Matty - I Will Defend

I Will Defend:I, no WE, will defend you, my fair city! With my, no OUR
words that I hear are stronger than swords
O you may think you stand so tall, with your towers and boats and floats
gleaming in the heat when good times roll
Or you may doubt our faith in you when you feel as though you are
drowning, when you're stuck in that sedimentary muck But how could you?
Don't you know that you're loved? And adored? And written and sung
about? Don't you know we shout for you? That we bite and kick and bring
out wittiest retorts to protect you? Don't you remember when we marched
and rallied and got together, just to make sure you were noticed?

Even thousands of years from now, when all the stars are burning up and
every other city is crumbling, we'll still be here. Still be defending.
Never letting go.


Matty, age 16

Elizabeth - I Will Defend

I will defend!
I will stand up for the gleeks, the nerds, the hipsters, and the rahtards
I will love all
I will defend the floral wearing tree huggers, the flower children, and the lilies of the Nile
I will defend the people who are made fun of for liking cats
I will defend!
I will hug the sad, the lonely, and the huggable
I will stand up for the fallen
I will defend!

Elizabeth, age 16

Sarah - I Will Defend

I will defend the Who Dat Nation.
The Who's and the Dat's,
The Yat's and the past.


I will defend the city that never gave up
And now the city that never stops
I will defend the famous Galatoires on Bourbon Street to the potholes
that fill the city


I will defend New Orleanians
And I WILL defend New Orleans


Sarah, age 16

Katie - I Will Defend

I will defend…

My happiness from watching major league baseball

My constant fear of loosing memories

My obnoxious and big family

My annoying loud voice

My country accent

My bad driving

My big hair

My Saints

My God

My talents

My obsessions

My love for carbs

My friend’s actions

My overuse of paper

My school and its beauty

My hour long daily commute

My naming of electronic devices

My mainstream and obnoxious music

My singing of Christmas songs in October

My actions and never trying to do things half hearted

I will defend me…

Katie, age 16

Ashley - Pride

New Orleans is back.

We finally recovered from Katrina,

and the Saints proved that.

Where else do you get a week off school or work every year for Mardi Gras?

Where else do you eat beignets for breakfast, po-boys for lunch, and gumbo for dinner on a
regular basis?

Where else is there a city-wide parade after a Superbowl win?

Where else do nuns, priests, and even the Archbishop attend football games every Sunday?

Where else can you sit on your front porch and know just about everyone who walks by?

Where else does an entire city come together like a family?

New Orleans is unique, and we take pride in that.

Ashley, age 17

Molly - I Will Defend

I Will Defend...

Him. The one with no filter

Her. The one with no friends

Him. The one who’s intelligent

Her. The one with confidence

Him. The one who doesn’t care

Her. The one who is misunderstood

Him. The one who is gossiped about

You. The one who has helped me become this way

Molly, age 15

Liza - I Will Defend

I will defend You

You with your tattoos

Tattoos of Blues and Jazz

Tattoos of your Krew

Muse on with your Magazine

Magazines of people like you

People not like you eating

Eating your fondue

Fondue of the not so fond

I will defend You

You when you need not defending

You that they call New

Liza, age 16

Anonymous - I Will Defend

To shelter, cherish, and preserve

To defend

To sustain, care, and deserve

To defend

New Orleans: home, community, love

Anonymous, age 17

Ciara - I Will Defend

I will defend the New Orleans Saints

I will defend them till the end

I will defend them through good and bad

I will defend them through happy and sad

I will defend them all the way through our super bowl victories

Ciara, age 16 

Grace - I Will Defend

I will defend….

The culture of New Orleans

Not only the unique society that takes over this city, but the food that flavors it

Spicy foods such as jambalaya and crawfish to sweet delicacies such as beignets and pralines

All create a great mix to unite our city

However, I support those who savor these foods

Those who eat these distinctive meals without hesitation and on a regular basis

I defend those who in reality love eating these authentic foods. 

Grace, age 16 

Holly - I Will Defend

I will defend

all Who are in need

all who are mIstreated

i wiLl defend

alL who are alone

all who are Defeated

i will dEfend

all who are Forgotten

all who are not beliEved in

i will defeNd my city

I will Defend ALL

Holly, age 16

Ashley - Pride

Pride should not be used to boast. Pride should not be turned into conceit. Vain people turn the positive
aspects of pride into arrogant words. Pride is not the person who refuses to admit that he is wrong,
but the person who stands up for what is right. Pride is the person who says “I will defend my beliefs”
despite what others think. Those people are the ones society should be proud of.

Ashley, age 16

Anonymous - I Will Defend

who am i. to defend You.
I am made of the same stuff that stuffs footballs,
that stuffs turkeys. that stuff stomachs. that stuffs stockings. that stuffs superdomes.
that stuff stars.
put together by luck. or God. or biology.
but down here on this sphere, in this state that looks like a boot, cradled in a contaminated river
it is hard to defend the stuff i love from other stuff hurdling its way.
that is the position of champions in jerseys who protect the yard of grass at the end of the field
our yard of grass.
me. i cannot push ‘em back.
not giants. not bears. not dirty birds.
not hurricanes.
but I will defend Fat Tuesdays. Neutral Grounds. Street Cars. Low elevations. Snow balls.
because tradition does not disappear with erosion
of the ephemeral land.

anonymous, age 16

Maeve - I Will Defend

I will defend
the life that I have made for myself,
the walls that I have built,
and the food that I have brought for my brothers and sisters.
I have put too much work into my home for someone to take it away from me.

The rage that I feel is more rational than most would think,
but many think that I am
a killer,
a monster,
a pest.
And rightly so because
you have just stumbled upon our nest, and
have put our patience to the test.

KILLER BEES UNITE!

Maeve, age 16

Ruthie - I Will Defend

I will defend

you and your

weird purple hair

and old book smell.

Your taste for po-boys,

the way you jump from one

holiday to the next, because you

know the best way to move on is to

party on, cause that's how we live so

I will defend your face paint and loud music,

your ostentatious jewelry and the sweat that 

drips from your chin. I will defend the way you 

shake the dome every Sunday, priests speeding

up mass just to get to the game. I will defend, I will

listen to your streetcar groans and count your oak trees

as I pass, turning yellow in the summer sun, I will defend.

Ruthie, age 16

Torre - I Will Defend

I will defend,

Defend New Orleans,

I will support my city

With my pride embedded in this state,

When those tourists question our ways,

I will always say

You wouldn’t understand, it’s a New Orleans thing.

When those critics question

And say why where y’at?

I will always say

You wouldn’t understand, it’s a Yat thing.

When those visitors question

And say do you really bleed black and gold?

I will always say

You wouldn’t understand, it’s a Who Dat thing.

When those outsiders question

And say what’s the fun in catching beads all night long?

I will always say

You wouldn’t understand, it’s a purple, green, and gold thing.

I will protect my city, my Who Dat nation

From the fly to the cracked, uneven streets that make driving an everyday adventure

I will defend, 

Defend New Orleans.

Torre, age 16

Lucy - I Will Defend

I will defend New Orleans,

And all that it stands for.

I will defend my hometown,

Not because its my hometown,

Rather because its much more--

Its a place where culture and beliefs mix

To create something beautiful.

I am proud to say I am from New Orleans.

I am proud to call myself a New Orleanian,

Therefore,

I will defend New Orleans and all of its glory,

I will defend New Orleans with pride

And dignity

And stand up for the bizarre events New Orleans presents us,

I simply love New Orleans,

And therefore,

I will defend it.

Lucy, age 16

Megan - Pride

Pride is unfair.

Pride in yourself for what you did well,

But what if you did wrong?

Is Pride fair?

It depends on someone else’s approval

I love it

But cannot seem to get it right

I defend the right to be wrong

The right to be different

The right to question and the right to be questioned

Is it wrong to think this is strange?

Is it all overrated?

Who knows

It makes my head spin

Back and forth, why fight the man?

Does anyone understand?

Am I being dramatic?

Sympathy doesn’t exist.

Megan, age 16

Courtney - Pride

pride, i will defend.
two simple words
with one strong
relationship
both have the city
in common
people who defend
this city
whether it be football
or fema
have it
within them



Courtney, age 16

Megann - I Will Defend...

I will defend my city, 
the lights on the lake, the beads in the trees,
the shoes on the power lines
I will defend

I will defend the crumbling tombstones,
the rusted gates, the swaying oaks,
the blood in the street, 
I will defend 

I will defend the cobblestone streets, 
the plastic cups of Bourbon, the broken signs,
the waterlines,
I will defend

I will defend the cracks of the Causeway,
the brown, brown river, the oil-slick birds
the magnolia breeze,
I will defend

Megann, age 16

Brittany - I Will Defend

New Orleans Saints Super bowl Champs 2010

Who Dat say they gonna beat them saints?

No one! No one!

I will defend this city

I will defend this title

I will defend this community

WE have pride

WE have an obsession

WE bleed black and gold

WE are supporters and defenders of the New Orleans Saints

Who will reign as champions?

Brittany, age 16

Catie - I Will Defend

Cardinals

The phrase “I will defend” or the theme of the volleyball team, “I will protect this house”

Not only a theme, yet a phrase that is backed up with such passion

Honoring your school and teammates in the way you play the game

Helping one another out every chance you get

You are a team

Uniforms are only a part of what unite you

Fans

Red shirts

Red socks

The intense faces of the players

Hands flying everywhere

The look of exhilaration and stimulation after scoring a point

Anticipation for the ball to come back over

Creeping up on the other team point by point until reaching victory or defeat

The feeling of knowing you gave it your all and left it all on the court

Content; you did your job and defended your school’s pride.

 Catie, age 15

Brittany - Pride

Shark Pride
Do not abide
Or confide
Push the cleaner fish aside
Do not pay the helper any mind
You have your pride
Glide through the sea with closed eyes
Stay inside and hide

Brittany, age 15

Anonymous - Pride

Pride in Our City—

Jazz Fest

Mardi Gras

Voodoo Fest

Culture

Food

But the greatest of all, Black and Gold + Superdome.

No one will understand the thrill and rush that a New Orleanian gets when the Saints win. Although they can be viewed as just a team, they are a symbol of pride for each individual.

We take pride in our city, but what would pride be for New Orleans without the Saints? 

Anonymous, age 15

Anna - I Will Defend

I will defend the things I believe,

That is the only way people will achieve

The goals we place, and attempt to make,

Trying to overcome the challenges we take.

Force yourself to believe and defend,

Who knows? You might start a new trend.

Helping others to defend what is right,

Don’t go down without a fight.

You will defend.

You will defend your ideas and beliefs,

Standing strong against your own motifs.

We will all defend the actions we make,

Even if they are big mistakes.

Defend your actions, defend your talk,

To which people disagree you should never balk.

I will defend.

Anna Marie, age 16

Francie - I Will Defend...

I will defend
those who cannot defend themselves,
I will defend
what I think is right. 
I will defend 
those who defend themselves. 
I will defend 
those who are trying to make a change. 



Francie, age 16

Chelsea - I Will Defend...

I will defend New Orleans

New Orleans I will defend

I will defend my self

Self I will defend

The Saints defend New Orleans

New Orleans defends the saints

I will defend

Defend I will

Chelsea, age 15

Leira - Pride

A Lioness’s Pride

Pride

A Lion Pride

Pride Rock

Like Lion King 3D

My 17th Birthday Gift

Special Day to Me

Like my Name Meaning

Special Name to Me

Lioness of God

So speaks Sylvia Plath

Or Lion if I were Male

But I am not Male

I am a Female

A Lioness

With a Lion’s Pride

A Female Pride

An Older Pride

My Pride in Me

I am the Lioness

This is my Pride


Leira, age 17

Anonymous - Anticipation

Dreaming, losing sleep
Anticipating something magical,
A night with dancing
And my prince charming—
My first and only prince charming,
My first and last night to fall in love
And become popular.

It felt like an eternity
Before this magical night arrived;
My anticipation growing
My heart pounding,
And my stomach growling.
Staring at my dress in the mirror
Feeling somewhat like a princess;
Shaking from nerves,
And my first two-inch heels,
Or…
Possibly from the thought of meeting the opposite species.

Arriving awkwardly early,
I nearly fainted
Walking into the party.
I saw it.
A boy.

Anonymous, age 16

Elizabeth - Anticipation

Waiting for the day to come
Soon it will be Friday
Anticipation

The day draws nearer
Nervous chatter among the high school
Brings around rivalries
Anticipation

Who will win?
Best dance?
Most spirited?
Dodge ball champion?
Best costume?
Greatest cheers?
Anticipation

Intense, suspenseful and FUN
Making posters
and costume skirts Friday morning
Anticipation

Today is the day
It has finally arrived
Anticipation

Learned the dance? Check.
Made posters? Check.
Completed the costumes? Check.
Anticipation

Finally the competition begins.
The dances are finished, dodge ball has been played
Which grade will come in first?
Anticipation

The judges deliberate
The winner is announced
And it is……

Elizabeth, age 16