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Writing by Hannah Groombridge
Sheffield Young Writers

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Streets
 
I walk around
Never through
 
The one time I went through
My legs couldn't move fast
enough
My heart couldn't beat quick
enough
 
Is this where we are?
I can't walk through these flats
That are people's homes
A battleground to me
 
Is it just me?
Is it my own mind?
 
I've been
Brainwashed by images
Converted by headlines
I can't see the truth
That we're all the
Same
 
A brain, a pulse
Culture, backgrounds
There to give us identity
Individuality
Not barriers, fear
 
I want to show that a road name
Is only letters
A suburb is only a reputation
A generalisation
Is a mistake

......................

New Moon by Stephanie Meyer

New Moon is the much awaited second book in the Twilight series by Stephanie Meyer, which is quietly rocking the female teen world. Twilight follows Bella a quiet, average young girl and her relationship with the gorgeous Edward Cullen.  Nothing new?  Oh I forgot to mention, Edward is a vampire. 

Being a teen and of the female variety, I was extremely enamoured with the first of the Twilight books, (name).  In particular the image of the gorgeous Edward, who’s presence is hard to shake. So much so, when I picked up the second book I was in fact shaking with anticipation, well not really, but you get the idea of excitement whizzing around my mind at the thought of another meeting with him. This whizzing soon turned in a sort of fizzing, then a kind of flat soft drink.

I bet you know what’s coming next. I have built up this picture of excitement expectation and anticipation (well I like to think so anyway), so there must be a massive ‘but’ on the way right? And indeed, unfortunately, there is.  Bella, the far-too-normal girl blessed with the presence and adoration of my God-like Edward, slightly annoyed me in the first book, but in the sequel she reaches levels of irritation that even my little brother has yet to achieve in his 14 years of trying.

Now, if you’re read the first book, I won’t be ruining any surprises when I say in this one Edward leaves (where else could the story go?)  However, Bella’s reaction to this is so great and over-written that within the first few pages of grief I had her down as ridiculous.  But when the grief was still going on a hundred pages later (in the time frame of the book several months later), I began to question Meyer’s motives for writing. Was it to add substance to an ongoing trilogy or to fill a gap between the first and last book? 
The series of unoriginal metaphors and over emotional ramblings which added up to a mountain of extraordinary hyperbole, I think answers the question.

A shame really because it is well written at first.  But even my slightly biased eyes could not miss the ridiculous amounts of repetition. To add to my fury, a previously minor character in the first book becomes unrealistically more important. Now any girls reading this, what do you think?...If a nice looking, kind and interesting guy, who you like, and who likes you, comes along to comfort you in your hour of need, do you not feel grateful and happy to have his support?  Not Bella, she confuses him, uses him, refuses him then encourages him until I you want to shout ‘Oh for heaven’s sake just get on with it!’

So why did I keep reading? Two reasons, despite Bella and the transparent plot, the rest of the characters and their own struggles kept me interested. For them I cared.  The other reason? I simply lived in hope of something to change my mind, but (yet another but!) nothing of any significance did. I was left feeling like I hadn’t read it at all and that the plot hadn’t moved.  Yes I know I’ve made my point by now but lastly I just want to say, as a warning to Meyers and any teen author for that matter… whether necessary to the plot or not, a book is never the same if you take out the one thing most teens read it for. In Twilight it is Edward Cullen.

So will I read the last in the trilogy I hear you sarcastically ask?  Well yeah actually, because I still hope for what was promised in the first book. But I’m cautious this time. There’s no whizzing.

...........................

Winter Haiku

She wanders through
A place well known
Bringing cold unfamiliar

..........................

After My Romeo

Broken dreams and shattered hearts
Not it’s time to collect the parts
Put them away in a knife-proof draw
So that you can’t get them anymore
I’m going to forget what you said
And not let my heart mislead my head
You’ve got looks that could easily kill
But really it’s your treachery that will
I hope you’re pleased with what you’ve done
I’m sure I am not the only one
I found your reputation is well known
But only after you left me alone
I was stupid enough to really care
Even though you were never there

.......................

Cows

The cows hit the town,
The skirts were quite revealing
The alcohol was flowing
For I bet you’ve never seen
A drunken cow
Quite a sight
I can tell you

They danced and danced
Collisions became more frequent
Two legs bad
Four legs worse
The laughing cow
Gained a whole new meaning
The coarseness shook the floor

But the fun cannot last
For long, the farmer knows
The absence of the dim
Weird forms, in the field
Gave them away.
Its sod’s law that it
Was the one night he checked.

.............

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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