Jasper's blog: "My Writing"

Well I can say I got my first published piece today. It was a letter to the editor in our local paper. Honestly I know that’s nothing grand but I’m proud of it. I wrote the letter because it was something that I believed in. They contacted me a week later to verify I wrote it, but I didn’t think they were going to publish it because I didn’t see it at all that week they called me. I had forgotten about it completely so I was surprised to see it in today’s paper. The letter was written in response to another letter that appeared in the paper.

My Letter: Art, music should be key part of curriculum

I'm very dismayed at a letter to the editor by a Knoxville man complaining about a grandmother wishing her grandson could study the violin.

He complained that art and music are a waste and our schools should focus more on math and science. Art and music promote creativity and imagination that is essential for grasping other subjects.

There are plenty of studies that show kids who are exposed to music and art during their early education perform better later in life. Why wouldn't you want programs that promote understanding and creativity in more than just their own fields as part of basic education? Math and science are used in art and music. To read a sheet of music, basic math skills are exercised.

To understand the composition of a color that is not a primary color, we use science to see each individual part. It's sad that the schools are not promoting how these subjects are so dependent on each other because obviously there is a lack of understanding.

Basic math and science will never survive alone, because take away the art and music, and you're left with something that will not capture the imagination of students, and they will fall further behind than they already are now.

To let you see exactly what I was replying to here is the letter I read on May the 28th:

Focus more on math, science, less on music I just shook my head when I read a recent letter to the editor concerning a grandmother's deep concern about the fact that her grandson couldn't study violin at South-Doyle Middle School like he did in Newton County, Ga.

Do you suppose the thought has ever crossed her mind that it is the responsibility of the child's parents to provide him with the music lessons they want him to have? No one has the right to expect taxpayer-financing for every hobby he wants his child to pick up.

Perhaps if our schools would focus more on legitimate academic pursuits, like math and science, and waste less time on recreational activities like art and music, we wouldn't be facing the crisis in academic performance that now looms so large.

This cage of dirt and stone will not hold me long. Weapons of rusty metal and shards bones dig just as deep. This laughing corpse you bury today is not as dead as you believe. When you eat I'll be there and do more then bite your hand. Throw away your pride and do not loose your fear, Because your victim today will be your hunter tomorrow. Only the walking dead will let their guard down. When you bath I'll be there and do more then spit in your eye. My prison today will become your tomb. The pain you visit upon me will be paid back tenfold. These are not idle threads, but promises I plan to keep. When you dream I'll be there so guard your throat where you lie. You can break my flesh and destroy my mind, but desire burns far deeper then you can touch. The anger you wake in me will haunt you in time. When you eat I'll be there and do more then bite your hand. I will not find death at your hands, not in this cell. You can't watch me all the time. The toy you bound has a mind and I use it well. When you bath I'll be there and do more then spit in your eye. Once escape was all I desire. Freedom and safety was my goal. Now you have released in me something with a darker hold. This demon screams not in pain but for the blood of a monster. When you dream I'll be there so guard your throat where you lie. This one was based off of a wierd dream I had.

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In the Monster’s eyes, An innocent light can shine. Evil is not always pure, As looks make us believe. Behind the most cracked stone heart, Beats love and Kindness, It is hidden by a facade, Meant to frighten us. True evil hides behind innocent eyes, It’s nature deceptive and devious. You must go beyond skin deep, To grasp a persons true identity. The most innocent face can hide it’s evil. The most monstrous face can hide a savior. Identity is not the skin we’re in, But the person that lies beneath.

The masks I wear do not hide the stain. It flaunts them for the public eye. Holding deep with in the skin. No matter their tint I do not cry. Heavy is the weight I bear. Light is my steps in the fire. Heavy is not what meets the eye. Because my burdens are more then just that ire. Beyond the painted masks and heavy veils, Lies a soul of passion and fire. No matter the cover that weighs it down, Nothing will ever extinguish that fire.

Love was a beautiful maiden that everyone assumed only had this wide eyed innocence. What they did not realize is because of her close relationship with her cousins Hate and Pain that she had developed a strong worldly knowledge. Not many would court her due to her polite unassuming nature. They were afraid of her snaring and taming them with her quiet beauty. Love however has an equally beautiful sister named Lust. Lust was a wildly wicked girl who attracted the attention of many men but never stayed true to a single one. Lust often causes her men to feel pain when she departed but could never change her ways. She knew her sister Love more then anyone else. She knew what Love hides beneath those innocent eyes was far from naïve and tame. She decided Love just needed to be introduced to the right man. When Lust introduced Love to Chaos the attraction between the two could not be denied. They had a passionate affair that soon brought out Chaos’ true nature. He too was fooled by her innocent looking nature. Afraid to be tamed he followed his own indecisive ways and tried to leave Love behind. She however would have none of this. She was too addicted to the passion Chaos ignited in her and He was too scared of the deep feelings she inspired with in him. He felt horrible for causing her such pain. She told him, "You have me wrong. I am not the girl you think I am. I have never wished for you to be tame. I love you the way you are, and I am too well acquainted with Hate and Pain. They leave an indelible mark beneath my surface you see. You are well acquainted with Lust and should know what pain people can inflict on each other. Because of this you should know there will never be Love without Chaos because Lust always has her way."