before

think of the places

you’ve gotten to explore

think of the good days

and also the bad

the funny times you’ve spent

and remember the sad

the people you call

when you are upset

the first test you bombed

or the deadline you’ve met

or that one time

with a new special person you’ve met

think of everything, don’t be afraid

High school is a blessing in disguise

don't be mistaken by the bad times

simply embrace, and improvise.

You’ve met tons of people

and shared plenty of laughs

maybe done some things

you don't want to remember in your past

I know I’ll miss you all

the ones who made me laugh

the ones who made me cry

you the ones who made me believe.

and it is these memories

with these people

in these halls

that will never

ever

die.

Walt Whitman's Wonderfully Witty Work

At first glance, there is writing scratched everywhere with no clear indication of what in particular is being addressed. Immediately is see “Brochure” scrawled followed by what appears to say “two characters as of a dialogue between A. L..” I assume this to be Abraham Lincoln based on the time period. However, my favorite part of the journal was the page talking about the different ships, followed by the sketches. “Ship of the World-Ship of Humanity-Ship of the Ages. Ship that circles the World” and my personal favorite “Ship of the Hope of the World-Ship of Promise.” Whitman seems to be exploring different titles, or even ending, and their different interpretations for a poem titled “Ship of Libert__” (I cannot read that). The next three drawings seem to show the same man just different facial expressions. At the end there is that creepy floaty skull thing with a heart pierced by a sword. The observations of messy writing and excessive use of scrawling very messily across the page give the impression that Whitman rushes to get everything in his head onto parchment. He incorporates many question marks, and scribbles out words. He seems to be searching for the perfect combination of words by his repeated use of similar phrases (like the ship example, same basic phrase just altered to create more options.)
The initial spotting of “Brochure” holds some significance as “he is apparently trying out prospective titles for a never-published “brochure” of dialogues with Lincoln, probably in verse form.” What was interesting about the drawings was that “It is unlikely that any are by Whitman himself: according to Alice Birney, who curates the poet’s papers in the manuscript division at the Library of Congress, he never drew or even doodled.” So why incorporate them into his journal? Regardless, the last page that contains the strange drawn figure is called an “Allegory of America”. They say that “This may be the most mysterious page in the notebook.” Behind it is a vast, flat sea with a rising (or setting?) sun. “Could this be an allegory of America itself, poised in a strange halfway state, suspended between day and night, life and death?”. Also, I didn't pick up on the idea of  liberty and that freedom is separate from democracy altogether, but I do think it shows Walt’s concern with the future of the nation, and of humanity, which in a sense, seems to be very poetic, or at least an excellent source of inspiration.