The Shaman 11-12

The Shaman StaffCo-Editors

Moubin Ghafoory

Zach “deLo” deLongchamp

Creative Design

Leslie Woessner

Arnaud “Curly” Nall

Samantha McManus

Readers

Cambria Perry

Tiffanie Dzietror

Emmanuel Turcios

Flor Lopez

Taylor Diggs

Advisors

Lori Colasuonno and Bowen Vigus

Special Thanks

Thank you to Mr. Bixby, Ms. Cavalier, Mr. Bassett, Ms. Martin, and Ms. McDonald for helping to support the creative writing program at Gar-Field High School.

Policy

The Shaman is a literary magazine made for students of Gar-Field High School. All students in grades 9-12 are invited to submit their literary and visual pieces for consideration. The Shaman staff reserves the right to edit submissions upon acceptance for publication. Authors and artists retain copyright of printed submissions; authors grant The Shaman the right to print submissions selected by the editorial staff. The opinions expressed within are not necessarily in accordance with the views of the staff, advisors, school, or school board.

Colophon

The Shaman 2011-2012 was created using Adobe InDesign CS4 and printed by Staples. The text was set in Calibri. The Shaman online magazine was published using Issuu.com. The digital copy can be found at the Gar-Field High School website (Http://www.gar-field.org).

Table of ContentsWriters Page

Abigail Breeding...................................................................................................................................20

Shakeem Copeland..............................................................................................................................10

Da’Shawn Dunaway...............................................................................................................................8

Notae Eddo....................................................................................................................................16, 20

Sadiyah Faruk....................................................................................................................................8, 9

M.A. Ghafoory....................................................................................................................4, 7, 9, 12, 15

Aniiyah Jackson....................................................................................................................................13

Ashley Mendez.................................................................................................................................... 17

Aleia Parker...........................................................................................................................................11

Cambria Perry........................................................................................................................................5

Dejuante Pittman.................................................................................................................................16

Delray Sims...........................................................................................................................................10

Alex Tomlinson.....................................................................................................................................14

Emmanuel Turcios................................................................................................................................19

Artists Page

Marzana Chowdhury.............................................................................................................................17

Flor Lopez...............................................................................................................................................6

Katherine Medinilla................................................................................................................................5

Erik Nilsson........................................................................................................................................,...11

Dejuante Pittman..................................................................................................................................18

Leslie Woessner.................................................................................................................................9, 19

Regina Young-Tueros.......................................................................................................................13, 16

Friendship“A Love not from Mothers, Fathers or Siblings.A Love found from those who help you,without you ever asking.A Love found anywhere, all over,always celebrated with good times.”

M.A. Ghafoory

4

Trends at Gar-Field

Cambria Perry

It seems the 90s are back. A recent trend at Gar-Field Senior High School has proven this to

be true. The high-top fade is making what many see as a “big comeback”. Back in a time where the

jherri curl and mullet reined king, urban youth eventually (probably fortunately) tired of the extensive

grooming required to maintain these mops. Instead, opting to borrow aspects of a popular 1960s mili-

tary cut called the flattop and the flamboyant expression of the 1970s afro. These were the ingredi-

ents chosen to create the perfect hairdo. It seems though every hallway you turn at Gar-Field, a high-

top fade is in clear view. “Why not?” says student and resident “high-top fader,” Jamal Walker. “It’s

cool. The higher your high top, the less you fade into the crowd. You see what I did there?” This may

be true, but some people aren’t exactly “cool” with this bold statement. “If you sit behind him in class,

you can’t even see behind the kid’s big hair! It’s so annoying,” says teacher, Ms. Colasuonno. The 90s

may be coming back; nevertheless, many believe this symbolic hairstyle has simply become whack.

My Life

Cambria Perry

Oh how the years go by in a kid’s life

Time flies from childhood to adulthood

Many years suffering from parents’ strife

Knowing they are doing the best they could

As we go on we’ll remember good times

And keep bad times in the back of our mind

We go out in the world ready to shine

And wondering what out there we will find

Going through college and finding careers

A path that begins with education

Walking down it and facing inner fears

As days get closer to graduation

We’ll remember that this is not the end

And this is where our lives truly begin

Katherine Medinilla

5

Flor Lopez

6

Romance

“The blush you gain, The hearts that melt and race This Love will never be tamed. A Love ferocious, wild, and uncontrollabe, found randomly, by fate.”

M.A. Ghafoory

7

A Love Story

Sadiyah Faruk

Lonely

Only remembering

Voices, depicting

Every dream

Lovely

Over the daybreak

Venting our

Every feeling

Lazy

Overly auspicious of

Veering, towards

the Evening of fate

Luckily,

Only fools remember

Vague depictions of hate,

Etching out our pain

All I want

Da’Shawn Dunaway

I care about him more than he knows,

Every time I see him, my love grows.

If we dated he would see,

that we are meant to be.

He is full of love and care,

and he is so adorable especially his hair.

When I’m cold, I want him to hold me tightly

and when I’m sad, I want him to kiss me.

Seeing him brings my heart joy,

and if he was mine he wouldn’t be my toy.

I can’t tell him I want him for my own,

because sometimes things are awkward between us alone.

A spot in his heart is all I want right now,

from this boy who makes my heart pound.

I feel as if I’m falling in love;

he makes my heart fly like a dove.

I want him to feel like I do,

so he can see my love is true.

Before I leap, I picture him beside me.

Every night, I hope that’s what he’ll see.

Sometimes I think, why won’t he see

that someone that likes him is me.

8

Love That Moon

M.A. Ghafoory

Even the moon has a dark side,

But whenever I see it, I still smile

And think it’s beautiful.

So when it disappears, waning or waxing away,

Leaving a dark and starry sky

To remind me that it was there,

Shining for me and only me,

I’ll still smile, lie my head down, close my eyes,

And remember her beauty

Singing a Duet

Sadiyah Faruk

I love you,

Dearly so

And in your absence,

I began to wonder

If you could ever know

Do I mean as much to you

As the sights you see?

As the ever prevalent

Need to breathe?

Of course,

As you know,

The two of us

Sing in one show

And who’s to know

Where we might go?

Leslie Woessner

9

Blue

Shakeem Copeland

Baby, you spring time beautiful

And all these other girls is just squares like cubicles

But you fit into my life you oh so suitable

Don’t worry ‘bout the haters ‘cause they oh so critical

I love the time I spend witcha

Although I can’t paint

I know we make the perfect picture

I can’t wait to see you every other week

And when I leave I toss and turn ‘cause I can’t sleep

Love is for losers that’s just what it seems

But, now I got you, baby, I’m winnin’ like Charlie Sheen

Baby, you a star to me

And if you left, I’ll probably die ‘cause you’re part of me

If you a fallin’ star I hope you fall to me

I’m about to make it so you know that I’m a star to be

Hold up, I’ma chill with this Astronomy

But we the perfect equation like Geometry

It’s kinda mathematical how you is my girl

‘Cause me minus you equals the end of the world

You my only girl, there was never plural

And If I could I would buy you diamonds and pearl

But, No I ain’t rich man I’m only a kid,

If you think I’m being arrogant, well you got it all wrong

I’m just confident, baby, yeah I know I’ma ball

As long as I’m with you girl, I’ll never get lost

And if you left, I’ll be blue, and that’s the name of this song.

Color of Love

Delray Sims

A girl as a prize not an object

That’s why I work to get ya, project

Because it’s a fact, you’re beautiful, logic.

Your smile is bright, baby you can’t hide it

For you, I’d take a full tank of lead

Your eyes make my blood pump fast, red

I don’t want anyone else, that’s what I said

Because a home is not a home if you live alone on the phone with the one you love

Until you hear a tone

‘Cause I’m for you, skin to bone

I’ve been watching your tears fall for several days

But your eyes still trap me, a giant maze

It’s you, you’re where my heart will stay

When your color was blue

You thought nobody knew

You were scared

You thought no one would care

But I do, more than you can imagine

Girl, you are my princess, and I will slay your dragons

I am your superman and Lex Luther is saddened

I will tell you everything, break it down real yellow

Even if the beat stops, I’ll go a capella

Take your darkness and make it yellow

Make brighter, bring it higher

This dire

Do not fear,

Your prince is here to wipe your tears

Stop your gloom

Give you the moon

IF you accept me soon,

This buffoon,

I’ll hold your hand to the tomb

10

“I Write This Note”

Aleia Parker

I write this note to you though you will never see. I write this note to you because you are tearing me. I write this note to you because you don’t see me anymore. I write this note to you because you make me feel invisible, alone, and broken. I cry, I try, and you don’t see me. I yell, I shout, you don’t hear me. I sing to you yet still nothing. I’m tired of feeling hurt but the worst thing is I’m your best friend; we talk every other day. You see me but not like I see you. So I write this note to you hop-ing you feel like me, too. Do you? I didn’t think so.

Erik Nilsson

11

Family “The First LoveThrough all the storms of hatred, guilt, fear

Forever bounds them together.

A Family is only given once.” M.A. Ghafoory

12

Daddy: The 9/11 Story

Aniiyah Jackson

Papa always told me that no matter where life takes me, I’m gonna be somebody. I love to hear Papa’s voice. I remember he sat me on his lap as he read the Dr. Seuss book, Green Eggs and Ham. Every day, I look at his photo sitting on my nightstand. I miss him. I always ask Mama, “Where did Daddy go?” She always says, “Baby, he’s off to fight for our country.” I never understood what that meant.

The only time I was happy was when Daddy came home. He always wore a hat and was dressed in this weird-looking green uniform. When he picked me up he would say, “There’s my little sunshine.” That always made me smile. Papa was tall with big hazel eyes. Mama said she could see Papa though my eyes. He also had dark brown hair that curled when it was wet. People say I look like him.

One day, Mama was on the phone, and she started crying a lot. I didn’t know what was going on The next thing I knew, we were at a funeral with my Daddy’s name on it. I cried a lot at the funeral. I asked Mama, “Is Daddy down there in the ground?” She said, “No, baby. He’s up in heaven looking down at us.”

Regina Young-Tueros

13

The Manila Envelope

Alex Tomlinson

This story was inspired by a flash short story on deviantART.com by `yuumei entitled “1000 WORDS.”

I sit here, chewing a piece of wheat grass, as I draw the landscape on top of the hill, under the Oak tree. Calm, cool, breezy days such as this one were relaxing, and I could take my mind off of the world. Al-though, my mind was brought back to the planet, as I watched a young girl with short hair come to the summit of the hill I sat upon.

She looked at my drawing for a moment.

“I wish I could draw like that…draw something…special…,” She looked at the ground with sadness in her eyes, “Then maybe Mommy and Daddy might not fight anymore…” She held a piece of rolled up paper in her hands. “Please teach me to draw! All I can do is this!” She showed the paper to me, revealing a man, woman, and child hugging and smiling.

“It’ll take a long time to teach you to draw better…Besides I’m leaving this town tomorrow evening…”

“Then it’ll be too late!” she cried.

“Too late?”

“I-I can’t get them to stop fighting with a bad picture like this!” She cried more and proceeded to rip her art in half.

I pulled her into a warm embrace as I petted her hair to calm her down. “I’ll make you a deal. Give me your picture and meet me here tomorrow. I’ll give you a thousand words, because just maybe it’ll be enough to convince your parents…” I took her crayon work and smiled lightly.

“O-ok…” She sniffled. The next day we meet as agreed. “Y-You’re here!” I hand her a manila envelope with one thousand words in it, as promised.

“Don’t open it; give it to your parents.”

A year later I find myself in the same town that girl was from. On top of the same hill, under the same Oak tree I find the girl, but her has grown quite long since last I met her. I pat her head and she jumped to hug me. “I missed you!”

“You’ve grown a lot in just one year.”

“I was hoping you’d come back!” she shoved a small black book into my hands. “Open it!” I do as she commands. “I wanted to give you a thousand words!” she exclaimed gleefully. In the small book the words “Thank You!” were written beautifully five-hundred times.

“A thousand indeed…So I assume your family is still together then?”

“Actually…they divorced a month after.”

“I’m sorry.” I gave her a sympathetic look. “I didn’t stop your parents from separating, huh?”

“But…” she put a hand over her heart, “you did start something in me…I’m gonna become an artist like you and change people’s lives a thousand words at a time.” She smiled brighter than the sun. Later on I found out that the parents divorced because the father had extramarital relations. But they stopped fight-ing about it, at least in front of the girl, when she handed them that manila envelope. When they opened it…they saw her crayon drawing that she ripped, taped back together.

14

Spiritual “The toughest to obtain, the greatest to have, For it is A Love unconditional for all Man, and creature, and plant.” The Love emanating from within.” M.A. Ghafoory -M.A. Gha-

15

Sympathizer Notae Eddo

You look at us with those pitiful eyes The pity reeking from your glare

You only sympathize

Amplifying our pain It’s

a Shame

Your

Consultation only

Part of

Your games .

“We no longer fight wars”

Dejuante Pittman

We no longer fight wars over religion

and other matters of god.

We fight over forms of government and technology.

This is where the new world’s god lies. In the form of

manmade power and forms of limitations

that restrain freedom.

This is why the old god weeps.

His children have misplaced him in the material world

he allowed them to create.

Regina Young-Tueros

16

“I Have Crazy Love”

Ashley Mendez

I have crazy love for my abnormal friends,

The ones with voices in their heads,

Can’t go a minute without flashin’ a smile,

Can keep me from sheddin’ tears,

Teach me to smile through the pain,

Teach me to be a standout,

To be a black dot on a blank page,

To be myself,

To be abnormal,

Because bein’ normal is too boring to be,

The life of the insane is more fun,

The life of those who can keep a crowd laughing,

The life of my friends.

I have crazy love for a happy home,

Have crazy love for this illusion,

An illusion inside my mind,

Has always been in my mind,

Hope one day it will be a reality.

I have crazy love for my bipolar mother,

Who is happy one second,

And sad or mad the next,

Who carried me inside her for so long,

Who fights for me,

Even if she sometimes fights with me,

Who is my mom and daddy,

Who I want proud of me,

I have crazy love for live,

For the rollercoaster ride it is,

For the rush of bein’ alive,

It’s always changing,

With the tears and smiles that come with it,

For the people how walk by your life,

And for those who stay.

I have crazy love for music, for the ballads that speak to me,

For the words that understand me,

For the voices that sing aloud their minds,

For the beats that beat along with my heart,

For the beats that can’t keep me still,

For the lyrics that break my heart

That makes me sing along.

Marzana Chowdhury

17

Dejuante Pittman

18

My Life

Emmanuel Turcios

I never asked for any of this…

I never asked for the hardships in my life…

But somehow... They’re a part of my life…

I’ve endured so much …

So much… I’m surprised that I’m still standing now…

I guess… It’s my will… It’s kept me standing…

My mind… It’s like a battlefield…

Trying to cope with everything that’s happened in my life…

It’s a long and hard battle…But somehow…

I keep fighting… and staying alive…

My memories…They’ve taught me important les-sons…

Whatever the lessons may be… They either help me…

Or leave me with questions… About everything…

In my life…

My anger… My sadness… My loneliness… my pain…

They all speak to me… To always try to stay strong…

For my friends… Family… And for the people I love…

This is how I live my life… It is a constant battle…

But somehow… I stay gold…

Leslie Woessner

19

THE DIVISION (Scatters)

Notae Eddo

I bet I’ll die happy,

Cause’ it’s when I’m angered

I live

This lie

Life.

My decision to remain whole has expired and re-newed on several occasions

However my pain remains

Static.

I only feel when it hurts.

I only love, always.

Though I always...

BURN.

The pieces in which the foundation lay are shifting

Gradually,

always.

Until Pangaea is only dysfunctional again.

If only I could SCREAM? without feeling...

RUDE.

But pictures are never perfect anyways...

They are only a window into what the viewed want to be seen.

Never truthful.

Perhaps next time you should capture your clip in exposure,

Right at the scene of the

relapse.

The Meadow

Abigail Breeding

Death,

It came for the boy in the meadow,

A boy the age of six.

The boy was young,

Foolish and naïve,

Without a care for sickness or sorrow.

Yet, his playful ways were over,

Death came to take the boy,

For Death must show no mercy.

This boy got lost,

Frozen in a ghastly meadow,

Where the flowers now froze and withered.

Death caused this,

His soul numb,

Unmoved and uncaring.

Running, the boy came to know fear,

Fear of horrible cold,

Fear of the agony of loneliness.

Painfully, the boy’s heart cooled,

Until it was black as the night,

All of his once pure innocence was gone.

As for Death,

When he went to claim the boy,

The boy of just six—

Death saw death in the boy,

And could not claim him,

For now, the boy stood as Death.

20

Gar-Field Senior High School14000 Smoketown Road

Woodbridge, VA 22192