Alpha Cindy Avitia High School Winning Poems Are Here

The winning poems are coming fast and furious and the first set of winners is from Alpha Cindy Avitia High School. Hi there poetry lovers. It’s Dexter and Luna, the ACE Poetry Contest mascots, here to brag about the first set of winning poems that we get to show off. They are great poems and great students. The cool winners are from all the grades – 9^th/10^th, 11^th and 12^th. Watch for the next ACE Spectrum blog to see the the other winning poems from Alpha.

Luna here. Pushing Dexter out of the way because let’s just get to the poems with no more talk. Congratulations winners, and here are the winning poems from Alpha’s high schoolers.

 9th/10th Grade – Winning Poems 

First Place

Name: Rhianna Le

Name of Poem: The Lost But Never Found

 

It started out with just the two of us.

Neither complained that it was a lonely world.

Even as our world grew and other beings appeared,

We never care for anyone else

Because we were one.

Our banquets were grand

With all of our foods.

Whenever we jumped on our trampoline,

We could touch the stars.

Each second of my life,

I felt complete and alive.

You were always the emotional one

And I was the embodiment of

Snow covered winter.

Together though, we were spring.

Filled with life.

So why’d you leave?

It all happened so suddenly

That I don’t even know the story behind it

Without the who, what, where, when, and how.

I’m not sure if it’s part of growing up

Or just “finding out” myself,

But it really is cruel.

I don’t feel like I used to,

No love, no happiness, no excitement.

I’ve lost it all,

Or did I give it away?

I’m not sure.

But I do know that snowy winter, I am no more

But instead reduced to a lifeless doll.

Strung up by the strings of this world

With no identity anymore.

 

Second Place

Name: Alexander Guzman

Name of Poem: Shifting Tides

 

The moon oh so bright, shimmering till dawn

As the waves push and pull with mighty force

Thus potency so grave, though grave; such charm

Like a mirror in display, glass so coarse

Looking through the fragment of lucent glass

One sees in the darkest of times, a presence

Reflecting the constant shift in ones past

Waves crashing and thrashing, leaving an essence

Thou essence departing what is known

To bloom and to prosper thou must accept

Forsake the known and pursue the unknown

For one becomes change, no more repents

For the past says no more, thy embrace new embark

As tides shift so does one, do not wait for a mark.

 

Third Place

Name: Miranda (Max) Lopez

Name of Poem: To my best friend <3

 

I still remember the very first day.

My phone had buzzed and I stopped playing my games to check.

It was an unknown person texting me, well, at that time at least.

You greeted me and asked me how I was, I responded,

I admit at first I responded with hostility.

Although can you blame me? I’ve felt the coldest form of a “friendship”, one that started off sweet and then quickly felt as if the world was suffocating me every time I tried to speak with them. As if my head was under water every time. Yet, I responded as another mere attempt to make a friend.

You finally explained to me who you were and I felt taken aback, I didn’t expect it. I didn’t expect to have met you before, nonetheless like that. I was embarrassed by the amount of hostility I had shown before and apologized.

You said it was okay and understood my point of view. That first day I showed you a side of me no one else should ever get to meet. For it is the shadow I run from, the pain I have to hold due to the past mistakes of others, the same past mistakes that chain me down when I try new things.

Throughout the rest of our time, thus far, we have had lots of moments. We’ve had some late nights chatting, we’ve been through tough times but never once did I ever doubt the bond we had. I know how hard my whirlpool of rushing thoughts can be to deal with. All the fucking absurd questions I ask as well. I’m so sorry.

Yet you stay, you always stay. Is this what someone does when they really care for you? I’ve always wondered throughout my day. You are my sense of safety, as a stubborn person I hate admitting that more than you’ll ever understand. I feel safe and understood whenever I talk to you about my feelings, is that normal? Hell, is any of this normal?

Is it normal to even make a person feel this strong of a connection? If not, then I guess me and you aren’t normal but that’s fine. I know everyone is odd in their own way and imperfected as well but when I see you, all I see is my perfectly imperfect best friend, the person who I can trust beyond life itself.

Thank you for teaching me how to enjoy people and showing me that life isn’t all that bad.

11th Grade – Winning Poems

First Place

Name: Chi Pham

Name of Poem: Untitled

 

My wings drip in blood.

Yet my charm blinds them with lies.

But you see through it all.

You are the cold hard truth,

I am peaceful lie

Your wings shine unlike mine,

No pure white it seems,

Weight down by the cruelty of the world.

You can always return to my arms.

At least, that’s what I’ve always hoped

Yet you wittingly refuse.

Chocolate, cakes, and cream

All of the sweets you love, it so seems.

Why can’t you love my sweet lies the same?

 

Second Place

Name: Augustin Ponce

Name of Poem: Untitled

 

here on the pen i feel right at home

like hearing the blues from a saxophone

i use the pen to help me leave them streets alone

i get pressed to join a g-a-n-g

but i’d rather go to AMC, cause the gangs just ain’t for me

i promised myself i’d never be a dropped scholar

id be a top baller, a shot caller, but it’s become a lot harder

parents keep on pressin me, school keeps on stressin me, i’m not trying to be the

best you see, but if i just pass then technically, i can say that i succeeded, but i

don’t have a choice

I gotta start winnin, or i am the villain, so much adrenaline, my head will be

spinnin like a judge on the voice

gotta do magic or it can get tragic, but i can’t even have it when my peers

make all of this noise

and i don’t mean in class, when they play with nintendo’s, cruise down the

street, and peeped out the window, they play with extendos, now kids gotta

learn that guns are not toys

now i don’t feel safe just walking alone, now i gotta be on the phone or walking

around with some of my boys

that’s why now i gotta go to the gym to go to get toned

so the people with sticks don’t come for my stones

or come breaking my bones

and all these people i don’t know, are they friend or they foe?

will they try me, i don’t even know

gotta stay, 5 deep when i roll

what can you expect when you were in the hood for half your life

My friends wouldn’t know what that’s like they’re half white

speaking of them, ended with 2, started with 10

they all said they were ride or die till the end

well, turns out that was a lie

life is insane

got trust issues because of these lames

lie on my name, then lie to my face

even when their lies have been traced

 

Third Place

Name: Juan Moreno

Name of Poem: My Love for Alpha

Elementary and Middle School weren’t that great but now that I am in alpha high school i feel great. So much time has past since my first class. I’ve had my ups and downs but I always feel welcome on Alpha grounds. Every day when the last bell rings I can’t wait to come back the next day. Every day I see the teachers and give thanks that they are teaching our class every day. They work so hard every day. I hope they know that I give thanks. Thank you so much alpha school for giving me a chance at your school.

 

12th Grade – Winning Poems

First Place

Name: Andres Lopez

Name of Poem: My Poem

 

I am sorry I cannot be as you want

But have you ever thought your taunts

Make my heart feel fraught

And make me feel distraught

So as I heave and breathe my face becomes hot

Could you stop cursing me out and please just not

I am sorry I am weak

I cannot help being meek

As I climb it matters not the peaks

I will never be the person you seek

I am sorry that I am fat

That I’m not as agile as a cat

That I cannot swing a bat

Maybe if I had a f***ing pat on the back

I’ll find the thing that I lack

And you’ll stop seeing me like a goddamn hack

What no comeback?!

I am sorry that you are wrong!

The venom you spew ringing in my ears like a gong!

But know that soon you’ll see that all along!

I was truly strong!

I am sorry my brother

Know that my purpose was another

I would just rather

Your stomach be a little flatter

I did not mean to make your heart wither

Or to scorn your friendly Hithers

I just worry about your Health

And I haven’t got the wealth

To purchase a life-saving operation

Should you continue your inflation

But dare I say your infatuation

With my appreciation

Was my own damnation

So now here I vow

To say aloud

How I’m so proud

My brother, you do not need to be rough

You do not need to be tough

You do not need to be buff

Because you are already more than enough.

 

Second Place

Name: Andy Nguyen

Name of Poem: Bowdoin College

 

My wonderful Bowdoin, oh how you inspire me to write;

I love the way you connect, give love, and might.

Fluttering throughout my mind all day and night;

Always dreaming about the possibilities we can create tonight.

Let me compare you to a polar bear;

You are more snowy, joyful, and you care.

Your curiosity brings my arms in the air;

You are what makes Maine so rare!

Every restless day I wake to live in poverty,

For my family cannot afford the necessity of living in quality.

But soon, I will have many possibilities;

For Bowdoin, you let hungry children live their odyssey!

How do I love you? Let me count the ways.

I love your vibrant dorms and communities that deserve praise.

You allow pupils to amend the world for days;

You have countless opportunities that leave me amazed!

The most beautiful word I know is your name, Bowdoin;

Its sound gets my heart poundin’!

Your kindness and creativity is immune to my melatonin;

My love for you is explodin’!

But Bowdoin, you make me cry;

For I cannot wait for time to go by.

Seminars with more harmony than a bonsai;

Oh, Bowdoin, my love refuses to say goodbye!

I might not get this rhyme right, but it will be alright;

Remember my lean words while we’re apart on a winter night;

As an eagle towards the sky take flight;

I kiss your hand to say yes for the best four years of my life!

 

Third Place

Name: Connie Santos

Name of Poem: If; You Need To

 

When I reflect on our time together

The things you said

Your hopes

Your dreams

Are filled with “ifs”

“If I started as early as you…”; “If I had the same opportunities as you…”;

“If I were still young…”

Your “ifs” and “if onlys” discourage me

Distract me, disheartens me, disappoints me

You make me feel guilty with your “you need to’s”

“You need to go to college”; “You need to give back to your family”;

“You need to make money for your family”; “You need to take advantage of your opportunities”

I have these opportunities

Because of you

You gave your all to me

You gave me these opportunities

I cannot be the one to blame

For your lack of opportunities

If you were still young, there are no guarantees

If you started as early as me, there are no guarantees

If you had the same opportunities as me, there are no guarantees

I cannot guarantee that you and I will be successful

I cannot be the one to blame

Your burdens will be

My burdens

Mine are yours

I cannot blame you for my burdens

I cannot shield you from my burdens

But my burdens discourage me

Distract me, disheartens me, disappoints me

When I reflect on our time together

The things I said

My hopes

My dreams

Are filled with “ifs” and “I need to’s”