LINES AND RHYMES 2011

Literary Magazine of

James F. Byrnes High School

Duncan, South Carolina

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The Literary Club

of

James F. Byrnes High School

Duncan, South Carolina

Presents

Lines and Rhymes

2010 – 2011

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Sponsors

Kathleen Duncan

Donna Grant

Jamie Gregory

Karen Hill

Carol Isler

Literary Club Participants

Dustin Ayers

Caleb Edwards

Stephen Her

Austane McCombs

Seth Thompson

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You Are You’re an ocean of thoughtful reverie, You’re a forest of delightful repose, You’re a planet; I’m your obsequious satellite, You’re beautiful, a dehorned rose. You’re a luminous blast of moonlight, You’re the arrow in cupid’s quiver, You’re the key to my padlocked heart, You’re the frigid beauty that makes me shiver. In a world where I pick my battles, You’re the epitome of a full-fledged war. You’re the evanescence of a delightful dream, You’re a mystical landscape, I must explore. You’re a countdown to lift-off, On the journey to the cosmos of love, You’re the twinkling stars in god’s eyes, You’re a fluttering, gentle white dove. You’re the shot I must take in this life, Because 100% of deferred dreams fail, You’re my only, my greatest empathetic endeavor, You’re my destination, on this journey today I set sail.

- Joey Wilson

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- Zach Hughes Jelly Soul

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This Ain’t No Fairytale

Well, dude, I’ll tell you

Life for me ain’t been no fairytale

It’s had broken glass,

And tears falling

And places where my heart once beat

Alone

Bur all the time

I been dreaming

And waiting on that pumpkin carriage to arrive

And falling asleep

But waking up to sorrow

So, dude, don’t pay to be a prince

Don’t show me fake love

Cause true colors always shine through

Don’t you change now for me

My happy ever ending may never come

But I still will search, for that one

Even though life for me ain’t been no fairytale

- Ashley Smith

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No Green Meadow

Well, Sweetie, I’ll tell ya

Life for me ain’t been no green meadow

It’s had its droughts

And thorns,

And late night wildfires

And days without any color

Gone

But everyday

I keep searching

And finding little pools of murky water to drench my dry throat

And holding onto my faith

And sometimes going weeks without any decent nourishment

Where everything was dried up

So, baby girl, don’t you turn back

Don’t you lose hope

Cause grass is always greener on the other side

Don’t you fall now

For I’s still trying, honey

I’s still believing

And life for me ain’t been no green meadow

- Sam Ball

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Loving Jane

Teddy Mason walked without a steady pace or a destination down the old railroad tracks

in Gray Court, SC. His body looked limp, his skin was dull, and his blue eyes held no glimpse of

life in them what so ever. He had recently suffered the tragic loss of his wife Jane. As he walked

aimlessly along the tracks he began to think deeply about life, she can’t be gone, she just can’t.

Not my Jane... It’s too soon for her to be taken away from me. Teddy continued his stroll as the

flashbacks rolled through his mind, like a vicious July thunderstorm.

His thoughts soared, taking him back to the beginning, the very first time he laid eyes on

Jane. It was the summer of 1934, June in fact. The county fair was packed with an immense

audience. Teddy was standing near the Ferris wheel when a beautiful young lady with golden

brown hair tied up with a red ribbon, tripped beside him. He quickly helped her to her feet,

introducing himself while attempting not to blush at her beauty. “My name is Teddy Mason,

ma’am.” He stuttered out nervously. Teddy came back to reality a moment remembering the

scent of her that night. She smelled of sweet pea and lilac. It had always been her best scent. The

more he remembered, the deeper he went into the flashback.

She smiled as he picked her up. Unaware of how to thank him, she rose up on her tip toes

leaned in and whispered softly into Teddy’s ear, “Would you like to ride the Ferris wheel with

me? And my name is Jane, by the way. You don’t have to call me ma’am.” The look on Teddy’s

face at that very moment was utterly priceless. His face grew whiter, chill bumps sprang onto the

top of his tanned skin, and his eyes became wider than ever. After a few moments, he answered,

“umm… uh… sure. I would be honored, ma’am... I mean Jane.” Teddy escorted her to their seat

on the Ferris wheel, like any other classy gentleman would. They sat close to each other as the

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cart started to rise above the ground. Foot by foot they were lifted higher into the air. “I feel as

if I could fly, Teddy!” an excited Jane yelled as music blared from the speakers on stage below.

She didn’t get the response she expected, but the one she got changed everything. “You

look beautiful Jane. I’ve never felt so different than I do at this very moment… with you. I’ve just

met you but one look into those beautiful eyes has me escaping from a sea of darkness.” He

smiled looking down into Jane’s teary eyes. Each single tear drop that crashed upon her cheek

was wiped away with Teddy’s thumbs. He waited a few moments before speaking again, “Jane,

are you alright?” Jane’s eyes had finally dried and the ride was over by the time she spoke any

words.

“That is the sweetest thing anyone has ever said to me Teddy. I’m at a loss for words for

once in my life.”She wrapped herself into his strong arms, as he held her body close to his own.

They walked with a slow, even pace through the fairgrounds toward the tunnel of love. Teddy

has been so lost in his mind; he didn’t realize he had walked 5 miles to the little blue house he

and Jane had rented when they were first married. The grounds around the old house had grown

up, the former tenants moved away leaving the place to rot in defeat of time and weather. Teddy

hadn’t been here since the day he buried Jane. His eyes swelled with tears as he missed her in an

indescribable way. She was everything to him, his wife, his world, but most of all, over the years

she had become his best friend. She had always been there, ever since their first kiss on the

tunnel of love.

Teddy and Jane boarded a small boat that was carved into the shape of a swan. It was

painted white with blue eyes, a golden beak, and the feathers were outlined in a charcoal color.

The wind grew cold as the night progressed on with each passing moment on the water. Teddy

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paddled the swan boat toward the tunnel with his fingers entwined with Jane’s. As they went in,

the tall clock in the center of the fairgrounds struck twelve. Teddy leaned in, Jane leaned in,

locking their lips for the first time. Oh, how Teddy always loved one of Jane’s kisses. He could

still feel the warmth of her lips pressing against the smooth aging pair of his own. The complete

bliss of her touch had always sent him to another world, a place where nothing but love

flourished.

Teddy had made his way home by now. He sat on the back porch drinking a cup of coffee

just as he and Jane had always done after a walk down the old railroad tracks. He admired the

floral design she had created in their yard. There were dozens of flower beds filled with different

things such as Daisies, Sunflowers, Lilacs, Irises, Pansies, and Jane’s colossal Butterfly bush.

Flat river rock had been placed around the rarely used fire pit to keep the grass from being set

aflame. The house was simple but had certain elegant characteristics about it. The barn off to the

east side held four stables, each containing a beautiful sturdy healthy built horse.

The only thing in Teddy Mason’s mind was “I do, I do, I do.” He was in thought about

their wedding day. It had been one of the most magical days of his life. A moment in time he

surely couldn’t forget. Southside at Myrtle Beach, SC had never been more beautiful, and neither

had Jane. The sand was soft under Teddy’s feet as he watched Jane being escorted down the

small aisle by her father. She was wearing her mother’s old wedding gown. It was a white gown,

laced with lavender threading around the tips of her cleavage, with a wide opening that showed

the elongation of Jane’s neck. The material hugged her curvy figure, which drove Teddy’s mind

crazy as he longed to be close to her at that very moment.

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He wanted to stop and rewind time to that moment in his life. Jane was perfect for him,

and their wedding day meant the world to him. He loved every part about being married. He

enjoyed the compromises, the little teasing arguments, especially Jane’s “I told you so” which he

only had received about twice a day in the years of their matrimony. He didn’t enjoy being a

widower; it scared him in many ways. But more than anything being a widower made him angry,

and he knew Jane wouldn’t approve of his newfound rage from her death. Teddy’s anger soon

subsided as he fell back in the memory of their wedding.

Jane grabbed a hold of his hand as she said the final words to fulfill their marriage, “I

do.” She was now Mrs. Jane Mason and she couldn’t be happier. Teddy and Jane walked slowly

to the dance floor of their hotel, while guests sat watching as they began to dance. Music played

softly as they waltzed across the floor with a swift step in their feet. They looked like they had

been zapped out of an old fairy tale book. They danced all night long, kissing at midnight.

“Would you mind walking along the beach with me, Mrs. Mason?” Teddy asked his new wife as

they ended the last dance of the night. Jane looked deep into his eyes then kissed his cheek gently

before answering “I would love to, Teddy Bear.”

The moon was low in the sky on this particular night. Teddy and Jane strolled along the

water’s edge as they felt the cool, but warm water crash on the sand below their feet, then it was

tugged into the ocean. They kissed for what felt like hours under the moonlight, while lying in the

sand. “I love you, Jane.” Teddy said in a strong voice. “I love you too, Teddy.”Jane’s voice was

soft and a tear came from her small tear duct in her left eye. As it rolled down her cheek, the

reflection of the moon made her face glisten. They made love for the first time that night.

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Teddy caught himself crying as his second flash back ended. His heart was pounding

louder than ever, as sharp pains shot up his left arm. Seconds later he fell to the ground.

COMPLETE DARKNESS. He awoke in a hospital bed with doctors surrounding him. The

tallest doctor spoke first, “You’ve suffered from a severe heart attack Mr. Mason, and the

chances for a long term survival are slim. I’m sorry to be the bearer of bad news, sir.” Teddy’s

stomach dropped as he heard the news. “Can I have a few moments alone, Doctor? I need some

time to think.” Teddy asked with a shortage of breath.

- Sam Ball

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- Ethan Carol

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My Child Only Sleeps

My child only sleeps, don’t say your goodbyes. She has no more suffering, no more pain. For soon again she will open her eyes. Her tears will now fall whenever there’s rain. ‘Cause she will miss her friends and family. But still, we should not cry, we should rejoice. Nor should we ask, “Why this child? Why not me?” Soon again we’ll hear her angelic voice. My child has now entered the Golden Gates. She’s now walking beside God himself. And when I go, behind the gates she waits. Memories of her will be on this shelf. She went to sleep yesterday around noon. Sleep well precious child, see you again so

- Alex Jeter

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Paradise

Life has a way of passing you by, Escaping your tenacious grasp, hard as you may try, It slips away, as ephemeral as a sigh, Just so, you can be sure the ones you love will fly, Oh so high, in Paradises endless clear skies. Death has a way of sneaking up on you, It will find all of us out of the blue, Vanishing from our world, people you never knew, But regret doesn't belong, to Paradise they flew, If anything, know this to be true. Most people live their lives in varying shades of gray, But a few people light the world, a warm suns ray, Bringing their joy and love to all they know, That when they are gone, we must fight of our woe, But Paradise is waiting, so forget your remorse. When your courage fails you and your heart feels like lead, Remember the good times past and look to times ahead, If you look, comfort will find you at your weakest, And you will find joy again, even when times are bleakest, Pain is strong, but love is an even stronger force, Paradise is waiting, when life has run its course. In memory of Aaron Hill

- Dustin Ayers

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- Kristin Siniaed

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The Girl I Once Was…

The little girl they say was sent from heaven has just made a mistake that cannot be forgiven. They remember her as “Daddy’s little girl”; his little angel. One who fell off her bike and still got back up to try again, because she was no quitter. There would be no recovery from this mistake. It wouldn’t be washed away, like crayons from a wall. It would stay with her forever, like the blanket she used to carry around everywhere.

She used to write little notes, and leave them on her mother’s bed, saying she was sorry for her wrong doings. But this time, no note will justify her actions. The burden that she now carries doesn’t compare to the doll she once pretended to mother. Baby Born was the name of the doll; she fed it and changed its diaper, but it was nothing compared to reality- Her Reality.

All the nights she went to parties or what her parents thought to be sleepovers, no longer exist. Her nights staying up talking to her boyfriend are now spent singing her baby to sleep. Money that was once called allowance is now called child support. –it doesn’t come every week; it comes once a month. Money spent buying clothes, make up, and shoes have changed into purchases of diapers, formula, and baby clothes.

That little girl, having no idea about what motherhood would be like, is now a woman making better decisions for the upbringing of her son. Yes, better than when she was in seventh-grade cheating off a classmate to ace a test. That was then, this is now. A woman that gets up everyday smiling as her son wakes up; his laughter reminding her of a day at the fair with her family. Her son’s father, who was once just a friend, is now her husband. Living each moment as it’s supposed to be, that little girl now has her own angel sent from heaven. That little girl was me.

- Ashley Smith

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The War Against Nature

The bulldozer cranks Shaking the trees and smelling Of diesel pollute.

The monkeys scream as Parrots fly from their nests in A rainbow chaos.

The earth quakes and our Breaths become shorter as we Gasp for a last breath. - Brant Fortenberry

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Feel Basketball

Tighten them up and get ready to fly

Say to my old sandals goodbye

Stand in the middle of the court when no one’s around

When the first one drops, what a beautiful sound

I grunt, I fall, I move

I mimic everything they do

I work twice as hard

Because it’s no longer my front yard

Moving to the fast beat of my heart

Yeah I was born to do this from the start

The last ball dribbled is when it begins

I can’t rest until basketballs are moving again

- Malika Morman

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Traveler

He walked the road,

Alone.

The battered buildings bent down,

Staring at him with hollow eyes,

As he roamed the wasteland.

Weeds poked through the

Cracks in the tar,

Searching for the cold sunlight

That ruled this world.

The boy drifted on.

This is what the hate had caused:

Pain and eternal loneliness.

A small breeze swished through the

Blackened trees,

Ruffling the blackened leaves.

A few fell to the ground in a

Pile of ash.

The boy trudged on.

He heard a bang,

A screech of metal,

And the building ahead of him collapsed.

Living in this place wouldn’t be so bad.

He had to keep walking,

Keep looking for others

Who were just as alone as he was.

- Gemma DiGirolamo

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- Katie Morgan

Self-Portrait

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Untitled

When Miranda first came to America, she was terrified. Her family left Kosovo when she was a

young child. The Serbian people were beginning to kill Albanian people. Miranda woke up one morning,

ate her breakfast and got ready to go outside to play. She noticed people screaming and running. A Serb

came up to her, tried to grab her arm, and told her to come with him. She was scared and started yelling

and crying. She ran back into the house without looking back. She thought she was not going to make it,

that the Serb might get her before she got to the house where her parents were. Miranda’s parents were

shocked, thinking she was not telling the truth. They thought she was too little to know of such things.

Her dad walked to the window and looked out. He saw the Serbian army moving through the

neighborhood.

Soon, Miranda’s parents heard gunshots everywhere – bam bam, bam. They knew they had to

go. It was clear this was not a good place to raise a family. They said their final goodbyes and left

immediately. Her dad grabbed the whole family, rushing them out the door. He said, “Hold hands!

Whatever you do, do not let go of the family!” They rushed out of the house. Miranda turned around,

running from this place. She realized she was not going to see her house or friends ever again. As tears

ran down her face, she realized she was barefoot. She kept tripping over rocks.

Miranda and her family kept running without any breaks, water, or food. There were so many

people trying to get away. She felt crowded and was trying to hold onto her sister’s hand. She thought

she might get lost, and knew that she had to keep up with her family. The ground was dirty and rocks

were cutting into her feet. By that time, her feet were swollen and had cuts. It took them about two

weeks to get to Macedonia by foot. By then they realized they could not go back. Miranda and her

siblings were beginning to feel homesick.

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After Miranda and her family arrived in Macedonia, they were happy to be in a new place, but no

one felt safe. They were in a new place with no money, no friends, no help, no other family and no

understanding of the language. They slept on the hard ground in a field along the border of Macedonia.

They were without food for a few days. The river provided water to drink. Before long, the Red Cross

found them. The government took the family to a refugee camp. It was a huge field, full of white tents.

It wasn’t the best place to stay. But, this was a place for them to have a roof over their head, which was

better than the alternatives. The tents were very small, and made of thin material. Someone could punch

a hole through them. Miranda thought this was such as small area for such a large family.

Then, Miranda’s mom found out she was pregnant with her baby brother. Things got harder for

them because then they had a little baby to worry about. You would think that this was a home, but it was

not. It was just a roof over their heads. Once Miranda’s dad knew they were safe, he would go out and

fight the Serbs. She would hug him real tight and kiss his forehead. She was thought she would never

see him again. Her mom kept Miranda and her siblings in the small tent all day. They could not set foot

outside. She wanted them to stay together because she knew if they went outside they would either be

taken or killed. Sometimes, Miranda could hear other children laughing. Miranda’s mom told them

stories about how she used to teach her class in school and how her mom protected her like she was

protecting them. Miranda’s mother had thoughts in her head about if they were all going to make it or

not. Serbians kept screaming with guns pointed in the air. Miranda would start to scream, thinking that

was the last breath of air she was going to breathe.

Life in the refugee camp was horrible. The people in the refugee camps were only given fruits

and vegetables to eat. They were either mushy and moldy or not ripe. It was never clean fruit. The taste

was horrible, but if Miranda was really hungry she ate it. Sometimes they did not get anything because

there was not enough food in the camps. At night, it would get colder and there were no blankets.

Miranda just had her siblings for warmth. Miranda cried every night from the cold weather, curled into a

ball, wearing the same clothes for weeks. Her baby brother was crying for food, but there was none to

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give him. She would not sleep because sometimes she could hear gunshots exploding in the night. She

just laid there and wondered if she would live for tomorrow. She thought about how she left everything

behind with her footsteps. She thought about the filth all around them. The refugee camp was unsanitary.

People could not take showers. There was a cabin where they could go to the bathroom, with holes in the

ground for people to use. Because it could not be flushed away it smelled sickening. Flies were

everywhere. Miranda’s family was in the refugee camp for 11 months. Miranda just wanted to go back

home.

Finally, God answered Miranda’s prayers. Hope arrived! One hot morning, the people in charge

of the camp came to their tent and told them a church in America wanted to sponsor them. They wanted

to bring Miranda and her family to America. Her heart was jumping for joy. Her mom started to cry

because she knew how many opportunities would be there for all of them in America. Everyone jumped

up from the ground and hugged each other. Everyone knew life would be better now.

For the next two weeks, Miranda and her family lived like they did every other day. They waited

for their passports and VISA to arrive and arrangements for travel. These two weeks seemed like forever,

because they just wanted to go. They wanted to get out of that place and have a normal life and less

worries. Miranda was wondering how she would learn the language in this new place. She thought

about how she would make new friends and what a new school would be like. While they were in the

refugee camp, they had dreamed of being in America one day. Everyone wanted to be in a safe place. It

would be a miracle they thought would never happen.

When all the paperwork arrived, the whole family, especially Miranda, was full of excitement.

They were also a little scared and wondered if they would get used to being in a new country. They did

not have anything to pack and bring with them. The family just left their tent. The refugee camp people

got them a ride to a small airport. This was their first time to be on an airplane. It was a long, very tiring,

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trip for the whole family. Miranda and her siblings were ready to sleep. The time changed and they

stopped at several strange airports – Vienna and Washington, DC. These airports were huge and

crowded. People were speaking other languages and everyone was in a hurry. The entire family was

confused and scared. Finally, they arrived in Greenville, SC.

Everyone was nervous and shy about actually arriving in Greenville. When they arrived at the

Greenville airport and got off the plane, Miranda could not believe she was actually there. It felt like a

dream. There were people everywhere holding up signs that said, “Welcome to America – Your New

Home!” At that time, they did not understand it because they did not know English. Fortunately, the

sponsors from the church had an Albanian – English Dictionary in their hand. That is the only way they

could communicate. The sponsors helped Miranda and her family through customs and then they were

ready to leave the airport. Everyone went down the escalators and out the doors. It was a beautiful new

beginning. It was a beginning that changed their lives forever!

This story was inspired by true events and tells about how I came to America.

- Albina Bytyqi

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- Avery Frost

Pallet

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Index of Contributors Sinard, Kristin……………………………………. Cover Art

Wilson, Joey ….. …………………………………. 4

Hughes, Zach ……………………………………. 5

Smith, Ashley ……………………………………. 6

Ball, Sam .. ………………………………….…… 7, 8

Carol, Ethan …..………………………………… 13

Jeter, Alex ….……………………………………

Ayers, Dustin ……………………………………

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Siniaed, Kristin …………………………………. 16

Smith, Ashley ……………………………………. 17

Fortenberry, Brant ……………………………… 18

Morman, Malika ..………………………………. 19

DiGirolamo, Gemma …………………………… 20

Morgan, Katie .. ………………………………… 21

Bytyqi, Albina .. …………………………………

Frost, Avery …………………………………….

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The literary club would like to thank all teachers who encouraged students to submit their writing and art to Lines and Rhymes 2011.

Discrimination of all persons is prohibited with regard to employment and any other program or activity on the basis of race, religion, sex, national origin, age, color, immigrant status, English speaking status or disabling condition in District Five Schools of Spartanburg County as required by Title IX of the Educational Amendments Act of 1972, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, the Age Discrimination Act of 1975, and the Civil Rights Act of 1964 as amended. Section 504 Coordinator, Maureen Kriese; Title IX Coordinator, Dr. Scott Turner