Recently, we visited California, and there, we went to Joshua Tree National Park! We got to see some amazing sights and to commemorate, I wrote a poem in the style of a Golden Shovel. A Golden Shovel poem is when the ending word, usually bolded, of each line (when read from top to bottom) forms a line from another poem. In my case, I used a line from the poem, “Joshua Tree” by A.R. Ammons. I hope you enjoy!
as i stood by the trees, the wind whistled by, past the rounding of the rocks, through the gap of the stones and found me standing still there listening to the weeping of too-heavy branches under the magnificence of a true blue sky. there it was, a Joshua tree
Recently, I’ve been trying to experiment around with different poem styles- instead of classics like free style, limericks, or sonnets, I’ve been trying to find some unique styles- like the nonet! The nonet is based on syllable count and each line decreases, starting from 9 syllables-1 syllable.
I decided to write my nonet about the Everglades, which I got to visit when I went to Miami. They were incredible, and we even got to see an alligator, plus a heron! I enjoyed it a lot, so here’s my nonet about the Everglades!
You would think that in swampy waters Nothing would dare to grow or live I can prove you wrong, just take a look at Florida’s Everglades, where wildlife thrives everywhere, just find it
Here are some of the pictures from the Everglades!
What are some unique poetry styles that you know of?
Recently, we traveled to Miami! While exploring the city, we discovered the Miami Botanical Gardens, a beautiful garden filled with plants and wildlife. Here’s an acrostic poem based on what I saw in the gardens!
Miami, a busy city, bustling to the brim Isn’t just noise and hustle, An adventure is waiting, in Miami, so what are you waiting for? It’s time to explore!
Behind the Convention Center, Over past the beach, Towards the quiet side of the city, A secret gem lies in wait, just for you Nature blossoms, blooms, and grows, an Incredible, inviting space Come on in Amazing awaits, Let’s experience it!
Grand, open Area, filled with Radiance, light Dazzling, incredible Extraordinarily, wonderful No time to waste!
I started the year in India. We didn’t really do much that first month, but it was a good and clean beginning to the new year.
February:
We took a quick staycation in Downtown, which was definitely a lot of fun. It was a great opportunity to relax while staying in the city.
March:
We went to Miami this year which was a lot of fun! We got to see a lighthouse and also got to visit Calle Ocho, which I had been learning about in school. I also visited the science museum which was a fun experience. We also got to see Hamilton, which was awesome. I loved watching the songs come to life and it was overall a great experience.
April:
I did two dance performances this month- an annual recital for Bharatanatyam and my first ever Mohiniyattam performance! I also got to watch an arangetram which was a new experience for me.
May:
We went to New Mexico which was really cool! I really enjoyed viewing the Carlsbad Caverns and the Petroleum Museum, as well as Monahans Sandhills State Park. Our school also put on Matilda the Musical and I really enjoyed watching it, especially as a lot of my friends starred in it.
June:
Right before 7th grade ended, we had our schoolwide International Peace Festival, in which my friend and I put together a project on gender equality. During summer, I went to India which was a lot of fun, as usual.
July:
I went to Delhi in the beginning of July, which was a place I’d never been before. I really enjoyed visiting The Taj Mahal, Qutab Minar, and Isa Khan’s tomb, as well as other places. I came home from India early (☹️) to go to Leadership Camp, hosted by my Leadership teacher for 8th grade. I really enjoyed camp and definitely made a lot of memories there.
August:
I started 8th grade around the middle of August which was an incredible new experience. I also competed in a duet and a group Bharatanatyam competition and won first place for the duet!
September:
I celebrated my birthday this month and turned 13! Other than that we didn’t do much, but I really enjoyed celebrating my birthday and cherished everyone in my life that day (and month).
October:
I started the month with a roller skating party for everyone in Leadership. At first, I was a bit shaky, but I eventually got the hang of it and had a lot of fun! I also got to see another musical- Hadestown, which was inspired by Greek mythology, which I love. After that, we had Homecoming, which is definitely one of my highlights this year, as I got to have a lot of fun that night.
November:
I started November off with my UIL theater class performing twice, once for parents and once at a competition. I had a lot of fun both times and I can’t wait to do it again in the spring! After that, we went to my last musical of the year- SIX the Musical. I also saw two of my friends there which was such a fun experience! Then, during Fall Break, we went to Boston and I saw a lot of historical monuments, which went perfectly with what we were learning in US History. Lastly, I ended the month with Fall Show, a performance organized by the dance teachers so we can show off what we have learnt in the first semester.
December:
Our school’s first semester has ended, meaning we’re halfway through the school year. This was also the first year I had to do midterms, because I’ve started taking high-school level courses. As the semester ended, I went to our school’s winter concert, as I had many friends in orchestra. I really enjoyed watching them perform and they did great! Lastly, I closed the year off by going to India for winter break.
In my last post, I talked about the places we went to in Boston which had historical significance. Along with those places, we also went to many places that inspired/housed authors, like the Louisa May Alcott house and the Walden pond. We also visited 3 bookstores and they each had their own uniqueness to offer.
We started with the house of the author of Little Women. While we arrived at the Louisa May Alcott house late and therefore couldn’t get a tour, we did get see view the outside of it and the gardens outside. The gardens were planted according to the book, a section corresponding to each sister and what they had planted in the book.
After that we drove to Walden pond and Henry David Thoreau’s house. He drew inspiration from the pond to write his book, so we decided to visit it. The sun was setting just as we arrived, casting everything in a golden glow. It was incredibly beautiful and I enjoyed it a lot! We also saw an eagle on top of a replica of his cabin which was nice.
We also visited many bookstores! On the first day we visited posman books and Brattle Book Shop. posman had many great books and I loved how the shop was decorated. Brattle was unique because it was an used bookshop. However, on the third floor, they had a collection of rare/unique books, like the original Federalist papers and the aeronautical pamphlets from the Wright brothers. Later, we also visited Beacon Hill Books and Cafe, which was such an amazing place. The bookshop was cozy and inviting and I loved their atmosphere.
Lastly, we visited the Boston Library. It’s a beautiful place with paintings and sculptures scattered throughout the library. I really enjoyed walking through it!
Do you know any cities that have thriving areas to write?
Recently, we got to go to Boston. In my U.S. History class, we had recently been talking about Boston and how it played a crucial role in the American Revolution, so we made sure to go to the places that were incredibly important.
One of the highlights of the trip was definitely the Boston Tea Party Ships and Museum. We started in a meeting room, with our guides dressed as figures from the 1700’s. They led us to a ship, where we learned about the mechanics of the Tea Party and how it worked. Lastly, we had a chance to throw some tea overboard ourselves. After that, we got to explore the museum which contained remnants of the original Tea Party, like a crate that washed up and a little bit of tea from the crates. It was interesting and I enjoyed the interactiveness of the museum.
There were also a ton of interesting statues all over Boston, many being in the Boston commons and in the Boston Public Gardens. Some of the most notable were a statue of Alexander Hamilton, a statue of George Washington, and a Samuel Adams statue. I also enjoyed the monuments, for example, one of Lafayette in the Commons and one of the Founding Fathers (though that was in Plymouth, not Boston).
During our trip, we got to see Paul Revere’s house, a statue of him, and the church which signified to him what the British were doing. The house was decorated with furniture that might have come from the 1700’s and a lot of information about the original owner.
We also enjoyed following the Freedom Trail, a walking trail that covers most of the landmarks mentioned above. The Freedom Trail was a great guide, and I was glad we got to finish most of it.
Even though it’s not in Boston, Plymouth played a large part in the history of the American colonies. It was the 2nd permanent colony to be established and was created for religious freedom. We got to see the Plymouth Rock and the Mayflower 2 when we were there. Plymouth Rock is a good marking point of where exactly the Pilgrims landed after sailing from England to America in the original Mayflower. The Mayflower 2 was a replica of the original and I enjoyed exploring it a lot.
What historic places have you gone to? Which one’s your favorite?
As well as visiting White Sands, we also visited Monahans Sandhills, a state park. While it wasn’t as unique or as big as White Sands, it was still marvelous in its own way.
Sandhills always change And they are ready for it They move with the slightest push of the wind
The Monahans dune field Stretches 150 by 22 miles It protects sand, plants, wildlife, and habitat
The sand comes from mountains Specifically, the Southern Rocky Mountains Weathered to tiny pieces, they have turned into the sand we know today
Caliche underlays these dunes Trapping water and storing it Creating a water table that serves plants, animals, humans
The park isn’t all sand though See the park in spring or summer And marvel at the yellow, the pink, the white, the rainbow of flowers
Meet the animals of the park Watch them move around, camouflaged the crickets, the deer, the javelinas
Monahans Sandhills A park of many wonders When will you go?
Recently, we went to New Mexico and visited many National Parks (as well as a state park). My favorite had to be White Sands National Park. The setting was beautiful and eerie and the look of the shining white dunes isn’t one I’ll forget any time soon. This is a poem I wrote inspired by the wildlife at White Sands. I hope you enjoy!
Sand Dunes Don’t stay the same They shift, flow, fall With the everchanging Winds always changing, always moving
Soaptree Yuccas Keep their stem tall So they never get swallowed by the dunes They learn to say goodbye For as each dune passes, they die
The Bleached Earless Lizard Camouflages with its pale, pale skin It scurries about the desert sands Blending in with the pale, pale dunes It really is a master of disguise
Darkling Beetles also called Stinkbugs Stay the odd one out They don’t try to blend in, But to instead, to stand out It is protected for both the sun’s rays and any predators
White Sands National Park a biodiverse, stable ecosystem Filled with creatures of every type A marvelous adventure And an amazing ride
Have you been to any National Parks? If yes, which ones are your favorite?
Indie bookstores are amazing ways to find new books. I love visiting them and finding new books to enjoy. Because of this, I decided to create a new series about some of the indie bookstores I love. I’ve decided to start with one of my favorite local bookstores- Blue Willow Bookshop.
Blue Willow Bookshop hosts many events, all of which are extremely entertaining. They’ve been hosting the Tween’s Read for a few years now, which is something I really enjoy visiting. Also, during COVID, they scheduled many author visits for the new books releasing during the pandemic. Some of my favorites have been with Rick Riordan, Rick Riordan Presents authors, and a one-on-one session with Soman Chainani.
I also love the atmosphere of Blue Willow. The shop is cozy and comforting and you can feel perfectly at ease within the shelves. All of the workers are helpful and they are always ready to lend you a hand.
In English class recently, I wrote a personal narrative about a life changing moment. Some parts of the story are fiction, but I enjoyed writing it a lot. I hope you enjoy!
Beep! Beep! Beep! Each of the passports were scanned with a beep and a blinding flash of neon green light. After living in Australia for the past two years, I was moving back to where I was born- Houston, Texas.
With my head and heart heavy, I dragged my dejected feet over to where my parents were standing. They seemed ecstatic, obviously glad that we were moving somewhere new. “Aren’t you excited?” my dad asked, looking around with eager eyes. I shook my head, feeling like a gloomy cloud had settled over my head and wouldn’t let go. “Oh, don’t worry,” my mom declared, “It’ll be a blast!” I twisted my mouth and shrugged, still not convinced. We walked past millions of restaurants filled with bored looking tourists and sharply dressed waiters. None of it reminded me of home.
I started to blink back tears before I realized it would be worthless. Soon, the floodgates would be opened. The only thing circling through my mind was how I wanted, no, needed to go back home. I started sniffling and then I could tell that there was no going back. I started bawling in the middle of the airport. Tears and mucus dripped down my face as I thought of all my best memories in Australia. “What’s wrong?” my mom asked, kneeling down next to me. I sniffed twice before getting in control again. “I-sniff- miss-hiccup-home,” my words brought on another round of tears as my mom waited patiently for me to calm down.
“Why do we have to go?” I almost shrieked. Somehow, I managed to keep quiet. “For you, home is here,” my mom explained gently, “but for me, it’s in a lot of places and Houston is one of them. It’s also a great opportunity for me and Dada. The world is a big place and we are trying to learn more about it by traveling,” I nodded, my tears finally dawdling away. I was calmer now, and I understood more about the world, exactly what my mom wanted me to get from traveling.
This experience helped me think about how everyone sees the world differently and how it affects them. I am still an avid traveler today, because as my mom said 7 years ago, “It creates many opportunities in your world.”
