2000 Seminole Essay

The Power of No
Ross - 8th Grade - Rock Lake Middle School

Blinded by dark smoke,
Congesting my thoughts.

Just one.
No one will ever know.
Come on.
Everyone else is.

Friends for years,
Endangering everything to "be cool".

This is wrong.
I know better.
They know better.
What can I say?

Approaching they all come,
Demandingly offering suicidal needles and reefers.

Why me?
I must talk.
But they'll hate me.
Quick say something!

Peer pressure tries at me,
Confusion hangs as I scream the simple answer that saved my life.

"NO!"

Wow, they're leaving.
One word is all.
Their faces are not happy.
What friends they were!

Disappointed they are,
I am left sad but proud.

That's quite an awesome thing,
The power of no.