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The Palm Valley School Student Blog

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The desert rain

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When I say, “Write a poem,” Penny says, “Done.” She tells me she hasn’t lived in the desert all her life. It must be the deep roots of her family connection because she captures here the miracle of rain in the desert.

Blog Advisor Zachik

By 7th-Grader Penny Andreas

The mountains blocked the sun

From the night that was disguising

The clouds started to come

And the wind started rising

The soft droplets fell

As the pavement darkened

With the sweet smell of rain

The dry sat there still

Thunder stroke

And lightning flashed

The clouds all shook

This empty land

The palm trees swayed

And the streets flooded  

Healing the broken

And the decayed

Picnic at the edge of time

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By Junior Levi Kassinove

Something is in the air, and it’s not autumn. The annual Palm Valley School Poetry Recitation quickly approaches. I asked our bloggers to speak to, for, against, about poetry–or compose their own original verse. Levi and his soul ask “Why?”

Blog Advisor Zachik

On a large beach towel

Draped across humble grass

Ideas ferment 

What is ascent?

Surrounded by reality and griffins 

A lost soul gazes in an esoteric direction

It sees smoke arising from fiery grass

Missiles of infinite malice flying through space

Screams of regret

Of lost hope

The soul turns to a brilliant light sitting beside it

“Why?”

Experience is the essence of life 

The light homogenizes back into the universe 

Time is an arbitrary concept

It’s not too late to start over

Because the god of wisdom 

Is you

That Feeling

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The Blog staff’s second assignment was to “Find a cause” and share it with us, The Bird on Fire readers. Some student bloggers chose to champion their own causes, explain causes going viral, or causes brought about through environmental, political, or social change. Penny, in verse form, chose to illuminate the importance of reaching out to another.

Blog Advisor Zachik

By 7th-Grader Penny Andreas 

The school bell rings

Kids come out of the doors

I sit there waiting

Thinking had anybody come

I come back to my house

Nobody wondering if I am okay

Nobody even noticing

I sit alone with my doubts

I take a walk

By myself

Thinking would anybody notice

If I was gone

Next day I consider not waking up

Still I come to school

Then she walked up to me 

And said she wanted to talk

My classmate guided me out to the hall

She asked if I was okay

I started to cry

I started to bawl 

I told her everything

My struggles at home

I told her the feeling

Of being alone

At first she just looked at me

Then took my hand

She said it would be okay

And she understands

She helped me to my feet

And said she was sorry

She said I have felt that feeling

Of feeling solitary

I will forever thank her

For getting me to my feet

For listening to what I said

For accepting me

For somehow seeing

That feeling

Day and Night

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A Sonnet, by Elizabeth Etebar

The sun wakes you up

You drink milk from a cup

Time to go to school

I guess it is very cool

You have to work just a bunch

And now it’s time for lunch

You have to use your chromes

Everyone go to your homes

Time to eat dinner

And you’ll be a winner

It’s time to be clean

And shower up like a queen

The moon sings a lullaby and closes the door

You fall asleep and you snore

Isabella with the Words

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Congratulations to Palm Valley School’s US Poetry Recitation winner: Senior Isabella Goetschel. Isabella recited “Epitaph” by 17th-century poet Katherine Philips. In a striking twist of fate, Isabella was also selected Audience Favorite. Second Place went to Sophomore Indy Behr with a recitation of “be careful” by poet Ed Roberson. The Third Place recitation went to Freshman Lily Jones with “Poor Angels” by poet Edward Hirsch.

On the Friday before Thanksgiving break, the Upper School gathered for Poetry Recitation Finals in the Gym. Eleven finalists competed before judges Ms. Bernstein, Ms. Maguire, and Mr. Richardt. The judging criteria was that of Poetry Out Loud.

Isabella will advance to Riverside County Poetry Out Loud. She is our Palm Valley School representative. She will recite two poems before a panel of judges. If she wins, she advances to State Poetry Out Loud competition. Indiana serves as our alternate.

The Beach

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By Guest Poet 8th Grader Emily Feffer

Emily, a consummate writer, submitted a poem to the CVRep Poetry Contest. She shares with us “The Beach.”

The sweet smell of salt

The taste of the sea

The calming waves

Turning a dusty blue

In the early morning light

Surfers

Bodyboarders

Paddleboarders

Aim for the 

Higher

Bigger

Waves

I like the 

Small

Calm

Shallow

Waves

Am I scared?

No

Hesitant?

Perhaps

Calm?

Yes

This is my happy place

Soft waves

Shifting sands

The sweet smell of salt

The taste of the sea

The calming waves

Turning a dusty blue

In the late afternoon light

“A poem begins as a lump in the throat . . .”

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. . . so wrote poet Robert Frost. Despite lumps in throats, on Tuesday, Middle School Poetry Recitation finalists–

  • Ciera Carr
  • Roman Soobben
  • Sherwin Hemmati
  • Sierra James
  • Mia Meyer
  • Jackie Padgett
  • Tal Maruvada
  • Yola Belickis
  • Zander Eaton
  • Walker Craven
  • Louisa Richardson
  • McKenzi Johnson–

gracefully, and sometimes passionately, shared words of solace, concern, love, hurt, and presence. Judges Andrea Coffey, Chris Griffin, and J.K. Hilbert selected the three most outstanding recitations–those of Ciera Carr, Zander Eaton, and McKenzi Johnson. Following Poetry Out Loud guidelines, the three were acknowledged for the poise and appropriateness of their physical presence, articulation and enunciation, and understanding. Ciera Carr was selected Audience Favorite.

Middle School Poetry Recitation Champions: McKenzi Johnson, Zander Eaton, and Ciera Carr. Photo Credit: Chris Griffin
For her recitation of the poem “Lost,” Ciera Carr was voted Audience Favorite. Photo Credit: Chris Griffin

Foreigner

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By Sophomore Guest Poet Remy Haring

I drift through this unfamiliar land

Gripping tightly a picture of those of a bygone era

Draped in a cloak and veil

The blowing sand flays my skin like razor blades

And I can’t see my hand if I put it out in front of me

I am not from here

I am not welcome here

The folk here view me as a vagabond

They knew each other since they were naught but children

And they are ruthless to outsiders

Backstabbing and treachery are a daily act

When I wander into town I am met with glares or apathy

I find it best to keep my mouth shut around them

In order to survive I must look over my shoulder

And keep moving

I write this as I make camp for the night in the dunes

It’s getting late

I should get in my sleeping bag

Lulled by the lullaby of the storm

chiaroscuro

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The days grow shorter. Darkness comes sooner. Ike, in the following poem, looks to those spots of light in the dark.

By Ike Spry 

When the sun decides to leave us

And the moon looks abnormally large

The moonlight pricks up my arm hairs

And the streetlights shine bright, but are dull

The moths are led to the brightness

But I don’t think that was their free will

Maybe it was a shining beacon 

Or a gateway to the afterlife

The light will bring us together

And give us shelter in the abyss

But when the sky begins to brighten

And the sun creeps through the clouds

There’s nothing left to distract us

And our dullness is left to shine