I wrote this in the 11th grade. It's pretty genius if I must say so myself. And quite fitting for the season. Feast on this.

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Our age is a time of great promise. New technological advances have taken society to new levels. There are cures to most common diseases. A person does not even have to be in the room with someone in order to have a conversation with them. Man does not even have to write letters to our friends; with a couple of strokes on the keyboard, we can compose correspondence and send them instantly. People do not have to hand wash clothes; we have machines to do that for us. Mankind is even on the verge of paying visits to strange planets, traveling to distant stars, colonizing our moons. With new advances in technology, you would think that we as humans, and our society, would evolve as well. That, unfortunately, is not the case.

Our age is also one of turmoil, sadness, and distress. Our beloved country is at war with the Middle East and every other nation our President seems to think is a part of the “Axis of Evil.” Israelis and Palestinians…well, they have never had peace. India and Pakistan are in dispute over a locale where Bush almost certainly thinks they make sweaters. Sudan is engaged in civil war over an archaic practice that most modern countries have abolished. All this foolishness has to stop.

Yet through all this terror in the world, through all the pain we have felt, through all the cloudy days, I can still see dazzling rays of light at the end of this trail of tears. I come here to tell you that I still have hope. I have come here to tell you that I have a dream. Yes, I have a dream, that one day peace will exist from the mighty Mississippi to the Yangtze, from Mount Fuji to Mount Everest, from the Serengeti to Siberia. I dream of a day where every conflict in the world will be resolved… by pie.

Pie is an international food, its appeal going beyond age, race, nationality, and gender. Though pie may go by different names, this dessert is loved by everyone and everyone has a favorite flavor. Apple Pie, Cherry Pie, Peach Pie, Blueberry Pie, Bean Pie, Pumpkin Pie, Sweet Potato Pie, Chicken Pot Pie, whatever flavor you like. I believe, even if it only happened one time, if everyone in the world were given their favorite pie, and sat down to eat at the table of brotherhood, there would be no more fighting. Everyone would be too busy eating and feasting and reveling in the flavors of flaky crusts and fruit (or meat, if you want) to fight. I wager that even Osama bin Laden and Saddam Hussein like pie; they would more than likely stop fighting to eat too. Besides, bin Laden has been on the run; he would probably like to eat a decent meal for the first time in over a year. He would definitely devour a pie.

So I say, let pie rain down from the heavens!
Let pie pile as high as mountains!
Let pie fill the lowest valley!
Let pie flow in the oceans like water!
Let pie stuff every human mouth!

When we all feast on pie and peace becomes a part of everyone’s life, we will be able to sing, in the words of the celebrated songwriter Kirk Franklin, “Life has brand new meaning, it’s going to be a brighter day!”

Wow, that's genius.

I had to study the original "I Have A Dream" speech extensively last year in my Academic Reading and Writing class, and the rhetoric was amazing.

Carrie, the fact that you were able to imitate King's style is just brilliant.

btw, I just remembered they used pie to resolve an international conflict in that Disney show Cory in the House.


Yeah, I watched an episode. BUT IN MY DEFENSE, I was babysitting.