Jubilee Forbess

“What is True” by Jubilee Forbess

Submitted to Contest #45

A loud thunking woke her up at four in the morning, but she stepped out of bed calmly, as though she was awoken by the same rude noise every morning. It was loud and hollow and wooden and hurt her ears.  That was true.  She walked to the edge of the bedroom and stood at the open window, a quiet breeze whipping sea  salt peppered hair up and around her face. There was tea sitting across from her rumpled sheet bed, breathing in lavender had always helped her sleep.  That was true.  There was a thin man rolling in piles...

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“Recipe For Celebration ” by Jubilee Forbess

What word first comes to mind when you think of the word celebration? Do you think of all the people who make up our nation? Do you think of boats filled with people who dared to dream?Who weren’t going to let their ideas be drowned out by a scream?Do you think of us as a melting pot, where everyone’s the same?Or do you see us as a salad, where each part has a name?Can’t we be a bowl of ice cream, bright and fun and bold?Can’t we see that our differences are just what makes us gold?Let’s be like a bowl of ice cream,But never let yo...

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“Story: Not Done!” by Jubilee Forbess

Submitted to Contest #45

They say(Who says?)That actions speak Louder than words;That one picture is worthA THOUSAND Of those wordsThat value less Than our actions do.Every time we penA poemEveryone who writes A songA person who scribbles A story And the chorus thatShouts along.Our words are nothing If we do notSAY themOur actions fall flatIf we do not SLAY them. March to the beat of A tired crowd’s drumHelp raise awareness For a new age to come.Push back when the People tell you to be silentPush back with ...

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“Next Time” by Jubilee Forbess

I’m confusedAs to whyYou would want Your friends to die People you lovedNow you hateDid we putToo much on your plate?I know she hurt youI know she didBut this is not the wayTo finally show the feelingsYou hid.You were friends You knew her wellYou started dating Things were swell!Confession of loveAt the amusement parkSitting and talking All alone in the dark.I was glad you were happy I was glad for you bothBut when things turned sourAnd you started to loatheThe girl you once knewThe girl you still lovedThe girl ...

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“Ander's Finals (Conclusion to Ander's New Cable Knit Sweater) ” by Jubilee Forbess

Submitted to Contest #44

Ander was enchanted by the way Princess Lambswool moved so easily, like the pounds of her layered sweater dress didn’t weigh her down in the slightest. The sweater dress was a light burgundy color and it looked very warm. Lambswool had very long fingers tucked into very nice gloves, but these things did not match the grip she had Ander in at all. She was very strong, and at least to Ander, this was unusual.  She was pulling him along beside her while the alien boy Chucklehead bounced along and Banner Amzi’s pool on wheels rolled right a...

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“Ander in Larttleight (Sequel to Ander's New Cable Knit Sweater!) ” by Jubilee Forbess

Submitted to Contest #44

Ander woke up with a start, his head still spinning from the trip down the portal to the underground planet Larttleleight. He still wasn’t wearing a shirt, and the ground was cold. He looked around the dark planet, but the whole place smelled like dirt; maybe a side effect from being an underground planet. Ander touched his hands to his nose. Warm blood seeped between his fingers and he yelped. Ander hated blood outside the body, especially when it was his own. “What is this place?”  “The underground planet Larttleleight, boy!” A voice ...

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“Cavoli Riscaldati (Sarang Sequel) ” by Jubilee Forbess

I don’t want you to say goodbye, and yet here I am again, sitting crossed legged on the floor of this hospital, waiting to see if this waking moment will be the last of this life, on this earth. Dramatic? I think not. You’re dying, obviously, and even in death you can’t seem to realize that I’m the one that’s always been here, and not Satchel the class A jerk who didn’t bother to come to your deathbed because he’s at a party. With other girls. What kind of guy goes to a party without his girlfriend when she’s dying? Scratch that, why would h...

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“Much Too Soon” by Jubilee Forbess

Submitted to Contest #44

Though we walk and stare at the moon,While the crickets and toads start to croon,I think it much to soon,To say something likeI love you. Though we’ve been here for ages,And of our story we’ve flipped the pages,I’d bet all my wages,That you’d say something likeI love you.We’ve walked and talked And giggled and smiledTalked of the names we could name a childIf the night went too longAnd we found ourselvesHigh, like High upon the shelvesOf the chapels called the mountainsOf the churches called the skyAnd the preacher that w...

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“An Unlikely Father” by Jubilee Forbess

Submitted to Contest #43

Po was a panda who lived with his dad They ran a place where noodles were rad.Po liked to play with his action friendsHis funny adventures never come to an end.One day Po was late to workHis dad said, “Come on, in the store you must lurk.”“Dad,” he said, “I had a dream!It had to do with noodles it seems!”His dad said, “Oh great, that means it’s your turn!Go, go, go, there’s money to earn!Take the cart and go to the mountain,The Dragon Festival’s about to begin!”Po huffed and puffed up those stepsMaster Oogway was about to choose who was...

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“Ander's New Cable Knit Sweater” by Jubilee Forbess

Submitted to Contest #43

“No, I don’t want to go to the Cabinet Seminar with you tomorrow, Sapphy.” Ander crossed his arms across his chest and scowled at his sister, who was trying once again to convince him that he should go with her to some ridiculous event. Whatever. “I’m not going.” He ignored the tickets sitting on the table and rolled his eyes when Sapphy widened hers; some attempt to make herself look more innocent, but instead made her look like she had eaten too many gas station bean burritos and wasn’t sure where the nearest bathroom was. “But, Ander...

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“Kevin Walter Bob John” by Jubilee Forbess

Submitted to Contest #43

This boy was at the beach, and he was being irritated by several strange children. They were in the water just miles and miles away, and yet they were so extremely loud and obnoxious that he could hear them anyway. They were yelling names at him. They weren’t bad names like Fatacake, Heartfeet, Bonsai, or Justin Beiber, but instead they were names like Kevin, Walter, Bob, and John. Yes. The boy could hear the voices carrying across the water like small vessels of supreme annoyance. He stared at the motley crew of bellowers. He glared at the ...

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“The Great Birthday Reunion” by Jubilee Forbess

Submitted to Contest #43

The birthday boy sat in a chair made of donuts and caramel apples. There was a squirrel head made from cake batter and frosting resting upon his left shoulder, because he hated those buggers and wanted to represent this dislike on his special day. He looked graciously out at his adoring friends. There were only around eight of them, but they were adoring nonetheless.  Snow fell from the sky and landed on the edges of their noses. They lived in a place where the seasons whirled around like sirens. There was also a lot of crime in the are...

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“Glass Jar King” by Jubilee Forbess

Submitted to Contest #43

The umbrella in our yard was bright pink and had a giant slice torn out of it the morning I went to the porch after the rains had hit our town. I recalled my mother had bought the umbrella at an estate sale for around three dollars; how excited she was to bring it home and plant it on our back porch. Well. Now it was in tatters, not unlike the rest of the yard, which had flooded last night in the storms. I didn’t want to tell my mother her prized umbrella was broken now, but she would notice soon enough. She managed to notice everything. I w...

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“Sarang” by Jubilee Forbess

Submitted to Contest #42

My footsteps slow as I reach the end of the hall. I know you’re there. I can hear you breathing every so softly. I stop in front of your door and reach for the knob, but I don’t pull it open quite yet. I’m waiting for you to sense me and say, “Come in, I’ve been waiting for you.” I’m waiting to hear your wonderful voice, clear as a bell and also wavering in and out of existence. When I’ve waited for over five minutes and still haven’t heard you say anything, I push the door open and walk in. You’re sleeping. I sit down by the bed and watch y...

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“The Evil Magician Boy” by Jubilee Forbess

Submitted to Contest #42

His soft footsteps pad gently along the carpet of the backstage. He is the essence of coolness, complete with tuba and magician’s wand. His hair flows ever so neatly in the direction of his audience and they are watching in rapt silence as he demonstrates his talents. They are many. His teeth glisten like lined up marble marshmallows; straight and white in his mouth like soldiers of a bonfire army ready for battle.  This boy is no ordinary boy, but instead a boy so full of shrimp and crackers that he barely has room for a brain beyond b...

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