Thanks to all the talented writers who entered the annual "Writes of Spring" writing contest.
The winners are as follows:
Best Short Story
"Wish" by Chantal Cote
Best work of Non-Fiction
"Radium in my Pocket" by Chantal Cote
Best Poem
"The Kiteman" by Sofi Papamarko
These pieces will go on to compete in the Scarborough-wide "Writes of Spring" competition. Congratulations!!!
Congratulations to Matthew Pullerits who won our fantabulous MacNews Online easter egg hunt! He is showing off his prize; a $25 gift certificate at HMV music stores, to be spent as he sees fit.
[Webmasters Note: Unfortunately, Webmaster #2 is unavailable this week and he has the access to the scanner, so we will hopefully have Matt's picture next week.]
Dear MacNews,
Your article "Writing On The Walls" from April 11 was so true! In many of our bathrooms, there is graffiti about a certain girl I know, and the writing is very nasty.
This girl is really nice, sweet and funny. What this girl does in her own spare time is her own business, and NOT the school's.
I happen to be a victim of gossip, so I rarely pay attention to it. I refuse to believe what is written about this person, and I hope that everyone else will follow my lead.
Chrissy Lou
A huddled group of children
Go over their game plan.
It is my turn.
Whispered warnings echo
In my head.
I ignore them and
Walk to him.
Under the shadow of a baseball cap
His stubbled face set
In intense concentration,
As if flying a kite was the hardest thing
In the world to do.
I am less than a yard away from him now.
He sees me
And utters a friendly "Hullo!".
His voice startles me
So I run and am met
By the cheers of the other children.
This was our game.
Now I wonder how he felt
Being approached, taunted,
And feared.
I wonder if his kite was his escape
From a world he didn't understand.
Today the kite is a patriotic red and white
And I am suddenly struck with nostalgia
For he was a child when I was a child
And although I've grown up
A child he will remain.
Long ago fears forgotten
I sit on the grass
And watch him fly.
Sofi Papamarko
(c) 1997 - Sofi, ed.
The writes Of Spring? Spring has the write to remain silent...
I lost. But I did a really good job of it.
The Outsider
"Distasteful, graphic, explicit, unwarranted"...just a few of the negative adjectives used to describe the opening four minutes of the musical Passion (by Stephen Sondhiem).
Just prior to last Wednesday, the Grade 10 and 11 Medallion English classes were making preparations for their dramtic excursion to view this particular pay; however, a controversy arised just the day before. Apparently, the opening four minutes of the play contained a scene with nudity and "graphic sexuality". Even though the matter had been made apparent to the students the day before, administrators (primarily Mrs. Taylor), and certain teachers and parents had been debating the question of whether or not the subject matter was appropriate for the students age and maturity level for some time. Some parents suggested the students not attend altogether. This idea was concurred with by the parties involved and the message was delivered, to the students' dismay, that they would not see Passion.
Soon after the message was received, five students representing the views of most of the Medallion English students engaged in a meeting with Mrs. Taylor to voice their distraught and opinions on the decision that had been made.
For this reason, and because of further discussions between Ms. Nickel and Mr. Johnson (the teachers of the two classes), Mrs. Taylor rejuvenated the idea of allowing the students to go pending they received parental consent.
Even though I believe most of the students are mature and aware enough to make a personal decision on whether or not to view such material, I feel this matter was handled in a justified manner and that the final decision made was an acceptable compromise.
Bones
The fumes in the school-
We smell them from afar,
Like the guinea pigs in labs,
We all are trapped.
The roof redone,
It smells and reeks with tar,
The freshly painted walls,
They stink like crap.
The workmen in the top of our roof
Say it will be over soon, real soon.
But weeks and weeks,
And months and months -no proof!
In halls, we suffocate;
In rooms, we swoon.
The politicians in their offices
Call it a privilege to renovate;
Meanwhile the tar,
Their smelly processes,
So who will pay
Our hospital's high rate?
Let's hope and pray
This nightmare goes away,
Or else our cancer'd lungs
Will lead us astray.
Coolhand Moebius
"I wish I could forget you,
Erase you from my mind.
But ever since I met you,
I find
I cannot leave the thought of you behind."
That's how I felt about Mary Ann McDonald's performance in The Canadian Stage Company's "Passion", starring Curtis Sullivan and Glynis Ranney.
McDonald played the character Fosca, an ugly, depressed, obsessive woman who is overcome by sickness and looks only to books for happiness. For most of act One, Fosca leaves you with a bitter taste in your mouth; she is so very undesirable and relentless. The constant badgering of her true love, Giorgio, is just too much at times. It's almost as though you are repeled by her. And yet, as the play comes to a close, you are attracted to her. Perhaps because of pity. Who wouldn't pity an ugly, sickly women, in love with a gorgeous soldier? Certainly not Giorgio. In this story, the young soldier is involved with a woman named Clara, a beautiful mistress who is married with a child. When he is sent to a post in 1863 Italy, he meets the repulsive Fosca, and there is an immediate connection. So much so, that she throws herself at Giorgio, offering her unconditional and unwanted love. He in turn denies her and despises her relentlessness but has yet to explore his soul and figure out just what love is. Upon realizing that love should have no restrictions and that his love with Clara is faux, he sees Fosca in a different light; he has never been loved the way Fosca loves him. And so, he admits his love for her, and she dies happy knowing she is loved.
Now, many say that it was an unrealistic ending--who would fall for such a woman? But herein lies the point of the story. And as it has been told time and time again, beauty is in the eye of the beholder; it comes from within. There are no limitations, no restrictions with beauty. It is alive and well, in every form of life, every one person can experience love and see beauty in their own way. Passione d'amore.
The costumes were perfect, the set was beautiful, the music- well, it's Stephen Sondheim (how can you go wrong?!) and the production was wonderful. I'd say the only thing that was a bit off was the chemistry between Giorgio and Clara. Then again, not seeing the opening scene kind of puts a damper on that.
If you get a chance, chjeck out "Passion" at the St. Lawrence Theatre.
L.A. Tzekas
Arts Editor
Were a young, sensitive educated student at this lovely institution of ours to depart for a moment from the all-consuming details of their scholastic, social and fahion lives (yes, I know this sounds improbable; hence the hypothetical phrasing), they might in their intuitive eyes catch a glimpse of the appalling lack of morals and chivalry commonly displayed by the majority of their peers. In other words: Mac students are degenerate pigs.
What is my point, you may ask? Um...excuse me Barney, but having a rude school is responsible for hallway casualties, a filthy cafeteria aand worse classrooms, expletive vadalism (query: why can't graffiti artists get a little more creative? I mean, swear words? ****** is a fag? ***** is a slut? It's been done. A verse or two of Tennyson, an artful interpretation of beloved school staff, okay; express yourself wherever you want. Anyways, my point...). I can't emphasize enough that infusing a little courtesy into out lives would not only make our school a cleaner, more comfortable place, but it would severely decrease the number of undesirables my cult and I euthanize every year.
So, I present myself to Mac students as a helpful expert who can offer guidance to living a richer, more meaningful life, and tips in dealing with those who do not share your enlightened mentality and are thus a hindrance to the evolution of the Mac student who wishes to grow into a member of the human race.
Here are some questions that have already beens asked by my fellow students:
Dear Ms. Manners,
I just bought a new pair of electric blue platform sneakers, but walking down a crowded stairwell I stepped in a gravy and ketchup filled cafeteria paper plate! My shoes are stained! Why do people leave fry plates everywhere? What can I do?
-Crying into my blue suede shoes
Dear Crying,
I feel for you, and can only say that such a tragic shoe trauma may have been avoided if the offending fry feeders had taken a moment to properly dispose of their trash. To those of you who commit such blunders, be warned: one day it my be you whose footwear gains gravy stains. And in case you do not heed my advice, I instruct any student who glimpses a fry slob to pick up their dirty, discarded plate and accidentally drop it on their Airwalks. Enjoy!
Dear Ms. Manners,
I can no longer use the bathrooms in this school. People don't flush the toilets after they use them and it's nasty!
-6 hours is a long time to hold it in
Dear Holding it in,
What is up with that? It seems flushing is right up there with graping logarithms and chewing food on the list of most challenging activities to master in the lives and times of Mac students. Wake up and smell the fume, please, please, people. No one wants to see your used tampon floating in their eau de toiilet. (I am chillingly reminded of suppository search scene in Trainspotting) For the good of your country and environment, flush. And reader, don't latch on to the trend of sucking on an Evian bottle all day long. For at that point, the washrooms actually start looking inviting.
Yours impecably,
Ms. Manners