Elegy to Sanity

Where does peace of mind go

when ideas scream, when consciousness is lost,

when thoughts run rampant while darkness exhausts

and ­­­­­­replaces common to and fro?

Where does peace of mind go?

Where does sanity leave to stay

when dark transcends light and creates tension

past normal tendencies to points not mentioned?

When the only savior are the padded walls of snow,

Where does peace of mind go?

And why does bliss retreat

when days are tiring, too tiring to bare,

and not one thought stays to care?

Oh, where life’s glow goes, I don’t know,

where does peace of mind go?

Ode to the book

Modern entertainment has flaws,

shallow,

unbalanced in narrative.

Minute by minute they

are puzzle-pieced and formed,

episodes and films take form,

flamboyance, lights, special effects .

The book,

simply the book

was pure and wonderful:

it was both simple and complex

guiding hungry imagination onwards.

Film wants to be simpler and noble,

thriller wants to be soft and sweet

rom-com is too dishonest and misled,

animation too fanciful wishing for truth,

comedies vie for realism,

reality attempts for comedic truth,

but the book

simply wants to be  a book

and all books are stories

from novels to nonfiction

from fantasy worlds reaching the end of space

to present day life,

from classics to the nonlinear story.


not finished :(

The Guest

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THE GUEST

By Ellen Valentine

CAST OF CHARACTERS

MR. MILTON, a father, works at the local real estate office, first name is Michael, called Mike

MRS. MILTON, a feminist and mother, works for a non-profit, first name is Elizabeth, called Lizzie.

ZACHARY MILTON, a 17 year-old son, unsure of his future, but a loving family member

CAROLINE MILTON, a 14 year-old daughter, focused on sports

THE GUEST, an unexpected visitor

SETTINGS

The backyard of the Miltons’ house

The Miltons’ house: stage right is showing part a small part of the front yard, stage is divided by a wall that holds the front door of the house. The majority of the stage is taken up by the interior of the house that is holding a room that looks like a mix of a living room and a dining room. There is a table that could fit 4-6 chairs, pictures around the room, an end table or two with random things on it.