Competition

Hello everyone!! I wanted some input from my readers..I'm entering a writing competition for writer's digest, and I wanted to know if any of you had a favorite that you think could win! I'm having trouble deciding which ones to submit. (If you would like to enter the competition, go here for guidelines and entry information. http://www.writersdigest.com/annual/ )
Well, while you're deciding that, here's another poem! It's called 'A Temptation in the Sea'.


A Temptation In The Sea

I was finally in the sun,
and then I tripped again.
I fell deep in to a mistake,
and now I'm drowning in this lake.

Dark and dirty;
water in my mouth.
Going down my throat;
I can't get it out.

I feel sick;
don't know how to get out of this.
Stupid mistakes;
stupid lies.

I can't say I didn't see it coming,
that would just be another lie.
And every lie
pushes water over my head.

This is never-ending;
this water will always be here.
It's my job to ignore it,
and not fall under the temptation.

The waves call to me,
and the breeze whispers my name.
The devil is in these waters,
and he's just waiting for a mistake.

But someone will come along
and save me if I don't save myself.
It's my job to ignore the sea,
and not fall under the temptation.

Hugs

Today was my sister's funeral. This past week, my family has had a lot of company. I have discovered the many ways to hug someone, as I have received a lot of hugs lately. So, I thought I would share my discoveries with you, my readers.
1. You have the basic hug. You use both of your arms, and it's a genuine hug. This is a hug that is most given to people you actually like.
2. The really-really-glad-to-see-you-hug. You practically hug the life out of each other, you're so darn happy to see them again. Again, you use both arms. Quite often you hug, step back to see how much each other have changed, and then embrace again.
3. The Oh-my-gosh-I'm-so-sorry-let's-cry-together-hug. (I have gotten this a lot lately) Sometimes these can be good. You know, you both just cry in to the other person's shoulder and hug for a really long time. Other times, only one person feels the need to cry-which can result in awkwardness.
4. The never-ending-hug. Sometimes, the one person just hugs for too long. You're just ready to be over with the hug.
5. The awkward-I-don't-really-want-to-hug-you-hug. Sometimes, you meet those people that just really like to give hugs-at really random times. One person starts to hug, and the other just goes stiff. Sometimes they'll be nice enough to at least to give a hug with one arm, other times, both arms just stay at their sides, and you just stand there. It can result in awkward silences.
6. The one-arm-to-the-side-hug. The people that just come over and stand next to you and put one arm around you.
7. The I'm-only-hugging-you-because-everyone-else-is-hug. Sometimes, when everyone is hugging everyone, except for these two people really won't hug each other right away. Then, as everyone waits expectantly, the two reluctantly hug each other briefly because they really don't want anything to do with each other.
8. The rub-your-back-raw-hug. When people hug, they sometimes rub your back a little. It's comforting-unless they do it a whole lot. Then you really just want to whisper to them to cut it out. (Of course, you have to whisper because you don't want to embarrass them, right?)
9. The goodbye-hug. Goodbyes have special hugs. I don't really know how to explain it, but they just seem different. Hopefully you know what I mean, because I can't explain.
10. The I-love-you-and-I'll-show-you-through-hugging-you-at-random-times-hug. Yes, it does have quite a long title, but it's something I do a lot. Me and my family are definitely the hugging type. So, yes, we do just go up to each other at random times and hug each other. It's definitely a way for me to show my love for my family.
So there you have it-my list of ten different hugs. Of course, there are more. We could make a huge list of hug-types. But let's not. This post is already long! But I just want to say one more thing. No matter what type of hug it is, I still just love getting them! Hugs are always a nice way to comfort someone else. Hope you all have a great Easter.

Peace
Sam

Writing during sleepless nights

So, these past few nights have been torture. I always find myself going to sleep really really early in the morning. It was sometime after five this morning that I finally was able to enter my dreams. The plus side of my insomnia is my writing projects. I started writing a new fictional story a few mornings ago, and it's been going along fantastically. I'm not going to let you in on the plot quite yet, because it's still being developed. =)
But I think I've got some good characters, and I'm extremely fond of the very first paragraph of the whole thing. It's a bit harder, because I'm writing the story from a boy's point of view. I have tried this before, and I often get stuck. But that's the beauty of fiction. They don't have to be true at all. And, hey, I'm still learning a ton of stuff about writing. The story is very much a rough draft that will need a ton of editing.
That's the downside of writing when I'm exhausted. I tend to make mistakes. But I get better plot ideas, better phrases, and better descriptions when I don't sleep. ^.^

Peace
Sam

The Important Things

My sister, Kelly, just died yesterday morning. It's the hardest thing to lose one of your sisters, and also a best friend. It's comforting to think that she is now sitting in Heaven with the Lord. We're lucky to have a good support system, and lots of family visiting us. We're lucky that we had such a good time with Kell, and that we have lots of good memories. Here's a poem that I wrote today...It's called 'What I Need Today'.


What I Need Today

Hard times,
and millions of tears,
you've been there,
every single year.

You saw my first steps,
you heard my first word.
You watch as I get older,
and learn new things.
You're there for everything.

You love me so much,
and I love you.
I don't know what I would do
if I was alone now.

But you're there every step,
helping me along.
And if I fall down,
it's your hand that I take.

You've heard me pray
and you've heard me lie.
You take my imperfections,
and love me how I am.

I love you,
even if life doesn't
turn out the way I planned.
Your plans are so
much better planned.

My life is in your hands,
mold me to your ideal,
and I'll trust you.

Help me grow closer to you,
and help me trust in you.
Because I'm not perfect,
and I never will be.
And I need your help,
to get through this time.

HOPE

I don't really have anything to say about this poem. Except that it's called 'HOPE'. Enjoy.

HOPE
When tears burn, and things go downhill,
four letters can pull you through.

A small word holds power,
four letters can mean everything.

Hope is more than a feeling,
is more than just a last resort.

Hope is knowing that things will not turn out horrible.
Hope is hanging on, when no one else will.

Hope is not a dictionary definition,
hope is a gift that you have given.

Hope is what you have taught me,
and I will not let go of hope.

Dedicated to Gavin

I wrote this poem after spending a fantastic day with my two-year old nephew, Gavin. I love you buddy.

GAVIN

At a little over the age of two,
the world excites you.
So much to see,
and so much to do.
You laugh easily,
and just need someone to love you.
A bit shy,
but ready to trust.

An entertainer,
and a dream-maker.
You make me laugh;
how I wish I could hold you forever.
You take my hand,
and show me how you see things.
You see the beauty in a simple flower,
and you notice the wonders of the world,
the rest of us have forgotten.

You have opened my eyes
to the world,
with only your innocence.
And I enjoy every minute
that you spend with me.
I'll love you no matter what you do,
because that's the way aunties are.

This Is Me

Yeppers. Another poem, headed your way. ^.^ Hope you like it. It's called This Is Me.

This Is Me

Getting new music,
and playing a game.
Writing down words,
I may be going insane.
Last one asleep,
first one to yawn.
Early mornings
are torture.
A slightly boring life,
with splashes of color.
It's how I live,
and I'm still breathing.

Getting new music,
playing a game;
writing down words,
and going insane.
This is the life I live;
this is me.

Hm.....

Well, you guessed it! Another poem!! I believe this blog is now pretty much dedicated to poetry. What can I say? I love to write! Anywho, this one is called 'Are We'. I wrote it a while ago...and I had almost completely forgotten about it. Then, I was just reading over some stuff I had written and I stumbled on it. I do that a lot. So, hope you like it!!!


Are We

I hate these times,
when the rain is never-ending.
And we are drowning in this river.
We have been drowning for ages,
never dying, but not quite living.
It's enough to kill,
but we stay strong.
Or do we really?
Are we as strong as we seem?
Does fighting the current count for everything?
What about the truth?
And what about faithfulness?
Do those count for anything towards strength?
If they do, maybe we aren't as strong then.
Because we hide the truth,
only telling what they need to hear.
And we only stay faithful,
while there is something there for us.
And we only seem strong on the outside,
where it counts for nothing.
But we are weak on the inside,
where everything counts.

I hate these times,
when we don't speak.
And we are kept quiet by many things.
We have been like this for some time now,
or were we ever anything else but this?
Maybe it's always been like this.
Maybe no one ever ever really speaks.
Or do we really?
Does anyone say what's really on their mind?
Or what they want the most?
And do they really want to say so much more?
Or is that all they have to offer?
I wish I knew.
I wish I knew if everyone suffered
as we did, do, and maybe will.
I wish I knew if everyone told the truth.
If they were hiding,
or if they were coming out of that old shell.
And we only say what they want,
where words are empty.
But we think of what we want,
where nothing is wrong, and everything makes perfect sense.

I hate these times,
when I don't know if
we are.
Are we?
That is the question I seek the answer to.
And it is what haunts me at night,
in the dark.
Are we?
Are we what we want to be?
Or are we just what they want us to be?

Words of comfort

Things have been really hard in my family lately. I'm faced with the possible death of my sister, and it's really really scary, and just a sad time. I was really feeling it this night/morning (whatever way you want to look at it) and all of a sudden, these words just came in to my head. Just this idea, of how it's going to be after we die. It was so comforting to me, I just had to write it down. And I know that it wasn't my own imagination that put this idea in me. It's just proof that in our hardest times, God is the one who really comforts us. The poem is called 'The Day I Look Forward To' I hope you all like it.


THE DAY I LOOK FORWARD TO

One day, when I come home,
I will climb in to my father's lap,
he will sing me a lullaby,
of all that he has done,
and slowly rock me to sleep.
He will take away the pain
of the life I'm done living,
and he'll wipe the last tear
away from my cheek.

And I will never hurt again.
He will show me the world,
the way it was meant to be.
I will live out my dream,
in his fortress of peace.
And I will see what he has made for me.

He will take my hand,
and lead me down the street.
A perfect world,
and I will know no fear.
And I will see the grandparents I never knew before.

He will whisper softly to me,
and wrap me in his arms.
The strongest shelter,
and I will be at peace.
And I will feel his powerful love.

I look forward to the day,
when I come home,
and I will climb in to my father's lap.
He will sing me a lullaby,
of all that he has done,
and slowly rock me to sleep.

Discovering new music

Well, I had my last guitar lesson today with my awesome teacher, Andy. He was really cool, and taught me and my sis a whole lot about guitar. I must brag a little, and say that I am getting pretty darn good at playing. ^.^ Anyway, Andy gave me a few sites to look at that have some good music-related stuff. One of the webistes is called purevolume. So, of course, I went to check it out as soon as I got home. It's a website that just has a whole lot of music from a whole lot of bands. Anyway, as soon as I got on, I found this one band called One Star Story. I listened to a few of their songs that they have up, and I'm already in love with the band! So, now, of course, I have to get their CD immediately!!! I absolutely love finding new bands to jam out to.
My sister just introduced me to Starfield. Again, instant love. I don't know how many times I've listened to Starfield's CD today. ^^
Peace
Sam

Interpretations

I realize a lot of you probably don't get what I talk about in my poems, because sometimes, I hardly get it. I just write down what I'm feeling at the moment, and then sometimes I'm like, 'Oh. Wow. I never knew that's what was going on inside of me." The last poem I wrote was one of those times. It was just what I was feeling at that moment in time when I wrote it down. I don't expect any of you to 'get it'. You don't have to. That poem was actually more of a general statement of the people around me right now. A lot of the lines were what I was feeling, but I assume a lot of us are feeling that way. But, I would love to hear what you think my poems mean. It's really interesting to me to hear how other people perceive a poem--not just necessarily things I've written. So, again, I love love love getting comments!! And, if there's a poem you really like, I would love to hear about it!!

Peace
Sam

Another late night poem

Well, I think the title pretty much says it all.

So much to say,
and not enough time.
Frightened and worried,
what will happen now?
Tears being held back,
and a secret being kept.

Stars in the sky,
learn so many things.
Inspiration and devastation
walk a twisted road.
A whispered conversation,
no smile on your face.

And dead-ends bring more questions.
And hope brings a possibility.
Faith brings trust.
And words bring an unknown.