Laissez Les Bons Temps Rouler by Sarfina O

In the background, the Cajun music pounds on the ears of the true New Orleans--the smell of gumbo, dirty rice, and red beans escape nearby restaurants. Everyone is concentrating on the beads being thrown from the beautifully decorated floated ahead. On the corner of Bourbon Street, my best friend Amalachi, fights for a feathered spear with a crazed reveler. Men and women wearing feathered headpieces and glittery clothing are tossing various objects from their floats. Children go to nearby stands to get their faces painted, and to swipe a few cans of silly string. I try to catch a flashing bracelet, but sadly, I miss.

Yells come from every corner.

“Throw me something!”

“Over here!”

The sky gets dark, but hundreds of people still stretch their hand trying to grasp a piece of plastic jewelry. Homeless people leave their cardboard boxes to join the festivities. I take a quick look at what I have caught—loads of beads, glow sticks, and plastic cigars fill my three grocery bags.

The crowd gets crazier as the sky gets darker. A little boy almost gets run over by a float. Fights break out; policemen break out as well, twirling their batons, fiddling with their mace cans, and flashing their guns. Gates and chains are placed in front of the street to prevent any sudden movements. My necklace glistens in the light of the full moon. The lights in front of restaurants flicker; hunger overwhelms me. It is almost time to go.

With every second that passes, the level of danger increases. Men with sagging pants emerge from their hiding places. Women take their place on street corners and smoke cigarettes. The streets are no longer filled with people by with loads of unwanted beads and Big Mac wrappings.

In the background, the Cajun music pounds on the ears of the true New Orleans.

Theme Mind Map by Chris L and Jerel E

Mind Map from Sr2

Mind Map from SR3

Scary Boys

"HATE" Franz C.

I didn't have hate from the start,
learned it and gained a shadow in my heart.
I was young and innocent at the time,
knew no such thing as crime

My father was just walking with me right behind him.
Along comes a man, walks up, and grabs him.
He punches my father swiftly and silently.
Grabs his wallet and runs away very quietly

The smell of beer and blood is all around me,
My father yells of pain and the sounds of his
bone cracking is still inside me.

I'm sad, scared, and confused then
I turn mad as hate pumps in my veins.
After that day I have rage in my heart,
but I will always remember I didn't have
hate from the start

"Simple Society" by Tracy S.

i look out and see the world in which i live in.
People living in fear of what others are thinking.
They look inside and know it's not them,
but still they feel the need to pretend.
Stereotypers putting people in categories,
Mexican immigrants destined to work in factories.
Growing up with people who have this way of thinking,
constantly in wonder, is this what is to become of me?
Another wetback who's life is controlled by society.
To not get pregnant before I am out of high school that's just not the story.
This is what I've been told since i was young,
this is who I am to become.
No, not me the thoughts going through my head.
I'm going to college to get a degree in English.
'Cause to me life is nothing but a book,
everyone thinks they know what one is,
until they read that one that blows them away.
A book as common as beginning to end,
but what's in between is hand written with pen.
Once done past can't be changed.
You can write a stereotype and easily follow in it's path,
or choose to write a different story,
prove you can't be placed in a category.

"I am a strong star" by Saida S.

I am the Gold of thesky
Shining bright in the
night, showing my might
I have it
placed in my heart
It is a gift to be a
star
I was a star since
the start
I am a star in which
holds pain and doesn't
let it go.
Once the pain comes out
I become a stronger star.
A stronger star with might to fight
I am a star

"My Past" by Saida S.

I don't want to go back
to my dark room,
me praying
my heart stopping
my tears pouring
and my soul breaking

"I am a Star" by Esther O.

You see the sky
and expect to live or die
You feel the wind
and hear the baby cry
I am a star!
and you're a star
wherever you are

The shine of my day
comes from my face
I smile
cause I am a star!
and you can tell from a mile away.

They bring me down from
where I am
They don't know who I am
I remind myself
I am a star!
and nobody can take that away
from my way
I am a star!
I am a star!

"The Star" by John F.

Shiny and sparkly
on five sides
good as gold
in he sky
Deeper in it goes
brighter it glows
could be hope
or Death
in some way
in the sky
it glows on
forever

"I am a Star" by Felipe S.

Many kids go to school
some cannot go
I will help them learn
they will have something to look for
at home , in school, in life

School is a priority
we are a pencil
a pencil of dreams
dreams we make happen a pencil that writes
these hopes and dreams
One pencil we are given,
one to spin, to twirl
to uncurl the dreams
of a star,
a star t go far
one STAR to HAVE and to BE,
I am a Star!

"I am a Star" by David L.

I am a star,
Though I am scared,
I am a black sky,
I still find time,
To love with light

I am that star,
So restless I simply cannot
stop,
Persistence against the pessimism
Continuing with Mercilism

I stand a part from the rest,
With loneliness on I compress
My individuality still stands
Waiting for others to understand

And I will wait
from afar
Waiting for
another star

"Star" by Tony O.

Parts fly never ending friendship
friends part away now the star
breaks apart,
No one knows where they are
the past is past and the present
is now.
Now space has never ending friends.
I am a part of a
star that doesn't know
where to go I am lost
with no friends
I am a part of a star.

"Haunted House "by Christopher M.

Fear comes out
like sweat in
seconds

Smoke, shadows,
screams, and
banging walls as you
go through a nightmare

you walk, and hear
but can't watch for
the next move of horror

Ahhh! Without thinking you run until it stop chasing
you and the only thing you can hear is the pounding
but lately do you know that the
horror is just the beginning.

Rosie and the Mockingbird

"I Am a Star" by Zainab A.

(in honor of Inge Auerbaucher)

I am a star

I am high up in the sky

above the rest

When my head is held high

high, high in the sky

I am shining, shining in the dark

I am a symbol recognized as light

bright to lead the way over may days

day and day, night and night

I am there even though sometimes you can't see me

I am there

I am a star!

"My Sis and I" by Krystal M.

Genesis and I don't look like sisters...at least not right away. Not the way you can tell my brother and sister are related. But on the inside, we are more alike than you would know. Our homework strategies for example. We both procrastinate; therefore, we end up staying up late.

One day, our mom went into Walmart, while we waited in the car, looking for a few items. I think in my head, "she will come out with more than she intended to." My sister says my exact thoughts out loud. That moment was like we shared the similar, stereotypical brain.

"Protection Given and Needed" by Saida S.

No one to care for you. Stuck in this huge, clueless world in which you can't get out of. There is no knowledge to the outside world; how is it to be independent and strong by yourself? I have to protect, protect those who are not strong enough and need protection; my love comes from the pain that is approaching them from the unknown. Protection is what I give and protection is what I need. Who is there to protect me from the pain. as I do to those who need?

"Ruben and the Rain" by Raquel E

The sound of the soothing, calming rain fascinates us. The continuous rain drops falling hard on the tin roof; rice on an aluminum plate. Everyone in my class likes the rain and up until that day, Ruben was the only one thought to not like the rain, but we were wrong. Ever since that day, every time it rains, we all gather around Ruben.

Ruben who has been in the first grade two times, and talks about his past school years and acts so tough tells us something new. Ruben, who never knows the answer when a teacher asks him a question, and has friends around the whole school, and talks about his past school years, has another past.

That day as we watched the heavy rain all sitting down cross-legged, Ruben joined us. He left the tree that he goes to when it rains andjoined our line at the edge of th concrete basketball court, letting wind blow water to our faces. That Ruben comes, breaks the silence, and say, "My Papa in Heaven makes the rain." We all turn to look at him and see his tears blend in with the rain. Ruben who never knows the answer to a question, and has friends around the whole school, has another past.

"The Blue Tears" by Stephanie O

The Blue Tears

of the bright eye

cry out loud the soul

of the courageous guy

as his beloved, shiny tears

become the shadow

of his life.

"My Name" by Roberto G

My name in Spanish means strength and humility. My name a color of beans; it is my dad's Colombian records blasting. My name is like an old, cranky rooster that stands alone, brave and not afraid to speak out.

At school, they say my name American...Bob. But it is better than my sister's name, Jennifer, which is too plain for me. But this is my intented. This name, Roberto, is as rich as my culture. My name stands alone from the rest.

"The Closing Door" by Felipe S.

I'm off to work, my mom says--loneliness overwhelms me with a cold, sweaty shiver. Slowly by surely, I mature. My parents are divorced; my mom works at two places to help my sister and me. I try my best at school. I have friends, I am ready to be a young man--the absence of my father prevents this, but I try. The two jobs, the ones that limit me from experiences of having a family, do not let my life unfold. I do have a home, school is my home. The place in which my life is focused on. I am am afraid. I don't want to spend all of my life working two jobs like my mom. I want a family. A circle of unity--love.

"Hairs" by Tania E.

Everybody in our family has different hair. My dad's hair is like a dry, stiff mop that you stop and look with a glare. And me, my hair is obedient. It always obeys as I command. Mario's hair is thin and straight. He never needs to comb it. Luz' hair is curly--curls in your finders. And Emily, who is the youngest, has hair like a soft teddy bear.

My mom's hair is like cinnamon rolls. Sweet candy circles all curly and fluffy; therefore, she pins them and curls them in pin curls. When she is holding you, holding you and you feel safe it is the warm smell of cinnamon while you bake it, is the smell when she makes space for you on her side of the bed still warm, covered with her smell, and you sleep near her, the wind blowing outside and Daddy snoring. The snoring, the wind and Mom's hair that smells like cinnamon.

"Rears" by Estrella P.

Everybody in my family has different butt sizes. My papi's butt is flat because he has none; he claims it makes him dance better. And my butt, my butt is small, so small I'm afraid to put on tight jeans. My brother Carlos' butt has a curve that makes it seem big at an angle, but smooth at another. I have envy of my sisters; their butts make a perfect round, not too big rear that no one in my family has.

My mother's end is so cute and small because the black pants she wears makes it seen round, but in a way that you know it is not big. When I wish my rear was bigger, I think of the times I see my mother's pretty end and know its not so bad because I got it from her, better than my dad.

"No Creases" by Morris C.

One day you wake up and they are there. Ready and waiting to be worn to the big party. They're good for showing off and looking nice. When people see you at the party with the new Jordans, their mouths are going to drop. People are going to say, "nice, cool" all about your shoes.

Shoes, shoes, let's get some shoes, oh my God, shoes.

These shoes rule, oh my God, shoes.

Do not, I mean, do not put creases in your shoes the first week. Also, do not tie your shoes too tight. As you get older it will be hard for you to not put creases in your shoes. Tell the little kids about it, so they can pass it on.

No creases.