by Antonio, Ashley
and Kristalyn
These six poems were written by local teens and kick off our monthly Teen Talk poetry contest, open to anyone age 14-19 in the Kings River area. The first contest results will be published in October, with submissions accepted immediately. Take advantage of this chance to have your poem published online and available for everyone to read! Any subject or type of poem will be considered with five poems selected at the end of each month going forward, details below.
Phoebe
by Antonio Sandoval
I was taking a stroll
And noticed that the lights were out.
No moon illuminating your night sky.
You will not guide me on this path tonight.
A familiar, quiet darkness evokes me.
It’s a cold darkness that I don’t mind,
A chill that hovers like fog down my spine.
It’s blindness that devours the ground.
I’m walking on air.
I am tired
And I know I cannot turn back the clock.
So I rest my head on pillows
Of black clouds,
But I cannot sleep, not tonight.
My thoughts are beyond your night sky.
I fear that you are hiding,
That you do not want to be seen.
I fear that you are lost
And fading away from me.
And as I flail off this cold bed,
I call out to you,
“Where are you, Phoebe?
Artemis is lost without you
And Apollo is not allowed in this
Scared haven that we have created.”
I sense that you are gone,
Leaving me on this dark path.
Blind.
Everything around me, gone.
You, gone.
And with you gone,
The stars have no reason to
Come out and play.
And it’s too late for dreaming because
The sun isn’t so far away..
by Antonio Sandoval
I woke up in the middle of the night
To find an angels hand on my chest.
I cannot breathe as I stand
And I’m blind by no light.
The candle is lit.
I’m throwing myself against the walls.
Stripping my clothes,
No one is around.
My ribs crease like shooting stars
And moonlight sleeps on my hips.
My knees dance and I cannot keep my balance
As my spine decays.
Electric winds screech sonar cries
And there’s a blue clamp piercing my heart.
It bleeds moss green.
The candle is burning
And I’m falling.
The walls are peeling
And my soul is sinking.
The blinds open and close
And my will is frozen in its broken pose.
The candle blew out.
And a single dove hangs on my ceiling
Because it gives me a reason to
Look up in the morning.
The Best Is Yet To Come
by Ashley Kuykendall
On your wedding day, you begin a brand new life.
Friends and family give their gifts To joyful husband, blissful wife.
But the greatest gift you’ll ever get, A gift from heaven above,
Is love forever, ending never, everlasting love.
You’ll share life’s joy and pleasure; You’ll have plenty of that, it’s true.
But love is the real treasure, For your new spouse and you.
And if life hands you challenges, as it does to one and all,
Your love will hold you steady and never let you fall.
While your wedding day is full of joy, Tomorrow you cannot see,
But one thing is true for the two of you, the best is yet to be.
by Ashley Kuykendall
I can’t comprehend how you must feel
For the loss of someone you love,
The sorrowful time must still feel unreal
And you’re looking for strength from above.
I hope from my heart that your pain will decrease,
That your spirit will gain strength again.
I pray that your faith will create peace
And that God will send blessings… amen.
Till then, if you need me to lighten your lode,
I’m waiting to come to your aid.
Just call on me and I’ll walk that road,
Until the dark time starts to fade.
And Still Getting Stronger
by Kristalyn Patzkowski
My pen,
It’s a sword.
And my knowledge is my shield.
You can tell me anything, and
It won’t hurt me.
Well, not like it used to.
You can throw your sticks and stones,
But you won’t break my bones.
For I still have my mighty pen
In my hand.
With my weapon,
I can battle the
Cruelty and infamy of this world.
And I can challenge you…
And I will win.
by Kristalyn Patzkowski
Places of serenity
Yet so much more.
This library is part of my routine.
My feet already know the path
To those double doors.
I always enter through those doors
Simply to find a seat at one of the empty tables.
Out goes my binder and out goes my pen.
Time for the ink to conjoin with the paper.
In here, I am alone with my thoughts,
Yet the feverish motions of my pen put me on display.
Still, it’s calm.
Conducive to my work.
Soft murmurs of voices around me
Cannot interrupt me now.
Maybe I’ll be able to finish my poem today.
The poem that came from the silence of a library —
My library
My sanctuary
My serenity.
Monthly Teen Poetry Contest
See your poem published!
Submit entries via an email to life[at]kingsriverlife[dot]com, our Submission Form or snail mail: Kings River Life Magazine, P.O. Box 1355, Reedley, CA 93654. Include your full name, age, grade and the school you attend with each entry — no inappropriate material will be considered. Feel free to email us or use our Contact Form if you have any questions. You will also be asked for a couple lines of biographical information if your poem is chosen. We look forward to your entries!
In the meantime, check out our Teen Talk section with weekly articles including reviews, opinion pieces, local band profiles, area high school and college goings-on — all written by local teens. Be sure to follow us on Twitter too as we will be having giveaways for all Kings River Life readers of tickets, CDs, books, t-shirts and more.
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