The Muse
Index: My Body
Samara Roberts
1st Place
Long Poetry
“Index: My Body”
Arms, 342-359
Aching for a hug, 350
Too full, 345
Broken, 343
Birth Marks, 75
Above my tailbone (shaped like Africa)
On my Throat
On my upper right arm
Splashed on my left elbow
Breasts, 300-330
Big, 307
Pretty, 323
That boys stare at, 306
Uneven, 325
(see also, Why I Have Back Problems)
Butt, 100
(see also, Perfect)
Dancing, 250
In The Kitchen
On My Own
With Abandon
With Friends
(See also, My Legs and Feet)
Eyes, 35
Blue as the summer sky, 36
(see also, My Soul)
Feet, 500
Constantly aching, 501
Never Smelly, 502
(see also, Dancing)
Hair, 37-52
Blonde, 37
Blowing in the wind, 39-42
Long, 51
Short, 50
Twirling through fingers, 48
Hands, 7 - 8
Always cold, 7
Painting pictures, 7
That boys like to hold, 8
Legs, 450-455
Curvy, 453
Pale, 451
Strong, 454
(see also, Prickly)
Lost and Found,
Fingernails
My Sense of Humor
Vision
(see also, Teeth)
My Soul, 1000
Friendly
Saved
Vulnerable
(see also, Eyes)
Nose, 650
Cute
Sneezing
Sniffly
In A Book
Perfect, 200
(see also, Butt)
Teeth, 32
Biting lips
Chewing food
Finally Free From Braces
White(ish)
(see also, Lost and Found)
Why I Have Back Problems, 10
Reading (for hours)
Sleeping (curled up in a ball)
Standing (tall)
(see also, Breasts)
Fire
Jade Menchaca
2nd Place
Long Poetry
She sat watching as the fire danced.
She remembers when she was as young as the orange flames.
Now she was a red hot coal about to burn out and turn to dust.
She was never this deep, but with age comes wisdom right?
Well, if that were true then she must be the wisest, but she didn’t feel wise.
In fact, all she felt was despair.
People were barely getting on this rollercoaster
Her ride was almost up.
Her gray hair as wiry as the lines she hangs her clothes on.
Everyone looked at her as if she may just fall over dead, that’s it, just death!
Is that what life is really about?
You are born just to die and then what?
Well, there are the worms and the maggots to help decompose the situation. God, how terrible!
That’s it, God is the answer or is it better to believe in multiple gods?
Oh who cares anymore
There is no comfort in death.
Her mind was settled that death was unnecessary
If only she could tell her failing heart that
And as the coal burned out
So did her last breath
The fire was dead.
The Winner
Landry Arthur
3rd Place
Long Poetry
I’ve seen fire and I’ve seen rain
The first line of this poem was stolen from a song
And yet I feel no shame
Is there something wrong with me?
Is there a particular feeling that I should feel?
What’s wrong with this place?
There is no way this could be real
How did I get here?
How do I get home?
Will you come with me?
I don’t like traveling alone
I’ve seen fire and I’ve seen rain
The first line of this poem was stolen from a song
And yet I feel no shame
Is there something wrong with me?
Is there a particular feeling that I should feel?
What’s wrong with this place?
There is no way this could be real
How did I get here?
How do I get home?
Will you come with me?
I don’t like traveling alone
Audaz
Martha Flores
1st Place
Short Poetry
I do not fear falling,
If my laces fall astray
I do not fear dishevelment,
When the wind twists my hair
I will not fear leaps of faith,
Or trials of courage;
For fear, cannot drag me again.
Yellow Roses
Samara Roberts
2nd Place
Short Poetry
Eleven bright blooming
Buds of yellow summer
Wilt away
In a pickle jar -
Too fragile to
Take the stuffy heat
Of romantic air.
Please
Anonymous Satin
3rd Place
Short Poetry
It's like I'm all bundled up
With too much to hide.
The insults in my head
Won't die down inside.
When all I do is want to scream,
Want to cry,
Want to hide,
Want to die.
You all put me down like I'm nothing at all
And no one comes running whenever I choose to call,
When I yell for help,
Crying on my knees,
I feel I'd have to bleed out for you to even hear my plead.