The Future of Our Nation is in Good Hands

Reading our young peoples published work lets us know that the future of this nation is in good hands. Doug Marx, a poet and a reviewer for The Willamette Week, Portland, Oregon, shared his views about student writers and artists and their published work in a book review titled Treasure Trove about Treasures 2: Stories & Art by Students in Oregon. Hes convinced that our young people and the best of their work can benefit us all.

Excerpt from Treasure Trove

A couple of years ago I had the pleasure of reading and reviewing Treasures, a collection of stories and art by Oregon students of all ages gathered by Chris Weber, a Portland Public School teacher and the books guiding light. Had someone asked me then whether future editions could improve, I would have replied, A little, but not muchso strong was that first volume. So here I sit with a copy of Treasures 2, eating my words.

These examples of clear thinking, passion and insight ought to make Secretary of Education William Bennett and Allan Bloom, author of The Closing of the American Mind (a close-minded book if there ever was one) choke on their words, at least their demagogic, sweeping condemnation of public education. Treasures 2 is all those things blurb writers say but seldom meanthis time its real. Its literate, genuine, intelligent, heartfelt and in too many terrible ways wise beyond its years. If I had the money, Id buy a page of this newspaper and demand fine print, letting as much of the work as possible speak for itself. These kids are aware of their world.

Whether dealing with the death of a loved one, the Vietnam Memorial, family pets or a favorite hiding place, their thoughts are expressed with imaginative realism and sentiment, rather than cliched sentimentality. The quality is evenly first-rate from story to woodblock cut, from poem to watercolor, from writer to artistof whom there are more than 100 showcased throughout the 256 pagesthat the whole becomes unexcerptable.

Only a cynic could not like this book. Buy it, read and look at it, go over it slowly from cover to cover. Let yourself see the world through these youthful but not entirely innocent eyes. The contributors range from 6 to 19 and come from all over the state.

The section called Newcomers, principally a reflection of the Asian community, is exquisite. If you can read the words and marvel at the artwork in that section and say you havent been moved emotionally, intellectually and aesthetically, Ill refund the money (if I have the money).

Nicole Speulda, a high school student who had a poem published in Treasures 3: Stories & Art by Students in Japan & Oregon, tells what it was like hearing from others who had read about her and her writing.

After my poem was published in Treasures 3, it appeared in several newspapers. I received letters from people that I have never even met before. Its been pretty exciting to learn what people think about the stories and works that are in the book. One lady thanked us for restoring her faith in the youth of today. I feel really glad that I could be a part of Treasures 3 because it highlights the positive things that the youth of today in both the United States and in Japan have to offer.

My poem entitled Our Song is about my grandmother and her nickname is Nana because she doesnt like the word grandmother. She thinks it makes her sound too old. I chose to write about her because I wrote it when I was fourteen and I was trying to deal with myself growing older and she also was starting to age. This is what I had to say:

Our Song

Nana sat upon the piano bench,
Vibrant eyes fixed upon the page.
Her smooth hands glided over the keys,
Blending together a melody,
So sweet and gentle to my ears.
She played it to me almost every day,
And it became our song.
Now she is stricken with age,
And her gnarled hands are slightly palsied.
Her tired grey eyes search for the notes,
But alas it is to no avail,
As she begins to sob quietly.
I slide next to her on the bench,
And play the melody that will always be
Our song.

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