As April comes to a close, please enjoy two poems written by teen writers. Note that both these poems were written on the spot to a prompt at the Writing Center during April’s First Friday Open House.
The first poem was written to a prompt with the following words: “flower, garden, vineyard, and oasis.” The second came into being after a guest was invited to give the writer a single word and receive a gift poem with word in it as a result. The word given was “cherish.”
“The Oasis”
by Marcos Viloria
The Oasis
Dry patches of grass
I once deemed as hideous
suddenly bloom with color.
The bright yellow
of a recently sprouted flower
envelops my skin with the warmth of the sun.
I run my fingers through its petals
searching for the source of this sensation,
only to discover that I was floating on a garden.
Plants hanging,
flowers blooming,
tendrils reaching,
warmth cooling,
as I walk through the path of nature.
The vines seem to notice my presence,
since they extend their arms toward me,
lifting me high to their vineyard sanctuary.
As soon as they welcome me to their home,
a river of wine sweeps me from my feet.
The burgundy rapids leave me gasping for breath,
when suddenly,
a soft, dry, mossy safety net
halts my turmoil
Opening my eyes,
I finally see an oasis of peace.
Nature has finally guided me to peace.
“Cherish”
by Rachel Estillore
from the people we loved
to the people we knew
from the birds in the sky
to the beach waves blue
there’s nothing on earth
land sky or sea
that doesn’t cherish
both you and me
Both writers, Rachel Estillore and Marcos Viloria, have achieved our Teen Writing Fellow Award. They, along with all Teen Fellows who are graduating next month, are eligible to be entered to win a one of two scholarships we will be awarding in May.
See these and more writings at the bottom of the Student Programs page of our website.
