Summer 2010

"Please practice piano today,"my mom said while she was leaving to work.
"Yes, mom," I said discouraged.

I like to play piano but, as expected, is getting hard. It is fun when it's easy. This summer the only thing I have done rather than sleep and eat is have piano lessons. I have gone to the swimming pool some times and to the beach once but not real fun stuff.

Today I decided to go to the computer to check my email as always and Mrs. Brown's web page popped out. I just went there to remember the good times and I went on to write the only real slice of life I have done after school was over.

Soon, school is going to start and I will have to work again. I am a little nervous since I am going to high school. This summer has been really peaceful and full of free time. A little too much I would say, but I went one week to Disneyland in Orlando, Florida. It was fun but I was sick. I had to take pills every 8 and 6 hours and the water was disgusting! We woke up early every day and slept really late. We didn't eat much through out the day but I didn't feel it, though.

It was great the first days of vacations because my grandparents came here to Panama. It was real fun carrying them around. But the best part was that they were present in my birthday. I had very cool presents and everyone seemed happy about me until the final soccer game started. Even one of my real closest friends forgot my birthday because of it!

I wanted to finish this slice of life in a short way. This summer was a peaceful one full of family members and great company of my parents with my little brother. It was great because of its simpleness and relaxing moments.

Left

Left
Dream is
over,
Suffering
Missing
Incomplete

Laughs fade away
Empty chair at
dinner
Absence is present
Silence overrides,
Joy is gone

Desperately quiet
Alone
in the room
Desire of coming
back is
overwhelming

Neverending Friendship

Description: Friendship is something that's been around in the world for a long time. Every person interprets it in different ways, but they all have something in common: they never end. A true friend is someone that listens and is always there no matter what. Friendship has its ups and downs, but it always has a solution. For some people it is something normal, but for others it is as valuable as a diamond. In my opinion, friendship is the best thing a person can have.

Synopsis: This notebook is full of poems where friendship is expressed in different ways.

A Blessing by James Wright
My Friends by W.S. Merwin
On Gifts for Grace by Bernadette Mayer
One Art by Elizabeth Bishop
The Armadillo by Elizabeth Bishop
The Soul Unto Itself (683) by Emily Dickinson
An Old Song by Tomaz Salamun
Sea Canes by Derek Walcott

The Choir Boys

Choir boys.
Supposedly religious,
savagely-like.
Murderers.
Pig killers,
thirsty of blood,
animal-like people,
no longer boys.

Hunters.
Jack,
violent leader.
Roger,
torturer.
Death believers,
Jack's followers,
fallen angels.

Iceland's Erupting Volcano

Iceland's erupting volcano,
Mother Nature's event.
Perfect.
Impressive view,
amazing landscape.
Melting boots from lava,
dangerous cracks in the floor.
Gases,
beautiful.
Tumbling experience.

Small Moment

“I’ll travel to Mexico and Houston next week,” I heard my dad say.

“He’s leaving again?” I thought to myself.

My dad travels everywhere in Latin America because of his job as a petroleum engineer. This time he’s leaving to Villahermosa, Mexico. Usually throughout the month he’s two weeks at home and the other two in another country. We are already used to it—in my case since I was born—but we still miss him a lot. He is the one that makes us laugh but my little brother.

“You’re leaving?” I asked my dad almost in disbelieve.

I already knew he was leaving but I wanted to make sure I heard right.

“Yeah. On Wednesday,” he replied naturally.

“Oh…” I said softly.

Those were the only words that came out of my mouth. I was getting used to see him at home since he hasn’t traveled in more than two weeks. I think he noticed my disappointment and tried to say something. Nothing went out. He opened his mouth and closed it again. I think he didn’t know what to say because he was leaving for quite some time. I heard he was leaving for about three weeks.

My dad always—or at least most of the time—brings us a souvenir. It doesn’t matter if is a big or small one, the point is that he brought us something. (For example, he brought three little statues from China.) A lot of times he brings us chocolates because he doesn’t have time to chose something nice. I don’t care because I love chocolate.

“Where are you going?” I asked him as usual even though I already knew.

“I’m leaving to Houston for two weeks and other one in Villahermosa,” he said.

“So he’s going to Mexico?” I thought excitingly.

“Could you bring me some chucheria picante?” I asked once more.

Since we all lived in Mexico for a very long time we are very used to their costumes such as eating spicy food. When my dad travels to Villahermosa—which is not very often—we ask him if he can bring us some.

I noticed what advantages I get from my dad’s constant trips. (1) I am free of his “difficult” attitude for some time, (2) I get some new little gifts almost every month, and (3) I noticed how much I miss him.

I didn’t know why he always wants us to be together on weekends. I realized why he wants to
pass as much time as possible with us when he’s home. You don’t know how long you will live, and life is very short. We enjoy ourselves when he’s here. The laughing is back again. All of the funny stories that happened to us throughout the weekend reappear. The environment is just good.

I realized that all of the trips he makes actually bring us together as a family. We take advantage of the time he’s here to have some fun all together. Even though I describe my dad as “difficult”, I miss him a lot every single time he’s gone. I love him.

Lonely

hard situation

difficult is to handle

always has been there

became normal over time

loneliness, something to fear