Rise

Rain Yang 

What is the purpose of life. 

For most of the people, what is the purpose of life.  

It is probably to reach their goal 

Maybe to have a family, 

or a successful career?

But is it that easy?

Why do you think it is easy?

Life isn't that easy. 

This place is nasty. 

You will probably get hit harder and harder,

And you’ll fall to the ground harder.

You will eventually fail

On school, family, 

But rise, 

Rise, like a eagle flying the sky. 

You said you want to be successful. 

But do you? Do you? 

Do you really want to be successful, 

More than you want to sleep? Party?

You want to eat when you shouldn't be. 

You want to stop when you should be moving forward. 

You decided to give up 

when the chances are fluttering out of your sight. 

Your life depends on you, not on your parents, it is on you, yourself, 

if you’re lost, then find a way, 

if there is no way, then make your own way 

You should be able to master your life. 

On school, on sports, even on life, 

The reward is equivalent to the labor you gave up. 

If you sacrificed nothing, you will get nothing 

So, Rise, like the stars hanging in the night 

You need to have the ability to resilient 

Like the bounce back of a rubber ball 

So once, you can learn from the failure, 

and be the one you wanted to be. 

So once you can be you. 

You thought

this place is full of sunshine and rainbows

But all of this is just an illusion 

It is cruel

This world will knock you down again and again

But it doesn't matter 

You just need to get back up again and again,

The part it matters is how much you can take 

And kept moving forward. 

Rise, rise, and rise, until you shine, like the sun, coruscating in the sky. 

Once, an old man has said, if you want to be successful just as you want to breathe underwater, you will be successful. 

So rise…….

Mom 

by Rain Yang

She is a women, a women with love.

A guardian who has the warmest palm. 

A female with a lot of weight and hove 

She is an angle, no doubt is our mom.

She can’t cook, but her food is special and good.

She doesn’t know basketball, but she tries.

I really wish if I could and I would.

Be by her side, and make our bond and ties.

She is the only, and sometimes the lonely.

She works and sacrificed for me and life.

She is tough, but she is the divinely.

Her hands are different, her love is not rife. 

So I will cherish my time as a son.

I wish she will live more than one o one.

Believe 

by Rain Yang 

Don’t constrain yourself

You are so much more than what you reflect 

That’s what’s amazing about us

We can push ourselves to no limit

If you believe in yourself

you could possibly do it

Keep pushing, keep pushing, keep pushing

One day

you will find out

you are so much more than what you reflect 

You just need to try

Like an ant 

When you cut off its track

It will start wandering around 

But it never stops, it finds a way back

Trying and trying and trying 

And finally it will get back to where it was 

Like a spider

It never stops weaving 

Even if the rain has broken the web down 

Even if the wind has blown it apart 

It never stops

Until its web is done

You just need to keep trying 

And you could discover much more than what you see 

It’s like your backyard 

You’ll never know what is under it 

If you start digging 

Don’t stop

Keep going, keep going, keep going

I can tell you 

One day 

You will find something special  

I know, and I can tell

Deep down 

There 

Is 

So 

Much

More 

The Magical Gym

-Rain Yang

When you grow up by the sea, you spend a good deal of time looking at the horizon. You wonder what on Earth the waves might bring - and where the sea might deposit you - until one day you know you have lived between two places, the scene of arrival and the point of departure. —Andrew O'Hagan

Our heart belongs to a place. Fenn has always been a huge part of my life. Basketball has been a passion in my life. Which makes the gym the most memorable place at Fenn. It has and it is everything for me. The gym has been a place where people came towards me. I had no place to go to when I first came here. Basketball is all I knew at Fenn. Friends where first met in the gym, it’s where everything started. Without the gym, my life would have been totally different. The first-day school, everything at Fenn was new to me. Nothing looked familiar. I felt lonely. Coming from the all-school meeting, I had nothing to do. This is when I first entered the new gym. I can still remember vividly when Alijah asked me to play a pickup game. He had dreads back then. That is how I got my first friend at Fenn. By a pickup game, in the new gym. This is something that I will never forget. My first African American friend was met in the gym. I met Fru in the gym, Rozney, Nathan..... Countless friendships were made in the gym. Basketball is something I can’t lose. The court makes people gather, it makes it easier to make friends. It made my transition easier and happier. My heart rests with basketball.     

School 

-Rain Yang

I have lived pain, and my life can tell: I only deepen the wound of the world when I neglect to give thanks the heavy perfume of wild roses in early July and the song of crickets on summer humid nights and the rivers that run and the stars that rise and the rain that falls and all the good things that a good God gives. -Ann Voskamp

When the rain falls and hits the ground when the cars past by and splits the little pond in half. I was ambling on the sidewalk, wandering and pondering. Step by step, slowly the rain immerse into my clothes, but my legs didn’t stop. It seemed like I didn’t feel the shivering cold running down my back, or the sharp breeze cutting down my skin. I was desperate after I knew what was about to come. It was like a nightmare, it haunted me from the dawn to the gloomy night. Nothing motivated me, just like the gloomy and rainy day, my life was exactly the same. It felt like walking in a dark, endless tunnel. I felt the rain mixed with my tears, nothing expresses my feeling more than a humid, lifeless day. We have school tomorrow. 

Painful Truth

By Rain Yang

“You know you're in love when you can't fall asleep because reality is finally better than your dreams.”
― Dr. Seuss

     Reality is not what I imagined. “Economy”, the first chapter of Walden written by Henry David Thoreau. This book has challenged my view of the world and my way of life. My values are broken into pieces and brought back within a new shape. When the world we imagined is not the reality. He is telling the truth, within his experience, everything is right; however, his words struck everyone. Imagine being educated by a dead man. It is irritating, but his words are powerful. He expressed his thoughts mindfully. He is a thinker and he made sure the reader hears his words. 

      The writing expressed Thoreau’s opinions towards clothes and place to live. He thinks it is unnecessary to live in a fancy shelter, and expensive clothes. Clothes don’t represent one’s personality. There is no need to live a costly shelter, we should pursue a simple and warm home. “Consider first how slight a shelter is absolutely necessary.”  Although a lot of us don’t want to deal or face reality, Thoreau speaks the truth. “Clothes and Shelter” just shows his comprehension of life. “At last, we know not what it is to live in the open air, and our lives are domestic in more senses than we think.” He also thinks we are being captivated by our own shelter. We are not living freely and openly. I don’t think he is speaking for something, it’s just merely an act of truth. His writing is easy to relate, he as a philosopher knows a lot of people’s mind. 

If it is asserted that civilization is a real advance in the condition of man—and I think that it is, though only the wise improve their advantages- it must be shown that it has produced better dwellings without making them more costly; and the cost of a thing is the amount of what I will call life which is required to be exchanged for it, immediately or in the long run.

      Needs and wants. People are always confused between the things they desire, and things they can’t live without. A lot of Thoreau’s words hurts, his points could be controversial; however, I think a lot of us just don’t want to accept the truth. Wealth is definitely not a need in our life. People, human can live happily without being super wealthy. Well, money is a need in the society we live in. Without money, we are nothing. Money contributes everything in our life. I think there is a cap, under the cap where it is needed and when it goes over it, it becomes a want. Desire is endless. A lot of us think they can always get what they want and ignore their needs. Then they notice they have to spend their money not efficiently. I personally love basketball shoes. Especially Kobe’s, but I these aren’t the things I need for now. The deep desire for good and fancy basketball shoes is not needed. All I need one pair of sneakers that work. All of us get lost between need and want. When we distinguish the difference and practice it, that’s when we succeed.

     During this whole time, I was fighting with my instincts. Although the reality is not what I expect, I learned to accept the truth and embrace whatever is true.

Desire Deep In 

by Rain Yang 

“Thou hast made us for thyself, O Lord, and our heart is restless until it finds its rest in thee.”

― Augustine of Hippo, Confessions

Needs and wants. People are always confused between the things they desire, and things they can’t live without. A lot of Thoreau’s words hurts, his points could be controversial; however, I think a lot of us just don’t want to accept the truth. Wealth is definitely not a need in our life. People, a human can live happily without being super wealthy. Well, money is a need in the society we live in. Without money, we are nothing. Money contributes everything in our life. I think there is a line drawn between these two, under the line it is need, and when it goes over it, it becomes desire. Desire, is endless. A lot of us think they can always get what they want, and ignore their needs. Then they notice they have spend their money not efficiently. I personally love basketball shoes. Especially Kobe’s, but I these aren’t the things I need for now. The deep desire of good and fancy basketball shoes is not needed. All I need a one pair of sneakers that works. All of us get lost between need and want. When we distinguish the difference and practice it, that’s when we succeed. 

Winter

With or without 

my warm sweater—

The breeze still rushes through my bones. 

It’s cold 

It windy,

But nothing comes through my sweater 

The last leaf 

that was hanging 

Finally fell

Where is winter, 

Next to the street

In the pile of snow

Metacognition: for this season I used the technique image and action. I wanted to show the characteristics of winter. These haikus are written to show a different side of winter. The beautiful side of the winter. I want it to be different, with a little though, and image. 

Spring 

The Snow melt

The sun came out 

Winter is gone,

Washed away 

By the new season

Cold

Not really,

But our roof

is no more covered with white 

Summer’s coming

To soon to think about fall

But not too late 

Metacognition: this season, I used the technique board to narrow, and cool twist. It’s different from the normal poems about the season. I enjoyed writing, because it has me think and I love writing poems; however, it didn’t take me a long time. My inspiration was pouring out and it was easy. 

Summer

Heat, sun

Something to look forward 

While it’s here

It’s hot 

Now the A.C is on

I can feel the breeze

Flowing through

the sun

It’s been to long 

Since I had a sunburn 

Nothing can explain

The feeling being in a oven 

Metacognition: great time. In this season, I used the cool twist and imagery and action. It was fun doing the haikus. It was also pretty easy. I think it is better to imagine the season and put yourself into it, then start writing. 

Fall

Leaves 

changed their clothes 

And fell 

When the world’s

Ready for bed 

I’m up 

Welcome

The world of yellow

What is fall

I say, 

What is you 

Metacognition: for this season, I used the techniques imagery and action, and cool twist. I think this was the easiest season because they were really good to imagine. I enjoyed doing it, and I feel my Haikus are great. 

     Reflection on Walden 

by Rain Yang 

All good things are wild, and free.- Henry David Thoreau

    Life lessons. From the introduction of Walden, their was more valuable lessons I learned that the things I don’t like about his writing style. There was a lot of opinions in his writing. However, he says it depends on us, whether we want to agree with him or not. I think I was in the majority that agrees with his point. 

   “Why should they begin digging their graves as soon as they are born?” This quote had the most impact on me. When I heard this quote, I stop and pondered upon this line. To me, it meant people are always making mistakes, which had lead to their grave. I was always a kid who makes stupid mistakes. The first time I came to Fenn, I didn’t know what to do. I made mistakes that shouldn’t been done. I hand in hoe work late, I didn’t finish my homework. These are some things that I shouldn’t have done, but however, I did it. Which lead to a serious conversation between my parent and my advisor. I came here hoping for a new start, but I messed up my beginning. Bad reputation, I dug my own grave. I had to come back out from all the mistakes, to prove myself. I should have started clean, however, I failed. I made mistakes, I dug my own grave. The message I received, was we should always start clean. If we made the wrong choice, it takes hard work to fulfill the mistakes. If you notice your own mistakes, stop immediately, because if you keep going there will be consequences. Thoreau, who wrote Walden, which I personally think has a lot of deep and relatable points. However, the way he phrased his sentences is something hard to understand.

Moreover, I, on my side, require of every writer, first or last, a simple and sincere account of his own life, and not merely what he has heard of other men's lives; some such account as he would send to his kindred from a distant land; for if he has lived sincerely, it must have been in a distant land to me.

From the writing was the toughest but meaningful. We shouldn’t tell a story that doesn’t belong to us, be honest and truthful. Don’t be in one’s shadows, make and paint our own stories. Just like Kobe Bean Bryant. He said, “I don’t want to be Michael, I want to be Kobe.” He did, he illustrated his own legacy and career in the NBA, being one of the greatest that ever played the game of basketball. It is not hard. “Honest” is the word Thoreau used. When we’re being honest with ourselves and others, that’s when people succeed. Be who you want to be. When I was a kid in China. I use to follow whatever the cool kids did. Playing soccer, have fun with a certain group of people. I was always trying to be “them”, but I then noticed it gets tired when I have a mask on. This is not who I am, I want to be the true me. I slowly changed. I followed my heart and became who I am right now. Everyone is wearing a mask, but we should always have the real self inside of us. I don’t want to be someone else. I don’t feel comfortable living under someone’s fame. I want to make a build my own career. It is hard, I’ll always stay truthful. 

    I really enjoyed really “Economy”, the introduction of Walden by Henry David Thoreau. I think relating to others is something important, which made me understand a lot of his points and opinions

hiding in the jacket of black

Having the slender of a cat 

With his darkened hair 

He is the heir 

Who is this kid in the mirror 

Who has the eyes of the pure

Giving the cure to the poor 

Linking the pieces to the core 

he roars, cause of his sorrows