One More Day

Posted on by mattman3524

My heart is singing as I’m listening to you and I can’t believe that I am leaving

but someday I will find my way

back to where you wrote your name in the month of May

cause I remember the first time I saw you looking at me like with your brown eyes.

 

I would give away a hundred days just to see you again

and real life can wait

while I take your hand and run from the hate,

cause I remember every time you looked back on me.

 

My soal is broken

legs are frozen

I can’t stop these feelings from breaking through

cause your eyes are as beautiful as a red rose.

 

We never said goodbye

but this will never be the end

our messages will always send

cause our love is like a heartbeat.

Two Dancing Birds

Posted on by mattman3524

Hello again,

I know that I haven’t been posting recently and I’m sorry. I have been working on a secret project that I cannot really tell you yet. Anyways I hope you enjoy this piece I have worked on.

 

Darkness surrounds my body during the blackened night

only the gray starlight from the moon can be seen from my window,

the gray light shines brightly in the midnight sky

while down in the trees the female songbird sits quietly

waiting to sing its song when the yellow rays hit its eyes.

 

A beautiful bird waiting for a response

a response from another like her

a bird that matches her

a bird that loves and will stay for life

she lay and wait for her lover.

 

The morning rays have awoken

her song soothing flows through the crisp air,

the smell of nature filling the morning dew

while mist lay on the green glorious grass

and not a creature stirred down below.

 

The songbird singing bright and loud

as the sun rises from its morning bed

and the moon falls asleep behind the rocky pillows

the songbird sings beautifully in the morning light.

 

Night Sky

Posted on by mattman3524

Authors note: This piece of writing is an extended version of my emulation of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle: Hounds of Baskerville (pg.84). Hope you enjoy. 

-Matt

Day 2000

An icy afternoon, on the heart of the tundra, stand a man in all black with nothing but a lighter and a frozen pocket knife in his pockets. Trees turned into little kids hiding under the blanket of the snow as winter hit the frozen tundra. Slowly, one leg forward while the other stayed balanced on top of what lied beneath the snow, and the man face full of ice kept pushing through. It’s dusk the sun has gone to bed, but the man seeks no intention to stop, not until the last bit of light died on the horizon. The sun fell asleep, while the moon awoke to burst a silver light, the man lay still under the night sky, looking up at the stars, making shapes and constellations with his finger, until he heard a noise far in the distance, a noise he knew all too well, the noise that the arctic wolves were starting to awaken.

Day 2001

Sunlight burst into the back of his eyes as he awoke from his deep sleep. He picked up some wood and took his knife and started to widdle down the wood to make a walking stick. He moved his legs with great pain like ice formed in the veins of his body. He cracked his knuckles, neck, ankles, and back and continued on with his journey. Everything was white from horizon to horizon nothing was the colour green. The only colour he could see was the yellow sun, the only source of warmth as he walked for miles upon miles along the arctic tundra. It begins to darken, the day has almost come to an end and along the edge of his hand, he feels nothing, a frozen piece of emptiness build inside. There in the distance is a tree with dried grass underneath, the man tries to run but with every step, the faster times passes, as he reaches the tree he lights the grass on fire and started to warm up. The moon lay awake in the midnight sky making friends with all the stars surrounding it, the wolves now come out to play.

Day 2002

The sun stands tall as the man lay in the tree keeping his hands warm, he sets up for another long night of survival. With his pocket knife, he cuts young trees to create a campfire, and with the flexible branches a snare trap. Prints in the snow suggest that there were animals quiet recently walking along the lonely path, he places the trap down and leaves with no trace but his footsteps. On and on he waits until he see’s the sunset on the day. He walks over to his trap to find a rabbit. The fire burning high he cooks his meal on and when done strips the meat and begins to dine the outdoors way. Everything goes quiet the moon not as bright as others, but will still do as a nightlight.  His eyes shut slowly and he starts to dream of the place he wants to be. Slowly a wood cabin comes into view with lights on inside and smoke coming out of the chimney. A word starts to come into his sight it spells ‘Sh…) he wakes up to a bright light, but not the sun. Lights appear in the sky, flowing through the night sky like a bunch of waves crashing the shore of a beach, a spike of the light forms an arrow pointing him in the direction straight ahead of him. A noise in the near distance, the wolves can smell the frozen blood of the rabbit he killed earlier. With all his might he rose from the ground and started following the lights in the sky.

11:59pm Day 2002

Tired of walking for 40 min he sat down at a base of a tree looking up to see a sign, but there wasn’t any light except the moons silver light. Howls to his left and right he started to think that his time was up.

12:00am Day 2003

With his eyes about to shut a speck of light hit his face, warming his cheek. His eyes slowly open to see the light straight ahead of him. Rising up out of the snow he made his way toward the light. Trying to see what was in front of him, the first thing he saw was a sign that read Shane. Shane was his name, this was his home. Home under the night sky.

Leaking

Posted on by mattman3524

Hummingbird,

you seemed like a beautiful bird

but you turned into a real Medusa.

 

Realising my jewelry

flirt game you fooled me

no sign to see any more.

 

Blood dripping from my eyes

like a waterfall in the depths of hell,

my body dying slower every day.

 

Pile of blood sitting at my feet

flowing down the cracks of the street,

losing my body with every second ticking.

 

Body warm, but your heart cold

you place a burden on my soul

now leaving me here to die alone.

 

No hummingbird left to tell the tale

all that’s left is Medusa,

killing men with every single blow.

 

This poem is actually a combined poem (two poems in one) and I feel like it was more work than I realized because I had to incorporate two subjects into one. However, I did enjoy this writing because it made me think of a different storyline, compared to the two ones that I combined, and I tried to twine the stories together to make a plot that was similar to my theme of heartbreak. To look back at the poems that I combined here are the links to my poems Hummingbird (https://mattssoulnowspeaks.edublogs.org/flash-poetry/) and Medusa (https://mattssoulnowspeaks.edublogs.org/poetry-2018/). Leaking is about how a young lady (hummingbird) can turn into a person who hurts men (Medusa) and can just leave them in a second there to die. Stanza two lines one and two “she realized my jewelry flirt game she fooled me.” In my poem, these two lines talk about her selfish needs and how she fools people so easy. Her Medusa head, turning men into victims. The transformation from hummingbird to Medusa can occur so quick you don’t even realize, the thing we are all afraid of is death, people don’t realize what can lead to death, they are more scared of what death will be like. How you die should be the question. In this poem, though Medusa can kill, not only by turning people to stone but also by stabbing them in the back. This poem made me have really deep emotions, as well as deep thought wise. It made me think deeply about who I am and what style I really want to write.

Writing from A-Z

Posted on by mattman3524

I is for Intersection:

Cars all stopped at the sight of the red circular light above, lines drawn across the road making it easier for people to know where they are on the street. A Starbucks to the right of my car with a line of traffic blocking the drive-thru for people who want to get their early morning coffee before the long day of work ahead of them. To the left of my car was a minivan full of a family where the mother was trying to listen to the radio, but the children in the back seat wouldn’t be quiet while she was driving (kids am I right). The other sides light burst green, and the cars where petal to the metal while I stood still cause the light didn’t change for us, however, I knew that it was about to change. The car behind me was a muscle car that I couldn’t make it very well all I could hear behind me was the sound of the car’s engine waiting for the light to turn green, it was like the car that a heart as the engine and a love for speed. My eyes focused back on the red circular light and as soon as it turned green I was off and on my way out of the intersection and focused on the road.

R is for Rink:
Players separated by a wall of glass and frozen plastic from the beloved families of the players.  Skates gripping the ice as a player turns toward the action of the game, however, he doesn’t realize what will come next. Two bodies collide in the middle of the ice, gasp the crowd goes as they see the blindside hit. Laying still for a moment one was while the other had been ushered to the gates of hell. Coaches rush to the still player hoping that he is not unconscious. Hearts pounding all around the rink at the sight of the injured. One movement of the player gave relief to everyone around while being taken off the ice a teammate skates up and gives a message of hope. The play resumed while everyone began to relax, the whistle blew as soon as the goalie covered the puck with the opposing team in his face slashing at the glove where the puck lies still. Players rush to the opposing player and start punching and hitting protecting their goalie from further damage. Gloves, sticks, and other equipment were thrown across the end zone with fights across the ice surface. Bodies lay on the ground with referees trying to separate the mass chaos that ensued. Players sent to the box of punishment for their crimes to the game. The faceoff brought back the start of the game, the captain circled around the net and passed it out front to an open man. He took the shot with all his might and with the ping of the post the puck crossed the red painted line. Sticks in the air and a hug at the end concluded the game with a win to a crazy game in the rink.

 

 

W is for Woods:

This is how they met, walking along dirt paths full of dead grass leading to each other, the trees whispered with the wind running through their arms to not turn back even if they see signs that tell them not to meet. Footprints of his behind him stuck in the mud nothing in the world would stop him from seeing her. Grass, leaves and tiny bugs fly into his face trying to prevent meeting her at their special spot. Sunsetting on a beautiful night the path turns to the left to reveal a tree with a young lady perched underneath. Watching the sun go down on the river horizon both knew this was the place to be. The last spark of sun lay in the water now and both know its time to go, hoping they can see each other tomorrow. The mind is racing having thought about his deepest love. Head held high after his long walk home he could only imagine what tomorrow had in store for him.

Feature Article

Posted on by mattman3524

Life, as we all know, can change in a flash. For many people, it has become a pain to live with mental illnesses for the rest of their lives from injuries like concussions. My life luckily hasn’t been affected by this change, but still concussions can cause major trauma for a kid my age. All I could see was a stick in my cage and everything went dark, no memory of the situation that had occurred, all I could remember was seeing the roof when I awoke from my outing. Hands in the air as I lay on the floor, with no sign of movement. Head pulsing with a pain, light so bright it burns the back of my eyes, I was hit in the head by a blindside stick to the head. Diagnosed with a concussion I was scared out of my mind, my way of life had now changed forever, no more of the sport I love until the doctor gave me the green light. Concussions have become a nasty injury that can change a person’s life forever, in some cases, this becomes a way of life rather than just a timeline for an injury.  

SImage result for concussionports are becoming safer for players today, but injuries are still a huge possibility in today’s games. One of the worst injuries that can occur in high-level sports is head injuries, specifically concussions. The injury is caused by multiple or a high impact hit to the head of the player, which can cause long-term damage to a person after only one hit. These injuries can affect the player in the long term after they retire from the sport, since concussions cause different symptoms, like head trauma and personality change. Currently, in the world, there have been many recent medical studies that have tested positive for these types of injuries, and scientists are looking for better ways to protect and prevent concussions further on.

Concussions are head injuries that affect the brain during a collision of the head to another object. After sustaining this injury athletes may have side effects like imbalance, headache, confusion, memory loss, loss of consciousness, vision change, hearing change, mood change, fatigue, and malaise according to CNN News. This injury has lead to many mental illnesses, that can harm the rest of a person’s life, like chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), bipolar disorder, anxiety disorder, ALS (Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis), psychosis (Only following traumatic brain injury), personality change, sleep disturbances, cognitive changes, and post-concussion symptoms. 

Ultimately concussions can lead to death in severe cases. The most recent event that hit the sports community was finding out that Aaron Hernandez (former NFL player for the New England Patriots) was diagnosed with CTE. Aaron was found with this illness while in jail for murder. Concussions have been found in many other sports, but what have they done to account for this type of injury in players of the respective sport.

“If they continue to deny my work man continues to die.”

-Dr. Bennet Omalu in the movie Concussion

There are many leagues throughout the world are trying to work to make the sports industry a much safer place for players. Here are just a few examples from other sports leagues that are making their respective sports safer. In the National Hockey League (NHL) they have now recently implemented spotters inside the arena that track for concussion-like symptoms or a hit big enough that could cause a concussion. They have also implemented if a helmet is taken off before a fight the player will be given a major penalty, this also includes if a jersey is not buttoned down properly. The rule has now been put in place to protect a player’s head while on the ice so they don’t fall and hit their head on the ice. The Major Baseball League also took a step forward in concussion protocols by extending disabled lists for the injury from two to three days now to seven-day list. This allows the player to get the right amount of time off prescribed by the doctor according to Cash Kruth at MLB.com.

From Jessica Glenza (reporter for The Guardian) says that researchers are trying to find a link between blood tests and brain trauma. If this were to become a real test it would show early signs of brain trauma and give the patient a timetable to when this would occur in their lives. It will help people early in life to detect early signs of symptoms of mental illnesses for further life purposes.

 

Concussions have become more recent in sports and it’s a good thing that people in the sports community are now recognizing this injury, and are trying to prevent it. With new types of technologies being created to help players minimize the risk of gaining a concussion. We as an athletic community will be able to reduce the effects of mental illness on people in the future of sports and in everyday life. In the end, we should have a lower rate of concussions within the sports we all love to play, watch, or spectate. This will eventually reduce the number of mental disorders in the rest of a person’s life.

 

Lastly, if I were to have permanent brain damage caused by a concussion I wouldn’t have the lifestyle I currently live. No more friends, athletics proper schooling, and most of all no more doing what I love. Concussions have now need to be prevented for the greater good of athletes and their families. If we don’t find ways to help or cure this problem lifestyles will be destroyed.

 

Here are some websites that explain more on that a concussion is and what effects it has on the brain:

 

Bibliography

Nix, Caityn. “Sports Concussions and CTE.” Advanced Reporting, 12 May 2016, www.ttujournalism.net/classes/j4370/?p.

Life Frozen to the Touch

Posted on by mattman3524

I remember…

The fresh smell of cooked popcorn filling the air as I walked in. My bag heavy on my shoulder, weighing me down to the black rubber floor. Looking up to the sky to find the screen filled with team names and dressing room numbers, but it changed every thirty seconds to a City of Calgary advertisement. Open the doors to a new world: two different directions. One to dressing rooms, another to shiny, clear, crystal glass where the spectators will lay. I walked to the dressing rooms, open the frozen metal door with the palm of my hand to find jerseys laying on hangers above the birch wood stalls. All clean with the smell of lavender coming off of them like a warm summer breeze. I take my stick and puck to the bench, the crisp white ice all freshly made, and smooth felt like nothing I have felt before. I started playing with the puck some more, until I stopped and took a deep breath of air into my lungs. Smelling nothing but the frozen air, I knew I was ready for the game ahead. Everyone has a routine. For me, it comes in my life as a hockey player. It helps me think and focus before a game; you could call it a pregame ritual.

One week later, nothing changed but the ice, now with battle scars ripped across the skin. Blades cutting the dying skin to snow, the ice looked more like a battle ground rather than calm sheet of ice. Dressing rooms still clean an filled with jerseys, I head to the bench filled with wet rubber. stick and puck on the scars, nothing is going to stop me from relaxing.

Three weeks later, scars all healed with not a scratch in sight, pure white the skin is with the bands of red, and blue stained inside. Nets set-up in middle of the ends painted with red on the posts and white mesh netting. I run to the dressing room to drop my bag, to go do a warm up on the dry bench that hasn’t been touched yet.

Two Birds, One Stone

Posted on by mattman3524

Alright, lets nail two birds with one stone,

Okay here we go.

 

All you wanted was a guy to be with you on your phone,

well, there I was being your new piece of play dough,

leaving me was the worst mistake in your life,

this isn’t over until it’s over.

 

Girl you moved on so fast,

I still wonder how you could move onto another,

stabbing me in the back changed my heart from red to black,

now look at you desperate for another victim.

 

Okay now onto another with a whole new picture,

you’re like nothing I have ever seen before,

crazy and full of lies,

been under your wing for some time now.

 

No longer are you a true friend,

you need to leave me alone,

your mind is spinning out of control,

Nothing you can do will change my views about you.

 

Both of you cause to bring my angel and devil to the surface,

I can’t keep my emotions in check anymore,

your killing me from inside rather than just killing me in cold blood,

Both of you need to stop talking and just listen.

 

I loved you both but now I see your true colours,

come snuggle up to me just to get to someone else,

I know you molded me to fit your ways but that’s not how I work,

guys are not just a toy they are there to be a brick wall when trouble faces you.

 

In this poem I describe a guys personal life, he tries to get two girls to listen to him. Instead he hits the two birds with one stone, explaining why they are horrible in his minds. Sure they may have had something, but he finally came out of the darkness to the light. Finally in the light he realized that they were what caused him to secrete to the dark side. The true colours lead

him to see the real world rather than a manipulated one. Sure it is good to have a man (guy whatever you want to call it) by your side, but you choose to manipulate them you can say good bye. In life people will be good and evil, but everyone will find someone that makes them happy in their own way. For me, it is a lady who has: a beautiful personality, will support me in my decisions, and my beliefs.

 

Picture: https://butterflysaga.wordpress.com/2015/10/24/becoming-dr-grey-chapter-16-coming-out-of-the-dark/

The Crazy Thing We Call Love

Posted on by mattman3524

Trapped was I,

every day I would sigh,

waiting for you to show,

but now it’s time for you to go.

 

Freedom of you,

you were like a weird zoo,

reaching through your phone,

and now I am as cold as stone.

 

There you go again,

filling me with different pain,

I now have seen the sign,

leaving you was fine.

 

Ripped my heart for the longest time,

but now it’s time for me to climb,

getting away from your terror,

you made the biggest error.

 

My freedom is like being able to fly,

but somehow I still cry,

pumping through me is this drive,

you made me feel truly alive.

 

Sadly I have to move on,

all I see in you now is this con,

don’t come and find me all you’ll get is hardly anything,

because all you will get is a no from this new king.

 

In this poem, a young man has his heart broken by a young lady. They fell deeply in love, but the young lady decided to leave and to steal a piece of him for her own benefit. He can’t get away until he discovers that the only way to get away is to forget about her. Leaving her was the best choice, now he can set sights on his true vision. His freedom is the best feeling to him because being held like a hostage felt like nothing in the world would free him from this prison he called love. The only problem with his new found freedom is that the true love was between them so he cannot get her out of his aching mind.  Luckily he has the strength to overcome the thoughts racing through his mind and calls her a con in his life. When I mean con I use it as an obstacle in his own path to his dreams. In the last two lines, he addresses her saying if you try to come back into my life all you are going to get is the answer of no. I hope you enjoyed my free choice poem if you want to see more of my poetry work go to my flash poetry section if you have any questions about my post please write a comment and I will get back to you as soon as possible.

 

Image (https://www.pinterest.ca/pin/516858494711503508/?lp=true)

About Matt

Posted on by mattman3524

 

Life as we know is like broken pieces,

filling the different scattered creases.

Building my strength in my quest for glory,

for the classy life is one I wish,

Proudly swimming up the river like a fish,

the glamorous goal is to live long and share my story.

 

Summer was one of the hardest parts of my life,

a girl took my heart and stabbed it with a knife,

this woe is part of my broken story.

a deep hold was left in the middle,

leaving me as the only one to re-kindle,

My heart that will rise in glory.

 

Ice as smooth as glass,

blades as sharp as a blade of grass.

The athletic part has become an important part of my story,

 Frozen water filling the air,

Every spectator watching with the same care,

All my life there is nothing like scoring a goal and feeling the glory,

 

Got to get it out of my head,

It’s like a needle and thread,

weaving my life through this glory.

Making me lie here in my bed,

almost everything has been said,

but life has more to it than just me in my story.

 

Family has become huge part,

and they have been there from the start.

Filling me with love and glory.

Everyone I love is deep in my heart,

My life is now becoming like a work of art,

Everyone in my family is an essential part of my story.

 

The soul of mine now ready to speak,

The door now starting to creek.

A normal person with some glory.

I’m not this weird freak as you can see,

now let me become the real me.

That is all about me, I hoped you enjoyed this little story.

 

This poem is about who I am in life, family, and as a friend. I talk about a really emotional time in the summer of 2017, and yes it may have been tough for me, but now I am able to talk about it to many people. Anyway, you are probably really bored from hearing about my love life.  Family has become a big part of my daily routine. My sister ranked second in the country, (yea big deal) but for me, it just strives me to be better knowing that if she puts in the effort, I can too. I basically say that my friends are like my family, just they don’t live with us. Many of my friends have become very vital to who I am; for example Gurmehar Dhillon, he has been by my side since grade two. We both affect each other in decision making, but the best thing about having him is seeing his daily life unfold right in front of you.

Athletics have become a huge part of the life of Matt: hockey, soccer, golf, volleyball, and track. Sometimes I wonder how I have so much time to do all of these in my spare time and still be able to do school work in the middle. Hockey is my main sport; I find it has become sort of my sanctuary at times, because of the quiet all around while taping a stick, the clean sheet of ice that will be grinded down after, and blades gripping the ice as the player moves forward.

That is my life in a short poem I hope you enjoyed it and if there are any questions feel free to ask.

 

Until next time, see you later everyone.