A Name for Success by Khia-Rose Woodgate
My name is Khia-Rose
But that’s never said in full, it’s always Kai or Khijee
Unless you’re mad at me, or my mother,
Those two usually go hand in hand.
My name is a dark twisting river of scarlet,
Flowing down an old oak tree embraced in brambles,
The abrupt shift between the gentle rose petals
And a dark scarlet bead flowing down your finger
Thorns and petals
This and That
It bleeds
Pretty but painful
My name is Khia-Rose
Father fought for my name
“Anything to set my little girl up for success”
Arabic roots link it to life, purity and innocence
African roots tie it to wisdom and maturity
A woman who stands tall
My name is Khia-Rose
Upon introduction, people feel obliged to tell me how unique it is
As if I’m unaware
Hence my infantile desire to change it
I don’t care to fit others tastes
Im happy as i am, thank you.
I get a sense of triumph, proud not to fit into strangers’ standards
I dont always live up to the expectations and I’m certainly not perfect
Khia-Rose is a squeaky wheel, an incorrect concept.
Because i lack the feirce desire to fit into societies tight norms
And my name assures this
My name is Khia-Rose
But I used to wish it were Ashka.
The name “Ashka” leaps out at you, like a lemur
In the sweet Madagascan air
But my name is Khia-Rose
And apparently, I’m sweet, innocent, mature and strong
And maybe that’s okay.
AllFalls Down by Alan Kasprzyk
The day seems to be great. Then you venture into the day without knowing, what will come. You drink, eat and all of the things that you do, oblivious to the danger ahead. You come closer to it. You don’t know what’s happening.
You feel quite nervous, considering the danger ahead. Still, your mind not knowing, you keep walking. All of a sudden,
you sense the danger–
the worry starts creeping in
then it all falls down
Iran by Jamie Power
Slate sky, sirens wail
Strait of Hormuz choked by flame
Peace lies in dust storms
More to Come by Jack Coleman-Brislane
We’re at the top. Standing over the cliff edge. The hardest part is over. The wind is whistling overhead. The sun is starting to set. There’s a pink tint in the air. We could smell the bog. The lake is stretched long between the wall we climbed and the wall we’re yet to see. It is silent, interrupted by the chirps of little birds. The ground is soft covered by thorn bushes. There is a lingering danger this close to the edge.
this place is beautiful —
I can’t wait to see the end
but theres always more to come
Change by Kate Bookle
When did life get so difficult?
I ask myself every day.
I wonder if it’s my fault,
That all the fun went away.
I used to grow a year older,
And think i was so cool.
Now every birthday feels colder,
As I’m a year closer to leaving school.
When did I become the teenager,
My younger self would look up to.
I feel more like a stranger,
To the friends I swore I knew.
And some days, I wish I could go back and tell that girl
Please, don’t grow up too soon.
Tyson by Jamie Kennedy
You weren’t just a dog, you were family,
Four paws and a heart that beat beside ours.
The house is quieter now—
No paws tapping, no tail thumping walls—
but your spirit still follows the sunlight.
You taught us joy in simple things:
a game, a walk, a waiting gaze,
and how love asks for nothing
except to be returned.
Now you chase dreams the way you chased sticks—
endless fields, no fences, no pain.
We’ll carry you in every story told,
in every space where your warmth remains.
Sleep well, old friend.
You were loved more than words can say
Seasonal farewell by Ruth McGee
We wave goodbye to winter as the spring starts coming.
We wave goodbye to winter as the evenings get bright.
We wave goodbye to winter as the birds start humming.
We wave goodbye to winter as it starts to feel right.
We wave goodbye to spring as the summer will begin.
We wave goodbye to spring as the summer holidays arrive.
We wave goodbye to spring as the clouds go in.
We wave goodbye to spring as the bees come out of their hive.
We wave goodbye to summer as the autumn is calling.
We wave goodbye to summer as it starts pouring rain.
We wave goodbye to summer as the autumn leaves start falling.
We wave goodbye to summer as it starts to feel insane.
We wave goodbye to autumn as winter begins.
Suddenly it is winter and the cycle starts again.
Summer days by Victoria Hogan
Waves lap the shore
The sun shines bright
Water washes away what was there before
Sand glistens in the light
Sports by Miley O’Shea
I love sports all types of sports
I love badminton, hurling and all the above
I love the clothes the tops the sicks the shorts
I love the tussle the rucks and the shoves
I love the competition the winnings the loses
I love the equipment the hurls the rackets
From the clears to the crosses
The Summer Evening By Uma Mahesweri Viju
I remember that one summer evening,
Where I walked along the path as slow as a tortoise.
The sky was like a painting,
The sun the focal point, the clouds the background.
I sat beneath the cherry blossom tree,
On the soft grass.
Then I saw it,
A young girl in a white dress.
She was running across the field of daisies,
Her feet bare.
Her smile as precious as a newborn baby,
Her eyes as mesmerising as dancing flames.
I heard her laughter, and felt nostalgic,
As I saw my younger self in her.
As I walked home, I couldn’t help but smile to myself,
Carrying that moment quietly as a secret
Letters That Shape Me by Ashlyn Mathew
Ashlyn,
of Irish origin,
meaning dream
It is the colour
of sage green
touched with gold mist
like the ocean mixed with morning light.
It is a pheonix,
rising through the fire,
showing strength
in glowing wings.
It is like a Saturday
slow and unhurried
my favourite day
to simply be
It is like cherry blossoms drifting
In the soft air of Spring,
the season I arrived,
one fine April day.
These pieces
come together
To shape a name.
Ashlyn.
Unique,
belonging to me
Something no on
Can take away.
Selfless Heroes By Gianna Ordonez
The heroes’ hopeful voices full with dreams
Were shut off after a deadly scream:
“There’s someone still inside!”
And that was their duty call.
They went back inside with a goal in mind
Not knowing that was their last time
Their rain coats were falling apart
As they searched fiercely for life
We wanted the selfless heroes back
The silence crawled through the crashed walls
Only the desperate heart beats were heard
Nobody talked
Nobody could
The sun rose while the sweat dripped
firefighters dug with their bare hands
Like madmen starved for another smile
Longing for their teammates’ lives
They wanted their selfless heroes back
At home a kid cried missing their dad
A woman stayed strong for their child
As in suits men laughed with
Their pockets filled with cash
Men were left behind
Men who gave their lives
For a system that only cared
For their own health and wealth
That same day they left their houses
Already missing their families
Wishing to experience more of life
The selfless heroes wanted to be back.
The bird by Jack o’neill
a bird light with joy
higher higher than all the clouds
its feathers rustle
English Class- Seán Byrne
As I settle into my chair, the teacher’s words fade into murmurs and I start observing my classmates. A whisper here, the click of a pen there, all coalescing into the environment I know so well. All
small movements
hiding a wealth of stories-
the comfort of belonging
Haikus by Hugh Chaney
fast steps to get home
a sweet shimmering river
back into traffic
evening light falling through
shining gold flicks fly around
never recreated
Haiku– MJ Carroll
lightning strikes above
the dog whimpers off to bed
the light above blows
