The Outer Banks newspaper, The Coastland Times, featured two Columbia Early College High School poets, Aiden Bryant and Saige Roughton, in the Christmas Greetings Dec. 21, 2022 edition.
The pieces are called "Christmas," by Mr. Bryant and "A Christmas Tale," by Ms. Roughton.
Aiden's love for poetry began in middle school. In high school, he has earned "A" level work in his college course Eng 111 and in his English high school classes more generally. An Upward Bound instructor from a neighboring school district has even found a place for Aiden’s work in his curriculum.
Saige's Christmas poem was read at the December meeting of the TCS Board of Education. Since then, her poem has been accepted for national publication and is forthcoming in an anthology. Both students have previously published poems in the CHS yearbook.
We at TCS are honored to call these creative and talented individuals our students, and look forward to fostering their creative efforts in the future. In addition, we encourage all parents to help advance their child’s artistic instincts, as studies suggest artistic expression can benefit a student’s focus, curiosity, and rigor.
Below are the two works for your perusal.
A Christmas Tale
by Saige Roughton
You know the feelings you get on that Christmas morning
“Wake them up; it’s time to get up,”
We shake mom and dad, hearing them moan and groan
“Go back to bed,” mom always says.
“But it’s Christmas mom; it’s time to open presents,”
As a child the feeling of Christmas morning is like no other I shall say
But you also have to remember it’s the start of new beginnings
The past is about to be the past and new tidings begin.
It’s like walking to a Christmas tree farm to pick out the perfect one.
All the Noble Fir trees surround you like a tidal wave.
The frosty tips of the trees make them look a little more glassy and full
To coming home to a warm lit candle that smells like gingerbread
Rising in the oven sweet but tart at the same time like the newborn child.
But we all know the true meaning of Christmas.
The Christ the Lord will always be with us in our hearts:
Yet as a child it’s all about the happiness you get when you wake up that morning,
Let this be one thing you know: Christmas can be whatever you want it to be
Let your imagination thrive when it comes to this lovely December month.
New beginnings will happen and it will be a new start for the future and an ending to
the past
Happy Holidays!
Christmas
By Aiden Bryant
When the days are short and the nights are long,
The cold temperatures are back at home,
Wrapping their arms around you after their usual departure
Along with the flat, gray shelf clouds that indicate possible snow.
Happiness ensues and is shown.
Our families get together and bond
The aroma of food being the star of the show
While Christmas trees seem to be grown in a day’s time,
Fruitful of ornaments and decorations.
And the kids are eager to open gifts they do not know.