As her fellow students share their stories and pieces of the day, Senior Natalie Pierce continues writing, her mind focused on forcing her idea into the notebook on her desk. Ms. Beachy sits at her podium, asking for volunteers. There is silence for a minute until Pierce tentatively raises her hand to share her piece, her work, her idea.
“I am a twist tie
Slender and small
Easily manipulated”
– Stanza 1 from Stick Figure by Natalie Pierce
Though this is her first time in writer’s workshop, Pierce has been writing almost every day since middle school.
“I usually write out experiences or thoughts in a journal. It’s a way to find out for myself what I think about what has happened in my life.”
During her time in fourth hour Writer’s Workshop, Pierce has been trying to expand her abilities as a creative writer and push herself to try different styles.
“I prefer journalism and poetry to short stories, but even these areas could use some improvement. I really want to get better at writing poetry. At the moment I write mostly free-verse pieces and I would like to branch out and begin writing structured poems.”
Like many of her contemporaries, Pierce turns to writing to help make sense of life as a teenager. As summer comes to a close, she likes to sit outside with the changing air and leaves and let her mind clear, let her thoughts flow from her mind to her arm to the paper of her journal.
“Her work is very thoughtful. I feel like she has a writer’s mind. Her work is original, definitely not a style you usually hear,” Writer’s Workshop teacher Laura Beachy gushes, smiling as she talks about how Pierce presents herself in class. “I can tell both from comments on others’ as well as her own work that she is both introspective and perceptive regarding life and those around her.” As the year continues, Pierce’s will continue to develop and change. As she steps into her own style it is certain that she will create some fantastic works.
Stick Figure
by Natalie Pierce
I am a twist tie
Slender and small
Easily manipulated
Twisted, pulled. Now I’m tight.
Arms interlocked like a knot.
I need someone to untwist me.
Out of control.
My insides turn, wishing for life.
Head and body disconnected.
Or is it too connected?
Yanked, tightened.
Hair thins
It is so unnoticed
In another dimension
My drug of choice
A lifetime of coping
I will learn otherwise
My tie will untwist.
It will learn to stay straight.
I will no longer be pulled
No longer a stick figure
I will stay straight.
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Stick Figure by Natalie Pierce
Natalie Pierce reading her piece titled “The Wackness”:
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