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Junior Year MAG

January 25, 2015
By BreeZephyr SILVER, Broken Arrow, Oklahoma
BreeZephyr SILVER, Broken Arrow, Oklahoma
7 articles 0 photos 84 comments

Favorite Quote:
“In the moment when I truly understand my enemy, understand him well enough to defeat him, then in that very moment I also love him...it's impossible to really understand somebody, what they want, what they believe, and not love them the way they love themselves.” - Orson Scott Card, Ender's Game


In Math this year we didn’t discuss
existentialist theories
in light of the Fibonacci number
Or the meaning of life according to Pythagoras;
apparently, that would have been irrational.
Plus
we didn’t debate heavenly sines from above
or go off on philosophical tangents.
In Chemistry we didn’t learn
how to catalyze mutual bonds
or about the products that they form.
And it was never really made clear how the chemical formula of oxytocin –
C43H66N12O12S2
actually has any relevance when you’re talking about
a chemical reaction
between two hearts.
English did manage to say something about
the mysteries of love
and the beauty in the struggle,
but it was all about the saying.
“Clarify, define, expound, portray …”
We never sat to ponder the indescribable
or what silence looks like printed on paper
or how the best writing speaks to readers the most
when it stops itself short
before it finishes saying what it’s trying to say.
In Spanish class the topic of study
was not if citizens of el mundo entero,
instead of a ciudad or país,
really do exist today.
And we never considered that the language barrier
might not be much of a barrier at all,
or at least not as impenetrable as barriers del corazon
if, after all, acciones speak louder than palabras.
But we borrowed pencils
and shared notes
and sat shoulder to shoulder
pondering equations.
We discovered how valuable those are who teach
and how to be teachable.
We reached for the guiding hands above us
and turned back to reach for the hands below us.
We questioned everything
then questioned the answers
then questioned each other
then questioned ourselves.
Some things are just bigger than a classroom.



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This article has 14 comments.


on Nov. 24 2015 at 3:30 pm
BreeZephyr SILVER, Broken Arrow, Oklahoma
7 articles 0 photos 84 comments

Favorite Quote:
“In the moment when I truly understand my enemy, understand him well enough to defeat him, then in that very moment I also love him...it's impossible to really understand somebody, what they want, what they believe, and not love them the way they love themselves.” - Orson Scott Card, Ender's Game

Gracias :)

on Nov. 20 2015 at 11:40 pm
writer-violist DIAMOND, Jenks, Oklahoma
63 articles 4 photos 84 comments

Favorite Quote:
“There is no greater agony than bearing an untold story inside you.”
― Maya Angelou, I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings

Awesome!!!!

on Mar. 8 2015 at 4:15 pm
BreeZephyr SILVER, Broken Arrow, Oklahoma
7 articles 0 photos 84 comments

Favorite Quote:
“In the moment when I truly understand my enemy, understand him well enough to defeat him, then in that very moment I also love him...it's impossible to really understand somebody, what they want, what they believe, and not love them the way they love themselves.” - Orson Scott Card, Ender's Game

I think I'll try to find that article. Sounds interesting. And I'm glad that you were able to find some real-life meaning to the poem. Thank you for commenting!

on Mar. 8 2015 at 4:14 pm
BreeZephyr SILVER, Broken Arrow, Oklahoma
7 articles 0 photos 84 comments

Favorite Quote:
“In the moment when I truly understand my enemy, understand him well enough to defeat him, then in that very moment I also love him...it's impossible to really understand somebody, what they want, what they believe, and not love them the way they love themselves.” - Orson Scott Card, Ender's Game

Lol, writing makes everything more bearable :) Thank you!

on Feb. 19 2015 at 10:57 am
CaseyChickenWang SILVER, McDonough,
7 articles 2 photos 89 comments

Favorite Quote:
"No one likes half-jinglers! Jingle all the way!" - Shelley McNeight
"You don't get what you deserve, you get what you negotiate." - GSUMUN

This is a very creative poem. In fact, I recently read a NY Times article arguing that colleges don't teach students about life. Your poem really reminds me of this. And I really love how you did point out the valuable aspects of studying in the classroom!

on Feb. 18 2015 at 7:56 pm
Jtatsu PLATINUM, East Brunswick, New Jersey
26 articles 0 photos 77 comments
This is a very captivating poem with a lot of meaning... Love it! It makes school seem a little more bearable:)

on Feb. 14 2015 at 3:16 pm
BreeZephyr SILVER, Broken Arrow, Oklahoma
7 articles 0 photos 84 comments

Favorite Quote:
“In the moment when I truly understand my enemy, understand him well enough to defeat him, then in that very moment I also love him...it's impossible to really understand somebody, what they want, what they believe, and not love them the way they love themselves.” - Orson Scott Card, Ender's Game

Yeah, I get why you'd be confused on that part. Basically I meant that in language class I hear a lot about "joining cultures" and becoming "citizens of the world", not just my own country--but there are only a precious few people who, whether or not it affects them personally, actually care much about what's happening in other countries. (For example, remember #BringBackOurGirls? What happened to that? Social media pretty much lost interest in that after a week. Our attention spans are pretty short, and a hashtag doesn't seem to change that much, unfortunately.) Sorry I didn't make my message clearer, but thank you so much for telling me about that. Now I'll have the chance to edit it before I submit it to my school's Lit Mag! :D

on Feb. 14 2015 at 8:21 am
lucybrown SILVER, Blacksburg, Virginia
7 articles 0 photos 112 comments

Favorite Quote:
The wastebasket is a writer's best friend. ~Isaac Bashevis Singer

First things first, but not necessarily in that order. ~ From Doctor Who

Love this poem! I really agree with the message it sends. I was a little confused by the first four lines in the fourth stanza though. I don't know if I read it correctly but when you said if citizens of the whole world really existed today it threw me off a little because I wasn't sure what you meant. Also, the last line in the third stanza felt a little wordy, but that's just a minor nitpick. Besides that, you did a great job! I especially love the lines "we never stopped to ponder the indescribable or what silence looked like printed on paper" and "we never considered that the language barrier might not be much of a barrier at all or at least not as impenetrable as barriers del corazon." Beautiful! Keep up the great work!

on Feb. 8 2015 at 4:24 pm
BreeZephyr SILVER, Broken Arrow, Oklahoma
7 articles 0 photos 84 comments

Favorite Quote:
“In the moment when I truly understand my enemy, understand him well enough to defeat him, then in that very moment I also love him...it's impossible to really understand somebody, what they want, what they believe, and not love them the way they love themselves.” - Orson Scott Card, Ender's Game

Thank you! (And I can respect any Latin student; it just looks so hard...)

on Feb. 8 2015 at 4:22 pm
BreeZephyr SILVER, Broken Arrow, Oklahoma
7 articles 0 photos 84 comments

Favorite Quote:
“In the moment when I truly understand my enemy, understand him well enough to defeat him, then in that very moment I also love him...it's impossible to really understand somebody, what they want, what they believe, and not love them the way they love themselves.” - Orson Scott Card, Ender's Game

Ha ha, well, I wouldn't always CHOOSE to be at school if I didn't have to, but I enjoy it most of the time. XD Thank you for commenting!

-L.k.R- said...
on Feb. 7 2015 at 8:49 am
-L.k.R-, Epinay Sur Seine, Other
0 articles 1 photo 9 comments

Favorite Quote:
"To know, is to know is that you know nothing. That is the meaning of true knowledge." By Socrates.

@BreeZephyr Interesting. I hated school but I loved studying. Being in school just...makes me more like I'm confined at some point. Anyways, good job. I love your work. Keep it up!

on Feb. 5 2015 at 9:11 am
CNBono17 SILVER, Rural, South Carolina
5 articles 0 photos 248 comments

Favorite Quote:
Lego ergo sum (Latin—I read, therefore, I am)
The pen is mightier than the sword—unknown
Don't let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, and in purity—1 Timothy 4:12

Okay, why haven't you published more? Poetry isn't my favorite to read, but this is absolutely captivating! And aside from the spanish (I'm in Latin, tho I can understand it) I agree with every word! This is an amazing piece, well done!

on Feb. 3 2015 at 10:02 pm
BreeZephyr SILVER, Broken Arrow, Oklahoma
7 articles 0 photos 84 comments

Favorite Quote:
“In the moment when I truly understand my enemy, understand him well enough to defeat him, then in that very moment I also love him...it's impossible to really understand somebody, what they want, what they believe, and not love them the way they love themselves.” - Orson Scott Card, Ender's Game

@Lost_In_Her_Daydream : Thank you so much! :)

dya.o PLATINUM said...
on Feb. 3 2015 at 10:32 am
dya.o PLATINUM, Milton, Florida
43 articles 0 photos 86 comments

Favorite Quote:
“If consensus is overrated, I think balance is, too.
I have no interest in living a balanced life.
I want a life of adventure.” | Chris Guillebeau

@BreeZephyr This is amazing! You have quite a talent with writing. Please continue writing, I would love to read more of your work!