Mariah+C

Hey my name's Mariah! This online portfolio will contain many of my pieces that i have written as a junior in my creative writing class. Throughout this portfolio you will view some of my poetry pieces, nonfiction pieces, and fiction pieces. By viewing these, i hope that you will get a better understanding of who i am as a person, my goals, beliefs, and even achievements.

** __Poetry__ **

**__B Dubs__ **  B dubs is friendship, celebrating a Friday night win. Wings, fries, and chicken fingers shared among friends. Huge screens and fans who cheer, drunk old men drinking their beer.
 * By: Mariah Cox **

Waiting and waiting for a waitress who’s late But she redeems herself by bringing our plates Walls covered in jerseys like an athletic dude. No other restaurant has comparable food.

A flying buffalo is a nationwide symbol. Seeing my wings on the platter makes my stomach tremble. Endless laughing and telling jokes By the end of the night, at least one friend is broke.

We chow down like lions and bears, living life without a care. This booth is happiness set to fire Of this friendship we’ve made, I will never tire.

Missing curfews but we don’t care. I mean, 11:00 is definitely not fair. So many memories, so many to come This is why B dubs is my number one.  This poem is about friendship and how anyone (a reviewer, senior citizen, child or teenager) can walk into b dubs and experience the friendship environment that exists there. My inspiration to write this poem comes from some of my personal friendships. B dubs is the usual dinner spot on Friday nights after football or basketball games for me and my friends. Many of the events that occur in this poem have some kind of hilarious story behind them.


 * __Around Then:__ **
 * By: Mariah Cox **


 * Around 1992- I made my stubborn appearance. **
 * Around 2005- I cried when I saw Cinderella’s castle for the first time. **
 * Around 1994- I became a big sister to twins. **
 * Around 1996- I scored my first goal. In Candy league soccer. **
 * Around 2001- I witnessed what a national tragedy actually looked like. **
 * Around 1998- I watched my mom cry as she dropped me off at Kinder-garden. **
 * Around 2007- I understood what it felt like to be in love. **
 * Around 2009- I realized that the term “heart-broken” is an understatement. **
 * Around 1999- My dad taught me how to throw a spiral. **
 * Around 2002- I taught my brother how to throw a spiral. **
 * Around 2008- I smiled for dozens of pictures as I stood next to my prom date. **
 * Around 2003- I was in a life-threatening inner-tubing accident. **
 * Around 2008- I walked on the court as a varsity volleyball player. **
 * Around 2007- I enjoyed the experience of sitting in the middle. **
 * Around 2006- I learned how to take a fish off the hook. **
 * Around 2009- I understood the adventure of having my own car! **
 * Around 1997- I became a preacher’s daughter. **
 * Around 2006- I watched my first Colts game and understood what football is all about! **
 * Around 1995- I tumbled across the stage in my genie costume. **
 * Around 1996- I savored in the greasy pizza and the grimy ball pits of chucky cheese. **
 * Around 2011- I said goodbye to my friends and family and ventured out to start a life all my own . **

** I absolutely love this poem! While writing this poem, I looked back to pictures from 10+ years ago. This is where a lot of my inspiration came from. A few of the emotions that contributed to this poem are; happiness, bittersweet, sadness, excitement, love, heartbreak, etc. These emotions are emotions that I have felt throughout my life and I felt it was necessary to convey them from my mind to my poem. **

**__How Laughter is like Peanut Butter__ **


 * By: Mariah Cox **

 S neaking a butter knife out of the “childproof” drawer A grape jelly stain on my white sesame street tee shirt Peeling off the crust and feeding it to the dog Laughter is like Peanut Butter.

Finding “I Love You” notes on napkins in my Cinderella lunchbox. Swapping sandwiches between 3 of my best friends Those brown fingerprints plastered to our spelling tests Laughter is like Peanut Butter.

Late night picnics in the bed of a red pick up Sticky kisses under a bed of stars Love was the strength that held two pieces of bread together. Laughter is like Peanut Butter.

Craving that salty snack as I caress my growing stomach Writing “I Love You” on her napkin as I pack her Cinderella lunchbox. Peeking in the kitchen as she teaches her brother how to make PB&Js Laughter is like Peanut Butter. 60 years today as we split the sandwich down the middle Rocking on the pack porch savoring in the love… The love that held two pieces of bread together. Laughter is like Peanut Butter.

This is my favorite poem because it takes a line that makes no sense and gives meaning to it. I also like this poem because the first paragraph talks about how peanut butter is a huge part of a child’s life and the end paragraph talks about how it’s a huge part of an elderly person’s life. This poem came from my childhood and how I loved peanut butter! My inspiration for this poem was the “I Love You” notes on my napkins in my Cinderella lunchbox. Thanks Mom!


 * __What If…__ **

What if the sky was pink? The color of love and affection**?** Would there be less wars & no more pain? Would there be heart shaped clouds and purple stars? Maybe our nature would be love to love and hate to hate.

What if hearts couldn’t break? Would it be easier to let go of something that never was? Would divorced parents still fight like children? How much would the suicide rate decrease? Would there even be a need for tears?

What if we were never hungry? Michelle Obama wouldn’t notify America of obesity There would be no such thing as world hunger. South beach would be a nice vacation spot. The word “big mac” would have no significance

What if Walt didn’t create princesses? Would girls look at love through realistic eyes? Would we accept ourselves for who we are? Maybe their love would have never faded. Quite possibly her heart wouldn’t be as jaded.

I wrote this poem as an extra credit piece, i didn't realize that it would have meant so much to me when i inserted the final period. Although this poem is very surreal and imaginative, i love the reality that it has to offer. ​

**Consonance/Assonance **
 * By: Mariah Cox **


 * Her hot chocolate colored new boots prove that she likes style **
 * As she walks on the sidewalk of dreams, she keeps her head held high. **


 * She dresses her head and hands in pink to frame the dainty side of her. **
 * Not a baret out of place or a button coming undone. Flawlessly, she walks. **


 * The shy side of her hides behind her long locks of blond. **
 * <span style="color: #3f00ff; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;">It flows like a poem of hope as she glides down the sidewalk of dreams. **


 * <span style="color: #3f00ff; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;">Out of her plump lips, pour songs that soar with secrets and promises. **
 * <span style="color: #3f00ff; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;">Lips that go where nobody should, whispering discriminated judgements. **


 * <span style="color: #3f00ff; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;">Walking as the color of mystery, she seeps into a crowd of reds and pinks. **
 * <span style="color: #3f00ff; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;">She doesn’t let in but doesn’t keep out as she wonders if she’ll ever love. **


 * <span style="color: #3f00ff; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;">Highlighted eyelids hide the face that nobody gets to see. **
 * <span style="color: #3f00ff; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;">She gives no thanks for the face that fate gave. So she daily creates her own. **


 * <span style="color: #3f00ff; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;">Squinting behind the lens of her camera, she generates endless memories, **
 * <span style="color: #3f00ff; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;">giving birth to a more concord world. **

**<span style="color: #411291; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 14pt;">They also see growth and a hope for the future she cannot yet see **
 * <span style="color: #3f00ff; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;">Peering through the mirror, her two green eyes see beauty and strength. **

<span style="color: #3f00ff; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;">** When creating my M&M for this poem, I tried my hardest to create her to resemble me. And as I was writing this poem, I tried to convey my personality to hers. So this poem is more about me in the form of an M&M. ** **<span style="color: #3f00ff; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;">Like I said, this poem I supposed to represent myself, so I guess I’m the inspiration for this poem? **

** Alliteration **


 * By Mariah Cox **
 * Children playing is a calming chime, **
 * Nothing but innocently consuming time, **
 * Celebrating life with a familiar hum **
 * Chew, chew, chew as they pop their gum. **


 * You think because your young you can’t amount, **
 * I’ll keep you account of all the things you can do, **
 * You look back to all the mistakes of yesterdays **
 * Because you are young, it seems nobody gives you praise. **


 * The pains of heartbreak let her know **
 * That this passive feeling will soon go **
 * No need for primping of being proper **
 * He found another girl who apparently tops her. **


 * Growing up, and going on, **
 * She graduated and then was gone, **
 * Facing life, gaining hope **
 * Giving up and letting go **


 * Hugs and hellos, embracing old friends from home, **
 * Smells of honey baked ham as our stomachs moan, **
 * Happily laughing, and watching the game **
 * Simply living in this hick-town is my claim to fame **


 * This drought like day can’t damper her mood **
 * Especially after seeing the delightful smile of a determined dude, **
 * He asks her on a date, she dabbles with the decision, **
 * She wakes from her dream with a cloudy vision. **


 * The idea for this poem starts out with children playing, and how calming and innocent it is. Then the poem stretches through that child’s life about being judged for being young, graduating, coming home, and heartbreaks. The emotions that I used for my Alliteration poem include; innocence, hurt, excitement, anxiety, heartbreak, family, love, dreams and warmth. I used this variety of emotions because they are the types of emotions that I have experienced and continue to experience daily. Everyday life was my inspiration to write this poem, and how beautiful and short life is so you need to enjoy every second of it. **

Picture rhyming By: Mariah Cox

Red, purple, and even argyle, 4 inches of torture, 1 inch of style clicking and clacking all over the place As you have an unstoppable look on your face

So long to tippy toe kisses. Heels hold the answers to all your wishes Smiling so pretty for copious prom pictures Then throwing your heels into a corner of mixtures.

The excitement and joy as you buy the perfect pair Then dreading the rest of the day after 2 hours of wear So tall on these spikes we proudly stand Pains in the feet we’re sure to land.

They give courage to those even afraid of heights. Take a dark room and make it light They have tons of lessons for all to learn You can’t run from your troubles when its comfort you yearn.

There’s so many colors for you to choose Depending on your daily mood Like red when you’re angry or just want revenge, Or blue when you’re sad and need someone to depend.

We don’t know why we wear em’ we don’t know why we try Because when they’re on, we want to cry Now you know why women do what they do Walking on pencils and calling them shoes!

This poem is about high heels and the “ups and downs” of wearing them. My idea for this poem came from the picture of high heels that I was assigned. My inspiration for this poem was being a girl and how high heels can come in handy sometimes but they never come without pain. I didn’t put many emotions into this poem but there was a lot of literary devices. Some of these are onomatopoeia, similes, and metaphors.

** __Cinquains__ **


 * By: Mariah Cox **


 * Smitten. **
 * Impassioned, dear, **
 * Affection, fervency, **
 * Ablaze, whole-hearted, bulletproof **
 * In love. **


 * Broken. **
 * Shattered, damaged, **
 * Forgotten, bitterness **
 * Crushed, distression, heavy hearted **
 * Break ups. **


 * Wild **
 * Carefree, blissful **
 * Rampant, fierce, resilient, **
 * Happy-go-lucky, confident, **
 * Fearless. **


 * Contained. **
 * Held back, restrained, **
 * Meek, muzzled, mild, **
 * Half-hearted, limited, harnessed, **
 * Confined. **


 * Hello. **
 * Smiles, welcomes, **
 * Laughter, fellowship, warmth, **
 * Togetherness, harmonious, **
 * Embrace. **


 * Goodbye. **
 * Letters, packing, **
 * Tears, crossroads, departure, **
 * Moving on, declination, gone, **
 * Released. **

In this poem I took six different emotions or adjectives and wrote synonyms for each of them. My idea for these cinquains came from past experiences and emotions. Some of these are even situations in which I have gone through personally. Smitten and broken are complete opposites in which every teen girl experiences. Wild and Contained are opposites in which I have gone through personally. And Hello and Goodbye are emotions that everybody experiences at some point in their life.

** Onomatopoeia **

** By Mariah Cox **


 * Clatter go my teeth as I lay in the snow **
 * Little white angels as pure as can be, **
 * Back and forth motions do my arms and legs flow, **
 * Plastered all over the streets for the world to see. **


 * Meow purred my cat **
 * As I played in the snow **
 * He looked at me curiously then just sat, **
 * As snow continued to fall soft and snow. **


 * Knock knock, open up, **
 * Make me some hot cocoa **
 * Fill it to the rim of the cup **
 * My feet are so cold I can’t feel my toes **


 * Gurgle. The cocoa warms my throat, **
 * Steaming hot and sweet **
 * Tiny marshmallows afloat **
 * This just can’t be beat. **


 * Grunt as I spill my hot drink in my lap **
 * There go my favorite pair of jeans **
 * How will I tell my mom? Oh Crap! **
 * Chocolate stains are the worst and hardest to clean. **


 * Tweet tweet sing the birds, their songs **
 * Promises of flowers and belongings of spring, **
 * Winter will not last very long **
 * I want to see sunshine and everything it brings. **


 * This poem is about winter and how its fun at first but after awhile, you can’t wait until spring! My idea came from my first onomatopoeia word. When I heard clatter, I thought of cold so I started out my poem with winter. A few emotions that came from my head were laughter, memories, fun times, sad, and happy. **

** __Location Commotion; Dale Hollow Lake__ **

<span style="color: #ff9900; display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 18pt; text-align: center;">By: Mariah Cox

** Waking up at 7, just to make sure we catch the biggest fish. **
 * The boat roars through a glossy mirror. **
 * Stretched across the lake is a blanket of fog. **
 * Country music softly sings on the radio. **

** I soon grow bored, and 60˚ is too cold to swim. **
 * I set down my pole and take a seat. **
 * Wrapped in beach towels I calmly drift off. **
 * Soon enough, warm rays of sunshine awaken me. **

** Bumping and splashing as I try to maintain my inner tube. **
 * Passing by a beach filled with sandcastles of dreams. **
 * The lake is my kingdom and I’m its Cinderella. **
 * I close my eyes and breathe in the smell of summer. **

** A sentimental father-daughter moment as we pass the “spot” **
 * His eyes are fixed straight ahead, mine stare blankly at the cove in which my accident occurred. **
 * The set mood brings me back to summers spent on the lake. **
 * Summers that will hold their own special file in my heart forever. **


 * My inspiration for this poem is definitely family vacations to Dale Hollow Lake. As I think back to when I wrote this, I remember getting the assignment and wanting to write about my favorite place in the world. There is a specific line in the poem that I’ll elaborate on “A sentimental father-daughter moment as we pass the “spot” His eyes are fixed straight ahead, mine stare blankly at the cove in which my accident occurred.” When I was 10 I was in a life threatening inner tubing accident and I have not been to Dale Hollow since. This poem explains how it will be when I go back, although my dad won’t be with me. **

​ ​Dear Reader, The following 5 pieces are works that i have completed in other classes. the first is an essay that i wrote in my AP english class on the censorship of literature in schools,

Mariah Cox May 19, 2010 Censorship paper

“Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of people peaceably to assemble, and petition the government for a redress of grievances” This statement was written down by our founding fathers as the first amendment in the bill of rights. Time and time again, history, statistics, quotes, and even students prove that the censorship or the banning of literature in schools has a negative affect on America’s students rather than protecting them from controversial issues. Many argue that censorship is a good thing, as long as it is not taken too far. Clare Booth Luce once said “Censorship, like charity, should begin at home; but unlike charity, it should end there.” This rings true throughout classrooms all across America. So many children are denied the privilege to develop their own opinion on controversial issues because one parent of a student doesn’t agree with the topic. This parent may not agree with the changes that this controversial issue brings forth, yet without a wide variety of views, change cannot occur within a society. Secular as well as religious authorities have been banning books since people have been writing them. For example, the great philosopher Plato states that “Our first business will be to supervise the making of fables and legends; rejecting all of which are unsatisfactory.” Plato is correct in that as parents and authorities, it is dutiful to determine which type of literature or any other influences are detrimental to our own children. Whether or not a parent decides to let their child read controversial literature, is their decision, not another parent’s. Instead of fighting for the gain of unabridged knowledge, students will grow up accepting obstructions in life because somebody tells them to obey them. These students will grow up and most likely work with homosexuals, have a boss that’s a bully, or have a coworker who’s getting an abortion on her lunch break. These students won’t know how to work in this type of environment because they were never taught how to handle situations with controversial people. In 1982, the United States Supreme Court held the case of the Pico Decision. Board members of the Island Trees School District on Long Island, NY arranged to have books that were on an “objectionable” books list, removed from libraries without appointing a committee. The judge ruled that school officials may not remove books from libraries for the purpose of restricting access to the political ideas, or social perspectives discussed in the books. Judith F. Krug of the firstammendmentcenter.org states that “for every book that is recorded as banned, 4-5 are “quietly removed” from shelves, or go unreported.” In many elementary school libraries, Shel Silverstine’s “Where the Sidewalk Ends” has been removed from the shelves because many parents argue that it promotes “cannibalism” Many find this comical because there have been no records of children lashing out in cannibalistic actions after reading this juvenile poetry book. Most parents state that their children found these “controversial” poems innocent and hilarious. These parents also said that their children had no thoughts of eating other human beings and that the banning of the book is just an overreaction. In 1650, a religious pamphlet by William Pynchon was confiscated and burned in Massachusetts. This is considered to be the first book burning in America. Although there aren’t as many book burning ceremonies in America anymore, nevertheless whether you ban a book or burn it, you are still taking away the right to learn from an eager reader. Books provide education and a sense of reality on a wide variety of subjects and they give the opportunity to have an experience vicariously. The great Mark Twain once stated “Censorship is telling a man he cannot have a steak, just because a baby cannot chew it” Twain is correct in this statement because reality offers so many controversial issues, but we cannot hide them from our children forever. Just like a baby, you must start with small steps and smaller foods before they can handle steak. As do a child or pre teen who is beginning to understand and learn about controversial issues in society. You cannot harbor these issues from your children and then throw them into the real world after graduation and expect them to work with homosexuals, cheaters, and bullies. They won’t survive unless you start introducing these issues when their young in a way that isn’t promoting the controversial topic. Throughout society, there are many people who grew up in a home that hid them from the world. These children grew up to be the parents who hide their own children from controversial literature because they think that it will one day benefit their children. This is ironic because this child is really not benefitting at all. Instead of having an open mind about controversial issues, they go into high school with a narrow point of view, then they graduate college and are thrown into a workforce full of people who they were taught were “bad people” just because an authority figure told them so. The sad thing is, is that these children will grow up to teach their children the same ways. How is America supposed to come together as a family in the end when we cannot learn to accept people’s differences or have an open mind about controversial issues. Literature teaches us to have an open mind and slowly but surely, we are losing this literature that binds America together. A student’s outlook on a controversial topic becomes more narrow as they lose access to an insightful book. So instead of censoring and harboring America’s youth from controversial issues, we need to find a safe way to introduce them to reality without promoting it as something moral.

London Bridge Mariah Cox

Hand in hand, we walk down the street, gazing at the never-ending sunset that is stretched across the sky like a purple and pink ocean. Deep purple clouds fill the ocean like a school of fluffy fish. There’s no need for stars on a night this beautiful. The lights shining on the water create a mirror to prove to the second guessers that this night isn’t surreal. My sundress flows alongside the wind and with prince charming by my side, I feel like a princess. I look straight up and stare at the Victorian-like rooftop upon the castled structure bridge. Starlights replace the stars as they twinkle on the dock as merchant ships bring goods from afar. Something in the air is telling me that tonight is special. Maybe it’s the scent of too much perfume on the women who just passed, or it could be the smell of daisies as we pass a flower cart. But I’m convinced that its actually the scent of the child laughing as he feeds the birds, or the scent of the couple kissing on the bench. Maybe, just maybe, this unrecognizable scent is the scent of happiness and love that is evidently present on a night like tonight! As we approach the teal and yellow ice cream stand I order a strawberry ice-cream cone and smile as I savor in the poignant taste of freshly picked strawberries. Prince charming notices my sour face and laughs. We share the cone as we sit on the dock and gaze in awe like star-struck teenagers at the beauty that is radiating from the London Bridge.

For this poem, I was supposed to write a poem with a lot of imagery in it, and pick a national or international landmark to describe. My mind immediately went to the London Bridge. I picked the London Bridge because it is so gorgeous and lit with so many beautiful lights, when I think of the London Bridge, I think of something magical and I hope that my poem portrayed that!

Mariah Cox Observation Essay May 19, 2010 I will be observing girls throughout all of my classes on Wednesday may 12, 2010 and Thursday may 13, 2010. I will be observing to determine why girls play dumb, particularly around guys. I will be taking notes during lunch as well as all my other classes and at home with my sister. I will infer that two certain girls at lunch will make at least two comments that are considered “blonde” statements. These two girls are sisters and have two other sisters, so I think this is where they developed their “blonde momentitus” disease. I also have first and fifth period with a girl who is very intelligent, but the presence of boys dumbs her down. I will keep a close eye on her to determine where her “blonde momentitus” comes from. I predict that the girls who I observe will act natural around a group of girls, but the moment a man walks into the room, her IQ drops significantly. When I survey 20 guys, I predict that 90% or more will think that it is annoying when girls play dumb. I also think that more than 90% of girls will admit to playing dumb around guys when surveyed. I found that the two girls who I sit at lunch with made dumb comments just as I suspected, but I also found some other interesting facts. These two girls made an average of 3 dumb comments each per lunch. But when the only boy who sits at our table left to put up his tray, or buy a pop, no dumb comments were made. I also found that my sister would be very intelligent at home, but when we were out in public around the male species, or my brother had a friend over, dumbness surrounded her. After observing the girls at lunch, the girl in two of my classes, and my sister, I wondered why they think boys prefer girls who play dumb. I will discuss later that boys actually prefer the opposite. So why do girls “trip over” a desk or on the invisible crack in the pavement when a guy is present yet can walk completely fine when they’re by themselves? I also asked myself if it were a lack of self confidence, or a confidence booster for the guys that makes us act in such desperate ways? I only ended up surveying eight guys but all 8 of those guys think down upon girls who play dumb. Only two of those 8 think that playing dumb actually makes a girl look more cute, and the other 6 think that it just makes her more annoying. Four of those eight guys think that girls play dumb to get attention other reasons are for low self esteem, to look “good” ”impress” guys, and that they think its cute. My theory was that girls play dumb because they are trying to get attention from guys. Guys seem to think that my theory is correct, and the girls who I asked said that they play dumb so that guys feel “above” them. They elaborated and said that when they play dumb, the guy feels smarter and guys like when girls make them feel smart. I feel this is true, yet girls are going about it the wrong manner. My inferences and predictions were correct because I observed very intelligent girls who were completely normal until a boy came along. Like the girls at lunch who were making dumb comments when the boy we sat with was there, but when he walked away to do something, they made no dumb comments. These instances prove that my inferences and predictions were correct. I can conclude that girls play dumb for one of five reasons. These reasons include; getting extra attention from guys, making themselves look pure or innocent, to make a guy feel more smart, to appear more cute, or to force a guy to elaborate on what he is talking about. I also think that society portrays smart women as nerdy, ugly and dorky. This is why girls play dumb, because society portrays dumb girls as the pretty ones who get all of the guys.