Omni Lit

Scream

by Keeley Kaplan, 8th Grader

You can’t scream when you’re underwater

But what if you always feel like you’re under water

What if you feel like the world is closing in on you?

Or you feel like there’s too much pressure on you

What if you feel stressed?

Or anxious

Or you’re scared

But you’re underwater

So, you feel like your scream can’t be heard

Your cries for help go unnoticed

You’re just left alone, and you have no one

Because no one listens

It feels like no one understands what it’s like to feel this way

The way I’m feeling

This dark feeling

The kind that hurts you

The kind that could end you

You feel like no one understands

And like you’re the only one in this world

You feel alone

And when you scream for help it feels like no one cares

And people rush to get you help

But what if that can’t help you

What if you just need your friends to tell you that it’s ok

And for them to listen

And it won’t cure you, but it will help the healing process

Your friends supporting you and checking up on you is what you need

Because then you won’t feel alone

And in time you’ll make your way back to shore

And you can feel the breeze that makes you happy and makes you feel free

This is what I need

But don’t worry because I’m not hurting myself physically

But just because I’m not hurting myself physically doesn’t mean that I’m hurt

It doesn’t mean that I’m ok

Because I have feelings and emotions

This quarantine is difficult for me

I smile and laugh

But that doesn’t mean anything

Despite this,

I’m hoping for a bright future

A future of true smiles

A future of true laughter

A future of love

A future of kindness and care

And a future of happiness, freedom and friendship

I have hope

And that makes me smile

So I don’t have to scream

Bob

by Keeley Kaplan, 8th Grader

You may be wondering,

Who the heck is Bob?

Honestly, I have no idea

All I know is that Bob has something to do with Miles Dallara

But other than that- nothing

Maybe Bob is just a feeling

But that wouldn’t make sense- would it?

So maybe Bob is a god?

But that doesn’t make sense either

So, what is Bob?

Or who is Bob?

I asked Miles who this Bob is

And it didn’t help me at all

He said “Bob is Bob”

That doesn’t help

Unless......

Maybe Bob is his lover

That’s not too far-fetched right?

This case is so confusing

There’s nothing here

So, I’m concluding that Bob is Miles’ best friend

Or lover

That no one can see or hear

Wait......

Maybe Bob is a feeling

Bob is that feeling that you get when you’re with your lover or best friends or crush

Bob is the butterflies in your stomach

Bob is....

Bob is......love?

This is my conclusion

Bob is that amazing feeling when you love someone not just romantic love but the caring kind

​

FBI Agent Keeley Kaplan out

School

by Keeley Kaplan, 8th Grader

So many years of education

I finished elementary school

I’m two and a half weeks away from finishing middle school

And I’m about to start high school

And college is in a few years

So many friends made

But also, some lost

Elementary school was great

I had so many friends and I was known as the happy girl

I was always smiling

And pretty much always happy

Middle school...

Where do I begin?

So much happened

Some good

Most bad

Let’s start with the good things

I made some amazing friends

I met so many people that I wouldn’t trade for the world

And I’ve learned so much

But not so good things happened too

I lost my closest friends from 7th grade

Unfortunately, I still don’t know why

I have been bullied by so many people

And hurt so many times

But high school is soon

Soon I’ll be able to escape

And some of my best friends will be there with me to take on this journey

And some old friends from elementary school will be there too

I will miss middle school yes

But I won’t miss the people that hurt me

I’m looking forward now

And I won’t forget to learn something new every day

Girls

by Keeley Kaplan, 8th Grader

Long hair

Short hair

Doesn't matter

No matter what they wear

I don’t know why

But girls

They're just so pretty

No not pretty

Beautiful

But how? And why?

You may be asking,

Why are you asking this- aren't you straight?

Firstly, why should it matter?

Secondly, kind of

What I mean by that is,

Yes, I like boys

But I also like girls

They’re so beautiful

How could I not

I tried not to because I thought

Maybe I just am saying because I’m open to the idea of it

And I knew what I knew now

That love and who you love is not a choice

But I do like girls

And boys

And what’s wrong with that?

It doesn’t matter if a girl is skinny or not

Doesn’t matter if she has long or short hair

It doesn’t matter what she wears

Or if she wears makeup or not

Doesn’t matter

Her looks don’t matter

Her personality is the beautiful thing

And the kindness in her heart and her humor

All girls are beautiful in their own ways

That’s why girls are so pretty

And beautiful

And gorgeous

<3

Cigarette

by Keeley Kaplan, 8th Grader

She’s only 22 

But she’s been hurt by so much 

She spends her money on things that only hurt her 

When she should be buying things that help her 

Her hair is so thin 

He teeth are brittle 

She’s a completely different person 

She’s wasted all her money on cigarettes 

She doesn’t need them 

And she doesn’t want them 

But the nicotine has taken hold of her brain 

When she wants to cry 

She smokes 

When she feels vulnerable 

She smokes 

When she doesn’t want to share emotions 

She pulls another cigarette out of the box and smokes 

She never wanted this 

She used to be so happy 

But she was then hurt 

She used to be the happiest person in the world 

But happy people can be hurt and not recover 

She goes to the doctor because she hasn’t been feeling well 

The doctor returns with the news that she has lung cancer- 

Stage 5 lung cancer 

And she has almost no time left 

The doctor tells her to stop smoking 

And she nods her head and goes home 

And instead of doing something productive 

She pulls out a cigarette 

And smokes 

2 weeks later 

She’s avoided going to the doctor 

So many missed calls 

Then screams can be heard by her neighbor 

The police arrive at her house as an ambulance pulls up to her house 

And in her yard 

Is a pack of cigarettes 

Empty- 

All fell out of the box 

And there are dozens of cigarettes in the grass 

And she’s lying there 

Except she isn’t breathing 

She isn’t moving 

She has lost her battle 

The nicotine and cancer won 

And it’s something her family will never forget 

She’s dead because of the cigarettes