by Andrea Traietti on August 30, 2018

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by Marelle Hipolito ’21

It was many summers ago
Never forgotten, always remembered:
gut feeling of the end coming
before the snap
crack
and cry of pain, landing on impact

an injury so defeating there was no game to play
no win or lose, just over
a broken bone, a broken heart
impossible to put the pieces back together

It was many summers later
Thus set to the side, lowered of importance
Focused grit of beginning again
After the pick up
Put together
And laughs of love, standing and brushing off the dirt

An injury so defeating, yet defeated
Rematch
Healed bone, healed heart
Achieved through tape, tears, and friends

by Andrea Traietti on August 30, 2018

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by Dawyn Henriquez ’19

“Boom, then crash
The shattering of glass”
Strange fruit hanging and you expect us to forget the past?
Even though I saw my Momma in shackles at four,
You really believe equality is an unnecessary bore?
How quick to forget you are, truly, how fast.
Who of you haven’t thought that we’d be last?
The ones still standing,
Some brown amalgamations,
The most slandered colors in a crayon nation.
This hue is what sits between equality of heart and soul
And causes our people to pay red’s deathly toll.
So how dare you lie
When you say, this is a melting pot for all colors?
Even though we’ve always been aware of the skin that struts its stutters.
Be honest majority, you never meant it,
You’ve always proliferated yourself,
White supremacy: you cement it.
“And, yeah, I got anger
But I don’t let it take me down
Because my Momma taught me better
And she holds me up when I fall down”
Just so I can go forth with a scraped knee
Before the impending white sea,
Salt in my veins,
Weights on my feet,
Tears in my eyes,
Trying to shrug off defeat.
We all want glass broken,
Whether we know it or not,
But we live here, in this damn 64-piece box
Where white is the primary color in each slot.
And when we complain about the lack of preparation
All we get is fucking shame and deprecation:
Things like “try harder,” you say,
As if we can wear your boots
On our backs like flowing capes,
Prompting the question:
Is this the United States, home of the brave, where we got clean slates?
Or is this the United States, place built by slaves, the land that freely hates?
I think the latter, how about you?
Or are you out there too worried about your new hairdo?
Don’t answer that.
Yes, we’ve got anger,
Who wouldn’t
If their society was a strangler?

by The Cowl Editor on May 3, 2018

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by Sam Pellman ’20

 

Have you ever been in a moment and stopped to think about how much you’ll miss that exact moment?

That no matter where you are or when you are there, you will never be able to live that moment again?

So you tried to stop to soak it in, but nothing could replace that feeling.

Is it bittersweet? Or is it beautiful?

Do we dwell on the past or become hopeful for the future?

 

There’s beauty in every moment.

Knowing that the worst moments are never forever,

But some of the best have yet to come.

 

It’s not the time I’m afraid of, it’s the change that comes with it.

A year seems like a long time, but when you look back it’s really not long at all.

And who are you now? The same person you were a year ago, or someone completely different?

Have you changed? I hope so.

 

Who is still in your life and who has left?

Does that reality help you or does it make you sad?

 

I think time gets a bad reputation.

People are afraid of time, resistant to its close friend, change.

I think we hate change when it’s happening to us and when we think we are drowning.

But then we look back and we look at our growth

 

And we thank God for the change.

We thank God for the things that didn’t work out, the things we didn’t get and thought we deserved.

 

Because it’s made us who we are now.

 

Time has no expiration date; it’ll continue on even if we’re not ready.

It’s my job to embrace it, to let it bring in what I need and take out what is no longer giving my life meaning.

To take each day one day at a time, and trust that time has a secret agenda that involves my happiness in the end.

Time flies, and it deserves not to be wasted.

by The Cowl Editor on May 3, 2018

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by Connor Zimmerman ’20

 

Just when I turned towards you, I saw your face

With the tears gracefully gliding down your cheek.

You were smiling in your pain, trying to feign

I walked over and held you close, as I said:

“Smile now, don’t cry, ‘cause this is the first of the lasts.”

 

Going through the motions was something you could not stand.

The first time that we met as strangers in that dark room

You made me feel like I was the only person there.

Then, I could tell you would always care as you expressed:

“Don’t forget that I will always be there for you.”

 

Something that drew me to you was your contagious smile.

It was on display the second time we saw each other,

Though I will not forgive myself ‘cause I forgot your name.

You introduced me to everyone, as you shouted out:

“Get over here and come meet this amazing person.”

 

Oh, how the time has flown since I really got to know you truly.

We grew closer together than I could have ever imagined.

Our laughs, hopes, and fears all became exposed during our late-night talks.

I will always remember when I wrote you that note that whispered:

“Life is only measured by the connections that we make with others.”

 

I do not know if these words will be our end.

You must move on to the next stage in your life,

But I will always defend these memories

From the powerful forces of time and rage.

 

If we are close to our end, let us recall what you said in the last hour;

“One word will remain unspoken for we will never let it have power.”

by The Cowl Editor on May 3, 2018

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by Marelle Hipolito ’21

 

I heard you quit the team

I didn’t think you would, and I didn’t think you could

but you gave up your childhood dream

 

I heard that it was a long time coming

people weren’t surprised, your priorities were compromised

but you didn’t end up with nothing

 

I heard you two started dating

Even though I ghosted town, word still got around

It became official when you stopped playing

 

So, you quit the team, you quit the dream

And instead chased something that won’t be everything it first seems

Through all of this, did you ever think of me?

by The Cowl Editor on May 3, 2018

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by Erin Lucey ’20

 

Walking to school,

Our eyes were so bright.

I arrived with huge passion,

Though my body was slight.

 

A yellow ticket each day,

And I giggle as I wait.

There were lines on the gym floor,

And a chicken patty on my plate.

 

On go the years,

And still struck with such pride

I munched on my goldfish,

With my lunchbox open wide.

 

How slowly the days pass by,

Though life moves way too quick.

Soon I was shuffling through the halls,

With a swift snack amongst the brick.

 

Lunch became such a game,

And on my journey to win

My juice boxes and animal crackers

Went right in the bin.

 

But why did I not realize

That it doesn’t matter who sees!

And if I could go back

I’d sip them with ease.

 

Because packing your own bag,

Marks the day you have grown,

But you will not yet realize

You missed the time that has flown.

 

Although I regret,

I know their flavor is now gone.

And if I could go back,

I’d make sure to hang on.

 

Because all the time in the world,

Would never be quite enough.

When you can’t relive the days

Of the peanut butter and fluff.

by The Cowl Editor on April 26, 2018

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by Jay Willett ’20

“Careful, always watch your step when you walk here honey,” she hummed.

Grinning, I nodded my head and reached up, earnestly grabbed the railing.

Orange tired sun, relentless reflections, my soul,

Waves that roar, my mind,

Winds that rage and sway, my time,

Vessel that cradles me, God hopes you don’t sink,

Oceans beneath, how deep would you take me?

If waves took vessel,

If wind wearied vessel,

If vessel cracked, dropped me below,

I held onto the railing tighter and gazed upon the crimson fire sky.

The sun hung low but burned fluorescent flames above all.

Burning, charring, existing, for all years to come.

by The Cowl Editor on April 19, 2018

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by Kiley McMahon ’20

 

As I flip the pages of the torn up scrapbook,

I remembered the moment like it was just yesterday.

my mind boggles as I envision him and I,

I looked into his eyes lovingly and cautiously.

modest, humble, and conservative attire of gowns and suits,

The silk and leather which flowed from our shoulders to our toes,

in a perfectly attuned manner.

dancing flawlessly to the beat of the music,

Our bodies meshed instantly to the generational tune of the Beatles,

as the heavy metal music alarms our minds and meticulously floods our hearing,

as its tune rang in and out of our gill-shaped eardrums.

by The Cowl Editor on April 19, 2018

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by Sam Pellman ’20

 

The sunlight struck her bed gently

She slowly opened her eyes and a moment of panic hit her heart

She glanced at her phone which read 11:16 a.m.

But then she remembered she was in her bed at home, in no rush to be anywhere

Maybe just the beach was waiting for her

 

She rolled over and threw on the first bathing suit she could find, her hair in a messy bun

Walking to the bathroom she didn’t once look in the mirror, but brushed her teeth quickly

She jumped down the stairs and grabbed an ice cold water, she knew she’d need it later

Her keys in her hand, she leaped out of the door into the car

 

Her beach chair was already in the backseat and so was her towel

She rolled every window down and adjusted her sunglasses

Her country playlist was already playing when she plugged in her phone

She whipped out of the driveway, the wind in her hair

 

The parkway exit quickly approached and she braced herself for the strong winds

She didn’t mind that it knotted her hair, its freshness felt amazing

She stuck her hand out of the window and sang along to her favorite Thomas Rhett song

The outside temperature read 77 degrees and not a single cloud was in the sky

 

It was in that moment she remembered why she stuck out all that hard work of the semester

So she could feel this exact feeling, the only feeling of bliss she’s ever known

Summer on Long Island is worth the freezing snowy and rainy days

It was worth everything to her

 

The air was warm and the sun was shining

Just for a moment everything was perfect

She soaked in the moment just as she planned to soak in the rays later on the sand

It was the days like these where she forgot about all the commotion in her life

And simply smiled at the idea of living a beautiful life.

by The Cowl Editor on April 12, 2018

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by Marelle Hipolito ’21

 

I was looking out the window

Humming to the radio

When suddenly it came on

My heart skipped a beat

I leaned forward in my seat

and pressed the button to turn it right off

 

I sat back and looked away

So I didn’t have to explain

Why that song always made me ache

I wiped a tear from my cheek

I didn’t move, I didn’t speak

And I drifted back into space

 

To the time when we had it all figured out

Thought we knew what life was about

And our plans were set in stone

I didn’t want to remember

Way back to September

But the memories came, all too well known

 

Everything was perfect

Sleepless nights were worth it

every drive with the windows down

You always greeted my father with a handshake

Helped my mother make pancakes

never would’ve guessed you’d ghost our town

 

You texted me sorry I have to leave

Was I really that naive

To expect closure through that “goodbye”

I kept searching for explanations

asking if this whole time I was just mistaken

Cause I still didn’t understand why

 

You came and went just like that

Like a finger and a thumb, in a snap

made and changed my whole life

You made me find my strength

To find love through my pain

If only we could’ve also found more time

 

But here I am in April

Still hurt, but grateful

That although you’re gone, you were at one point here

so I turned to put the radio back on

Held his hand, and at end of the song

Listened to the music, like you, bittersweetly fade & disappear