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A Dark and Stormy Night
I was in my living room with my Mom, on a dark and stormy night, cuddled up in her lap, listening to the thunder, watching the lightning slash through the sky, I felt her warm breath against my skin, I shivered when I heard the thunder, she held me close and tight, I breathed slow and steady breaths, I remember hearing the thunder, watching the lightning slash through the sky on a dark and stormy night.
Sierra Sussman
Age 9, grade 4
Eastside Elementary
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A Home by the River
I lived in a house that sat on the bank of Blue River, which was a tributary of the McKenzie River.
I believe that my family moved into the house in the year of 1940. We had no electricity or indoor plumbing. There were electrical lines on poles that marched along the McKenzie highway #126, but we lived approximately one mile from said highway and no services were available.
I recall that at times during the summer months, there would be a caddis fly hatch along the river. The fish in the summer would fly rising (jumping out of the water after the flying insects). At times they were jumping so often that it seemed that the water was boiling. I had a great time flapping a fly into the water and catching some of those feeding fish.
We had a chicken coup out in the backyard that contained about 18 chickens and one roaster. Without fail, they would let us know when the caddis fly hatch was on, as they would raise such a ruckus feeding on the flies that Dad and I would grap our poles and dash down to the river.
I recall this as being two blessings. #1: catching fish. #2: not having to feed the chickens that evening.
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A Lesson In How To Be Good
Tell me, have you ever been whipped with a tree branch on the legs or with a leather knife sharpener on the bum? Well, I would like to tell you about Margaret Shannon and the way she got disciplined.
One day after school, Margaret didn’t come home from school like her mother told her. She told her, “Don’t go down to the pond. It is dangerous.” But Margaret went down there after school to get some baby frogs and cat tails.
Her mother was looking for her, some kids told her, with a tree branch. So she went home. Luckily she got there before her mother did. So she put her stuff down and crawled under her bed. Her parents knew she was there so they just left her under there to be uncomfortable. They knew she was under there because the neighbor saw her go in. They said they were going to call the police So she came out from under the bed. I predict she got some hard spankings. I am so glad that I live now rather than then because I think that it would hurt to get spanked like that.
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A Little House
My most formative years were spent in a little house near the beach in Southern California. This was during the Depression so rent was cheap, $15 a month.
The small house had a bat-and-board construction. That is, the boards were vertical with a narrow board nailed over them to stop the air from coming in. We had no insulation. We did have electricity and a radio. I used to listen to the Lone Ranger.
No one had TV or dishwashers or machines to do the clothes. Some people had a phone; we did not.
If you needed ice, you left a sign in your window and an iceman delivered it.
Mother did the clothes by using a scrub board. Everything was hung outside on a line to dry. Mother ironed everything.
My biggest problem was remembering whose turn it was to wash the dishes and who had to dry.
In those days, houses weren’t locked and keys were left in cars. I would wander all over town and no one worried about me.
My mother finally bought that house for $1500.
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Among
Among the clouds, I am the silver lining.
among the stars, I am the one that makes you think.
among the trees, I am the one that blooms.
among the conformists, I am the individual.
Among the crowd, I am the sore thumb.
among the shuffle, I am the peace.
Chelynne Bowser
Grade 8
Hamilton Creek, Lebanon, YEA!Day
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At Home
I lay in bed my blankets pulled up to my nose. Outside lightning shot through the pitch black sky. Behind the thick clouds a faint glimmer of the full moon peeked through.
A door in the house slowly creaked open.
Suddenly everything was quiet except a muffled “tic-toc-tic-toc” coming from my clock reminding me it was near midnight.
I heard a sound — a sound like something walking up, up the stairs. I closed my eyes and noiselessly slipped the covers the rest of the way over my head.
In no time the footsteps got louder and nearer to my room until finally the “thing” entered the room! I froze not even daring to breathe. The “thing” jumped onto my bed so suddenly my hand shot up to my mouth to muffle a scream.
A hand reached out grabbed my blankets and pulled them back!!!!
My body curled itself into a ball — a small whining noise forced me to open one eye. I stared into the darkness until my eyes got used to the dark, and there in front of me was my little dachsund eyes as big as golf balls holding my blankets.
Sabina
Grade 5
Eastside Elementary (as read on YWA’S “Mixed Voices” on KLCC)
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Cloud
A green horse named Cloud.
Mine today,
gone tomorrow.
Fun we have,
while the sun is up.
When the sun is down
we ride across the beach.
We play,
we fly.
We talk in our minds.
One day I will have
one of my own.
Ty Misenheimer
Age 11, Grade 5 Danebo School
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Colors That Make Noises
Colors have noises; yes they do,
Pink is the one that sounds like a moo,
Black is the one that shrieks like a bat,
White is innocence that meows like a cat.
Blue is the mad one that snorts like a bull,
Brown is the one that shuffles like a mole.
Red is the one that crackles like fire,
Green is the one that sings like a choir.
Yellow chirps like a bird,
Purple smacks like a hungry cow herd.
I can’t think of more, hrmph, hmph, hum,
Why don’t you try to think of some?
Art Ling Li
Age 8, grade 4
Edison School (Borders Writing Workshop)
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Cranberry Talks
Talking Cranberry is one of the cranberries’ names. He talks wherever he goes.
He always finds his nose. He always finds his nose.
Then one day he found some ice cream inside a store and he bought it with all his money, and he walked away saying thank you. When he went out of the store, he started eating. And when he was done eating his ice cream, he went to another store and found his friend, Adam. He was so glad to see him. He was another talking cranberry. Adam always found his nose too. They always found their noses because they bit them when they talked. When they talked, in the middle of their words, they always bit their nose.
That’s how the story goes.
Benjamin Peters
Age 5, Kindergarten
Spring Creek Elementary
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Crow
Crow
Crow.
Raven of bad omen.
Circling above her house.
Crow.
Raven of bad omen.
Caught in a downdraft,
Thrust down her chimney.
Crow.
Raven of bad omen.
Caught in the trap of her house.
Crow.
Raven of bad omen.
Calling for the outside world.
Crow.
Raven of bad omen.
Thinking she has caught him,
He is cursing her.
C row.
Raven of bad omen.
Running from his cursing,
She is crying.
Crow.
Raven of bad omen.
Running from his cursing,
She is crying.
Crow.
Raven of bad omen.
Finally free he is.
Crow. Raven of bad omen
Still cursing he is, still crying
Is she.
Rose Frazier
Age 10
after school writing workshop
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Doggie Trails
Last night my dad installed a doggie door
so Jobie, my dog, wouldn’t have to stay
outside. He, I mean our playful, rambunctious, lazy dog, can now go outside whenever he has to go! He can also come inside whenever he gets cold. When my parents tried to get Jobie to to through the doggie door though, he wouldn’t budge. They decided to try bribing him with a good boy treat; still not the slightest movement came out of him.
My mom gave in (which isn’t usual). She went to the refrigerator, got out a hotdog, and put it in our ancient microwave. While it was cooking, the smell became stronger and stronger. By the time it was done, Jobie couldn’t resist. The smell had him salivating. It was like he had won the lottery, and he was bouncing off the walls.
My mom put the hotdog on the other side of the door and nudged at Jobie to go through. Without any hesitation, he was through the door! Now he’ll go through his doggie door gladly. But, it’s the basics he needs to learn, like obedience. Beagles never learn.
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