One Mistake
Looking back on the good times we shared,
I know why god made us friends to be paired.
When I sit and think the 6-letter word that comes to mind
Is a young man, Justin, with baby blue eyes who was ever so kind.
He helped so many people, the young and the old,
With his personality, so beautiful, so bold.
Even though we didn’t talk a lot recently,
I remember when we played ever so peacefully.
People didn’t think much of it, like my father and mother,
But back then and still today he seems like my brother.
I went to him when looking for fun,
But now that’s over, all over and done.
It’s over because of a choice he had to make,
It only took one, one little mistake.
He called his mom and told her so,
What he said didn’t happen though.
He got in the car with a man, who had a few drinks,
But the man couldn’t drive, he couldn’t even think.
Control of the car he lost,
Justin’s life he tossed.
The police thought, “He should live, he may.”
But then he died on my 13th birthday.
The day which I’m supposed to be glad,
I felt lonely, lonely and sad.
In heaven he will now always be,
But one day he will meet up with me.
Until that day I will miss him so much,
But I will always remember his special touch.
Every year on the 20th of May,
I will remember the good old days.
I might miss him and be sad and blue,
But Justin, I will always love you.
Alyssa Bradley, 06’


Precious Lives
Did you think it couldn't happen?
Did you think it wasn't real?
You thought of only fun and games
as you got behind the wheel.
You knew it was stupid,
you didn't stop to think.
You got into the car that night;
you'd had too much to drink.
You didn't even see the tree;
you were going much too fast.
You drew in a sharp breath,
a breath that was your last.
Three precious lives were lost that night.
You weren't the first to die.
We think about you lovingly
as each day passes by.
This poem is a warning
to each and every one.
The results of the drunken driving
can never be undone.


The Moonlight Ride
Jenny was so happy about the house they had found.
For once in her life t'was on the right side of town.
She unpacked her things with such great ease.
As she watched her new curtains blow in the breeze.

How wonderful it was to have her own room.
School would be starting, she'd have friends over soon.
There'd be sleep-overs, and parties; she was so happy
It's just the way she wanted her life to be.

On the first day of school, everything went great.
She made new friends and even got a date!
She thought, "I want to be popular and I'm going to be,
Because I just got a date with the star of the team!"
To be known in this school you had to have a clout,
And dating this guy would sure help her out.
There was only one problem stopping her fate.
Her parents had said she was too young to date.

"Well, I just won't tell them the entire truth.
They won't know the difference; what's there to lose?"
Jenny asked to stay with her friends that night.
Her parents frowned but said, "All right."

Excited, she got ready for the big event
But as she rushed around like she had no sense,
She began to feel guilty about all the lies,
But what's a pizza, a party, and a moonlight ride?

Well the pizza was good, and the party was great,
But the moonlight ride would have to wait.
For Jeff was half drunk by this time.
But he kissed her and said that he was just fine.

Then the room filled with smoke and Jeff took a puff.
Jenny couldn't believe he was smoking that stuff.
Now Jeff was ready to ride to the point
But only after he'd smoked another joint.

They jumped in the car for the moonlight ride,
Not thinking that he was too drunk to drive.
They finally made it to the point at last,
And Jeff started trying to make a pass.

A pass is not what Jenny wanted at all
(And by a pass, I don't mean playing football).
"Perhaps my parents were right....maybe I am too young.
Boy, how could I ever, ever be so dumb."

With all of her might, she pushed Jeff away;
"Please take me home, I don't want to stay."
Jeff cranked up the engine and floored the gas.
In a matter of seconds they were going to fast.

As Jeff drove on in a fit of while anger,
jenny knew that her life was in danger.
She begged and pleaded for him to slow down,
But he just got faster as they neared the town.

"Just let me get home! I'll confess that I lied.
I really went out for a moonlight ride."
Then all of a sudden, she saw a big flash.
"Oh, God, Please help us! We're going to crash!"

She doesn't remember the force of impact.
Just that everything all of a sudden went black.
She felt someone remove her from the twisted rubble,
And heard, "Call an ambulance! These kids are in trouble!"

Voices she heard...a few words at best.
But she knew there were two cars involved in the wreck.
Then wondered to herself if Jeff was all right,
And if the people in the other car were alive.

She awoke in the hospital to faces so sad.
"You've been in a wreck and it looks pretty bad."
These voices echoed inside her head,
As they gently told her that Jeff was dead.

They said "Jenny, we've done all we can do.
But it looks as if we'll lose you too."
"But the people in the other car!?" Jenny cried.
"We're sorry, Jenny, they also died."

Jenny prayed, "God, forgive me for what I've done
I only wanted to have just one night for fun."
"Tell those people's family, I've made their lives dim,
And wish I could return their families to them."

"Tell Mom and Dad I'm sorry I lied,
And that it's my fault so many have died.
Oh, nurse, won't you please tell them that for me?"
The nurse just stood there ~ she never agreed.

But took Jenny's hand with tears in her eyes
And a few moments later Jenny died.
A man asked the nurse, "Why didn't you do your best
To bid that girl her one last request?"

She looked at the man with eyes oh so sad.
"Because the people in the other car were her mom and dad."
This story is sad and unpleasant but true,
So young people take heed, it could have been you.