The Rain Forest sonnet by Zack Palomo

The rain forest sonnet was one of the most bizarre things I have ever encountered. Also one of the most difficult. Usually when I write a poem, I don't rhyme the stanzas, and I never go by the 10 centimeter/iambic pentameter rules. But as I started my sonnet, I realized that writing poetry can be interesting and fun. Trying to fit abstract ideas into 10 syllables a line, and attempting to give it rhythm was a challenge for me. I let my imagination wander, not really caring whether my words made sense, just trying to establish visualization. Rhyming the words added to this paradox. I had to create stanzas about a wild forest, but rhyme words like cave and gave. Believe it or not, the 10 syllable thing came easier for me. But the weirdest was the iambic pentameter. It was just too difficult to make a sentence that had a unstressed-stressed pattern. All in all, however, the rain forest sonnet is an accomplishment that I can be proud of.

The Last Judgment Poem (From his viewpoint)

My painting is alive. 

Every figure,

whether it's a

demon

angel

or man

is moving.

The colors twist with the excitement of the moment,

creating darkness,

brightness

and something in between.

Look into eyes of my work,

and you will be pulled into chaos.

My intention of was not strike fear into the hearts of my audience,

but that is what I have done.

When evil characters are made, paintings become darker.

By making Charon and King Minos,

I've made more than just a drawing,

I've made a premonition of the end of the world.

The Last Judgment 

has

made

me 

UNTOUCHABLE

for better

or worse

The Last Judgment by Michelangelo

Michelangelo was born in Caprese, the Republic of Florence, in 1475, and was seen as one of the greatest artists of his time. He was an Italian sculptor, architect, painter, and poet. many people know him from the sculpture David and the masterpiece of the Sistine Chapel. Michelangelo was born at the end of the Renaissance, which was a prime time for art. Northern Italy had become the center of art and learning. 
23 years after he painted the miraculous ceiling, Michelangelo returned to the Sistine Chapel to paint, The Last Judgment. Even though this should have been easier to paint then the ceiling he painted before, it took him 6 years to complete The Last Judgment, while the Sistine Ceiling took him 4 years. He started the painting in 1535. It seemed like Michelangelo was working alone this time. "He worked slowly, still without help from his assistants. He survived a fall from his scaffolding to finish the wall in 1541" (Famous Artists: Michelangelo; page 27). This painting is describing the brutality of the end of the world, where souls would have to face a final judgment. 
Michelangelo put so much time and effort into this painting, showing details that would take days to discover. He created depths in The Last Judgment, showing the darkness of hell, the brightness of heaven, and the balance of the light on Earth. It is said that he made the painting so that people would go from the bottom left, and watch a short story that ended in the bottom right corner. Even though there are a lot of overwhelming images, it is clear that there are a few main ideas: The first shows Jesus in the middle of all the chaos, his hand raised as he sends the damned souls to hell. He is flanked by his mother, Mary. The second main image is Charon, the ferry man that deports the evil souls to the Underworld. The third image is very frightening and powerful. It shows King Minos, the King of Hell, surrounded by hungry looking demons. Many people were terrified of Michelangelo's interpretation of Judgment Day, so I think it is safe to say that people were intimidated by his work. 
Based on The Last Judgment, I can guess that Michelangelo was very religious, and he wanted to display his thoughts on Christianity. He made Jesus look very buff, showing that he has power and control. Strangely enough, he also made Minos buff, perhaps showing that he is evil and powerful. Maybe Michelangelo was trying to scare the world with this, or maybe his imagination was really warped. 
The reason I love The Last Judgment so much is because it is chaotic. Even creepy. A lot of artwork back in Michelangelo's time was peaceful, realistic. But Michelangelo brought a whole new meaning to art, showing of his brilliant mind, and fitting his opinions into his paintings and sculptures. The Last Judgment stands in the Vatican, still amazing people to this day.

Artemis Fowl: The Arctic Incident by Eion Colfer

The first time I encountered Artemis Fowl, I didn't understand a word of the language. I mostly skimmed through it because it was the summer reading assignment for 6th grade. I hated the book because of its big vocabulary, but even then I realized that the story itself had potential. So I put it on hold and forgot about it after awhile. Now that I'm in 8th grade, I decided to read the second book: Artemis Fowl: The Arctic Incident. It was one of the best books I have ever read. Eion Colfer introduces a character that has never been seen before. A criminal mastermind by the name of Artemis Fowl disappeared on a boat "accident". During his absence, his heir and son Artemis Fowl the Second steps in to save the illegal career of his father. This anti social boy is a genius, and more devious then anyone could ever imagine. He even has a super strong bodyguard named Butler, who is AWESOME. Even more interesting is when Colfer introduces the fairy world, where all of the mythological creatures are found underground. Artemis attempts to capture an elf named Holly Short to restore his grief stricken mother's sanity. He succeeds, creating even more dangerous enemies.
Since the story is told from two points of view, I really do not know who to root for. Artemis Fowl is the main  character, of course, but is he really the protagonist? It seems to me that the fairies should win, because they never did anything to harm Artemis. In the second book however, I have an easier time cheering for Artemis. He has changed with his coming of age, and has openly admitted his mistake to the fairy folk. In fact, I almost feel bad for Artemis. In this book all Artemis cares about is finding his dad, since he has discovered that he is alive and being held for ransom. The details in the book are incredible, even making me feel like I'm inside of the story. Both one and two will have the readers on the edge of their side, eyes glued to the page.

The Wrath of Darth Maul by Ryder Windham

I was very impressed by The Wrath of Darth Maul, especially because I really didn't expect it to be a great book. In case you didn't know already, Darth Maul is one of the evil characters of Star Wars that gets killed off way too quickly in Episode 1: The Phantom Menace. The author, Ryder Windham, shows the reader a side of Darth Maul that we never got to see before: the creation of Maul. The book starts off with his childhood, then goes on to show the many years of intense training with the dark Sith Lord, Darth Sidious. At some point, I start to feel bad for Maul, realizing that it wasn't his choice to be born into darkness. Maul was just an innocent, curious little boy that was taught to embrace his anger and use it to hunt down the weaker species. Windham does an excellent job of leading the story up to the point where the Phantom Menace begins. It's very interesting hearing about the events that took place from someone else's point of view, especially during the final battle. Towards the end, a hero known as Obi-Wan Kenobi slices Maul right through the middle, letting his remains fall into a huge pit. In the movie, you automatically assume that Maul died, but in the book, that's not what happens. The main character somehow survived the maim and the fall, but lost his memory during the recovery! Windham then takes some information from the TV series, Star Wars: The Clone Wars by bringing in a recently made character, Savage Opress. Opress comes looking for Maul, and takes him along in his ship. The story ends will Maul thinking about how he will destroy Obi-Wan. I loved this book! I think my favorite part was Darth Maul's character change, how he went from an open minded child to a ruthless, angry killer. This makes me think that behind every character, good or bad, there is always a story to how they got to their position now.

Mythology by Edith Hamilton

In case you didn't know a thing about the Greek, Roman, or Norse Gods, Mythology is definitely the book to read. It has everything you couldn't ever want to learn about, from Theseus and the Minotaur to Jason and the Golden Fleece. I really like how all of the stories are written in the form of poetry, and some of the phrases are riddles. For instance, I'm currently reading the adventure of the Golden Fleece, and the language is very hard to understand. But I realize that when you really listen to the words, they are really descriptive and beautiful.
Another observation has to do with character. I realized that all of the characters are the same-strong and heroic. Hercules and Achilles might as well be the same people. But Jason is different. Jason is a quiet, humble person, that accepted a quest because he needed the support of his future kingdom. Jason is not big and strong, nor is he invulnerable. He is a mortal that has been forced into a perilous journey. I rooted for Jason, because he was a good friend. He would risk his life for the other people on the quest, even though he had a throne waiting for him.  For many reasons, I would like to be like Jason. He is brave and thoughtful, and a kind person as well. My next fiction story will be on a character like this.

The Son of Neptune by Rick Riordan

In The Son of Neptune, a character we have known for so long (Percy Jackson), has lost in memory and is thrust into danger immediately. He meets new friends along the way and discovers the real meaning to being a hero. Percy and I are alike in many ways, because we both have the same personalities, and we both handle difficult situations the same way.
A lot of people have a hard time taking Percy seriously, because he seems to be goofy kid. He has a nag for making jokes on very sensitive topics, and can sometimes say very dumb things. This causes his friends to underestimate him. "Hazel made a mental note not to underestimate Percy again. When he'd first arrived, she'd thought he was a little goofy from the questions he'd asked-about the Feast of Tuna and all-but clearly he was smarter than he let on"(99). A lot of people feel the same way about me. I like to have a sense of humor during dark moments and can sometimes say ridiculous things. But most of the time, I can be very intelligent and thoughtful.
I have a very hard time making important choices. Especially when a lot of people are depending on me, and my choice will affect all of them. Percy has the same problem, but the difference between us is that Percy seems to know what he wants, and what he doesn't want. During Percy's brief time in Camp Jupiter, demigods all around have seen what powerful and effective leader he is. This causes their leader Reyna to ask Percy to share her power. Percy is nervous, confused, and afraid of making the wrong decision. He says no to her offer, which is very surprising. Of course, I have never been offered something as huge as this, but I think Percy was thinking the same thing I was: I don't want that kind of responsibility, and I don't want to have to take the blame if something goes wrong.
Percy Jackson might the Son of Poseidon, but he can also be just like any normal teenager. By making Percy like this, I can connect to the book easier. Percy Jackson and I are alike in many ways, not because of what he is, but who he is. And isn't that what defines us? Not what we are, but who we are.