Break Free - Original Poem

Life is no simple matter
Once the drama is unleashed.
There is no easy escape,
Once the drama is set down.

Yet, there is always hope,
A ray of sunlight on the horizon.

Walk towards that horizon,
And you will surely see,
There is hope in this life still,
If simply you break free.

~Alyssa Hellenbrand~

Life - Original Poem

Life is a tangled web,
Ever-changing under the moon's glow,
Relentless as the sunbeams surround it.

Nothing stays the same for long,
This is not necessarily a negative thing,
Though some may view it as such.

Life brings new challenges our way,
Events to better us and help us learn,
Even when learning is painful.

Embrace the variations in earth's ways,
Let your mind be at peace with what has been done,
Set your heart on a bright star ahead.

Just don't fall apart when you learn,
A star we see is a star that has died,
Yet the beauty is there.

One negative leads to years of a positive,
In regards to the dead star in your life,
But don't forget that learning is key.

Smile through the pain,
Find humor through the sorrows,
Respect all that becomes your

Life.

~Alyssa Hellenbrand~

While I am trying to create...

Here are my five favorite poems I have ever posted on this blog. I will attach links that will lead you to my poems. These links never leave my blog, so don't worry about being misdirected or anything. I hope you will enjoy, and I would love to hear any thoughts (positive or negative) about my writing.

#1
I Build Up Another Wall - Original Poem

#2
Differences - Original Poem

#3
Perfection Disease - Original Poem

#4
A Foot to Stop the Door - Original Poem

#5
My Heart's Walls (First Love) - Original Poem

Sorry for the Wait

It has been quite a while since I have created any new work, and most of my recent attempts have not really been successful. I give my readers a solemn swear that by October 6th of this year I will have at least one deep poem or short story posted on here. It will be new, it will be about my life currently, and it will hopefully rock your socks off. Excuse the silly reference, that is my current awkward state of mind.
I look forward to seeing all of you soon!

My Personal Night's Quote

"One would always seem to question the ways of the world; the questioning could only be ceased by the acceptance of one’s own personalized fate." - Alyssa Hellenbrand

What is an Opinion? - Original Writing

An opinion is a curious thing. When one asks for your opinion, there may be more than just one simple answer floating around in the jumble of the mind. Yet there is only one to say; it is expected of you. So, with that said, when the opinion is actually blurted out...whose opinion is it? Society has created our opinions, formed us into its game of confusion and lies. Deception is all around us; very rarely is the truth spotted. The opinion is compromised of how, when, and where we were raised. An opinion from the Middle East is likely different from an opinion in the States. The issue of what an opinion really is, well, it’s no simple answer. Nor is an opinion ever really a simple answer. Next time your opinion is asked, take a moment to really ponder the situation at hand. See if, just maybe, you can figure out what your real opinion is meant to be.

~Alyssa Hellenbrand~

The One Known As "Me" - Original Poem

What’s really me?

People around me seem to have a grasp

At who they really are on the inside.

Yet, when I try to imagine who I am...

I am lost.

There is no “me”

In the kind of way others can find themselves.

Is it because I have forgotten who I am?

Lost within all of the walls I have built up

To protect myself from the reality?

Or, did I in fact...

Never really know what makes me...

Me?

~Alyssa Hellenbrand~

The Three Hearts - Original Poem

Walls around my heart.

Cheesy? Perhaps.

True? Completely.

My walls have built up,

Numerous pains have created them

And formed them into the

Imposing castle

They have become.

Monstrous walls,

Tall, mean towers,

Guards patrolling the perimeter.

My walls were not about to come down.

Every wall was surrounded by

A seemingly endless moat

Of lost emotions and tears.

Pathetic? Sometimes.

Annoying? Always.

Only three hearts have ever been inside

Of the castle that hides who I am.

Others have breached the gates,

But never really been inside.

One:

A friendship that has gone through

Endless tests

Over the years.

Yet we found our way back

To the genuine hearts

Of each other.

Two:

A friendship,

Not yet weathered or old.

Yet, stronger than many

That survived the moats.

And came to my castle,

Despite the storms.

Three:

A heart that is unlike any other

That has been presented to my walls.

Times have been kind to us,

But that heart has major damage

That helps my heart trust it.

Our hearts understand each other,

We are better through the pain,

Wiser.

Kinder.

My walls do not easily get breached,

But my third brave heart visitor...

That heart was not afraid to show

Every part it had to show

At the time.

Once my guards saw that kindness,

They grew weak and sappy.

Turned a silent cheek, 

If you may.

Once inside,

That heart dug deep,

But never pressured it’s way inside.

Just waited, 

Expressed,

And grew a trust within me...

In a way no one ever has before.

~Alyssa Hellenbrand~

Keys of Love - Original Poem

Every heart has the protection of walls,
Some have strong walls made of brick,
Other walls are more similar to those that are wooden,
And some have been far too trusting and are practically straw.

My walls are commonly brick,
Never trusting until they have seen proof
That trust would be a wise decision.

Recently, my walls have been exposed
To the walls of another heart.
This heart has even stronger walls,
Not as easily worked around.

This heart belongs to someone my heart
Has taken a strong fondness towards,
Actually, the proper terminology would be more...
Love.

My heart has allowed for doors to be created,
Allowing passage through my walls,
Just so long as the one wishing for passage
Has been granted the keys of trust.

This other heart has the keys in its core,
Now my heart is trying to sooth the pain
That my love has built its walls around.

I plan to find the doors within those walls,
Then my goal is to unlock those doors
With keys only granted through complete trust.
The keys of love.

~Alyssa Hellenbrand~

So Much More Than Just a Morning - Original Poem

The shimmer of the sun,
Tickling the crest of the Earth with
Rays of shining gold.

They slowly rise above the valley,
Perfectly located between
Two majestic hills
Made of the greenest shrubbery.

The sky changes colors,
Awakening pastel colors
That sneak around the puffy clouds.

This awakening in nature
Is referred to as another simple
"Morning"

But it is so much more than just a morning,
It is the warming of the ground beneath our feet,
The welcome of animals stirring from their nests.

The awakening of the sun
Gets people on their feet,
Animals awake for a new day.

The rays whisper to the Earth,
Grass grows a tad longer,
Trees reach up a smidgen higher.

And hearts open with the awakening of the sun.
New life is created with the shimmer of a new day,
Other hearts are forced to cease.

Yet, the next shimmer still comes,
The sun still arises above that valley,
Pastel colors still flow through the clouds,
And another "Morning" still occurs.

Each "Morning" is a new start,
Treat it as such.

Welcome change,
But never forget to appreciate the light
That allows the next step.

~Alyssa Hellenbrand~

A New Slot - Original Poem

Every heart starts out with perfection.
Upon birth, two slots open in the heart.
These let to be filled with love from the child's parents.
As life continues,
As burdens bear down,
Some slots are filled in with nothing but memories,
Others with hearts made of lies.
Yet, there are constantly new slots
Being created out of hope, lust, and becoming
A potential shot at
Love.

Once love is achieved,
That new slot doesn't have to feel quite so
Lonely anymore;
Like the past had learned to accept it to feel.
The new slot is filled with another slot
Of the heart that learned to love
Every quirk...
Perfection,
And every last smile
That makes that other heart worth the while.

A new slot just opened
In the center of my heart.
It is located near an old slot,
Filled with distrust and sorrow.
Yet this slot has such a new,
Warm,
Trust-worthy appearance to it.

Now it is time to see if my new slot
Will match the slot
That has been newly formed
In another's heart.

~Alyssa Hellenbrand~

I'm Finally Happy - Original Poem/Song

Someday I'll be where I am meant to be.
With time, there must be a plan.
Even though the times are rough,
It's never going to be okay

To give up,
To hold out,
To not let myself be seen

To just smile,
Take his hand,
And know I'm finally happy.

I'm finally happy.

With time, I will smile.
I will never re-think the past.
And thanks to you,
I no longer feel like crying.

To be me,
To go hiking,
To not hold out the truth.

To just smile,
Take his hand,
And know I'm finally happy.

I'm finally happy.

Nothing can destroy this,
Unless we both decide.
Hopefully we'll work out,
And my pains will subside.

To be free,
To be myself,
To no longer hold the burden.

To just smile,
Take his hand,
And know I'm finally happy.

Yes.
I'm finally happy.

~Alyssa Hellenbrand~

A Foot to Stop the Door - Original Poem

A door creaked open;
Thin rays of sunlight snuck in.
My heart is safe again;
The walls around it are re-built.

Now I am able to sit,
Happy with where I am again.
Today I am able to smile,
Thrilled to have learned so much.

Yes the first heartbreak
Is a shattering event to suffer.
Yet it is also enlightening,
No other event wakes you up quite so.

With the goodbye of yesterday,
A door closed behind the memories.
Yet with the promise of new,
Someone had their foot there to stop the door.

With one goodbye,
There is room for a new, "Hello."
With the pain I felt,
There was strength gained.

Today is a new day,
Yesterday is forever gone.
It's time for a new heart
To open up that door and walk on in.

It is the time for trust,
A time to let someone new in this room.
My heart is still protected
By the strong walls surrounding.

Yet,
Tonight...
Those walls are willing to believe again.

~Alyssa Hellenbrand~

Creating Something from Very Little - Original Poem

Words create feelings,
Feelings create how we present ourselves.
Once we are presenting,
People get impressions of who we are inside.
With those impressions,
Friends can be made in even the unlikely places.
Upon gaining new friendships,
Relations may grow and people learn to smile.
Sure,
Plans can get changed from our intentions,
Yet sometimes our minds
Weren't yet aware of what we still had to offer.

Here's to the future,Here's to many smiles to come!

~Alyssa Hellenbrand~

My Heart's Walls (First Love) - Original Poem

Brick by brick, a wall was made.
Then, fist by fist, my wall was compromised.
That first time love is found in another person's eyes,
One little look, and everything changes around you.

My walls were left alone while love kept me open,
Those warm eyes made me trust that I would be safe,
Wisely chosen words were there to enforce my love,
But it all turned out to be a scheme of lies and pain.

The love of my life was a joke, a liar, and a cheater.
No matter how much I should hate the actions,
No matter how much I do, there is still endless love.
The person who makes you fall in love the first time...

Your walls both learn to trust, and how to grow strong.
With heartbreak comes a lesson to be learned,
And those who are wise will heed that warning,
Take it in, and change themselves for their protection.

Once the love I felt was destroyed, my walls exploded.
It was like an atomic bomb was set off inside my heart.
Nothing seemed safe, real, or potentially safe.
It took time to fix all of the damage love can leave.

Now, as I sit here and still wonder what happened,
Why it simply meant more to me than it did to my love,
My little warriors inside my heart are venturing out,
Braving the damage that the end left.

The warriors clean the rubble, they prepare me for new,
My heart is polished up, and my walls start to grow.
The warriors make them stronger, set firmer rules.
Now my walls are twice as high, even more so thick.

I have done it now, I should be safe once more.
It will be more difficult for the next love to enter me.
The trust will not come quite as easily as before.
No one trusts the same after a first love.

No one ever feels the same after a first heart break.
Never again do you get to feel so utterly safe.
But, if wise, you can feel impossibly strong.
With the damage all cleaned up...

I have finished re-building my walls.
I have become better.
I am now stronger.
I am now me in an even better way!

~Alyssa Hellenbrand~

My Path - Original Poem

A skip down the road,
Strolls through the park,
Frolicking across the meadow.

No matter how I think of my path,
It is no different with variances in
My verbs, nor with my changing nouns.

With every passing day,
Another challenge will come my way.
Some will be easily passed through,
Others will meander deeper into my life.

This does not matter, though.
People can have thoughts against me,
My mind can disapprove of my every turn,
Yet, if my heart is true -

Nothing will take me from this path.

Stay true to your heart,
Enjoy the path with whichever verb
Will get you moving the best.

Be happy with your life,
Find a noun to keep you satisfied;
For life is never easy.

My path seems clear for now,
Let us see what tomorrow will bring,
Shoving obstacles in my way.

I will grow strong,
I will grow happily,
I will grow with my heart being content.

~Alyssa Hellenbrand~

Deep Breaths - When to Stop a Heart (My Original Research Paper)

To live or not to live - that should be a decision no one can make for anyone else. Death should not be in the hands of anyone but the person whose life is in question. When a life no longer has happiness, desire, or motivation; that is when life’s purpose can be in question. Yet, until the full quality of life is practically taken from someone’s grasp, life should be sustained. Euthanasia is possible in animals; euthanizing a human, however, is unthinkable. There are five different ways to classify euthanasia methods: voluntary, non-voluntary, involuntary, active, and passive. Each method has pros and cons, but which is the best? How should euthanasia be performed? Why is euthanasia not a possibility for humans to end their unnecessary suffering, save on medical bill costs, and why did a friend of mine have to see her grandfather suffer when he just wanted to move on?

Euthanasia is when someone is put out of their pain, are no longer forced to suffer, and they are able to be put to rest with the help of a deadly medication. The Greek translation of euthanasia means, “a good death,” does that really sound so bad (Math & Chaturvedi)? Euthanasia should be available to people who are past their breaking point and there is no longer a hope for surviving, no will to keep breathing, and the heart is failing to satisfy their feeling of truly being alive. Animals are able to be euthanized once their owners decide they no longer have a good quality to their life. Yet, euthanasia for humans is a serious concern worldwide in society due to the fact that it can be considered murder. If used inappropriately, yes, euthanasia can be a needless murder of someone who still had a chance.

However, euthanasia can also save the person who is already dying from endless heaps of pain and prevent the ones who love that person from watching needless pain and suffering. It has been stated that, “every person that really suffers unbearably should have the right to end his life” (Kouwenhoven, Raijmakers, Van Delden, Rietjens, Schermer, Van Thiel, & ... Van Der Heide, 2013). “When death is caused upon the request of the suffering person,” this is known as voluntary euthanasia (Diaconescu, 2012). If the person dying can still communicate, then it is their decision to make, but if they are unable to interact and get any kind of message across, their dearest loved ones should be able to decide the path to go down. Then there is non-voluntary euthanasia, “When one ends the life of a person who cannot choose by himself between living and dying” (Diaconescu, 2012). Involuntary euthanasia is the unfortunate method: “When euthanasia is performed on a person who is able to provide informed consent, but does not, because he was not asked” (Diaconescu, 2012). Even though there are people out there that are okay with ending someone’s life without their permission, euthanasia can be used in a pure-hearted way to help others die happily.

Then there is active euthanasia, which is when a “lethal injection” causes the person to take their last deep breath, and their heart stops beating (Diaconescu, 2012). This method allows people to die in a quick manner, and with much less pain than they would have otherwise been forced to cope with. Passive euthanasia may seem like a better alternative to some, but it can cause a great deal of pain; it is when “stopping the treatment [SIC] or stopping the technical medical assistance” causes a person to slowly die (Diaconescu, 2012). Although this method is better to those who have strong religious values against euthanasia, most will see that active euthanasia is the kind-hearted way to go. There is also the concern that there are cases of “organ harvesting” with euthanasia cases (Smith, 2013). Since people can donate their organs after they die, and euthanasia has allowed them to die earlier than they would have otherwise, this can be seen as a form of abuse with euthanasia. However, I see it as if they had died with time: either way, the organs could be used in an organ transplant. Dying, no matter if it is natural or medically advanced, should be the same in every case. Sure, there are different reasons people die, but that never stops organ donations. Organs being taken out is not ‘harvesting,’ it is simply using what the newly deceased will no longer use, and giving it to someone in need.

Medical care, a costly place to venture into; is it not? No matter how wealthy, no matter how poor, when someone has to stay on medicine to survive, that is a very costly experience. Medicine comes with a hefty price, especially when it comes to medicine made to keep someone from leaving this world. Even with countless drugs, therapies, and tests, cures are simply not there for certain health issues. It is sad, do not assume anyone believes otherwise, but euthanasia is a good possibility to consider when the person in that hospital bed is no longer the one keeping themselves alive - it is all about the loved ones not knowing how to let go and the drugs being pumped into their failing system.

The cost of euthanasia is $35, and keeping someone alive with proper health care is estimated to cost around $35,000—$40,000 (A New Zealand Resource for Life Related Issues, 2011). Instead of going into debt, on top of losing a loved one, euthanasia can take away some of the medical bills that were really only there because someone simply couldn’t find the heart to let the person in that hospital bed move on. Saving thousands of dollars is no meager hurdle. Mercy euthanasia– it’s not really a bad thing. When euthanasia is used properly, it is something that can be of great help; the only issue is, how does someone know when it is being used properly?

Lou Gehrig's disease, or ALS, is a sad fate to be forced into. When someone has ALS, they lose their own bodily functions and become a prisoner to their own body. The transition is slow, but that may even make it worse. A friend of mine lost her grandfather to ALS, and she has told me that he was basically trapped inside what had become a shell of his own body. No longer did he have control of himself, no longer did he even get to go to the bathroom on his own, and no longer did he enjoy living. He suffered needlessly because the laws stated that his death would be illegal if he were to be euthanized, even though he wanted to be sent to his death sooner than it was naturally planning to come. This man was forced to suffer while my friend and her family could only watch and wait as he slowly continued to spiral downward.
In a similar case, a woman named Sue Rodriquez had ALS; she knew, “that a time would come when her life would no longer be joyful” (Sullivan, 2005). Sue, in this situation, decided, “she would rather die quickly and painlessly,” with euthanasia as her guide to death (Sullivan, 2005). This is precisely how my friend’s grandfather was facing life after his ALS became more advanced and limiting. By means of euthanasia, people with ALS can be given a chance to die with, “dignity and spirit intact” (Sullivan, 2005). Sue was not capable of receiving her timely death then, simply because there were legal issues stating that anyone who assists with euthanasia would end up in prison. “To avoid these legal complications, she would need either to commit suicide [SIC] or to change the law” (Sullivan, 2005). That is what I am trying to get across to other people: euthanasia is not murdering someone, it is giving them a change to die with dignity and with pride.
Euthanasia is scary to think about, but it can be a humane way to let someone end their unnecessary suffering. When no quality, happiness, control, or value is left in someone’s life, they should be allowed to be put to rest. If animals can be given this option, why can a human not get the same chance? Euthanasia can be misused, this is true, but any drug out there can be if the wrong hands get a hold of it. Therefore, in order to save thousands of dollars on medical bills you might not even be capable of paying, to save pain and suffering on a loved one, and to just be humane – euthanasia should be an option. Euthanasia is not the monster it is commonly made out to be. Some diseases are so bad that people are reduced to a shell of who they once were, just like with Lou Gehrig’s disease. In those situations, why can’t euthanasia be an option?  Taking deep breaths and knowing when to stop another person’s heart is never going to be easy, but with our hearts out in front of us, we can let other people’s hearts cease beating.

References

A New Zealand Resource for Life Related Issues (2011). Economic Aspects of Euthanasia. The
Life Information Website. Retrieved from http://www.life.org.nz/euthanasia/  
        euthanasiapoliticalkeyissues/economics/
Diaconescu, A. M. (2012). Euthanasia. Contemporary Readings in Law and Social Justice, 4(2),
474+. Retrieved from Opposing Viewpoints in Context.
Kouwenhoven, P., Raijmakers, N., Van Delden, J., Rietjens, J., Schermer, M., Van Thiel, G., &
... Van Der Heide, A. (2013). Opinions of health care professionals and the public after eight  
        years of euthanasia legislation in the Netherlands: A mixed methods approach. Palliative 
        Medicine, 27(3), 273-280. doi:10.1177/0269216312448507
Math, S., & Chaturvedi, S. K. (2012, December). Euthanasia: Right to life vs right to die. Indian
Journal of Medical Research. pp. 899-902.
Smith, W. J. (2013). MEDICINAL MURDER. First Things: A Monthly Journal Of Religion & 
Public Life, (233), 39-44.
Sullivan, W. F. (2005). Eye of the Heart : Knowing the Human Good in the Euthanasia Debate. 
Toronto: University of Toronto Press.

~Alyssa Hellenbrand~

Soul Hiding - Original Poem

Intentions
Mistakes
A girl without
Her Soul.
Her movements
Are scarce,
Fearful and alone.
Even with another,
Her Soul
Hides in the
Pit of endless
Hell
It is forcing
Her to live.
This girl
Is actually happy,
Content with
Her Life.
Yet, inside Her...
Her Heart is lying,
Forcing her soul
To retreat.
She is happy,
She is fighting,
She is better,
She.
Is.
ME.

~Alyssa Hellenbrand~

The Open Heart - Original Poem

With so many emotions,
Yet so vacant;
With countless feelings,
Yet none to share.
I am a mess, at times
I am an endless confusion.
My inner turmoil is
As vacant as a dark hole,
Yet, as full as a dark hole.
Even while I am full,
I am endlessly empty.
My heart is desperate to
Hide, show itself,
Cower, stand strong.
My open heart,
No!
THE.
Open. Heart.
The open heart is afraid
Of how others will treat it.
How people can hurt it,
Judge it, destroy it.
So the open heart
Is a coward
And numbs the brain.
Thus,
Keeping the open heart
From showing it's full
Capacity, Compassion,
Lavish, Love.
The Open Heart;
It lives inside...
ME.

~Alyssa Hellenbrand~

Popcorn in the Gunshot - Original Poem

Popcorn, exploding in the microwave
It makes me jump,
The sound so loud.
It proclaims it is there and demands your attention.

Popcorn, exploding in the microwave
Is not really the issue,
For there is nothing scary about popcorn.
The real issue is what it makes you think of.

Popcorn, exploding in the microwave
Makes me jump high,
And cower to the floor in fear.
This popcorn popping sounds like my nightmares.

Gun shot
*BANG*
Another one
*BANG*

Popcorn, exploding in the microwave.
No one cares about that.
It's the hidden meaning that matters.
The sounds of gunshots echoing in my ears.

~Alyssa Hellenbrand~