Creator, Editor, Journalism Teacher, Poetry Teacher: Melida Rodas
School: Marist High School
One of Melida's proudest accomplishments has been Creating "The Shield," Poetry Magazine and School Newspaper. Below please find some examples of the powerful work produced by her students.
“ BUCK UP”
by: C. Amissah
Just release,
unclench,
let go,
clear it out.
But don't cry.
No emotion.
Buck up.
( Maybe it won't last. Only temporary.
Keep that in mind. )
They say it's darkest before the dawn,
but it's different
feels like
it'll be dark
forever.
No passion,
no ambition,
means no future.
Calm down -
you're overthinking - again. You'll lose your mind.
Are my ways in need of change?
Is this my rude
awakening?
It feels like a never ending cycle
of emotions that consume me.
You're
nowhere near perfect,
not your body,
heart,
soul,
mind.
You say and do all the wrong things
at the wrong time.
Not perfectly imperfect,
just imperfect.
STUPID, STUPID, STUPID!
Am i right?
The feelings of inadequacy
crippling,
inundating
all consuming
can't breathe - get a word in -
Are you listening!
Man,
I feel voiceless.
I feel, I feel, I feel.
Am I just dramatic?
Is this angst ?
Will my patience ever pay off?
Will I ever achieve success?
Is my success proving you wrong?
It's hard to put drive,
ambition,
into something one is not doing
solely for one’s self.
I’m being pulled,
pulled in so many ways and I'm going to explode, count…1,2,3,4, 5… that doesn't work! 6, 7, 8, 9 ….. I'm in a dark tunnel - no way out - no light at the end
Hope - Where are you? Light. 10.
Black metal
- is an extreme subgenre of heavy metal music. Common traits include fast tempos, a shrieking vocal style, heavily distorted guitars played with tremolo picking, raw recording, unconventional song structures, and an emphasis on atmosphere. Artists often appear in corpse paint and adopt pseudonyms.
Over the years the name Black Metal has been given an infamous reputation. This could be attributed to the countless news articles, murder cases, and court trials that have sprouted out from this underground scene. However, is the Black Metal aesthetic truly as murderous and exclusive as it is made out to be? Is the fear unfounded or is it completely legitimized? Finally, is this underground scene more akin to a cult rather than a music scene?
Black metal originated in Norway and Sweden in the late 1980s. Their influences could be traced back to the early 70s with bands such as the Sex Pistols, Bad Brains, and even Alice Cooper. Black Metal’s biggest influences would have to be the American thrash metal bands that sprouted up in the early eighties. Bands such as Anthrax, Metallica, Slayer, and Megadeth could be seen as the most prominent inspiration on this genre of music. Still, this music scene truly flourished when they began to believed that the thrash metal culture became too mainstream and oversaturated. This lead to the movement being segregated and gated off from others because of the phobia of becoming mainstream.
However, it’s main stylistic influences were derived from paganism and satanism. This lead to the biggest bands of this genre adopting goth clothes, wearing makeup, or what they would label corpse paint. It also included rather depressing undertones about death, the occult, and other topics that could be considered to be very dubious and dark in nature through out their music. Furthermore, trouble truly began to arise in this movement around the early 1990s when church burning and murders became frequent occurrence. They weren’t just isolated attacks carried out by fans of this movement, but recognizable figures such as Varg Vikernes of Burzum and Mayhem along with Euronymous of Mayhem who participated in these crimes.
Moreover, this subculture’s obsession with death really came to a peak when Per Yngve Ohlin, better known as “Dead,” committed suicide on April 8, 1999. Throughout his adult life he was described by others as being overly obsessed with his own death to the point where he would bury his clothing underground for several days to smell like those of a corpse and would keep deceased animals under his bed to give his room the aroma of death. His suicide, however, caused ripples within the Black Metal industry. His bandmate, Euronymous, discovered the dead body, took a photo of the scene and made it into the cover of the band’s next album, ‘Dawn of the Black Hearts.” Additionally, pieces of Ohlins skull were turned into necklaces for friends.
The stereotype and fear of the metal movement in general, stemmed from this small and relatively unknown subgenre. However, what really forced the Black Metal scene into the spotlight was the murder case revolving around Varg Vikernes and Euronymous. To give a brief synopsis of the case, Vikernes was charged with killing Euronymous by stabbing him multiple times along with getting charged with arson due to burning down several churches in Norway. This has lead to the notoriety of Black Metal with claims of it being a cover-up for a Satanic-Cult or just an excuse for promoting adolescent violence within the youth in Scandinavia. Other murders, arsons, and crimes that were carried out by fans at this time also helped to bring The Black Metal scene negative criticism.
At the height of the genre’s infamy many accused it of being a cover-up for a satanic murderous cult. Some people confirmed this to be true and mentioned that the groups hide-out resides in a small record shop known as Helvete. However, can this really be accepted at face value? Many members of black metal bands say otherwise. Many affirm that this subculture is akin to any other music scenes such as punk, thrash metal, and death metal. They also attribute all the constant media coverage to the glamorization of their “bad seeds” while asserting that all genres have their faults within them as well. Finally, many claim that this fanatic movement is actually severely unorganized and that many of the heinous acts are carried out on the person’s own accord. They claim no affiliation to them.
In conclusion, Black Metal is merely at fault of its own surroundings and personnel. Black Metal suffers from it’s own hand with it’s public portrayal. It’s public perception leads many to see it as a fearful unknown satanic entity instead of what it truly is, a music movement simply meant to define itself among others. It’s rocky start with the public simply snowballed into a colossal avalanche that couldn’t be stopped or hindered in it’s tracks and suffered because of it.
My Thank You Letter to God
by: William Kunga
Dear Impossible Entity,
( of whom I am the seed of, alongside all that exists and all that doesn’t)
Among the innumerable possibilities
enabled through you that I honor,
I choose to praise
the power of "Spoken Word"
this Thanksgiving season
"Word" is the diplomat of my true self
to send overseas into the world
to represent me
prove my innocence to other lands
articulate and share my ideas
It is truly an amazing gift!
Though, at many times I worry that my diplomat
betrays its motherland
enslaves itself to the wants of foreign lands
to please them
rendering itself
denationalized
At times like these
I am embarrassed by my own diplomat and
forbid it to leave its country
Reminiscing on these moments,
I pity myself for purging my person
of the gift
of self-expression
This reclusion of mine is quite ironic
considering all the words,
all the unsatisfied impulses,
I have wished
I had proclaimed
in the past
For instance:
-the groundbreaking comment that laid dormant and untapped
in my mouth during classroom debates,
-the unspoken questions about the complex
precalculus problems on last night’s homework,
-the potential conversation
with a potential new best friend at that conference,
-the “yes” responding to the offer
made by my friend’s mother to buy me that tempting snack
from the vending machine,
-the wise statement
that I should have proclaimed to the class
but instead quietly told my friend
who then did what I should have
My shower head bows its head in solidarity
acknowledging my much too tardy comebacks
(“At least I have a life,”
I could’ve responded to him,
five years ago)
These instances occur
because I fear others’
opinions
they pain my soul,
my ego,
my self-image
But I will overcome them
with appreciation
with blessing
of Spoken Word
to the point of
utilizing it
enjoying it
every single second
of my short life
just like the boy in my class
who rightfully takes advantage
of his gift
of Words,
but gets scolded for it
Is it odd that I yearn for that scolding?
I fear - while already knowing - that my gift is not as proficient
while he claims his due
I am left with my disuse of it
(much like a body requiring constant use and exercise to perform efficiently)
evident through my lack of su-su-rety in
-my words
-my lack of verbal flair
-my eloquence
From now on,
everyday
I will strive harder
say what is on my mind
instead of mentally editing
twenty-five times
before
not even saying it
To actually act out all that I
excessively
anxiously
plan out
in fear of what others may
or may not
think of me
thank you
for letting me
tell all of that
to you
today.
Sincerely,
William Kunga
On Fear
Dreamer / Shadow Dancer
X. Cora
There is a wall of long mirrors. I am gripping the soft wooden ballet barres tightly. I try to maintain my balance. My face drips with sweat. When I spin my legs turn into wings. I am free. I am a bird.
I remember this moment perfectly. It is here one day and gone the next.
There are people who know what their purpose is in life. It seem as though they were born with a gift meant to be shared with the world. They make it look effortless. Others invest countless hours, lose sleep, make sacrifices, just to get an inch closer to their goals. These people have plans for bigger things. They have passion. Focus.Where do I fit in ?
I am a dreamer. Most of my daydreams involve dancing because I’ve always loved the art form. It is the only thing that has been a constant part of me since I was a little girl. I felt that it was my life’s purpose for a long time. However, that dream eventually felt too unobtainable. One bad ballet class changed me. I felt ashamed because I could not keep up with the girls in my class. I never wanted to feel that useless ever again. I gave up on the one thing that made me the happiest. My confidence was destroyed. For a longtime, I refused to try anything new in order to protect myself.
When I think about that period in my life, I realize how differently I think today. I gave up when things got challenging. I did not allow myself to channel my frustration into something incredible. It is almost laughable how I handled the minor issue. I had this realization after joining volleyball my junior year in high school. It was the first time in a long time that I decided to challenge myself. I knew nothing about the game but I wanted to be involved in a physical activity. I was terrified that I would have another bad experience and in the beginning, I was right. There were many days when I felt like I was back in my ballet class. However, this time, I chose not to give up. I made it my mission to prove to myself that I could handle this task. I became one of the people that I’ve strived to be more like. I became the person that works extra hours, putting volleyball before every social event. I constantly pushed myself to get slightly better. I’ve practiced on blazing hot days at the beach, at park and in my backyard. I’ve practiced at local gyms when it rains. In the winter, I’ve jogged in one place to stay warm in between spikes and serves. My hands red, the weather so cold that I exhaled fog, no matter what circumstances, I’ve strived to get better.
I regret being afraid of everything for so long.
I believe that I have improved at the sport, more importantly I feel capable of many things now. I can only imagine how skillful I would be if I had I started playing volleyball earlier. I keep at it. Which makes me wonder, what did my future hold had I kept up with my love of dancing? What was my full potential?
Where do I go from here?
It is an issue I now struggle with.
Did I miss my true calling? Was dancing, simply a life lesson? What is my true life’s purpose?
I do not know enough about the world to make a concrete decision about my career path.Yet, what I have begun to realize is that I am capable of great things when I put my mind to them. Knowing my worth, gives me hope that I will figure things out. I put my trust, my faith in God and in myself.
If you ask me, “What college will you attend?”
I’ve yet to know.
If you ask me what my interests are, my list is very short yet sacred. I enjoy helping others, sometimes by simply listening or by providing sound advise to others. My family says I'm intuitive and emotionally intelligent. My friends say I'm trustworthy. I also love cultural events that are so beautiful, I could cry. Modern dance, music and theater are essential to me. Furthermore, I can tell you that I am strong, hard working, and passionate when I discover a new part of me. I relentlessly try to improve myself academically, physically, and spiritually. Because if there is one thing that I have learned about fear, it’s that it will take control of your life if you let it. It can cripple you. I now understand that it is better to try and fail then it is to do nothing or have no sense of self.
I dream of dancing through life
not without fear
but despite of it.
“Jared’s Helping Hands”
More than Just a Service Club Marist
By: William Kunga
You may know Jared Radil from the Marist community as an honor roll student, a member of the National Honor Society, or maybe just by saying hello to him in the school halls. But did you know that to get to where he is today Jared has had to work extremely hard? He was diagnosed at a very young age with Autism. When he was younger, Jared had trouble performing what many people view as simple tasks, such as talking, listening, making eye contact and processing his surrounding. But thanks to early intervention and the unyielding help and encouragement of his family and organizations like the Simpson Baber Foundation, the Busy Bee Program, and Hudson Milestones, Jared was able to successfully navigate through life despite his Autism. They allowed him the opportunity to grow by encouraging personal interaction with others. With this caring network, Jared overcame many obstacle. At first he was a young child with a small vocabulary and a school aid, later he became a distinguished, independent honor roll student at the top ten percent of his class.
Jared hopes to inspire other kids on the spectrum and to encourage them to reach their full potential just as his supporters did for him. That is why he has started “Jared’s Helping Hands.” His main goal is to create a beacon of hope for others. Currently he has organized a club at MARIST HIGH SCHOOL that aims to aid students on the spectrum and to unite the Bayonne community. “It means everything to me,” Jared says about his group. It has been in construction for over a year now and he has dedicated all of his time into this endeavor. However, to continue to achieve many great things, Jared needs volunteers like you. Becoming part of “Jared’s Helping Hands” will allow you the opportunity to help kids on the spectrum, take part in events and fundraisers like sports games, concerts, seminars, and other community based gatherings. Not only will you be helping children succeed, but you will also become part of a larger community. Join him alongside of Marist to begin raising funds and awareness for the Simpson Baber Foundation. By doing so you can be a part of something truly important. Ensuring their success will enable them to help other students like Jared. He has high hopes for his campaign. He wants to reach the Bayonne Community, Hudson County, New Jersey and beyond. To do this “Jared’s Helping Hands,” need to connect with yours. Join him! Make new friends with a common purpose - TO LEND OTHERS A HELPING HAND!
Stay tuned for their upcoming events at Marist and Bayonne.
Jared: A Human of Marist
The Fight Against World Hunger - a women’s rights issue?
By: Kayla Fonseca
As the days grow shorter, the weather gets colder, and the year begins to come to an end, the holiday season encroaches. It is a happy, fulfilling time of year for most of us, but for others, especially those without homes, it can be the most difficult time of year. What some seem to forget is that this hunger exists even if we don't see it. It is our reality all over the world and all year round. This ugly fact many forget.
Around the world, women, be it a mother, grandmother, or sister, are generally the members of the household who take care nourishment. Many perform the following tasks: grocery shopping, cooking, growing the food, working in the fields, etc. However, women are still not given the same agricultural rights as men. Women are not entitled to the same property men are and that might just be one of the biggest mistakes. In a study conducted by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, researchers found that if women in 34 developing countries were given the same opportunities as men, the yearly food production of that country would rise by an estimated 4%. This extra 4% from each country would result in about 150 million fewer people living with hunger. It seems like such a monumental and simple step in the right direction, so why has this step not been taken? Why are women constantly denied the same rights as men? In this case, why are they denied the right to own their own land?
In nearly every case, the country, in which a woman without land lives in, is dominated by men. They control the government, the laws, and the household, making it extremely difficult for any sort of feminist or pro-women reforms to take place. Thank fully, UN Women has created programs and launched initiatives to encourage women in developing countries to fight for their rights. They also advocate for female leadership in countries where it is considered atypical. These programs also work to change laws and practices in these areas of the world.
With the weather outside so cold, it may be heartwarming to be proactive regarding the challenges of world hunger and women’s rights. Look onto UN Women and see how you can be part of the solution regarding world hunger. On a smaller scale there is lots one can do to help our local community. At this time of year it is fitting to lend a helping hand at soup kitchens, homeless shelters, and take part in countless other service opportunities. Search https://www.jerseycares.org/ to be proactive about hunger and other issues affecting our community. Begin by taking action right here! Right now!
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