Days

The skies are cold and grey,

The leaves, in the wind, they sway. 

The air is cold and frosty,

The earth is bone dry.

No rain for weeks,

Sirens blare down the streets.

The sun has not shown it’s face,

My heart is just an empty space. 

There’s not much left to say,

I guess it’s just one of those days.

Sold: Opinion Questions

     The most disturbing part of the novel Sold for me was the chapter called Lucky to be with Habib. I could picture a man with disgusting features.  I could see Lakshmi laying on the bed eyes half open unable to move or fight this man off.  I could hear his voice in my head as I read, "Habib is good with the ladies".  I could hear the bed begin to hit the wall and the sobs coming from Lakshmi as he raped her.  I was and still am disgusted by this chapter.
     Nicholas Kristof bought the freedom of two girls in Cambodia.  He is right that buying sex slaves is not a long-term solution.  There really is no perfect solution to saving every woman in these brothels.  Threatening outrageous jail time to brothel owners might make them reconsider having brothels, but this will only work if the governments stick to their laws.  The best thing we can do are create groups to raise money and help to raid these brothel places and take the women out.  Set them up in schools and other jobs that women can work rather than the sex slave trade.

Fairy Tale

I stare out my window,

The sky is cold and gray.

The sun is hiding,

The flowers are wilted.

Trees are bare,

The snow is lightly falling.

I crack open a tiny slit,

A gush of wintery air blasts in.

The breeze clashes into my face,

Stinging tears cling to my eyelashes. 

Blinking repeatedly,

I push them back.

I will not cry,

I will not shed a drop.

How can I stop myself,

How can I tell myself I can’t?

I miss you,

Everything about you.

From your sweet deep voice,

To your chocolate brown eyes.

The way your arms wrap around me,

Keeping me safe from harm. 

I can just feel your hand in mine,

Fingers interlocked holding on tight.

But I’m so lost tonight,

Staring out my window.

I wonder if you are looking out one too,

Are our eyes meeting somewhere? 

I can’t fight these feelings,

The tears pour like showers in April. 

Promise me there isn’t someone else you’re in love with,

Promise me there isn’t anybody waiting on you.

I’m praying the story doesn’t end here,

This is a fairy tale I’m not ready to give up on. 

Nepal and India

   Patricia McCormick wrote the novel Sold about a little girl who is sold into the sex slave trade.  The novel takes place in Nepal and India.  To understand what Nepal and India are like here are some facts about each.
     Nepal is located in Asia, south of China and north of India.  According to the 2001 census there are 23,200,000 people living there.  The Chief of State is King Gyanendra Bir Bikram Shah Dev.  The main issue in Nepal is the trafficking of women.
     India is 1/3 the size of the Untied States.  The most amount of abortions happen here.  India's dancing is known for it's hand gestures.  Marigold flowers are used in Hindu weddings as a sign of happiness and good fortune.




http://the-voyagers.tripod.com/factsabout.htm
http://facts.randomhistory.com/2009/07/21_india.html

Confusion

Walking through the sand,
It sticks between her toes.

The sun glistens on the water,
Its light reflects the colors of the sky.

The wind tugs at her hair,
The water clashes upon the rocks.

This is her favorite place,
A place where she is safe.

She stands on a rock,
Its rough and hard surface scratches her feet.

Looking out to the ocean,
Her blue green eyes glisten with tears.

Silently she weeps,
Drops run down her cheeks.

With mascara smearing down her face,
She sat down feet dangling into the water.

Her heart tells her one thing,
While her conscious tells her another.

It comes down to confusion,
He says one thing and she another.

Give up on him she thinks,
"I adore you" he tells her.

Her heart is tired of the tug of war,
If only he'd prove she's worth fighting for.

Response to I Believe Project

The theme of our class, AH120, is to answer the philosophical questions of "What do I know", "Why am I here", and "Are we really free".  The I Believe Project allows people all over the world to answer these questions for the rest of the world to see.  Arthur Garfield Hays' speech was posted on this website to explain his feelings about freedom.  Hays' belief is that our freedom is described in the Bill of Rights and that our freedom is something we all have needed through each generation. 

I believe that freedom is a necessary item to have in society.  Hays' says we should have the right to untamed speech where we can say whatever we want.  I disagree with this statement to the extent of we should be cautious with what we say to others because we do not know what their reaction will be.  Without freedom of speech opinions could not be shared and famous figures would never have made the impact on the world.  For example, Martin Luther King Jr. spoke out against racial discrimination.  His speeches affected the entire United States.  Many people agreed with him and many people disagreed.  In the end, his speeches impacted the way the United States looks at racial discrimination.