Kayla+Cohen

Responce 1 I am not from this area but in the time I have been here i have loved it. At times I miss my home, and sometimes I wish I could go back. But after being here and making friends different to what Im used to and different to the styles here I have grown to love it. I love my home, I love my neighborhood, I love this place. At first I was thinking i could never grow to like it here, now i feel as if i cant leave. Needless to say im enlighted to be where i am.

Once there was a conciderably short man named Jimmy Johnson. He was only five foot and he dreamed of playing professional basketball. Even though he couldn't play he never let go of his dream. He was shorter then all his friends, espcially his best friend "Man". Man is six foot three and whenever they play ball he dominates the court. Jimmy and Man were inserparable since second grade. Now in present day Jimmy is 17 and Man is 18. Everybody believed that Man would go pro one day. He could run, dribble, shoot, and to Jimmys dismay, dunk.
 * Responce 2**
 * A Short Mans Dream**

Once Jimmy had gone to his favorite teams game, Miami heat, and had gotten a ball that was signed by the whole team. Everybody signed it. When the ball touched his hands his knees went weak and his mouth watered. He has treasured it since. Well today Man had come over and they wer going to go play basketball on 45th street. One of the crowded streets ever. Every market you could imagine was on this street. Seven different food stores, nine clothing stores (including an American Eagle), and many side sellers who sold knick knacks which sometimes were very tantilizing. man could not for the life of him figure out where HIS ball was and it was the ball they used for basketball games. He suggested they use Jimmys "famous" ball. It was all Jimmy could do to not blow a fuse. After an hour of convincing Jimmy finally agreed to use his ball.

They get to the court and large audience forms around the court to watch "the tall kid crush the little guy". Towards the end of the game and after a fifty-four shutout by Man, Man gets one more shot in. He runs up to the basket and jumps up, slams the ball in and rants on as the "crowd" goes nuts.The ball that took Jimmy an hour rolls out of the court and nobody notices it till its gone! Jimmy gets his stuff to leave and when he goes for the ball he can't find it. Nobody can. He goes balstick. He leaves Man on the court and ignores Man for the rest of high school.

Kayla- This is a truly great piece for a short time of writing. Good job. Great words such as tantilizing and dismay and good use of description and imagery ("treasured" "mouth watered" "knees weak"). I'm glad you are in this class. Keep doing your thing.


 * Responce 3 **

HISTORY WILL **NOT** REPEAT To this day it's not freedom which tolls our ears or signs our birth certificates Its going to be one day of gloom and default when my generation relises its not too late when people say it is We are going to stand next to each other in a time of pain and soothe the sound that is  The yelling and crying of the one we leave it too. Can't you hear them? Maybe you can't I hear the voices loud and clear The voices telling me that we are testing the strings that are holding us together. I hear them I hear the bland oh so ear spliting pierce that will crush you under its grip. I hear you I hear the somewhat maddening cry of my peers and sisters who stood with me in times of parrel. I hear me I hear myself telling me it's wrong and your not listening to me only after the deed is done When will I and other learn from mistakes that we were all bound to make Is there going to an after math Will we as Maya said rise from the huts of historys shame Maybe we won't Yes.....to this day I will as she said dance as if I have oil wells pumping in my own back yard When will the time be for a new time Tho you may not be I certainly am tired of the never having a break in history that is on repeat This is a time for my shine beneath the torn shreads of the past to shine through Maybe if I shine bright enough You will see it too And envy........... And shine with me

Kayla- I think this is brilliant. Good work and you are really developing an impressive voice. I like the use of repetition in the middle of the poem and the reference to Maya Angelou's work. I think it could use an edit where you think about word choice in some instances (bland, ear splitting). I wonder if bland could be replaced. But then again, maybe not. Great job. I shared this poem with many people this weekend. You are a talented writer and I think we should work to publish/share your work. What do you think?

Everyday I walk to school down the same street, at the time, the same way. I leave my house as I take the same twenty-seven steps down to the front door, I should know I have done it for three years almost four. Out the door and make sure I push it closed so people can't wander in. As soon as I step into the cold air I most likely doubt my putfit for the day. Either over dressed or under dressed. It makes me feel like I should go back in but theres no time. I begin my walk. Down hay steet I pass my brothers' friend's house and over the slab of concreat jutting out of the ground. When i get to North the cold starts to get to my nose and chin. Man i should have wore my scarf. I make the same left and the road starts to rise from "normal" level. Walking up he hill making the distance between me and school begins to close. I seem to always walk past the stop light on Wood and North, no matter if it's green or red. When I cross the street, I cross the mystery lady who always has a bright smile and a cheerful hello. It makes me wonder what she does everymorning to me so estatic. I past Destiny's house and it's quiet and I think "Are they awake?'' By this time I look forward to being in school so we don't have to stand in the cold. Finally after seeing the apartment next to the school I get a bounce in my step and a rush to get warm my hands and face are also motivation to get a move on. Reaching the door it feels like heaven stepping out of the cold and into the warmth, finally in school, I can't wait to get home.
 * Responce 4 **

KAYLA! I don't see the poem you were working on Friday. I thought it was really good. Don't delete, that is an evil key. :) Seriously though, you may end up building and changing what you have written in the past,so keep it. There is no harm. I want to continue to work on your writing. I think there are some submissions that we can make for your poetry. It can go in contests and, I believe, win awards if we find the right contests. I will keep looking. Keep writing Kayla.


 * Responce 5 **
 * ...... ** writers block =(

Only two and a half more hours to go, then I am outta here. Hello sir how may I help you? This guy looks to be in his 40's, he is well groomed, and struts as if he is the happiest person in the world. "Yes I would like to make a deposit." Yes sir now can I have your name please? "James Thomas" Ok one second please.......ok and what are you depositing today Mr.Thomas? "Here you go." Wow this guy must be a CEO or president of the company. Just one moment please. Ok all set, is there...."RUN" "LOOK OUT" *CRAASH* *SCEEECH* "WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON?!?!" Some lunitic just drove his car into the bank! Who is it? I don't know! There he goes. (two hours later....) "So did you see him at all ma'am?" says the cop. His name tag says detective Garr. He is considerably short for a cop, but apperently doing very well. No all I know is that I was making a deposite, and the next thing I know it was all this panic and glass. "Well if your remember anything else please dont hesitate to call."
 * Responce 6 **

The Day I Talked With Myself One day while laying in bed staring at the ceiling, I began to have a very interesting conversation. I asked myself: Hey who are you? I replied hmmmm you are of words that cannot be defined. You are of dreams beginning to see reality. You can be the arm to hold up the earth, if you had to. You are to many thoughts at once. You are so much more then people will let you be. You represent yourself as well as an entire generation. You hold up the weight that others can't. You are small and large; shy yet bold; you won't ever let somebody tell you who you are. you are you.
 * FREESTYLE FRIDAY**

I thought on this about what I said and asked how could I be all that but could not see i? I replied because you can look into a mirror and see you; But you can't look into a mirror and see who you are after this bein said i told myself You are wise you know that? I said I know im you =)

I am not going to be here next year because I will be going to City High High School. It is suppose to be better give me a better chance of learning. It is suppose to push me toward my goal of being a doctor. But I still don't know if I want to be a doctor because I got introduced to architecture and I really like it. But thats the pupose of this school its suppose to help me figure out what I want to do. Instead of being in a school that just gives you the knowledge, its a school that gives you the option along with the skills. I have been told that its ok but it gets boring after a while, but she told me she doesn't want to set my view and that I should experience it for myself. I figure if I like it i will stay but if I don't then I can find another school or come back to WMS.
 * Responce 7**

To me 30 years from now I believe that I should be just about done with college. I will be in the middle of my journey of being a doctor, somewhat of a nurse and almost there. As for my personal life I am married to, well this dude, with four dogs. A collie named Shawty, a german shepard named Ky, a rotwiler named Tuff, and a american pit named, well I don't know because my husband wanted him and named him so I don't know his name yet. At this point we start to talk about kids a set of twins, a boy and a girl, J.J. and Isa (nicknames). We make enough to support and then some. But I can't predict life so we will see.
 * Responce 8**

THE ADVENTURES OF TEAM NERD!!! Once in a school of bullies, gross lunches, and cool teachers, this is the story of a super hero team. A girl named Stacey, who with her power to move things with her mind, read thoughts, and change incredbly fast, is THE NERD PROSPER! Also Mr. Boll, a teacher with short cropped hair, corny funny jokes, and the power to keep peace between students in the halls, with super speed, strength, and teaching ablities, he is TEACHER MAN! And last but not least the final addition to the terrific trio, Kayla, a chick who has multipersonalites, fifty pairs of converses, can jump higher then any frog, its GEEK GIRL! In the halls Teacher Man in his disguse as Mr. Boll. studies the kids to make sure there are no fights before lunch. "Stacey" was on her way to fourth period, when suddenly a 7th grader started to yell and shout at another girl. She swung by to see what the problem is. "She wants to fight her because she made her get detention." On no. "Mr. Boll" heard what was going on and screamed "THIS IS A JOB FOR......TEACHER MAN!!!!" In his blue and green mask and cape with high-water suspenders he speey ran to the seene of the fight. Now lets just calm down....."No me and her are fighting, drop your stuff." Now wait you can't .......*swing* (to be continued.....)
 * Responce 9**

IN OUR LAST STORY........ Now wait you can't......*swing* Just before her fist can connect with the small girl GEEK GIRL steps in to help out TEACHER MAN!! Now just one second there, she said in smothered Texan accent. You can't fight her because I said so. "Oh yeah and who do you think you are?" I AM.....she jumps into the air and spins at a lightening fast speed. When she lands she is dressed in black suspenders and a multicolored shirt, chucks that match the shirt that go midway up her legs, with wings that flutter as she lands. A utility belt wrapped around her waist with super pencils, super pens, and super rulers for fighting in combat. Her emblem glows on her chest bright just like TEACHER MANS and THE NERD PROSPER an atom symbol with her enitals brightly changing colors to match her suit. with a black mask to seal her identity she says with pride.....GEEK GIRL. She looks to TEACHER MAN and says you handle the referral I will get her to the office. GEEK GIRL picks up the bully and attemps to hop her to the office, but the bully suddenly changes forms. "So you think you have won? THINK AGAIN!" Her hair slicks back and becomes razor sharp, she twists her head and painfully scrapes GEEK GIRLS arm her hopping stops and she drops the bully. Who are you? she looks at her and her whole image changes. What GEEK GIRL sees is enough to make any normal student run in terror. Her eyes become beady green, her legs morph together and become one long tail, her arms become scaled with talons on the end, she grows fangs that shoot acid when she spits, and she screams, "I AM VENOMIA!!!" GEEK GIRL looks at VENOMIA and assumes attack position. GEEK GIRL retrieves her super rulers and connects them together to make her staff. Trained in seven different arts of fighting she charges VENOMIA. GG jumps into the air kicks V in the face. V whips her tail and it catches GG off guard. V wraps her tail around GG and pulls her to face her."You are weak, just like the rest of your team! HAHAHAHAAA" Just in the nick of time THE NERD PROSPER appears and say "HEY VENOMIA" *swack!* kicked her so hard she broke her fang. Once GG got back her groove NP ans GG kicked and fought every move in sync with the next. With a sudden crash she fell to the ground beaten and bruized. GEEK GIRL and THE NERD PROSPER stood side by side enjoying thier triumph. "It's a good thing I had to go to the library!" THE END
 * Responce 10**

good job - keep doin your best :-)

SHUT UP! IM SICK OF THE DICTATION! IM SICK OF CRAWLING MY WAY TO FREEDOM ! MY LEGS ARE DIRTY AND MY HANDS ACHE! IM DONE BEING THE PERFECT IMPERFECTION! NOW IM GOING TO SPEAK! AND YOU WILL LISTEN AS IF YOUR LIFE DEPENED ON IT! AND JUST BECAUSE THIS IS NO LONGER MY PAIN I WILL SCREAM AND YOU CAN LISTEN FROM NOW ON! EVEN IF MY VOICE FALLS ON DEAF EARS LISTEN!
 * Responce 11 **

Again Kayla- I'm impressed by the strong poetic voice that you have. Keep writing and continue to develop and think about the ways you see the world. This last piece was powerful and passionate. THose are important in writing. Keep working hard today. Work on the super hero project or poetry. It is absolutely great to have you in class. []
 * Responce 12 **


 * Responce 13**

Still I Rise
You may write me down in history With your bitter, twisted lies, You may trod me in the very dirt But still, like dust, I'll rise. Does my sassiness upset you? Why are you beset with gloom? 'Cause I walk like I've got oil wells Pumping in my living room. Just like moons and like suns, With the certainty of tides, Just like hopes springing high, Still I'll rise. Did you want to see me broken? Bowed head and lowered eyes? Shoulders falling down like teardrops. Weakened by my soulful cries. Does my haughtiness offend you? Don't you take it awful hard 'Cause I laugh like I've got gold mines Diggin' in my own back yard. You may shoot me with your words, You may cut me with your eyes, You may kill me with your hatefulness, But still, like air, I'll rise. Does my sexiness upset you? Does it come as a surprise That I dance like I've got diamonds At the meeting of my thighs? Out of the huts of history's shame I rise Up from a past that's rooted in pain I rise I'm a black ocean, leaping and wide, Welling and swelling I bear in the tide. Leaving behind nights of terror and fear I rise Into a daybreak that's wondrously clear I rise Bringing the gifts that my ancestors gave, I am the dream and the hope of the slave. I rise

I rise I rise.

it was just a dream *phew*
 * Responce 14**
 * yawn* "another day in this forest. i grew up here its home but i wish that i could see more. i want to find out if the rumor about humans are true. i want to see whats beyond this forest. i want to go places and come back to and tell my friends about it" ALRIGHT GUYS LETS GET THESE TREES OUTTA HERE!!! "wait whats going on?!" ROOTY "MOOOOM i change my mind i dont want to go anywhere!"
 * gasp* it was just a dream

It seemed like a normal PSSA week in Wilkinsburg. Kids came for three straight days, took their tests, and left at lunch to enjoy the new spring weather. However, as I look back on what went down that week, it was anything but normal. The firt day was average. The hype from prepareing this whole time was beginning to spike as we were nearing the end of the first day. It wasn't so much the accual test that mad eeverybody so giddy with happiness, but the events afterward that would make us glad to be let out early. As Mrs. Ayres annonced we are free to go everybody spilled out of the halls like an opening to a ballon that is way too full. As my companions and I waited for the last of our crew to get out we acted as if we didnt have a care in the world. We played music and had fun, we took pictures that if thought about twice would end up on facebook. Finally after waiting way too long for them they come out of the school and as we begin the journey to McDonalds we see kids walking/jogging towards us. We ask "What happened?" They tell us there was a fight and give us details. After fuming about it for two minutes hunger took over and we left. When we got there there was green stuff hanging on the sign, and burnt crisps scorched on the ground. "Whoa what the heck?!!" It looked like a dragon and an over sized slug out into it and nobody got out alive. Once I got my fries and Frappie we went to subway and ordered a bomb.com sub. Then I went home and changed into something less hot, and basically walked aroung with friends acting like normal teenagers. Although what I wouldn't give to see that fight. HMMM....
 * Responce 15**

DIARY OF A WIMPY TEEN June 8th Yes. Finally the last day of school. I have waiting for this day for ages now. To me school is sorta of a trap that always lets you out. You first get there and believe you are going to have a good year. Once you start the first day, you can wait for the last. After 180 days of lunch room fights, hallway gossip, and angry teachers, everybody wants to go home and plan their three months of freedom. Anyway anytime the bell ring kids normally file out fast. Today kids are just hyperactive. he teachers don't even care that kids are loud and all over the halls. They want to go home and do whatever it is that teachers do. Me, I just can't wait to go home and change into sweats, and grap the ice cream out of the freezer. Mostly kids go to stores and immediatly start the junk food surge, but all school year we have been all over the neighborhood after school right now all I want to do is go home and spend at least a week doing absolutly nothing. No teachers, go shopping, and relax before I start my summer officially.
 * Responce 16**

If I won the lottery then firstof course I would get rid of my taxes. Paying my taxes means that I wont have to pay any dept i may have, student loans, anything. Next I would take at least 32% of that and invest in something that will be bound to make a rise like in something like iApple or Google. This way whatever i make extra will go into 2 different accounts.1 is for personal pleasures like shopping, outings, travel, etc. The other would go to 1 for emergency funds, like in case something happens or I need to suddenly pay an over due bill. Whatever is left over goes to housing, transpertation, and living nessicities. After that I would try to help out my family and try to help them out with dept.
 * Responce 17**

Sometimes she talks to me like she hates me. Its like she wants to ruin me. Especially when i was young. Her name is Lyla. Everybody would shun me if I listened to her the time. Maybe if gave her some time to be out in the real world with me She would see that nobody likes what she tries to get me to do and be is not who I am. Then theres the one I always listen to. Shes the sweetest thing in the world. Its like the Halo that hangs over her head is pure goodness. Her name is Kay. Lyla and Kay hate each other. Cat and dog, yin and yang, up and down, hot and cold with these two. I can see why Kay doesnt like Lyla though. One time she dyed her wings black. Something that compared to her white ones that shine brighter then pearls would make her look dirty and bad. Not the gretaest look on her. Even though Kay is well tempered she got her back good. //HA// She took Lyla's favorite biker and replaced the flaming sculls logo with white wing and a halo that said "God is Good". I had to take them out of my head and put them on a shoulder each so that the wouldn't kill each other. It was good for them horrible for me. Now I hear it from both sides how Kay is a "good for nothing goodie two shoes" or how Lyla "wouldn't know how to be sweetly cute if June styled her". I would rather me catch the heat then then battle it out in my head and i go crazy. They may not be friends but both are the first people I go to when I have to make a choice. Kay I go to when I have to make important decisions and Lyla when I don't know what tattoo I should get or which person I should fight first. I swear sometimes I consider getting rid of them but then I wouldnt be who I am. I would be someone else. I would be boring. You know what I mean?
 * Responce 18**

What Girls Are Made Of Girls are made of mean sugar and spice more like evil and hate with a dash of rude. then again everybody has their own ingrediants I don't have a clue what I'm made of a little of this a little of that alot of misunderstood is the secret ingrediant //shhhh// don't tell anyone If I could look into the cookbook to understand what girl are made of i wonder if i might want to make one or turn away and look towards the making of boys girls bicker girls fight girls whine girls ARE DISHES THAT MUST TAKE TIME AND EFFORT I have the littlest bit of hope that if i tweek the recipe i can make it better but like most dishes once you mess it up you can do one of a few things -throw it away and start over -add more and make the best of it or -leave it as is (somebody has to like it) i give props to all girls tho regarless of what your made of sugar and spice sweetness and nice bitter and tough rough and tangy you were made to and flavor to the world and that we did
 * Responce 19**
 * scoff*

Maybe i could rule the world or maybe the country maybe i could go to pluto or find a world under the world (?) perhaps i could have given my life to finding the tooth fairy or i could take my brother to see santa claus (the real one) also possibly i could fly to mars or move the sun its impossible for me to go to college or make something of myself its impossible for me to stay out of prison or be ashamed im black well if i believed eveything people told me was impossible there would be no possiblities now would they?
 * Maybe I could (or)**

"What do you think would happen if you mix lemonade with orange soda?'' Well first i think that nothing would happen...till you shake it then the orange soda would explode and then would fizz for like 97 seconds (longest minute and 37seconds of your life) you think aww man now i gotta clean it up but then you look to see if its done fizzing but the combo of lemon and orange gets in your eye! you scream and scream till your mom yells shut up! and you go to the bathroom to wash out your eye but once you look at your eye itz yellow and orange thats the story of how my eye turned yellow nd orange. =D
 * Responce 20**

"A plate of fear" the servings are endless the main piece: hate slow roasted for years in a closed container called the heart one side: cowardly dashed in to add some fear so hate wont make you blow chunks the last side: sadness added to make you feel as if its the best thing in the world just to cover up that its bad for you A tall glass of: courage to help you wash it down and get through the meal as painless as possible I had already tried my plate of fear everybody has to.
 * Responce 21**

20 Rules I Have Broken 1)Do not lie 2)Don't liter 3)J walking (stupid law BTW) 4)No swearing in school (tehehehe) 5) 6) 7) 8) 9) 10) 11) 12) 13) 14) 15) 16) 17) 18) 19) 20)

//This poem is for everyone who (for one thing needs a good laugh and) see the world in the "upside down" way// The world is backwards didnt you notice I hate it here My dad didnt leave and my mom isnt stressed Gosh this is the craziest place in the whole universe the buses are always on time and the schools lunches are magnificent my speech is perfect my clothes are the best (or worst) People understand me my stage fright isnt threatening to make me faint even though im black im accepted anyway people expect me to succeed and i dont have to walk my dog the sky is green the grass is blue there is no government and kids are CEOs McDonalds is free people are nice and my friends dont have problems
 * Responce 22**
 * Backwards**


 * Responce 23**
 * //"You must be the change you want to see in the world"//**
 * People dont understand that complaining about things you want to see change wont change them. If you think the world is full of junk do something about it. Dont wait for somebody else to come along because chances are that person will sit next to you and complain as well. I believe that we are lazy. This goes for myself as well. But we all say make a change, help out, or anything like that but will say this sitting down. I believe that I have become more active in things I want to change. If I want my mom to help me with something I would have already started it and not have waited for my mom to start with me. I understand that sometimes its hard to start changing your life or yourself without help. But the start begins when you have the courage to do it on your own. Because sometimes the person or thing that helped you get started wont always be there.**


 * Responce** 24

I remember when I were young. I even remember when i followed the stomack out of the womb. I remember. I regret alot of things. Like when I opened up when I was 16. Oh boy was her mom mad. I did have some good times though. The running, walking, jumping, even the first time I helped lift her up. A few times I have been bad and hurt people. Sometimes I wish that I had a mouth so I could apoligize myself. But she has always, well most of the time, handled it for me. I wish that I was young again. I wish that I could go somewhere else for a change. Now she is all grown up. Her own house, job, husband, who might I say is very testing. Always making her laugh and run. Good memories. I also remember when I ran that marathon, oh boy I was sore for weeks. Never in my life will I ever do that again. But it made me feel good. It told me that Im still of use and not as old as I felt. After that all she really does is drive to work. I will be so happy when that dang car dies. Maybe then me and my pal the bike can hang out more. In my life I have gotten whisles, cat calls, even the brave ones dare to touch me. I like the attention, although she doesnt. In fact one time when I was walking her back to her car a strange man came and was very rude. He ripped my favorite pants! Thats not even the worse part the worse part is that he kept grabbing and pulling me! Once he left I ran to the car and she drove to the police station. Im glad she told him about the pants and the assult. There will never be another pair like it. Oh well. After that she started getting heavy. Personally I had put on a few pounds as well. After nine months of this strange weight gain it started to flood. But their wasnt a cloud in the sky. The next thing I know I cant move! I was scared because Everyone was screaming and shouting and it looked like at me. But they wernt they were yelling at her. telling her something like push and almost there. I was confused, Whats almost there? Push what? I didnt know until i saw the cutest little thing. They looked just like me. Even all wet I saw the smallest little mole. In the same spot as mine. At the very top. I knew I had alot to teach this new little pair of legs.
 * Responce 25****

never mind listen to me for a sec let me tell you a something I wish you would stop I hope you will learn oh well never mind I need you to be patient while i remember what ummm what i wanted to say uhhh got dammit oh i wanted to say oh never mind something that was life or death crap i wish i could remember oh well never mind you werent going to listen anyway.
 * Responce 26**