A Girl Sold into Sex Trafficking 

The despondency showing on the small girl's face

A tear falling from God's eye

I didn’t know what to do when they came

I could see the hesitation in their eyes

Before they spoke I knew of his demise

They didn’t even have to say a name

I never expected it to happen so soon

The fear that crept up in me was real

Why did this happen it wasn’t the deal

We had only just gotten married in June

I don’t know what I am to do with my life

This man was meant to be here next to me

The future looks so grim from where I stand

What will happen to all that we had planned

I will no longer be loved as his wife

For my days to end quickly is now my plea

What a day to be watching the sunset!

Sitting on a tree stump in the woods,

Overlooking the torrent of water in the river.

Embers drifting away from the campfire.

Gathered around with all of my family,

We enjoy ourselves beneath the sky.

A bird is seen soaring through the sky

As we gaze upon the red sunset.

No one else, just me and my family.

Away from city life as we gather in the woods

Sitting by the warmth-giving campfire.

Still, the tickling of water is heard from the river.

The fish jump restlessly from the river

While hawks circle around in the sky.

Marshmallows brown in the heat of the campfire-

The only light source besides the sunset.

Sweet is the stillness of the woods

Filled with nature and my glowing family.

How great it is spending time with my family,

Camping next to the majestic river.

A lot is to be said about the serenity of the woods-

Connected to the world by the over-looming sky,

And the predictableness of the sunset.

Ending the day huddled around the campfire.

Sharing stories by the campfire-

Exchanging memories about our family.

I have never seen such a beautiful sunset-

Making its decent over the river

With distorted images of the above sky.

All surrounded by the vastness of the woods.

Animal echoes travel through the deep woods

And are heard by us gathered around the campfire.

Bats scurry for food up high in the sky.

While from below, stories continue about family.

The cool air drifts from the waters of the river

And hits us as we admire the sunset

My favorite things- the woods and my family,

Circled around the campfire nearby the flowing river.

Overshadowed by the sky and the closing sunset

Ode to the 0.5mm mechanical pencil

By Megan Larson

An instrument of power,

None can fully see.

With the potential to

Sculpt paper into works of art,

Or to pen volumes of

Miraculous works whose

Words strike passion in

The unwavering eyes.

Delicate to the touch,

Much like a gentle hand-

Gliding across the page

With grace and ease.

A line of beauty, neither

Thick or thin but

Of the upmost quality

Of both vision and

Precision.

Number 2 you may be,

No one knows for sure,

But surely you will

Fill my test with the proper

Lead. And if I shall

Run out there will be

No speck of worry

Because by the simple

Press of a finger,

Out the lead will come

And we will write once again.

Comparing Orientation and Bartleby, the Scrivener

            These two stories have very different portrayals of what a boss is like in the work place. In Orientation, the boss is blunt and very authoritative; he says things as commands rather than options. For example, “You have no business in the Custodian’s Closet,” (pg. 48). On the other hand, the boss in Bartleby is more passive and tends to ask his employees to do things rather than telling them. For example, when talking with Bartleby, he says things like, “Why do you refuse?”, “Is it not so?”, and “Will you not speak?” (pgs. 412 and 413). This comparison, infers that bosses who are more passive will not get as much obedience out of their employees as bosses who are authoritative will.

            These two stories vary in how productive the offices are. In Orientation, it seems like productivity is very important even if this productivity has consequences. For example, there is a serial killer working in the office and the boss just tells the new hire, “He is, in fact, our fastest typist,” (pg. 49). In Bartleby, the boss keeps Bartleby around the office even though he is not working or bettering the company anymore. He even gives him an extra month’s check when firing him so he would be able to get along before finding another job. This difference between bosses shows that bosses who are harsher in how they do business are often more productive, but don’t seem to care about their employees as much as more passive bosses.

            These two stories are different in what they portray about interactions between co-workers. In Orientation, the co-workers seem to know everything about each other’s business, but not in a healthy way, it seems like a very hostile environment. When the boss gives the new hire a tour of the office, he tells him all about the personal lives of those who work there, even if the information is ugly. In Bartleby, the co-workers are very close to each other and even the boss, and it seems like they get along well. For example, when Bartley is not doing his work, the boss asks everyone in the office what he should do about it. This comparison of the interaction of co-workers between the two stories shows that in smaller offices and where the boss cares about his employees; there are better unity and better relationships.