Parkland Press

Cracks run down his spine.

The words he wants to say are-

faded,

but he says them so often that you

can't help but know,

after a while,

what, he is going to say.

He tries his hardest

to stand for me,

but he has been shown so much,

abuse,

that his scars, are

as bright as the moon.

I have scarred him,

and he has scarred me too.

I have bent him and written-

all over his wings.

He has torn me down,

and ripped my mind to shreds.

And although neither of us will ever

hear-

PRESS PHOTO BY PAUL WILLISTEIN

Snow storm, white blanket

Little feather like snowflakes

Blue numbing feeling.

Emily Gardner,

Age 10, Grade 5

Parkway Manor Elementary School

Parkland School District

The rain falls slowly,

onto damp concrete.

I see my window

dotted with drops

I hear the cars speed

past blinking street lamps

The grey, dreary clouds

Cover blue skies.

The rain softly lands on my roof.

People silently walk through puddles

The quiet commotion of the outside world

keeps a steady beat throughout the night.

Anne Marie Strader

Age 13, Grade 7

Arts Academy Charter School

The Allentown Band presents its annual concert to benefit the Liberty Bell Museum, 3:30 p.m. April 27, Zion Reformed United Church of Christ Church, 620 W. Hamilton St., Allentown.

Soprano soloist Evelyn Stewart sings "Three American Gospel Songs."

Dr. Ethel Drayton-Craig narrates "A Lincoln Portrait."

Parkland High School sophomore Shaumik Phadke is pianist for "A Movement for Rosa."

Tickets: 610-435-4232, or at the door if space allows.

The veil of night cloaked the Earth in a sea of darkness,

A darkness which I could neither escape nor throw off,

And all the while, I could not see, only hear,

Shoes scuffling on pavement when a sustained moan emerged,

Louder it grew, all the while I, trying to control it,

Whipping a heated passion within, stemming from fear,

Swept up now, as if surrounded by them,

The masses, encompassing me, and I, expecting a blow, but none forthcoming,

Instead swallowed up, gazing upward now, racing to the pinnacle,

Modern-day Hamlet:

"To insource, or to outsource?"

Consult the Google.

Subject: "New Dress Code."

Sarcastic reply composed,

proofread and click "send."

Find singles near you.

Will one quick tweet crash the plane?

Please stay off the grass.

Fiber-optic nerves

transmit love, hate and lolcats

everywhere at once.

Many-colored Now

frolics and haberdashes

coveted instant.

Lucas Crampton

Age 18, Grade 12

Parkland High School

Parkland School District

The 9th annual Student Poetry Project committee, from left: Shirley M. Daluisio, Ann E. Michael, Stephanie Bell and George Van Doren. Not in photo: Stacey Alexander, Paul Willistein.

PRESS PHOTO BY

PAUL WILLISTEIN

The flickering lights of fireflies

Canopy of the trees above

Stars and the moon in the beautiful night sky

Their lights mocking me when I try to catch them

Mocking me

Mocking me

Dim light tonight

The sun is gone

The moon has risen

All around me darkness

Only fireflies

Only fireflies

The birds are silenced

Soft buzzing like the bees are tired

Grasshoppers chirping

A smooth breeze

"Whoosh"

"Whoosh"

Why are the fireflies afraid of me?

Why don't they like the limp light?

"Ring-A-Ding Ding!"

It's Deana Martin on the line.

When you hear Deana Martin duet with her father, Dean Martin, in her "Tribute to Frank Sinatra and Dean Martin" concert, 8 p.m. April 25, State Theatre for the Arts, Easton, you'll be amazed at how beautifully their voices blend.

Deana Martin, just like her dad, is a natural.

At the State Theatre, Deana will sing "True Love" accompanied by a quintet with her father's voice on the original track.