Northampton Press

With each year of the Student Poetry Project, there are surprises.

Poetry is like that. And so is April, National Poetry Month. Can you say serendipity?

For the 8th annual Student Poetry Project, one poem in particular has quite a pedigree.

Wavy hair, combat boots

dark eyes, old books

rosy cheeks, chapped lips

guitar strums, coffee sips

open minds, closed doors

free thoughts, tamed words

mothers, daughters

friends and lovers

cheeky grins, hair pins

raspy voices, bold choices

foot taps and finger snaps

long talks, have a sit

I am an accepted misfit

Cecelia LeBus

Age 13, Grade 8

Northampton Area Middle School

Northampton Area School District

To commemorate National Poetry Month in April, the Lehigh Valley Press presents the 8th annual Student Poetry Project on this page and B3 in the Focus section.

Students whose poems appear on this page have been invited to read their poems on "Lehigh Valley Arts Salon," 6 - 6:30 p.m. April 29, Lehigh Valley Community Public radio Station WDIY, 88.1, wdiy.org.

Students whose poems appear on this page each receive a $50 gift card to the State Theatre for the Arts. Students whose poems appear on Page B3 each receive a $25 gift card to the State Theatre for the Arts.

Embassy Bank is inviting the submission of photographs of family members, neighbors and friends who have served or are serving in the armed forces for the third-annual Memorial Day weekend, May 26 - 28, "Our Hometown Heroes" display, SteelStacks, Bethehem.

The Memorial Day Celebration presented by Embassy Bank includes three days of music, family activities and programming.

"The response to 'Our Hometown Heroes' has been amazing with more than 200 images submitted over the past two years," says Embassy Bank CEO, President and Chairman Dave Lobach Jr.

There are many signs and sounds that announce the natural awakening of the spring season. Clues articulating the sounds and signs drawing our attention to visions of regeneration are everywhere.

In some years, like this one however, Old Man Winter tries to stick around well past the official first day of spring.

Being single is not all it's cracked up to be -- or is it?

Get some possible answers and insights at Pennsylvania Playhouse's production of "Company," 8 p.m. Thursdays - Saturdays and 3 p.m. Sundays, through April 28.

The fast-paced play with music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim and book by George Furth romps through the highs and lows of being one single person, a lonely third wheel in a circle of married friends.

On Broadway, "Company" won seven Tony Awards, including Best Musical (1971) and Best Revival of a Musical (2007).

Richard Pawling, in the character of Cappy Hummel, a canal boat captain, presents "Canawling on America's Canals," a history of the United States' canal system, 6:30 p.m. April 23, Lower Macungie Township Community Center, Lower Macungie Library, 3450 Brookside Road, Lower Macungie Township.

The program is funded by the Pennsylvania Humanities Council and the National Endowment for the Humanities.

To register: 610-966-6864

I hear my mom waking me up

Pork shoulder sizzling

Smelling the cookies,

quesitos,

pork shoulder

three leche cake

and dirt

Tasting the sweet sweet

air

coming from

pots and pans

in

the oven

in the kitchen

Touching presents

the glittery red bows

glitter getting

stuck

in my

fingers

The cozy warm

blanket

Me seeing my presents

seeing my big

sister sleep

and little sister

a box with a piece

of candy

$20

Waiting

As I settled in the grass

and watched the trees, the sky,

I noticed a calmness, with a soft breeze.

As if the world had just sat down

and taken a deep breath

to retreat from the rushing time.

Then suddenly, the branches I viewed

were not relaxing, but rustling,

and the clouds swirled about eagerly with passion.

The tranquil scene became restless before my eyes

without actually changing pace or tone,

and it brought me to realize a way of nature.

Our planet does not rest or calm,

Q. How important is exercise when you are a senior? Is it worth the risks of hurting yourself?

Scientific evidence shows that seniors should exercise, even though many older persons think it could harm them. Study after study demonstrates that seniors hurt their health a lot more by being sedentary.

If you're inactive, you deteriorate. Physical activity can help restore your capacity. Most older adults, regardless of age or condition, will benefit from increasing physical activity to a moderate level.