Winner

“Willpower Burning in My Soul”

Written by Davin Sequiera

My willpower is in my soul

Burning warm as a candle

Bright as a torch in the night

My flame will be threatened to be put out

As impossible challenges blind my way

Despair and uncertainty block my path

Like endless caves

Dark as the void

But my flame will light my way

It will burn on forever more

As the flame in my soul

Walking my soul as my guiding star

Accompanying picture by Yena Goong

Runner-Up

“Feelings”

Written by Amanda Ashebu

Jealousy is the most irritating insect that crawls all over my body. A four-legged creature meddling into my brain and building up fury in my human cells.

An atomic bomb is what I am right now- rage, insecurity, sadness, unsatisfaction, and disappointment, little elements that make up the enormous mess I am.

What could have possibly triggered this?

Family feud? Grades? Not even close.

A solemnly silenced sunflower prances around campus every weekday with a majestic aura, intriguing smile and seductive structure; gazing towards it I smile as wide as the distance between both of us in every scenery. Honestly, two months ago I wouldn’t have spent a second admiring this immaculate conviction. Contrastingly I can confidently admit that I have been caught off guard.

It itches, hurts and frustrates me continuously when my vocal cords go numb from a sense of its presence, tone and aromatic scent. “A personality switch!”- that’s what I would call it. I was always self-aware of my bubbly and chatty personality but was this just a façade, a lie or a misinterpretation?

Psychology quotes, “Your true personality outbursts during technical situations, it is like a reflex of emotions”- “cap”. Personally, I don’t agree. Manipulation and false judgement, – that’s what it is.

So, you disagree with me? Please explain to me why someone who seems to have trouble shutting her trap, keeping things to herself and having a laugh out of everything is unexpectedly a nervous wreck and a terribly timid freak because of a certain presence.

“Uh,” let’s get straight to the point.

I want every inch of that flower, each particle of its scent that diffuses across the room form corner to corner.. unfortunately I am too minute, too introverted, and too fearful. A terribly timid freak!

I detest this.

“Just look confident and friendly like you always do, I’m sure everything would go as expected”-words of unrealistic realism. Yes. I knew that there was a chance, a probability, a high possibility of mutualism that could be built between my silenced self and this felicitous flower if I grew some ba… but I just couldn’t risk it. Fortunately, after multiple motivational speeches from friends… I wanted to, I felt like, I knew I could.

“…Hmmgh.”

An opportunity missed! A series of unfortunate events! -whatever you want to call it. This overrated, immature, and incompetent flower was already being watered and taken care of by another invader.

The hidden envy written boldly all over my face reminiscing on this melancholic experience.