Here's a story we had to write in Mrs. Allen's English class (10th grade) about something relating to an elevator and some vocabulary words...i think...

Who Killed Barney?

It was a typical Wednesday as I strolled into my work place at the Channel 48 Television station. As I approached the building, Martha Stewart, wearing a sleazy blouse from her K-mart collection, held the door open for me. She was trying her new recipe of sweet and sour alligator and being the daredevil that I was, I happily took a piece and gobbled it down. I noticed an aura about her I had never perceived before and when I passed her my whole body felt warm and pleasant. I pondered whether it was her smile or was it the alligator. I turned left unto Sesame Street and ran up to Big Bird to give him a bear hug. He always brought out the child in me and it was my proclivity to hug him. I did a cartwheel into the nearby elevator and pressed the button for the fourteenth floor. As the doors were closing, a giant purple hand slipped in between the doors and I saw Barney. The elevator ascended and I noticed that the elevator was climbing rather slowly. I glanced around and noticed that there was a 1000-pound limit. Just as I was about to ask Barney how much he weighed, the elevator stopped and began falling. I blacked out, and when I woke up the policeman told me I had landed on Barney’s stomach and he had saved my life, but he had passed away. And this is the story about how the childhood-favorite character Barney died.

The Art of Poetry

Poetry
When I hear this word I shudder
Abhorrence, Abomination, Aversion
All permeate my mind
I Detest the structure, I Despise the restraints
And yet

There can be freedom galore
Write what you please
And maybe that is the arduous part
Choosing a topic to write about

But when that perfect topic is found
The words flow out like a waterfall cascading down a snow covered mountainside

Poetry is freedom
To express what you truly
Think,
Feel,
Imagine,
See,
Believe,
and
Dream

Poetry is an art form
Using a palette of letters
Painting masterpieces with 26 diverse colors
All adding their own spice to the portrait.

A Simple Crayon Box

When you look into a crayon box
What do you see?
A box full of dull, lifeless colors
Or
Do you see the magnificent colors of LIFE?

The brightness, and happiness
Of the yellow and orange
That make up the sun,
Providing an escape from the darkness of despair

And the blue sky that surrounds the beautiful sun
Gives a calmness in the ferment winds

The white clouds that spot the blue sky
Allows for peace in times of turmoil

Underneath, the wisps of white clouds
The green of the grass
Shows growth
Maturity
And
Wisdom

Then the brown of the earth
Provides nutrients
And
Stability

But all these joyous colors are outlined
With the darkness of black
The fear,
anguish,
confusion,
insecurity,
and
unrest,
of mankind

These simple colors of the crayon box
Are far more than just colors
They represent something uniquely their own
the emotions, dreams, and wonders
of LIFE.

For Mrs. Smith's class

The Games of Life

Every game
A new challenge
A new mystery
A new battle
A blitz at the beginning
Could be advantageous
But will it leave me vulnerable?

Different Strategies
On both sides
Analyzing every move
Attack?
Or
Defend?

Waiting for the perfect moment
To pounce
Like the mountain lion eyeing his prey
To gain advantage
The upper-hand

Each player with his own tendencies
His own tactics

Each piece with its own attitude
Own specialty

As individuals they are weak
As a team they have the potential
To crush the foe
To win the war

The contest is hard fought
A tug-a-war of mind games
Should I sacrifice?
Where to fork?
What is he thinking?

Concentration levels reach the sky
Sweat pervades the skin
As the clock slowly clicks down
Each move is more crucial
Both players
Have played a good game
Each takes a little away from the battlefield
Learning from mistakes
However
In the end
Only one
Will earn the right to say
CHECKMATE