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The Bird is the Word: Sophisticated Schoolyard Shenanigans

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1960s: The Internet is Born

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By James Zheng

The birth of the ARPANET is attributed to the start of the Cold War. The original purpose of ARPANET (the Advanced Research Projects Agency Network) was military. Computers were the intended intermediary for military communication. 

One of the most important figures in computer science, J.C.R. Licklider, formulated the earliest ideas of a global computer network in August 1962 in a series of memos discussing the “Intergalactic Computer Network” concept. These ideas contained almost everything that the Internet is today, including cloud computing.

When J.C.R. Licklider left office, he handed over the baton to Bob Taylor. Taylor graduated from the University of Texas, majoring in experimental psychology, and his adoration of Licklider reached a point of no return. 

One day in 1966, when Taylor walked into the Charles Herzfeld’s office, who was the Head of the ARPA, he proposed his idea of the Internet to Herzfeld. The blueprint of ARPANET was formally established.

Here came another guy who was a genius from MIT, Larry Roberts. Taylor put his whole expectation on Roberts, and Roberts rapidly constructed the fundamental structure for the ARPANET. In not even a year, Roberts put the goal forward: a multi-computer network with communication between computers.

But, the first two things Roberts and Taylor planned were 1) arrange at least sixteen work groups participating in this research and use at least thirty-five computers, and, 2) make these computers deliver messages to each other every day, and the amount of messages has to be at least five hundred thousand. 

With the objective out there, Roberts submitted another report called “the network which could share the information.” The report mainly advocated utilizing the four trending computer prototypes to set up the experimental nodes. These prototypes were Sigma-7, IBM360, PDP-10 and XDS-940, but the question came again: how do you enable these computers to communicate with each other?

At this moment, another savior arrived named Wesley Clark. Clark told Taylor and Roberts that they didn’t need to connect all the computers to the network. They just needed to install an intermediary computer between the host providing the resources and the network. The task of this intermediary computer only involved three things: to receive the remote information, to convert it to the format that could be used by the local computer, and to make sure computers are always connected. Do you feel you know this intermediary computer? You should; it was the predecessor of the router!

When the four computer prototypes finished setting up, the first ARPANET link was established between the University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA) and the Stanford Research Institute at 22:30 on October 29, 1969.

“We set up a telephone connection between us and the guys at SRI,” researcher Kleinrock said in an interview: “We typed the L and we asked on the phone, ‘Do you see the L?’

’Yes, we see the L,’ came the response.

We typed the O, and we asked, ‘Do you see the O.’

‘Yes, we see the O.’

Then we typed the G, and the system crashed …

Yet a revolution had begun.”

By December 5, 1969, a 4-node network was connected by adding the University of Utah and the University of California at Santa Barbara. ARPANET grew rapidly. By 1981, the number of hosts had grown to 213, with a new host being added approximately every twenty days.

ARPANET became the technical core of what would become the Internet, and a primary tool in developing the technologies used today.

Source:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_the_Internet
http://www.5yemao.com/archives/714.html

1960s Editor: Quintus Ni

Fashion in the 1960s

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By Katelin Mei

The fashion in the 1960s changed drastically throughout the decade. In the early 60s, the fashion looked more like the fashion from the 50s, which was very conservative. Before 1964, the fashion styles were a continuation of the 1950s fashion, but with the Beatles came a new fashion influence from London.

In the 1950s, fashion was very conservative and tried to make young people look more mature. In the 1960s, the fashion changed from trying to make people look like “young adults” to revisiting the bright colors and child-like styles of their youth. The whole idea of revisiting youth drove most of the 1960s fashion.

In the early 60s, the skirts and dresses were just updated versions of the 50s’ ankle-length skirts and dresses. As the decade progressed, new fashions emerged. The full-skirt look didn’t leave in the 1960s but instead survived to the 1970s in a simpler form.

By 1966, dresses were significantly shorter and more snug. 

Many women preferred skirts over dresses because they could mix and match their outfits a lot easier.

There were many different styles of fashion going around during the 60s. You would be able to see a woman wearing an ankle-length skirt, and another woman next to her, wearing a mini skirt. From the mid to late 60s, skirts could be easily bought at any length. 1960s dresses kept going shorter and shorter throughout the decade.

Many young women liked the mini skirt, which dominated the fashion world in 1967. The shorter the skirt’s length was, the more confidence the woman wearing the skirt had.

The 1960s were not as revolutionary for men’s fashion as it was for women’s. However, it did change a lot. Men got more options for business and casual attire

Some fashion trends of the 1960s

  • Shift dresses – The full skirt and tight bodice from the 50s carried over to the early 60s. It didn’t take much longer for the pencil skirt to loosen up to create the shift dress. Shift dresses were for a casual outfit to wear at home or the beach; they were too short for office-wear.
  • The jumper dress – This was a Mary Quant invention that fully captured the youthful and playful side of 1960s fashion. The style immediately made adults look like children again, which was a welcome change away from the mature fashion of the 1950s. Bright colours, polka-dots, and big bows and buttons were dress details that added on to the youthful look.
  • Colors – The colors of the late 60s were first inspired by pop art and modern art movements. Checkerboard, polka-dots, and stripes were all commonly used as patterns. Swirls and prints introduced an edge to clothing that was picked up by the hippies around 1967. Eventually the pop colours settled down into pastel colours which led to a more “girly” appeal. As the decade moved towards the hippie movement, there was a trend of earth-tone colours.

Source:

1960s Fashion: What Did Women Wear?

Far-Out 1960s Editor: Quintus Ni

Songs for the Spooky Season

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By Renee

What is there to say about Halloween….. A time of panicked last minute costumes, consuming copious amounts of sweets, and decorating homes with cheesy props. I love Halloween. I love dressing up and beaming with pride over how good my costume came out. I love tricking myself into believing that treats are not bad because they’re small. I love feeling giddy, waiting in suspense as I watch horror movies. I love Halloween. But, while I’m working on my costume, baking something spooky, or carving pumpkins, I have to listen to some music to get myself into the Halloween spirit! So I thought that y’all might enjoy a good ol’ Halloween playlist for tonight.

1. “31 Days of Halloween” by Nancy Nightmare and the Wizard. 

2. “I Put A Spell On You” by Nina Simone

3. “Land of the Dead” by Voltaire

4. “Somebody’s Watching Me” by Rockwell

5. “Burn the Witch” by Queens of the Stonewell

6. “Thriller” by Michel Jackson

7. “Season of the Witch” cover by Lana Del Rey

8. “She Put a Hex on You” by Them

9. “The Maddest Story Ever Told” by Fantomas

10. “The Night” by Voltaire

Seasonal Holiday Editor: Katelin Slosky

So Far Away

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By Katelin Mei

The night sky has always fascinated me. I have always wondered what is out there. The possibilities are endless. However, it will take a long time to explore outer space because even if we were traveling at the speed of light, it would take many years to travel to the stars closest to us. We do know about these stars because we are able to see and track them. Here are the brightest stars we can see in our night sky.

Sirius, the Dog Star
  • Sirius – Also known as the “Dog Star,” this is one of the brightest stars in the night sky. It is visible from late August until mid-to-late March and lies 8.6 light years away from us.
  • Canopus – This was either named for an ancient city in Northern Egypt, or the helmsman for Menelaous, a mythical king of Sparta. It is visible from the Southern Hemisphere but is visible to southern regions of the Northern Hemisphere at certain times of the year. It lies 74 light years away from us.
  • Rigil Kentaurus – Its name literally means “foot of the centaur,” and it is one of the most famous stars in our sky. It is part of the constellation Centaurus and is classified as the same type of star as our sun. It is actually part of a 3-star system, with each star looping around the others in dance. Rigil Kentaurus is 4.3 light-years away from us.
  • Arcturus – This is the brightest star in the constellation Boötes. Its name means “Guardian of the Bear.” Stargazers learn of it as they star-hop from the Big Dipper. One easy way to remember it is to use the curve of the Big Dipper to “arc to Arcturus.” It lies around 34 light years away from us.
  • Vega – Its name means “swooping eagle,” and it is the 5th brightest star in our sky. It is part of the constellation Lyra. It is also part of a star pattern known as the summer triangle and can be seen in the Northern Hemisphere from early summer to late autumn. There is a disk of material around it, which could possibly hold planets. Scientists classify this star to be a Type A star, meaning it is younger and hotter than our sun. It is 25 light years away from us.
Vega, the 5th brightest star in our sky
  • Capella – This name means “little she-goat” in Latin and is the brightest star in the constellation Auriga, and is one of the 5 stars in a star pattern known as “Winter Hexagon. Capella is a yellow giant, like our own Sun, but much larger. It lies around 41 light years away from the sun.
  • Rigel – Its name comes from the Arabic word for “foot,” and is literally one of the feet of the constellation Orion. Rigel is also part of the “Winter Hexagon” and can be seen from October through March.  It has a slightly dimmer companion that can easily be seen with a telescope. Astronomers have discovered that it is part of a 4-star system. It lies around 860 light years away from us but is so bright that it is the 7th brightest star in our sky.
  • Procyon – The name “Procyon” is based on the Greek work “prokyon” meaning “before the dog.” And indeed, this star rises before Sirius. It is part of the Canis Major Constellation, and is also part of the Winter Hexagon. It is visible from the Northern Hemisphere and lies 11.4 light years away from us.
  • Achernar – Its name meaning, “End of River,” this star is part of the constellation Eridanus, the river. It is part of the Southern Hemisphere but can be seen from certain parts of the Northern Hemisphere, such as South Asia, or the Southern parts of the United States. It lies 139 light years away from us.
  • Betelgeuse – The name means “arm of the mighty one.” It is a red supergiant and makes up the upper-left shoulder of Orion. It is much bigger and brighter than our sun. If Betelgeuse were placed at the center of our solar system, its atmosphere would expand past the orbit of Jupiter. It has grown as it has aged. Eventually it will explode into a supernova; when that happens it will temporarily be the brightest object in our night sky. It lies 1,500 light years away from us, but because it is 13,000 times brighter than our sun, it is the 10th brightest star in the night sky.
Betelgeuse, 1,500 light years away

Oh, and here is the source:

https://www.thoughtco.com/bright-stars-in-our-night-sky-3073632

Far away editor: Doreen Yuan

James Takes on Architecture

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By James Zheng

Back to our topic of ART, James asks, . . .

“What is art? I think that everything could be considered art as long as someone gives a reason and demonstrates how it is a type of art. Sometimes my classmates ask me, “You call this art?” while I’m gazing at various architectural styles. Well, I say, if you admire or enjoy seeing something, I would say that you could totally consider it Art.

Here is a list of architectural ART:

  • Farnsworth House.

The house depicted below was designed by Ludwig Mies Van der Rohe. The original is located in Plano, Illinois, USA. Farnsworth’s house is similar to overhead transparent glasses in a box shape with four sides. The model of the building is simple, clear, but it gives viewers an elegant view. Steel structures exposed to the outside are painted white and blend with the surrounding trees and lawns. Due to the full transparency of the glass wall, the view from the internal space is wide.

  • The Fallingwater Villa

The house designed by Frank Lloyd Wright, initially was located in Mill Run, Pennsylvania. Fallingwater Villa has achieved one of the most extraordinary successes in the historical development of architecture. On the aspect of space composition between the internal structure and external environment, I consider this as the most “natural” design I have reviewed due to its cohesive integrity with nature.

  • Guggenheim Museum

It is one of the most famous personal art museums designed by Solomon R. Guggenheim located in New York City. Unlike any other buildings, it can be described as a tea cup or a huge white spring, probably because of the spiral structure that makes some people say it looks like a conch as well. Solomon R. Guggenheim has a collection of modern art, many of which are hung by metal poles and appear to float in the air. Traditionally, museums display works of art on walls along the hall. But Guggenheim broke the tradition.

  • The Smith House

The Smith House is designed by Richard Meier and sits in Connecticut. The conceptual ideas for this house are similar to the Farnsworth House, on the way of exposing the internal space to outside. The frame that is displayed in rectangular shape creates a discordant sense, and its purpose may lead people to have the illusion of internal and external inseparability. But, when you actually see the building, it is easy to distinguish the outside and inside. You also would observe a difference between the protruding part and the surface of the building and realize the variability of space.

The magical presence of structural architecture may only seem physical–that it does not compare with the “art” of drawings and poems. But, despite architecture being recognized as a substantial practical existence, what architecture authentically expresses is the progress of the eras and the culmination of human aesthetics.

Art Editor: Chelsea

Ten Surprising Facts about the Cold War

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Hello guys!! I am going to do something different this week! Editor Quintus assigned Blog Staffers to write on the 1960s. So, instead of doing my usual art tutorials, I will do a post about another interest of mine: History. The history of the 1960s that most interests me is the Cold War. Without further adieu, let the journey begin.–Chelsea Xu

  • Russian officials thought the building in the center of the Pentagon was a secret meeting room. In reality, it was a hot dog stand!
  • At one point, the US considered dropping over-sized condoms on the USSR that were labeled “medium.” The apparent intention was to demoralize the enemy. (Ohhhhhh.)
  •  The CIA developed a complex code involving different ways for their spies and informants to send messages based on how their shoes were tied.
  • In keeping with their positioning as the antidote to atheist communism, the US dropped tens of thousands of Bibles into Romania in the 1970s. It was later alleged in Congress that the Bibles had been collected and repurposed into toilet paper.
  • Deer in the Czech Republic refuse to cross the imaginary line where an electric fence had once separated the Soviet Union from the rest of Europe. The fence was taken down in 1991, long before any current deers were born, but they remain cautious of the border. 
  •  The security regarding nuclear weapons sounds positively lax. The launch code for US nuclear weapons was 00000000.
  • The Soviet Union finally collapsed in 1991, as a coup chased Soviet chairman Mikhail Gorbachev from office, and the former Soviet republics broke off to form independent nations. The Soviet flag was lowered from the Kremlin, and the Russian tricolor rose in its place on December 25, 1991. The Cold War was officially over.
  • During the Cold War, the CIA was very interested in LSD as both a social disruptor and a potential truth serum. As part of some largely clandestine and non-consensual experiments, the CIA drugged a bakery in a small French village. As a result, many people had to be institutionalized after having vivid hallucinations.
  • The US and Russia met to discuss the threat of alien invasion. They eventually agreed that, should aliens invade Earth, they would cease hostilities and cooperate for the good of mankind. It makes you wonder what they knew…
  •  During 1963, at the height of the Cold War, the US military launched a ring of 480 million needles into orbit around the earth. It was hoped they would more reliably bounce radio signals back to earth in case the Soviets cut through undersea cables. Multiple clumps of these needles are still up there.

Source Link: https://list25.com/25-facts-about-the-cold-war-you-probably-didnt-know/

1960s Editor: Quintus Ni

“We have Technology” – Guy From the 1960s

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By Luke Langlois

The tumultuous decade of the 1960s came with turning points in our history, including the Civil Rights movement, Second-wave feminism, the Anti-war movement, and more. No outdated cultural norm was safe in this era. Do you know what else wasn’t safe? Antiquated technology. Here are some of the technological and scientific developments of the 1960s that have stood the test of time.

  1. 1960: Theodore Maiman invented the first rendition of the LASER. The use of the “LASER” has varied over the years. It is currently used to read blue-ray disks, among other things. It has also manifested itself as its own, unique word for science fiction’s brightly colored (usually lethal) beams. LASER is an acronym for Light Amplification by Stimulated Emission of Radiation. Neat!
  2. 1960: The first minicomputer was put on the market. The Programmable Data Processor, also known as the PDP, contained hardware for one of the first-ever digital games: “Spacewar!” It was known as a minicomputer because the usual “computers” of this time were bulky and aesthetically unappealing. The new appeal that came with the minicomputers made it an excellent product for the market.
  3. 1961: Mission Vostok 1 commenced and sent the first man into space, cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin. I know us Americans of the 60s are not supposed to like the Russians, but we have to appreciate the first man in space. SPACE!!!!
  4. 1961: The IBM Typewriter said, “Hello!” to the planet. In comparison to the older typewriters on the market, IBM’s (International Business Machine’s) new typewriter made typing a LOT quicker. This machine was the benevolent forefather of the device I am using to create this post right now!
  5. 1962: Whether you prefer Coke, Pepsi, or even RC Cola, you know the *pshKSSS CLICK* sound of a soda can’s pop tab. Beverage companies around the world thank Ermal Fraze for inventing the satisfying sound that has become instrumental to marketing efforts. 
  6. 1962: Public radio is absolutely abysmal sometimes, that’s why we have satellite radio (even though that may be falling out style, too. We can thank the first Telstar satellite for letting us communicate through space relays. This Telstar satellite, however, was limited to relaying television pictures, telegraph images, and telephone calls.
  7. 1963: You may be sick right now, but I bet it isn’t measles! On this day in 1963, the measles vaccine was approved by the World Health Organization (the WHO) and released to the public. 
  8. 1964: Imagine you’re someone from the 60s who enjoys horses, muscle cars, and the Ford Motor Company, but cannot find a way to mix these lovely interests. You’re in luck! In 1964, the public was graced with the first model of the Ford Mustang. 
  9. 1964/1965: Although the precise date is unknown, these two years marked the emergence of AstroTurf! If you have ever dealt with trying to maintain grass in the desert, I would be willing to bet that you have considered artificial turf. Thank the 60s!
  10. 1965: How am I supposed to stop a bullet with just my measly human body? In 1965, Stephanie Kwolek synthesized a lightweight steel-like fiber that has been used in bulletproof vests and body armor all over the world: kevlar. 
  11. 1967: Your heart works incredibly hard every single day, and it NEVER stops. Incredible! On this date, South African surgeon Christiaan Barnard figured out what to do when the heart no longer works as it should. Naturally, he performed the world’s first heart transplant. 
  12. 1967: Calculus is tough, and it would be even tougher without my trusty Texas Instrument. Although calculators existed before 1967, Texas Instruments released the first calculator that was truly compact and handheld. The “Cal Tech” printed your calculations (limited to the four basic operations) onto a small piece of paper tape. 
  13. 1968: Emergencies are almost always time-sensitive events, and quick responses are crucial to the resolution of said emergencies. In 1967, the FCC met with the American Telephone and Telegraph Company (AT&T) to work on a unified emergency line.  In 1968, AT&T made way for the iconic 911 emergency code. 
  14. 1969: Our parents are right; what would we do without the internet? In 1969, the first steps were taken towards the internet we have today: ARPANET. ARPANET became a tangible reality when UCLA, UCSB, University of Utah, and Stanford University gave birth to a grand network. Look out for James’s post that elaborates on the origins of the world’s greatest communication tool. 

You have just witnessed an all-encompassing list of developments from the 1960s. Congratulations! I think some guy landed on the moon, too. Hopefully, you’ll have some new facts to bring up at the dinner table, especially when Uncle Bob opens up his soda. When I come back to thebirdonfire.org in sixty years, I’ll do an anniversary post. What developments of this decade will integrate themselves as a permanent part of our livelihoods? 

1960s Editor: Quintus Ni

Breakfast at Tiffany’s–A Look at Love in the 1960s

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Quintus takes his turn as Editor in Chief. He assigns us the theme: “Once Upon A Time in the 1960s.” For Quintus, Breakfast at Tiffany’s represents the spirit of the 1960s–the decade of his father’s birth. It was released almost 58 years ago to the day. The movie also is a favorite of Quintus’s because, he says, it aspires to the kind of love his parents live.

~I am lost in a Tiffany Breakfast, forever with Hepburn, lost in dreams and Love~Quintus Ni

Pure beauty can withstand the tempering of the years. The eyes always have brilliance; the posture still has a charm. This kind of beauty, like a bird with brilliant feathers, will not quickly dim.

What is love? Breakfast at Tiffany’s shows us.

The secret of a happy marriage is to give each other the most healthy relationship. There will not be too much restraint. I feel that if Paul and Holly (the chief characters of Breakfast at Tiffany’s) break up one day, it will be no big deal. To be genuinely mature, Holly has to face life alone and live on her own. She has been fostering herself around different men, and she has become a pathological parasite.

Sometimes, we only can find ourselves with the courage and strength of the rebirth in a completely unpredictable situation. It seems that people regain themselves in the state of no love, where they no longer change their mood for the mood of others, are no longer cautious, no longer suffer from the loss. So, I suggest everyone begin to learn to be self-sufficient.

The balance of the mind is to let it go. When Love comes, I love it. If you lose it, you will be brave enough to accept the results and regain your self. 

Everyone does not need the Love of others to prove themselves because Love is not the whole of your life. Living alone also can be perfect!   

Tiffany, Love, and Dreams

A black dress, elegant and dignified hair, an eye-catching pearl necklace, all while eating breakfast and hanging outside the window of TIFFANY’s on Fifth Avenue, sunglasses that cannot block that pair of amazing eyes–Hepburn’s classic style has been imitated and never been surpassed.

This black and white film, Breakfast at Tiffany’s, born in 1961, is undoubtedly the most successful advertisement for TIFFANY’s, the world-famous jewelry store established in 1837 in the United States. The producer has put on the charming cloak of love for TIFFANY’s. The TIFFANY’s counter clerk in the movie knows the beautiful couple does not have enough money to buy what they like yet is still polite. He lets them shop, and this gentleman clerk promises their engraving will be done as they wish. Holly is delighted. She says, “This is a perfect place.” I believe most people will want to see this magical place.

Love Needs To Be Fed

Breakfast at Tiffany’s is half a century old. In this half-century, how many great love stories have been staged again and again, compared to the ordinary and poor love of Holly and Paul.

Love is an enormous wealth. Once you have it, you have power, the goal of struggle; life has changed.

Perhaps this is just the first look of love, like a potion that can heal everything, then what’s the next step…?

Breakfast at Tiffany’s is not like a fairy tale where the princess and the prince live together with happiness and kindness. It can be said that this is a myth in our real life, offering a warm coat to people, even those struggling financially. Like the young couple in the “Magi’s Gift,” they love each other and give Christmas gifts they can’t afford or need. Still, the love is clear, only it doesn’t pay the bills. 

Holly, in Breakfast at Tiffany’s, is kind and brave, pursuing independence and yearning for freedom, but always she hopes to fulfill herself by marrying a man with status and wealth. A rich woman supported Paul. Both are social flowers surrounded by countless rich people. These two people know each other’s situation totally; they can accept companionship and love, but it is challenging to allow the other to become their ultimate affiliation. Because they see the reality and cruelty of life better than anyone else, money and status tempt them.

A person can be expanded and nourished in love. No matter how beautiful love is, even charming love can not escape the cruelty of reality. From ancient times to the present, vivid love stories are mostly in the form of tragedy; they are more exceptional for their sorrow. But the Love we want is not tragic. It should be a long process from joy to understanding and warmth. At first, it may occur in the darkness and loneliness of our lives; that’s the thing that can ignite a light of hope enough to illuminate the whole person. Then, often, love becomes dispensable; if this happens, it can bring disgust, sneering, and dislike. So, very often, we let it go, for each other, or we despise each other. In the rare case, like with my parents, love holds and stays, and we cuddle each other, spending the rest of our lives together in embrace.

Moon River

One day, Paul was writing at home, and suddenly he heard a sound from downstairs. It turned out that Holly was sitting on the window and singing “Moon River” affectionately and sincerely. At that moment, anyone would be touched by her; she is not a socialized flower with high-heeled shoes surrounded by countless rich guys. She is melancholy, like blue wind chimes, and she can’t help herself, she can’t control her life. Holly always deliberately hides and alienates others. I still feel that Holly has a kind of beauty when she chooses to isolate from the world. Paul, too, is fascinated. He has never seen this aspect of Holly. This isn’t the same Holly he had known before. This singing Holly is affectionate and beautiful. She smiles at him; this smile goes to Paul’s heart. This was a scene he could never forget. They initially thought they could create a world of their own, but hard life destroyed their confidence. They went to the end of the mountain, but they fell. The original dreams have gone so far away; they can’t see the road of ideas and how to go to the next chapter in their lives.

Between dreams and reality, between love and truth, growth and stagnation, there is always luck and misfortune. They are twins. With risk in your life, you may find a person you love; perhaps this love can stand the test of time, if you are fortunate.    

So, what is love~? Have you loved someone before? Have you already fallen love with someone? What is that feeling?

How do you feel about Breakfast at Tiffany’s?

Does it capture the spirit of the 1960s?

  Thank you

Wish all best 

1960s Editor: Quintus Ni

Curtains

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Guest Poet, Jay, shares with us a spooky poem.


I hide behind the curtains 

Of my dusty little room

Waiting for the day to come 

When happiness will resume.

As I wander around

Lost

Never found

I find myself 

Going round and round

In circles of pain

Again and again

Alone.

And the only light

In this little box

Is from a tiny lamp

Next to the tiny clock

Tick

Tock

Tick

Tock

Black.

But every time there’s another storm

And the lightning cracks

And the thunder roars

Boom

Clap

Boom

Clap

Scared.

And every time that fear comes back

It’s not alone

The wood floors crack

Foot

Step

Foot

Step

Scream.

Now it’s done

The fear has gone

The lights are shining

The power is on

But no one will ever know but one

What takes place

When the curtains are drawn.

-Jay