Summer 2007 • $5

presents:
an excerpt from “Alcestis Revisited: Red Hot Death”
The Charles Hart Middle School Literary Magazine

Da

ni

e ll

e

k
Bla

e, S

A
h a n no n ll en

The hArtworks Editorial Board
Writers-in-Residence: Dwayne Betts, Omekongo Dibinga, Sage Morgan-Hubbard, James Saunders,
Nancy Schwalb, Venus Thrash, and Jamila Wade

The Literary Magazine Club: Luqman Abdullah, Maryum Abdullah, Shannon Allen, India Bell, Terry
Bennett, Antoinette Better, Stelita Better, Danielle Blake, Denisha Bolden, Ashley Boston, Antonio
Bower, Natia Boyd, A. Montel Brooks, Jada Brooks, Steven Brown Jr., Tomika
Brown, Jamal Buggs, Jamal Clark, Kiera Coleman, Reginald Conway, Ashley
Cooper, Dominique Courtney, Nefertearia Crawley, Janisha Crump, Martanaze
Dew, Cherish Gaines, Dai’Juna Gales, Daniel Gaskins, Bruce Gibson, Andrea
Hermans, Shamia House, Tempest Jackson, Markus Johnson, Shaiski
Johnson, Khalil Jones, Yasmin Jones, Damon Kee, Nichell Kee, Symone
Kennedy, Shawntay Kent, Jalencia King, Debria Lewis, Annice Ludd,
Marvin McDowell, Shambriel Metts, Kiana Murphy, Jasmine
Murray, Ja’Quan Newsome, Maurice Nowlin, Ashanti Paylor,
Coletta Paylor, Kenyetta Pryor, Keyosha Richardson, Myah
Robertson, Marche Shields, Bnyonka Simpkins, Monae
Smith, Beatrice Smoot, Jessica Smoot, Ashley Stevenson,
Danielle Stover, Wendie Thomas, Tierra Thornton,
James Tindle, Tionna Wade, Devonte Walker, Jamie
Warren, Brittany Watkins, Jamal Whittington,
Darien Wilkins, Deshaun Williams, Jamal Williams,
Renita Williams, Franzel Willoby, Sequan Wilson,
Beverly Wright, Taniek Young

2

Front cover, l-r: Reginald Conway, Jamal Buggs, Franzel Willoby, Luqman Abdullah, Myah Robertson,
Yasmin Jones, Monae Smith, Tiona Wade

IntroductionW

elcome to the 2006-07 school year’s final edition of hArtworks, the nation’s only inner-city public middle
school literary magazine, written and edited by the students of Charles Hart Middle School. hArtworks ispublished through a collaborative effort between the school and the D.C. Creative Writing Workshop, an
independent non-profit working to create a literary renaissance in Southeast Washington. Now concluding
its seventh year, hArtworks gives our young writers the opportunity to exercise their creative energies, speak theirminds, and be heard by an audience throughout the city. The 2007 edition of Poet’s Market recognizes hArtworks as “anoutstanding example of what a literary journal can be (for anyone of any age).”
This year marks a new milestone for D.C. Creative Writing Workshop students, as they won an
unprecedented 24 city-wide writing awards. Congratulations to our 14 Parkmont Poetry Contest winners:
Luqman Abdullah, Maryum Abdullah, Ashley Barber, Shamia House, Quanika Jackson, Damon Kee, Tiara Mason,
Jasmine Murray, Raymond Reynolds, James Saunders, Monae Smith, Antonio Spencer, James Tindle, Renita Williams.
Congratulations also to our seven Larry Neal Award winners: Demond Parker, First Place in Youth Poetry; Almus
Bush, Second Place in Youth Poetry, Shaiski Johnson and Marvin McDowell, Honorable Mention in Youth Poetry;James Saunders, Second Place in Teen Poetry, Reginald Conway, Honorable Mention in Teen Poetry, and Lance Favors,
Honorable Mention in Teen Fiction. And congratulations as well to our Junior League Teen Poetry Competition
winners: Robert Redd, Jr., First Place for 4th grade; Mark Neal, First Place for 7th grade; and Reginald Conway, First
Place for 8th grade. Our students took home over $1,100 in cash and prizes for their literary efforts this year.
These triumphs would not have been possible without the tireless efforts of our writers-in-residence, Dwayne Betts,
Omekongo Dibinga, Sage Morgan-Hubbard, Nancy Schwalb, Venus Thrash and Jamila Wade. We also appreciate thestrong contribution from James Saunders, a 16 year old junior at Ballou Senior High, now completing his second year as
junior writer-in-residence. And special thanks to our capable and committed interns, Meilani Clay, Maricia Herron, andKatie Hinden.
We have many friends who have helped to make hArtworks possible, and we would like to express our gratitude to them.
Our sincerest thanks go out to the Herb Block Foundation, Sarah Booth and Bloomberg L.P., Morris and Gwendolyn
Cafritz Foundation, Children’s Fund of Metropolitan Washington, Commonweal Foundation, Community Foundation
for the National Capital Region, D.C. Children and Youth Investment Trust Corporation, Fannie Mae Foundation,
John Edward Fowler Foundation, Rita Susswein Gottesman Fund of the Alexandria Community Trust, Harman Family
Foundation, Hitachi Foundation, International Monetary Fund, Marpat Foundation, Mattel Children’s Foundation,
Moran Family Fund, Meyer Foundation, Project My Time, The Tom Lane Fund, Spirit of Giving Guide, Wachovia
Foundation, Wendling Foundation, Weissberg Foundation, The World Bank, Anonymous, Borders Books and Music,
Michael Joy and TSCJoy/Monterey, LLC, Wells Fargo Home Mortgage, Karibu Books, GO! Creative, LLC, the U.S.
Holocaust Memorial Museum, the Arena Stage, the Shakespeare Theatre, McGuire Associates, Joyce Page and Ms.
Printing, Tollefson & Gustini Investment Management, our friends at Popeye’s on Malcolm X Avenue, Gregory Auger,
George and Lenore Cohen, Lee E. Epps, Tom and Carolyn Grey, Mark Hollinger and Kathy McNeil Hollinger, Frances
Horn, Lynne and Joseph Horning, Betsy Karel and the Lodestar Fund, Gay and Charlie Lord, Judine Slaughter, Mr. andMrs. Ladislaus Von Hoffman, Richard Thompson, Juanita Wade, Vera M. White, and Martin Youmans.
Special thanks for the hard work and dedication of the D.C. Creative Writing Workshop Board of Directors: Ajeenah
Amir, Mary Ann Brownlow, Dr. Susan Gerson, Bernie Horn, Kathleen Huston, Michael Joy, Joan Kennan, Bill Newlin,
Dr. Pat Papero, Raina Rose Tagle, Nancy Schwalb, Kirsten Tollefson, and Jamila Wade.
We would also like to thank the following administrators, teachers, and staff who are our partners in thisendeavor: Principal Willie Bennett; Assistant Principals Ms. Kimberly Douglas and Mr. Shawn Pelote; Ms.
Katherine Bucholtz, Ms. Gloria Fergusson, Ms. Carolyn Jackson, Mr. Gregory Malvaux, Ms. Terrie Spann-Tchama,Ms. Eleanor Seale, Ms. Pamela McKinney, Ms. Trenia Wilson, Ms. Ann Brogioli, and Ms. Maevern Williams.

3

hArtworks presents and excerpt from our students’ original play,“Alcestis Revisited: Red Hot Death.” ....................................................................................... 18
Luqman Abdullah
In my opinion ....................................................................................................................................12
Behind the eyes ..................................................................................................................................52
Maryam Abdullah
Writing ..............................................................................................................................................54
Antonio Alston
School................................................................................................................................................43
Melvin Barber
I Don’t Want to Live Anywhere Where They Are Shooting .................................................................28
Roses, Or My Love Poem ...................................................................................................................33
Those Girls That Ran Together ..........................................................................................................35
Antoinette Better? Mark ..............................................................................................................................................16
Danielle Blake
Life ....................................................................................................................................................41
If I Was a Waterdrop .........................................................................................................................58
Rising ................................................................................................................................................58
Denisha Bolden
The Power of My Beautiful, Deep Eyes ..............................................................................................47
Katina BriceMy Father Left ..................................................................................................................................26
Elisha Bridges
In My Opinion ...................................................................................................................................12
A. Montel Brooks
In My Opinion ...................................................................................................................................11
Yesterday, Today, Tomorrow ...............................................................................................................61
Cloud Nine ........................................................................................................................................61
Jada Brooks
My Friends ........................................................................................................................................58
My Daddy .........................................................................................................................................58
David Brown
The Teardrop .....................................................................................................................................46
Curtis Canty
Driving, Sliding, Gliding, Fighting .....................................................................................................44
Jeremy Carmichael
Right Hand Man................................................................................................................................16
Jamal Clark
I Had a Nightmare ............................................................................................................................25
Smoked .............................................................................................................................................35
Delonte ClemonsBlack Man .........................................................................................................................................48
Reginald Conway
What I See.........................................................................................................................................56
Jamal Conyers
Where I’m From ................................................................................................................................45
Dominique Courtney
Life ....................................................................................................................................................31
Iashia Davis
Fire ...................................................................................................................................................33
Markiya Davis
Dripping Sorrow ................................................................................................................................54
Kiera Dixon
Darkness ...........................................................................................................................................12
A Hug................................................................................................................................................34

Inside4Sherwin Duckett
By the end of the season .....................................................................................................................48
Sean Favors
I come from .......................................................................................................................................39
Demetrius Foreman
Stepping in the New Year ...................................................................................................................38
Tywain Green
Congress Park ...................................................................................................................................37
Melody Henson
June ...................................................................................................................................................43
Andrea Hermans
See me now .......................................................................................................................................36
Pauline Luraine Holsinger
The Life of... ......................................................................................................................................13
Quanika Jackson
My Cry for Help ................................................................................................................................37
Trevon Jackson
I Was Raised... ...................................................................................................................................27
Prayer for a Football Player ..............................................................................................................32
Earl JamesI am ..................................................................................................................................................49
Brittany Johnson
Oh Mother ........................................................................................................................................42
Briyianne Sharlene Johnson
Who am I?.........................................................................................................................................62
Dominique Johnson
The Little Squeak...............................................................................................................................49
Marcus Johnson
Women ..............................................................................................................................................41
Markus Johnson
Chocolate Surprise ............................................................................................................................57
Shaiski Johnson
My home in flames ............................................................................................................................39
Delvonte Jones
Something of a Prayer .......................................................................................................................13
Dap: Dap: Dap .................................................................................................................................34
Diamond Jones
I Don’t Want to Live Anywhere Where They Are................................................................................27
Shainairie Jones
the blues ............................................................................................................................................63
Yasmin Jones
Voices ..................................................................................................................................................9
My Life..............................................................................................................................................56
Unappreciated ...................................................................................................................................56
Darius Joshua
Ms. Spann-Tchama, Where You At? ...................................................................................................15
Fire ...................................................................................................................................................16
Dap ...................................................................................................................................................34
Nichell Kee
In my opinion ....................................................................................................................................11
Anacostia ..........................................................................................................................................54
Not Reality ........................................................................................................................................55
Manaiza Kelley
Why ..................................................................................................................................................24
A Story That Could Be True...............................................................................................................32Those Girls That Ran Together ..........................................................................................................35
Damian Lee
Late to My Game ..............................................................................................................................24

5

InsideTiara Mason
See the Future ...................................................................................................................................36
Rodnika Matthews
I Don’t Want to Live Anywhere Where... ............................................................................................28
Jeannett McKoy
The Beautiful Woman ........................................................................................................................42
Malik Moore
Running.............................................................................................................................................43
Kiana Murphy
In My Opinion ...................................................................................................................................10
Terrence Nails
Questions ..........................................................................................................................................15
My Dream .........................................................................................................................................25
Those boys that ran together ..............................................................................................................26
I Don’t Wanna Live Nowhere .............................................................................................................29
Son ....................................................................................................................................................34
Mark Neal
Whirling Flames ................................................................................................................................44
Demond Parker
My World ..........................................................................................................................................39
Colletta Paylor
Crazy ................................................................................................................................................13
Spring Time .......................................................................................................................................17
A Story That Could Be True...............................................................................................................30
Tameka Jenkins .................................................................................................................................30
Thomas Payne
A Prayer ...........................................................................................................................................17
Kiarra Payton
Fade ..................................................................................................................................................49
Rewritten Nightmare .........................................................................................................................50
Antwan Petty
Pain ..................................................................................................................................................48
Latia Pimble
Rolling Hills.......................................................................................................................................52
Damaiia Pitts
I Want to Live Where There Are... .....................................................................................................27
Keona Powell
Leave Me Alone .................................................................................................................................51
Invisible .............................................................................................................................................51
Marquette Price
He Ain’t Heavy ..................................................................................................................................53
Eric Quarles
Fighting .............................................................................................................................................44
Raymond Reynolds
Thoughts ...........................................................................................................................................38
Myah Robertson
In my opinion ......................................................................................................................................9Patrice RouseHate ..................................................................................................................................................57
Erica Russell
Anger ................................................................................................................................................31
Gregory Sam
Those Girls Who Ran Together ..........................................................................................................26
Brittney Savoy
Invisible Poem ...................................................................................................................................49
Keishawna Simms
For My Aunt .....................................................................................................................................616

Bnyonka Simpkins
My Dance Steps ................................................................................................................................41
Questions I Ask Many People ............................................................................................................60
Colors................................................................................................................................................60
Sha’Quan Smith
Running away ...................................................................................................................................45
Frozen ...............................................................................................................................................62
Antonio Spencer
All About Me .....................................................................................................................................38
Ashley Stevenson
Questions for the Homeless Man on the Bus.......................................................................................14
My Dream About Being Silent ...........................................................................................................25
The Forbidden Room .........................................................................................................................59
Dreams and Words ............................................................................................................................59
Danielle StoverFeelings .............................................................................................................................................50
Just Because.......................................................................................................................................51
Wendie Thomas
I Am ..................................................................................................................................................57
D’Jon Tucker
Blossom .............................................................................................................................................53
Newborns ..........................................................................................................................................53
Devonte Walker
What happens to deferred dreams .....................................................................................................25
Vincent Walker
Wayne Place ......................................................................................................................................40
Jamie Warren
Windswept ........................................................................................................................................55
Da’Shawn Washington
Me.....................................................................................................................................................47
I Want To ..........................................................................................................................................47
Donna Washington
Fire ...................................................................................................................................................32
Theodore Washington
My Hood ...........................................................................................................................................29
Playing With Matches .......................................................................................................................33
Oshai Whatley
A Talk with Dave...............................................................................................................................14
The Colors of the Sun ........................................................................................................................17Those lil girls that ran together ..........................................................................................................26
Kaniece Whitaker
Dislike (a two voice poem) .................................................................................................................52
Thomas Whitney
My community ..................................................................................................................................45
Nicole Williams
Prove Me Wrong ................................................................................................................................53
Dimitrius Winters
4th Street ...........................................................................................................................................40
Da’Quon Wood
On The Bus With A Nickel ................................................................................................................31
Joylin Yates
Where I’m From ................................................................................................................................62
Confused Am I ..................................................................................................................................62
Emmanuel Youman
I’m Very Black ...................................................................................................................................46
Forgive Me ........................................................................................................................................46
Kentrell Zanders
Fire ...................................................................................................................................................33

7

l-r: Danielle Blake,
Cherish Gaines,
Shannon Allen,
Ashley Stevenson,
Nichell Kee

Nichell Kee,
Cherish Gaines

8Franzel Willoby

Re

gin

C
al d

onw

ay

In my opinion

Voices
Voices in my headin my mind
all the time—
Who are you?
What do you want from me?
I don’t have nothing to offer—
don’t botherme, just leave me alone.
Whoever you are,you give me butterflies
in my stomach. I tell you
leave.
Never come back.
In my opinion,
I think this voice is the devil,
trying to encourage me
to step into the bad side,trying to make me act like a buffoon.
But, in my opinion:
There will be no buffoon.
These voices got to stop.

In my opinion,
I think that fighting is not necessary.
It will get you nowhere but
deeper in the hole
you’ve already dug
between each other.
I’ve seen people get their teeth knocked out;
I’ve seen people get beat down,
gunned down, locked up.
In my opinion,
this has got to stop.
Myah Robertson

Yasmin Jones

9In My Opinion
In my opinion
Love is unconditional
No matter what
Through thick and thin.

In my opinion
Friendship is key
Beyond a shallow bend
Waiting, repentant.

In my opinion
Overturned skies,
With blue eyes—
What is that?

In my opinion
No one cares about opinions
They walk around like there is no life
No presence
No destiny.

In my opinion
Guilt is optional
Courage is a must
Death is a reason.
In my opinion
Life is intertwined with
Hate
Distrust
Disgust.
In my opinion
Change the forecast.
They’re telling you lies
Hidden in disguise
Going with the flow ofMade up stories
Within a path of cruelty.
In my opinion
My intention should perish
My thoughts should be burned
My feelings stirred.
In my opinion
Black thoughts are all thoughts
Lingering in the air
Where no one really cares.

10

In my opinion
This world is over
There is no means for survival
Or even death
So which one is there to choose?
In my opinion?
Where are they?
Those thoughts of others?
The inner-self confidence?
The life-after-death?
In my opinion
Oh, just forget it!
Kiana Murphy

In my opinion
In my opinion, fireflies should have to eat
acorns,and gravity should pull you up on a cloud,and distance should mean together, forever.

Ja m

arren
ie W

In my opinion, silky should meanrough and uncomfortable.
Immortal should mean to die quicker,
and to die means
to live, forever.
In my opinion, to have your heart crumble
means to build it up.
Hazy should mean
clear as day.
In my opinion, guilt is forced on you
by sadness, and loveis withheld by anger.
In my opinion, the Grand Canyon
is just a small bowl of dirt.
In my opinion, thorns are the ones
ck you.
u..
that bleed when they prickshalow
ow mea
an
ns d
deep,
deep
p,
In my opinion, shal
shallow
means
aded
ded,
and hard-headed,
ea to
ok
ki
ill.
ill
and it mean
means
kill.
But to this day,on doesn’t
doesn’
d n’t’ matter.
dommy opinion
ell KeeNichell

In My Opinion
There is no such thing as an opinion.
You see, somewhere down the lineof people telling you what’s what,
who’s who, and why things happen
you lost your reality.
You seem to think you have your own mind,
doing what you want, when you want.
But your mind is in a game called propaganda.
Bu
Itss bIt’bebeen controlled sincethethh day you could comprehend,bbeing
ttoyed withlike a vventriloquist plays his dummy.
E
Ev
Everything you have touched,seen heard, tasted, and smelledseen,
has been planned since day one,ha
all so you can thinkthat you can think.
A. Montel Brooks

11In my opinion
In my opinion
on that last trip to Finland
we stopped and shopped in California
as kingpins,
Or was it you—the one wit’ the most stuff:
You bet 30 G’s, were you calling a bluff?
That’s enuff.
I was supposed to be Ford tough,but in the end I came out likeking-bed pillows, fluffed.
That’s love, dating the same person
my ex’s ex did, and I always have to pay—
Hey Mike, your check bounced today,
besides your kid had no allowance anyway.
Is that hard? Eating cereal with forks to save milk...
Hey Mom, I found some worms outside to make silkfor my prom dress,
be broke to death.
Commit a crime,
get a fine.
They were throwing you out anyway,
In my opinion.
Luqman Abdullah

Darkness
I think of myself as darkness
is it dark, or is it me
is it sorrow, or is it woe
can darkness bring
dreams or can darkness
bring sleep
think of me as a darkcloud
drifting off into dream land
Kiera Dixon

12

In My Opinion
In my opinion, fishing is best,
because of the action—
when you catch a fish,
the rod, reel, line, hook, the bait
and yourself, that’s the action.
Standing there, waiting in the water,smelling the water, hearing the waves,and watching the birds fly
down to catch their dinner.
And then the fish, tugging on your line.
Wow!
Reeling it in,
the fish jumping out of the water,is the best thing ever.
Now you’ve got him off the hook,seeing him wiggle in your hand.
So in my opinion, there’s nothing like fishing.
Elisha Bridges

Something of a Prayer

Crazy

To the God that is listening
I write on my money

If the woman next to him has agruesome taste of his breath, why
would she still sit in the same seat?

My uncle writes on his money
Now I write on my money
My money means my family eats
My money is important
My uncle got it from my grandfather
When you get money you don’t do it,
but when I get my money I do it.
I love my uncle for showing me.
Delvonte Jones

Why does he have on fresh timbs
when there are only limbs
left of his hair?
If he’s so ugly, why isBush still in office with Condeleeza Riceon the yacht while there’s a war
going on?
Why is he smelling his shoewhen they just eliminated Pluto fromthe solar system?
Colletta Paylor

The Life of...
Me as myself, short fat and looking
like a cup cake, nothing but a
big smile on my face.
Spoiled like milk,
my teeth white as the paper.

Ti o

ad e
na W

As years went by I got taller
and things started to change
the life of Pauline Holsinger went
down the drain when things changed.
It started to go slow like asong is going off and the clay went by.
Here I am still grieving the lossof loved ones gone out of sightas her voice whispers throughthe night. In the 7th grade trying
to get good grades and go to college.
Pauline Luraine Holsinger

13

Questions for theHomeless Man on the Bus
A Talk with Dave
Dave, Dave why did you
stand there and wait for the bus?
I saw you walk up but, if only
I could trust my instinct thatyou were trying to find a seat.
When I saw you I saw you
sit down, you kicked off
one Nike boot, but I could
only ask why did they look
like dogs were barking at them?
In a flash, in the back of
my mind, you were poor, but
I could only ask if you didn’t
get on the bus how would
you look?
Would you look like a business man?
Have a wife and kids?
I’ll probably never know.
I never asked.
But when I sum it all up
I would only guess what world
you have turned out to be.
Oshai Whatley

14What will happen if
I hit you
Would you cave if
I sit beside you
Why did you takeyour jacket off
I wonder if you
have a sisterDo you have on
clean socks
Can you tell me
your name
I wonder who did
you grow up with. Your father?
I wonder who
named you.
Ashley Stevenson

Ms. Spann-Tchama
Where You At?

m
Luq

an A

bdullah

Where you at, Ms. Spann-Tchama
and are you OK and how
is your life now that you aren’tteaching no more?
If the fight never went on
would you still be here?
Do you think you
will ever teach again?
Now that you quit and left
us hanging with no teacher
does it ever hurt you tojust come by justto say hi to us or ask
Mr. Bennett can you getyour job back because
getting a teacher every otherday, it ain’t right to us.
Darius Joshua

Questions
Who came before God?
Why were we created?
Why is there a space
up high?
Why don’t we have superpowers?
When was time created?
Why do people havetto die?
Did God ever walk the Earth?
Are wew really called human
bein
bei
b
i
beings?
W did
Whydi Adam and Eve
disobey God?
Iss thtthere really an Atlantis?
Iss there
ther such a thing as aliens?
Is theththere such a thing as ghosts?
Terrence Nails

15

? Mark
This ? mark is
made for asking true
statements.
This ? mark is
made to answer
andsearch forhonest requests.

Right Hand Man

This ? mark is
made for earth’s defenseof thesun and moon,
what to keep?
and what not to keep?
This ? mark is
made to explore andlearn how to discoverdifferent ? marks.
Antoinette Better

I’ve been in thissame house forfive years; my parents
said we can’t move causeof we don’t have enoughmoney; I’ve alwaysFirewanted to live inAtlanta or Miami;

fire is like you and yourbrother on the court

even though I
might not go there

playing one and one
in basketball and you
hitting three back to backI just want tomove out of this neighborhood.

and while he just checking
the ball up but you
can see in his eyes that
he is really mador fire can be like on the 4thof July waiting for it to getdark waiting for the fire
works to start going off.
Darius Joshua

16

Jeremy Carmichael

A PrayerahMy

R ob erts on

I’ve seen a man
drown in an inchof dreams
I’ve seen men
buried in the pavementsof the moonlight
I ain’t asking for
the world, but I needsomething to help me
But
It’s burning inside me
to see my soul drown.
Thomas Payne

Spring TimeThe Colors of the Sun

The aroma of a sweet aroma
of love comes from around the room,
then you start to reminisce
about laughter and smiles deep withinyour mind.

I’ve seen the colors of the sun
in my days in the streets

Smashing into a bowl of designed
flowers on it and every flower reminds
you of each family member throughthe good and bad times together.

But the only thing I want to see
is daylight without the chains and fences

The pie comes out and fills thehouse like a thousand breezes of springwhen a knock of family
hits my door of appreciation.

I’ve seen people walking aroundwith their heads stuck up and noses to the sky.

Just help me and
I promise to be a better me.
Oshai WhatleyColletta Paylor

17hArtworks presents:
An excerpt from

“Alcestis Revisited:
Red Hot Death.”
This year, as part of our classical drama program, our students read
“Alcestis,” the oldest surviving play by Euripides. “Alcestis” wasoriginally written in 438 B.C. and was performed as part of the Feast of
Dionysus. In this play, the god Apollo has been living with and protecting
Admetus, King of Pherae. When Death comes for Admetus, Apollo can’t
save the king, but Admetus is able to convince his wife, Alcestis to takehis place. Death takes Alcestis to Hades, but Heracles comes to visit thepalace and, impressed by Admetus’ display of hospitality, even in a timeof mourning, journeys to Hades to return Alcestis to the king. Althoughmany scholars consider “Alcestis” to be a tragedy, the play has a happy
ending, with the return of Alcestis, so our students have rewritten it
as a tragicomedy.
“Alcestis Revisited: Red Hot Death” was written and performed by D.C.
Creative Writing Workshop members: Luqman Abdullah, Maryum
Abdullah, Shannon Allen, Antoinette Better, Stelita Better, Danielle Blake,
Denisha Bolden, Natia Boyd, A. Montel Brooks, Jada Brooks, Jamal Buggs, Kiera Coleman,
Reginald Conway, Ashley Cooper, Nefertearia Crawley, Janisha Crump, Martanaze Dew,
Cherish Gaines, Daniel Gaskins, Bruce Gibson, Shamia House, Markus Johnson, Shaiski
Johnson, Khalil Jones, Yasmin Jones, Damon Kee, Nichell Kee, Annice Ludd, Marvin
McDowell, Shambriel Metts, Kiana Murphy, Jasmine Murray, Maurice Nowlin, Kenyetta Pryor,
Keyosha Richardson, Myah Robertson, Bnyonka Simpkins, Monae Smith, Beatrice Smoot,Jessica Smoot, Ashley Stevenson, Tionna Wade, Devonte Walker, Jamie Warren, Darien
Wilkins, Deshaun Williams, Renita Williams, Franzel Willoby, and Sequan Wilson.

18

Da

n ie

l

l ak
le B

e, S han no n Allen

ACT I
Scene 1
Washington, DC. The centre of the scene represents
a portico with columns and a large double-door of the
Palace. APOLLO AND HIS POSSE enter. He moves slowly
and majestically, turns, and raises his right hand in salutation
to the Palace. He speaks to his POSSE.

APOLLO: (Yelling!) Man, I can’t believe this! (He throws his fists in the air.) Guess what
happened? Zeus killed my son, Kenneth. Zeus had the nerve to drive a bolt of lightning
through Kenneth’s chest. I was so doggone mad, I was gonna blow up Zeus’s house, but I killed
his bodyguard, Cyclops, with a .9mm instead. Then, I came to Southeast DC to help my friend
out. Admetus. I’ve been watching him, making sure ain’t nothing bad happening to him.
ADMETUS enters another part of the stage he dials his cellphone.
APOLLO: I protect him, I paid his debt and I helped his family. I, Apollo, the richest
man on this earth, helped him when he had no food on the table. (His cell phone rings.)
Hold on, I got someone calling me. Hello?

ADMETUS: Man, I got something to tell you.
APOLLO: What?
ADMETUS: The Grim Reaper said he was coming for me. But don’t worry. I got
someone to take my place.

APOLLO: Who?
ADMETUS: Hold on, let me tell you the story. See, first I went to my parent’s house andasked them. And you know what my father said? I’ma’ tell you what he said, “No, son, youneed to take hold of your responsibility.” So I said, “Man forget you” and left. Next, I went
to my wife and man was she easy. She said, “Oh baby, of course, of course. I’ll die for you.”Man, is she dumb or what?

DEATH AND HIS POSSE enter. DEATH knocks on the door to awaken the people
in ADMETUS’ palace.

APOLLO: Nope, just loyal. Until this day Admetus, I have kept you from death, you were
supposed to go to the afterworld for all eternity. But no, I will let someone that you love sufferand surrender her life for you. You’ve tried your parents, and they wouldn’t do it for you.
You’ve asked the whole world, but your wife, your dear sweet wife said yes because she loves
you. (He sees DEATH knocking) Now here comes Death coming to take her down to Hades.

19

s
Ya

n
mi

Jo n

es

ADMETUS: Aren’t you gonna answer it, Apollo?
APOLLO: No.
ADMETUS: But why I gotta open the door?
APOLLO: Because it’s your house! (Hangs up phone.)ADMETUS: (Hangs up phone. Goes to hide himself.) Prima
donna.

DEATH AND HIS POSSE, with a drawn gun in his hand, moves stealthily
towards the Palace; then sees APOLLO and halts abruptly. APOLLO inching forward like a
gunfighter steps in DEATH’S path. The two Deities confront each other.

APOLLO: So if it isn’t my old friend Death. (Apollo has his hand on his pistol.)
DEATH: Well, well, well, if it isn’t Apollo himself. (He oddly stares at Apollo.) I’m sorry
don’t mind me staring. I’m just trying to figure out why you’re here. Didn’t you alreadystop the death of Admetus? You cold went on the Fates. Now, you have your pistol readyto play Captain Sav-a-lot for Alcestis and break your deal with me.

APOLLO: I have to carry this with me all the time. Plus, Admetus is my homeboy,
stuff happening to him gets me all worked up. If he cries, I cry, you get it!

DEATH: So, you’re Admetus’s little guard dog. Man, is Admetus paying you?
APOLLO: Money is the last thing I need. It ain’t like that. He’s my boy and he ain’t
going out like that. His issues are my problems.

DEATH: You mean to take Alcestis’s body from me too?
APOLLO: What you mean “too”? I never took Admetus from you in the first place.
DEATH: Well, it sure does seem like it cuz if I had him he wouldn’t have been seen at
Iverson Mall yesterday. And he wouldn’t still be above ground now.

APOLLO: Naw, his wife took the bid instead of him and you came for her early. Man,
you getting’ me guh!

DEATH: I know, ha! I’m bringing her down to where the dead folks are.
APOLLO: Man, whatever, roll out. Just take her then. You won’t listen to me anyway.
DEATH: Look, I’m gonna kill, who I’m gonna kill. This is my job. You have my word.
Admetus is safe until it is his time again.

APOLLO: Ease up! You gon’ get him. Can you at least let them say their last goodbye’s.
And . . . wait, isn’t there a way for her to get old?

20

DEATH: I feel you. But I’m not really the patient type. I like to speed things up.
APOLLO: So we can’t agree on this.
DEATH: How about . . . no!
APOLLO: You drive a hard bargain.
DEATH: Don’t get me wrong, Apollo. Behind the black robe and the scythe, I’ma pretty decent and reasonable guy. I just try to get a kick out of my career. Plus, theyounger they are, the better.

APOLLO: Can’t you make an exception. If she dies old, she can have an expensive
casket and the biggest ceremony. She’s the King’s wife, for goodness sake.

DEATH: So, you saying help the rich? I don’t do favorites! Did I make an exception
for Elvis?

APOLLO: That’s new talk coming from you, trying to show off. When did you
become captain of the debate team?

DEATH: Imagine how many times I’ve had to do this. If it was that simple those
who could afford to buy death would not die until they got old.

APOLLO: Uh huh, I see. You’re not gonna look out for me, are you?
DEATH: After all this rappin’ my answer still has not changed. You know me.
APOLLO: That’s wrong man. You be loafin’. That’s why nobody don’t mess withyou. Hated by mankind and the gods.

DEATH: That’s a-ight. They don’t have to like me, but they have to give me theirsouls. You can’t always have it your way, this ain’t Burger King!

APOLLO: You think you doin’ it real big, don’t you? Well, I gotta cake baked foryou. Somebody’s gonna put you in your place. He’ll be stationed right here in Admetus’s
yhouse and I’m sure he’ll be able to “persuade” you to give
illob
lW
e
z
Alcestis to him.
nraF

DEATH: Faking will win you nothing. Talk ischeap and until any of that happens, which isnever, I’ll have Alcestis at Hades’s spot and be donewith this fiasco. I’m gonna take her and introduce
her to my sword. For all who are hurt by thisblade’s sharpness are sent to the god’s below. Now,
move it or lose it. And you know what “it” is!

APOLLO steps aside. DEATH enters the Palace.
21

ACT I
Scene 2The hair salon for the rich and famous of Washington. The co-owners of thesalon enter. The CHORUS of CIVIC LEADERS enters.

VINCENT ORANGE: Why is it so freaking quiet in Admetus’s house? Is there anyone
can tell us what’s going on? Did Alcestis get peaced or is she still looking at the sunshine?

SHEILA JOHNSON: Did you hear anything, Police Chief Lanier? Has Death killed
her yet?

CATHY LANIER: No, Ms. Johnson, and there’s no one at the gates. I thought I heard a
scream and a gun shot.

ELEANOR HOLMES NORTON: O, God, can you heal this disaster?
ADRIAN FENTY: But if she was dead Representative Norton, there would be nosilence.

MS. DOUGLAS: Naw, she’s gone. R.I.P.
ELEANOR HOLMES NORTON: But, Ms. Douglas, they haven’t taken her fromthe house yet.

VINCENT ORANGE: Why are you so sure, Eleanor? How could Admetus have afuneral for her without the paparazzi around or her family there? She is too magnificent.

SHEILA JOHNSON: But, Linda, here are the gates and I don’t see the signs of acustom ceremony.

CATHY LANIER: Ms. Johnson, I can’t see the coffin and there’s no sign of people inblack.

ADRIAN FENTY: But this is her sentenced day to die.
MS. DOUGLAS: Mayor Fenty, what are you talking about?
ADRIAN FENTY: She must go below where Grandma and Pookie lay
MS. DOUGLAS: Mayor, that hurts. You ain’t have to say it like that. I liked Alcestis.

22

ADRIAN FENTY: Of course, Ms. Douglas. Those who claim to be called goodmen, men from southeast, northeast, and even in Maryland, feel sad for the woman.

ELEANOR HOLMES NORTON: There is no place on earth that can help
Alcestis. Here is a lady that is dying for her husband and she is the sweetest woman
to step foot in Hades. We are here for Alcestis who was so loyal to us. For she is gone
down into the gates of Hades. There’s only one who can save her.

CATHY LANIER: Look, the maid’s coming from the house. But why is she crying?
She might know about Alcestis’s death. (Speaking to the Maid.) We would like to know,
is Alcestis dead or alive?

Monae Smith, Tiona Wade, Myah Robertson23

Late to My Game
I was riding the bus
to my football gamewhen it broke down
and the game started
at 5:30 and I couldn’t
be late so I started
to get mad I waswalking down the street
so I called my coachand told him I was going
to be late He said I’ma haveto give your position away
I started dripping waterfrom my eyes because….
Damian Lee

Why
Why did she have to depart to heaven so fast,Why did it have to be on Easter Sunday
Why didn’t they call me, tell me she was homefrom jail. Why didn’t they come get me.
Why did she take so much medicine. Why
did she have to be addicted to drugs.
Why didn’t she just wake up. Why didn’t the ambulancecome quicker. Why didn’t you say it was toomuch. What did my cousin do when his motherdidn’t answer. Why didn’t my Aunt ask to see her son
when she got home. It’s more questions I have to ask but God can you
answer these or help me find help.
Manaiza Kelley24What happens to deferred dreams

Na

tia B

oy d

What happens to dreams deferred?
It runs like a wild deer
upon a wild roaring river
but not drinking to getstrongIt gets sick and never getsbetter.
It hides under beds
like a monster afraidof light.
Devonte Walker

My Dream
What happens to a dream deferred?
If I can’t draw thenI will switch to trying
to be a successful shoes
and clothes designer.

I Had a Nightmare
I had a nightmare
falling from the top
hitting rock bottom
chances in front of
my face
Why don’t I…
take them?
Is it because I’m blackor too afraidof a nightmare.
Jamal Clark

Still drawing designs
because one jobof drawing won’t stop mefrom drawing.
Terrence Nails

My Dream About Being Silent
It was me sitting in classquiet. Me doing nothing
quiet me, waving my pen
and my legs quiet.
That’s what I dreamed of.
Ashley Stevenson

25My Father Left
My father left when
I was born and cameback when I wasone. He hurt my mother’s
feelings when he did. What
I did was feel ashamedthat he did not want me
anymore, he left again
and then he let 10 years
go past and then cameback when we hada court case. I started
to live with him
at the age of thirteen
and a half. I just wantto live with mymother again.

Those Girls Who
Ran Together
Those girls that ran together
they always dressed alikethose three girls would
always ride each other.
One girl always carried a book
bag with pink stripes. It
always had four pencils
in it. She never did work.
She just got up and walked
out of class.
What made her do that?
Gregory Sam

Katina Brice

Those lil girls that
ran together
those lil girls that ran together
at grandma’s housein the front yard near the sidewalk
everyone saw them and thought
how cute but she was only missing a shoe
everybody sees them now
but they are all grown up
now they see they are fineyoung ladies
Oshai Whatley

26

Those boys that
ran together
Those boys always ran
together. Black kids andwhite kids. Run run
all together. Faster fastest
all run with each other.
Those boys that ran
together will playsing clap and jump
together because weare all the same.
Terrence NailsJa do ok sa Br

I Was Raised...
I was raised by
the woman that gave birth to me
cooking every Sunday, treating me rightchicken, pizza, and any type of food

I Want to Live Where
There Are...
Children playing with smiles on
their face, playing as one.
I want to live where there arepeople who want to makefriends and not want to fighttheir friends or associates.
I want to live where you
can walk outside and not
see police locking anybody
up for doing a crime.
I want to live where there
are people standing outside
giving out free ice cream
to the children.
Damaiia Pitts

treating me right, taking care of me.
Trevon Jackson

I Don’t Want to Live Anywhere
ywhere
where
whe
heree
her
Where They Are...
I don’t want to live anywhere
where they have bullies, killings and racists.
Bullies keep stuff started
and cause you to stay in the house.
Killings or killers are being stupid andhating on people or they arewalking around smiling and just having fun.
Diamond Jones27

I Don’t Want to Live Anywhere
Where They Are Shooting

I Don’t Want to Live
Anywhere Where...
where people get shot at
where people fight all thetimewhere people don’t have any
homes or places to stay
I don’t want to live anywhere
where
where people don’t like mewhere people let theirchildren do whatever
I want to live ina place where I
can enjoy myself
and a place where
my family can live.
Rodnika Matthews

28

I don’t wanna live anywhere where
they are shooting cause my eyes
be getting weary, if you can takeyour time to hear me, maybe you canlearn to love me. Just last year
my cousin got hit up on the block.
I heard it shot by shot. I don’t wanna
live anywhere where they are shooting
cause my eyes be getting weary.
Melvin Barber

I Don’t Wanna Live
Nowhere

sh
E li

a Br

id ge sI don’t want to live
nowhere where they aretrying to lock me
up. Where they aresniffing crack andsmoking weed. I don’t
want to live nowhere
where they are selling
weed and not getting
better jobs. Where
they are shooting andkilling.
I don’t want to live
nowhere where one day
I meet a friend and thenext day that friend ismurdered. I don’t wantto live nowhere wherethat place is dirty andnasty and stinky. I
don’t want to live
nowhere where they
are disrespectful andfull of hate. I justwant to live in peace.

My Hood
I live in a place
where people haveguns and knives oneach corner andblock. I live in aplace where thecrooked cops chase
you for nothing.

Terrence Nails
I live in a place where
crack heads run freewhere people from St.
Elizabeth’s spit on people’s
food in the old McDonald’s
and run free doing what
they want.
Theodore Washington

29

A Story That Could Be True
Day will turn to night
the wind will fightagainst the Branches
that’s been there waiting
for their turn to fall.
Cemeteries will bleed
humans will plead formercy against the moon.
Just like a thriller video
zombies will dance and one
will hear you scream.
The mound will grapple andblood vessels shall pop
like Snapple. You run and run
wondering when help would
come to save you from your night.
Zombies will walk the
Earth and the Birth of Hades
will be brought to dawn.

Tameka Jenkins
As Ghetto as a pole with written
hoods behind it on a wall of
RIP’s. She walks with aswagger to her hips swinging
down 16 blocks left and another to the right.

Colletta Paylor
They call her Tammy. She’s smart asa cup of lemonade in a cup of a thousandsuns. She has so many Baby Daddys she
divides them into sections like army men
on war day.
You may not find as many Tamekas orBaby Daddys, but she extends to far out
distances. A lover of the ghetto land. Her teeth
are as buck as a bull at a rodeo in Texas.
The many faces that she has will
not stop until she finds one.
Colletta Paylor

30

Ke n

yett

a P ry or

On The Bus With A Nickel
how did I get on
the bus witha nickelThe only money
I had wasa nickel I was
down the street
from myschool, if I
didn’t get on
the bus withthat nickel I
would have
had to walk home.
The bus driverthought I put ina token, helooked like ano hair bodybuilding Charlie Brown.
Da’Quon Wood

Anger
Mad Madness Mad Angeris Dangerous you cankill from anger you canharm with anger people
get angry all the time you
just have to deal with it.

Lifelife to me is not even fair.
life to me is not even fair.
one minute you are happy, next minute
you are sad.
life to me is not even fairbecause one minute it’s your B-day, next minuteit’s 12:00 a.m., your B-day is over.
life to me is not even fair because
outside one minute it’s light andthe next minute it’s dark.
life to me is not even fair, one minutethe door is open, the next minute it closes
like this (Screek).
life to me is not even fair, one minutethe sky is white, next minute it is dark out
side, the sky is dark blue.
Dominique Courtney

Erica Russell

31

A Story That Could Be True
If one day your dreams
finally come true andyou live in a big house on a hill.

Prayer for a Football Player
I’ve seen a football player.
In a second of timea football player got hit
from the waist down.

If one day your motherwould stop always thinking
negative about you.
If one day your father
would stop selling drugs
and pay more attention to his kids.
If one day your motherand father get back together
and live happily ever after.

I’ve seen a man get put
out of the N.F.L. fora ferocious hit on anotherfootball player.
The hit inside the man
was just like anultra shock wave justfrom that one hit.

If one day all the
drugs in the world stopand killing stops as well.

Trevon Jackson

If one day you could
bring all the people fromthe dead and start a
new life.
Manaiza Kelley

Fire
Fire is flames that fly when you
light it up. Fire is flames where
you make a camp fire you go put
your hands by it and warm them.
The fire flames are Red and Orange
and when mixed up it’s like a firecolor. Fire is pretty colors andso are the others. Fire is flames
and you can see it anywhereon the stove, heater, matches.
Donna Washington

32

L

Playing With Matches
little boys and a girl playing
with matches setting theirself on fire, they’re burning andcrying screaming for theirmothernobody there to
help
they’re burning up theirskin seeing them cry burns
my heart
I can’t do nothing
only could watch them playing
with matches not right fireis scarey
I would not playwith fire burn like hell
100 degrees, their burning souls
on fire I’m burning up my skinis melting like a piece of ice sitting out.
Theodore Washington

Fire
Fire is like a hot fiery flame.
Sometimes I feel like
Johnny Blaze of Ghost Rider.
Sometimes I feel like I’m on fire but
don’t know how to control it.
Sometimes fire can be like anger itwill always try to get you heatedit’s not anger and fire that control you it’swhat you do with it that counts.
Kentrell Zanders

uq

ma

b
nA

du ll

ah , J a m

al B ug gs

FireFire means to burnto burn in pain.
Fire is to water
and water is to wood.
Wood floats on water.
Water burns fire.
It’s all funny really
what it feels to play with fire.
People say it’s dangerous.
I say it’s
nothing.
Nothing but pain.
Iashia Davis

Roses, Or My Love Poem
Roses are red, violets
are blue, give me some
crayons, so I can colora picture for you, andplease baby put some
pep in your step cause
I’m waiting.
Melvin Barber

33

Dap
What is dap, 2 hands hit
together and as they pull backaggressive their snap
dap can be the beginningof your day or walking
past just to say hi.
around my way, as I get outof school I give dap to my friend
every day, morning and night
Darius Joshua

A HugWhen I give hugs
I feel good
because that means I
care about that person
every time I givemy little brother ahug, I feel happy,
excited, and good because
I care for him and love him.
Kiera Dixon

Son
Described a homiea friend or close toa friend. A name tocallYour best friend
your main man
your boy. Not yourchild, your buddy
Sticks witchu thru wateva
A friend or close toa friend. Your sonor son-son. A friendthat you call yourson.
Terrence Nails

34

Dap: Dap: Dap
A pound:I was walking to my man
house and my other man
was on his front porch
and I went over there
and I give him someDap, Dap, Dap
every day I give
someone someDap, Dap, Dap
Some dap is a friend
Delvonte JonesSmokedSmoked, a threat toassume that someone isdead
Only two
people smoke others
feds and gangsters
to get smoked you got
to be on tha otherend of fire, a gun
and not the side of
the handle when it
goes off.

Ashley Stevenson, Jasmine Murray, Bnyonka Simpkins

Jamal Clark

Those Girls That Ran Together
Those girls that ran together
always got into trouble together lay
low they fought people for no reason
they always carried a knife where
ever they went they thought they
never were safe, they stole cars
they robbed other girls and boys
for no reason, they like setting things
on fire, they always come inand out of jail.
Where do you think they will beby the time they turn 20?
Manaiza Kelly

Those Girls That Ran Together
Those girls that ran together wererunning around with their skirts up
to spite others. They caught a disease
and that’s the end of their charade
few years later they died from AIDS
Ain’t that a shame?
Melvin Barber

35

Seeing the Future
I come from a palace high above the sky.
I make my home an inspiration to everyone who enters.
I see a vision of my life goals
and I wonder what would happen if my stair case crashed.
When I am alone, I wander aroundto find some place to have fun.
I imagine that I can charm my way into anything.
Every day, I see memories of my life around me,
but if I look closely, I can see the souls of everyone.
A voice inside me says that my fortune will come one day soon
and I want to tell the world that I am a rose just blooming.
Right now I am silent and trying to keep to myself,
but someday I will tower over everybody in glory.
I wish that some people could see their future the way I do.
Tiara Mason

See me now
I come from New York; it’s like a clown world.
I make my home a very sad place.
I see nothing but bad people
and wonder if I have an evil spirit.
When I am alone, I talk and cry to myself.
I imagine I can somehow be charmed.
Every day, I see poison heartbeat walking by
but if I look closely, up in the clouds,a voice inside me says I’m brokenhearted
and I want to tell the world nothing
but see your memory.
Right now I am flames and never ice
but someday I will be calm and peaceful.
I wish my uncle could see me now.
Andrea Hermans

36

rk
Ma

My Cry for Help

us J oh ns onI come from an unbelievable place that blooms like a rose.
I make my home a wonderful feast that bursts into flames.
I see a forgiveness place with no heartbeat
and I wonder, why do clouds make hurricanes, why?
When I am alone, I crash someplace where I’m safe.
I imagine that I can be anything I want to be.
Every day, I see bad things going on,
but if I look closely, all that is my cry for help.
A voice inside me says Blackberry, you’re stronger than thatand I want to tell the world we can do it only if we try.
Right now I am happy that I’m here doing thisbut someday I will be in the real world out there.
I wish for an everlasting lifetime.
Quanika Jackson

Congress Park
I come from a wild place called Congress Park.
I make my home charmed like a cotton box.
I see softest berries in the trees.
I wonder could I get there andI wonder will my eyes change color as I walk in the street.
When I am alone, my heartbeat suddenly comes up
and my heart stops beating.
I imagine that I can sing a song in front of 1,000 people.
Every day, I see branches on the tree, a wonder,
but if I look closely, I think I am asleep.
My eyes closed, I think I am in a deep sleep.
A voice inside me says bronze away,
I say no, I got to sneak away,
and I want to tell the world that I am in some safe place.
Right now I am far away.
I wonder will I come back some day.
But someday I will ride away,
if you don’t see me that’s okay.
I wish a hurricane would come and take me away.
Tywain Green37

All About Me
I come from unbelievable things from up above.
I make my home a palace, big and beautiful.
I see forgiveness, everlasting love,and I wander in a memory of twilight.
When I am alone, I gaze in wonder.
I imagine that I can fly until I can’t no more.
Every day, I see the nothingness of a blank body,
but if I look closely, I cry from the pain.
A voice inside me says go to the horizon
and I want to tell the world I’m a star.
Right now I am someplace doing a different thing
but someday I will shine.
I wish for greatness in the world.
Antonio Spencer

Stepping in the New Year
Stepping in the New Year with football steps highand I tip-toe through the holestruggling, trying to get a touchdown
crashing into other players.
Stepping in the New Year playing basketballwhen I’m running down the court
it feels like I’m skating
because I’m sliding into another New Year.
Demetrius Foreman

Thoughts
I come from a palace, drifting a wind through my inspiration.
I make my home an everlasting fortune in my memory.
I see a charm bracelet glimmering in moonlight,
and I wonder if my fortune is calm enough to fall asleep.
When I am alone, I feel flames whirling around my bones.
I imagine that I can be a rose surrounded by rubies.
Every day, I see clouds piling overhead from my window,
but if I look closely, my eyes will become my vision.
A voice inside me says a song will become my destiny,
and I want to tell the world that my soul will not be asleep.
Right now I am a heartbeat reaching for my goal,
but someday I will be a shadow surrounded by emeralds.
I wish that my softness could be a spokesperson for cotton.
Raymond Reynolds

38

I come frommYas

in J on es

I come from an everlasting fortune.
I make my home a cradle, calm, asleep.
I see wild winds and I wonder
what would happen if I get poisoned.
When I am alone, I hope my shadow stays.
I imagine that I can have all the strength in the world.
Every day, I see clouds of memory,
but if I look closely, I see a softness-charmed girl.
A voice inside me says memories are glittering
and I want to tell the world unbelievable things.
Right now I am nothingness, but someday I will be inspirational.
I wish when I die I can go into the wild cotton clouds.
Sean Favors

My World

My home in flames

I come from a happy family.
I make my home by keeping it clean.
I see my surroundings every day
and I wonder what’s important outside.
When I am alone, I like to listen to the wind.
I imagine that I can fly to a field of roses.
Every day, I see wild unbelievable visions,but if I look closely, I see it’s only my imagination.
A voice inside me says, you’re crumbling at this point,
and I want to tell the world my home is like a palace.
Right now I am calm and steadybut someday I will betray my holiness.
I wish my father could see me now.

I come from darkness.
I make my home in flames.
I see flames in the distance,
Demond Parker
and I wonder about a shadowy rose.
When I am alone, I sit in the moonlight.
I imagine that I can silence the rattling.
Every day, I see emeralds
but if I look closely it’s strength and evil.
A voice inside me says wander in the tower
and I want to tell the world I will rule the it some day.
Right now I am nice, but someday I will be evil.
I wish I could thirst on souls.
Shaiski Johnson

39Wayne Place
Sha

nno

n AllenI come from someplace called Wayne Place.
I make my home turn into crumbling bones.
I see inspiration around the nation
and I wonder if I light the flames, would I be blamed.
When I am alone, I distance myself from the phone.
I imagine that I can live a long lifespan.
Every day, I see betrayal, but if I look closely,
it’s like a tower, let the rain shower.
A voice inside me says stay calm,and I want to tell the world, “Don’t be alarmed.”
Right now I am asleep, but
someday I will awake like a rattling snake.
I wish the moonlight would come out so bright.
Vincent Walker

4th Street
I come from 4th with flaming shadows.
I make my home charming with softness.
I see branches drifting andI wonder if I will turn to bones.
When I am alone, I forget some of my memories.
I imagine that I can be the best mic man.
Every day I see me, rattling back up the street,but if I look closely, I see the overhead haze.
A voice inside me says do not get tricked
and I want to tell the world that
I am the best drummer in the world.
Right now I am like a hurricane
but someday I will be unbelievable and wild.
I wish one day 4th Street would climb a tower.
Dimitrius Winters

40

Life
Life is a roller coasterThat rolls right on throughLife is a TV show
That you can watch over and over and over
Then life can be a stone
Which will never mean anything to you
But just stays still, never to be lived
Life is a journey that has to be gone throughTo get to the next level
To see what the end’s gonna be
So if you really enjoy life and live through it
Life is smooth as gold.
Danielle Blake

Women
Most people think that girls were put on this earth
For entertainment and pleasure
But as young men and boys
We should know better
On how to judge a girlBy just the way she looks
By not believing what we see on TV
Pictures and in books
At times we may neglect them
Abuse them and control
But we don’t know what they can do
To make our minds and intelligence unfold.

My Dance Steps
I’m dancing the two steps
Flowing through the floor
As my feet reach the bar
With jazz playing in the background of mymind
I’m spun across the stage
With the crowd’s yelling and clapping
For me and dancing steps
And when I get nervous I start to thinking
About where my dancing is taking me
I desire this dream,
Beautiful,CuteAnd pretty
My feet, my legs, my steps
See me dance
Bnyonka Simpkins

Marcus Johnson

41

Oh MotherOh mother,
You are so respectful
You bring the light when dark clouds
Come around the sky
Oh mother,
You are so loyal
You bring the beauty
You bring the truth
You bring the best that comes from me
Oh mother,
Don’t you know?
I cherish those moments in time
Where we ate chips
While watching a movie

The Beautiful Woman
The most beautiful woman on earth
The one who brought me on this earth
She’s the best
I’ll cherish her to her feet
They say you can have 20 fathers
But only one true motherShe’s the best
She’s the one who filled my heart with true love
She’s the best
She is a pure goddess
She’s the loyalist person you’ll ever find
So I wrote this to the true woman in my life
My mother
Jannett Mckoy

Oh mother,
I love you
I give my heart,
My soul,And my promise to you
Oh mother,
I love all the great laughs we had
And oh mother,
I am so thankful
That I am your daughter
Brittany Johnson

42

m
Luq

an A

bdullahSchool
My life is like school
I am listening to learn more
Trying to find more information
By reading books and asking questions
Working hard like my father with his job
Doing my work,
Trying to make a hundred,Like running yards on a football field
My life is like a gameWith the levels on the board
As I get older
Antonio Alston

Running
When I run away,
I’m not just running away from somebody
Or from something
I run away from the world at times
I wanna get away
From all the hatred
And evilness in this world,
From all the killing and the suicides
I wanna get away from my brothers sometimes
Because they can be pretty annoying
I cannot wait until I run away
From hurt and go on to my high school
At times I want to run away from
A lot of drama that these girls give us
In this school
Me running from something in my mind
I go to a different world
Where there is always peace
So when I run
It’s not from somebody
I’m running for my own reasons
Malik Moore

June
On my
Birthday,I smell the sweet
BirthdayCake
IIThe sun was
So bright
It was shining
In my eyes
III
The birthday cake was so good
My mother wanted a piece of it
To take home with herIVI went to the zoo
And the men
That worked there
Let me feel the soft tiger
Melody Henson

43Driving, Sliding, Gliding, FightingThis year,
I will be driving my way out of Hart
Next year,
Gliding right into Ballou
On the football teamFighting to keep my grades up
And thriving to success
Making sure I only keep school on my mind
And making sure I’m collecting the right information
And transferring it to my mind
Keeping my mind on winning
And achieving my goals for the 9th grade
Hoping that God can see through the years of growing
Into a grown man
And not a child from the hoodThat’s why I’m going to drive,
Slide,
Glide,
And fight through school

Ja m

arren
ie W

Curtis Canty

Fighting
I fight for a chance to live
Moving to another dimension,
Another divisionHigh school is my goal
Then next is college
Fighting for a chance
A chance to graduate
So the people can stop hating
I’m smart because I got dreams
So when I say I’m fighting
You’ll know what I mean
Eric Quarles

Whirling Flames
I come from a whirling tower or hurricanes
I make my home glow with moonlit inspiration
I see visions of flames, betrayal, and trickery in my memory
And I wonder if, in the distance, a sapphire lies
When I am alone, I shoot clouds of flames into the whirling twilight
I imagine I can fly in the wind of everlasting souls
Every day I see a shadow of the ocean,
But if I look closely into my memory, I fade away
A voice inside me says Poison the ocean with hate
And I want to tell the world to be thankful for life
Right now I am asleep in the silence of the moonlight,
But someday I will clash with my enemies
I wish to live in a peaceful land of whirling flamesMark Neal44

My community
I come from majestic Japan, land of the Rising Sun.
I make my home on a hill in a distant palace.
I see food, lots of food,rice, fish, sushi, and chicken,
and I wonder what causes themto stay so peaceful and kind.
Sometimes when I am alone,
I think it is because they do meditation or Tai Chi.
I imagine that I can be calm and cool without all that stuff.
Every day, I see people, lots of people
walking up and down the street,but if I look closely, I see criminals and future crooks.
A voice inside me says
why can’t everybody be nice and calm,and I want to tell the world that you shouldn’t kill, steal or lie.
Right now I am hoping thatthe world can change and start being responsible,
but someday I will change the way people look at the world.
I wish I could help my community.
Thomas Whitney

Where I’m From
I come from a place.
I make my home shine.
I see eyes that are red and I wonder what it means.
When I am alone, I cry.
I imagine that I can do magic.
Every day, I see bones everywhere,
but if I look closely, there is nothing there.
A voice inside me says keep calm,and I want to tell the world that I am seeing something.
Right now I am scared, but someday I will be normal.
I wish that I was a shadow.

Running away
I ran past school
Like a mad cheetah
Crazy and wild
I fear my people
They end up
In magical forests
I don’t know
How to see
What they are looking for
Sha’Quan Smith

Jamal Conyers

45

Forgive Me
I’m Very BlackThe Teardrop
when your body is empty
then it will get full
because your heartis broken
then it will get full
because someone broke it
it was empty
because I loved the girland then she
just broke my heart
that’s why it got full
I am very fulland one day
I will be empty
again, and I
hope I don’t get
full again
David Brown

Black is like a lightthat can’t be lightbecause of several
people, people
are brokefrom sky to above
where everyone dieshigh in the sky
his heart is
like gold dustin the sandI can see in
his eyes
he is a bright man
his eyes rise likesparkling glitter
he’s like rain and hailwith his heart and eyes
Emmanuel YoumanKing
Black skintree
and woods
bonds of animals
then bugs floatingaround the boat
and the sky feels
like puffed up clouds
like the beast
and let everyone rip
slowly in the sky
every day I feel
high, I’m trying mybest not to see thelittle kids fly
and the ugly andthe badtoday I feelso happy and glad
it did not rain
my heart is hurt badthen pain, I’m thinking
I’m insane and love iseverything to me in
my heart I will let it be
What? Am I here today fornothing?
Emmanuel Youman46

The Power of My Beautiful Deep Eyes
I see a man who’s
lost and confused
He looks broken andbruisedYoung black and handsome
on one sidebrown, black, white, and graywith a touch of old on the otherBy day by night, my skin getsdarker, my life gets brighter
my eyes have more beauty
and my body has more strength
Denisha Bolden

I Want To
When I slept thinking I would see you
no one was there,
memories surround me screaming“I won once again”
I’m trying to wake up from all the static‘cause there’s more chaos coming,
I’m running towards the memory lane
For resurrection, but there’s a battle
I have to fight even though it’s justa dream,I’m scared, I want to wake up,
I want to purge us not being together,and place everything back to the day we firstmet,
I want toDa’Shawn Washington

Me
I live as happy as a princess
I dream lovely like a star
my silent eyes are frozen like a mountainas my sorrow falls like rocks
my mind shines like electricity
my hands write for a note
my tears flow with joy and hurt
my broken time passes like a sore throat
Da’Shawn Washington

Da

mon

Kee

47

Black Man
Black man, Black man gettin’ beat by a fed
in the dark with a nightstick bleeding from his headprobably for something he didn’t dothis happens everyday, has it happened to you?
white policemen, black policement,
everyday they hurt us
while Black man daydreams
hoping for justiceDelonte ClemonsahMy

R ob erts on

By the end of the season
Green on the grass
green in the trees
green on apples, grapes and leaves
watching blue skies
watching birds fly
providing new plants
every season
before the old ones dieby the end of the season
new plants rise
Sherwin DuckettPain
We out here trying to save the country,
But every time I go to war a soldier dies in front of me.
Sometimes we lose more than one soldier a day.
Some of us are doing it just so we can get paid.
Money means nothing, if you lose your life.
What do you say, that’s a hell of a price.
Antwan Petty

48

I am
I am red like blood
call me a square
the greatest number inthe world as wild asa lion think of me
as a waterfall wild
and obnoxious callit go-goEarl James

Invisible Poem
look eye 2 eye as they are two full moons
black and white hair and many colors as a rainbow
full as night madness
turning into night sadness
I am being slit in half
for a while I notice
I am looking at a mirror
the person I thought was my enemy
is my self.

The Little Squeak
I know this girlshe’s always wearing amask, she tries to
fit in but she isrunning out like a pen
but when she goes home
there’s a whole new her
she’s really a nice girlshe does what she has to doshe goes to church
every Sunday that’s why
I think she’s wearing a mask
Dominique Johnson

Brittney Savoy

Fade
Why was it that when the first time I
saw you it was like I lost you
and my heart broke into pieces?
My eyes turned into red stares, even though
you left me alone I was awakened with thepast sound of your voice when you told me
you were surrounded by nothing but tears
and broken hearts. I am waiting for you to fade
all the pain away.
Kiarra Payton

49

Rewritten Nightmare
Angry twins split at birth,
rewrite their own nightmares
as I fall to sleep a wicked nightmareof my enemy comes outside my nightmare
and starts to beat me
as I scream for help
no one seems to hear me
as my eyes turn to fire
my tears seem to pour out fastermy soul colors outside the lines ofdeath as the usual suspects yell,
let me go, the walls and windows seem to fade away
the angry twin wishes he was newborn again.
Kiarra Payton

Feelings
flames through the heart
as friends begin tocome toward thedefenders who seemto glance at the victim
who stood on the horizon
frightened from the shadowof thunder, the black eye
owl’s call, which madethe wind twist, tomorrow
will melt away like a painted
portrait of a lady on a wet
surfacebut still awake in harmony
I feel private andout of dust
Danielle Stover50

Just Because
Just because I am Blackand judged all overdoesn’t mean I don’t havea colorful conscience
this is the reflection of my inner ghost
it has a hold on me
Just because a girl wonders
sometimes about how she has beeninvisible from the startcalled or known as the forgotten one
Just because someone scribbles
my face gray and colors out
the lines blue, doesn’t meanit sets my mood orange
Just because it’s me again
sleeping with my eyes open
doesn’t mean I can predict the
future of a child
Just because nothing ever happened
I can make his-story a dream and her-story
her future
Danielle Stover
Taw

on G

o ssett

Leave Me Alone
We wear the mask that is unpretty.
It hides our beauty.
This gorgeous face cannot be seen.
The mask is making me unseenwith labeled boxes and tags all over.
And the echoes of my mask could not be heard.
Me imagining beauty without a mask
would be frightening.
I discover tattoos and other kindsof beautiful things on the mask.
Please, please mask
unleash me.
Show me my beauty!
Keona Powell

Invisible
We could not see his bodythe only thing we could see
was the shadow of his facesitting there listening to him
tell me things but I could not see him.
He was the usual suspect, he wascreating his own image, he wasrefusing silence, naturally gifted.
He would say let me take you
to my forgotten ones.
Day by day night by night
he would soar acrossthe dark alley.
The clash of words I am afraid to speak
proved me wrong. He wasthe chosen one,the image of me.
Keona Powell51

Behind the eyes
I’ve been in his shoes
behind the eyes
guess this happened last night
this can’t be good
I didn’t have the same face I should
I never thought I had to choose
this last night behind the eyes
I need to take a breath
keep my headtry to figure out
what’s going to happen next
wait just ask myself
what’s behind the eyes

Dislike
A two-voice poem
I dislikeeverything
I dislikefakers

I dislikehaters
I dislikepeople who

Luqman Abdullah
everythingfakers
I dislikeliars
hatersthink thatthey arebetterthan otherbetterpeopleKaniece Whitaker

Rolling Hills
Riding my bikein a summer citrus
walking in a navy blue yard
here comes a cheetah running
down the island.
There are beautiful trees
no cars riding past the streets
you will not hear a sounduntil this giant animal
comes out of the raspberry roses.
Latia Pimble

52

Prove Me Wrong

He Ain’t Heavy
He ain’t heavy
He’s my brotherBecause if he wants
To go somewhere
You have to lift his spirit‘Cause low self-esteem is not good
And like I said, he ain’t heavy
When it comes to getting

Prove me wrong that
this is a man and a lady.
But we could be different they say.
She’s a black and beautiful lady
but it seems she had a bad day
fear in her eyes as she looks.
But we could be different they say.
The man stares as if him
and this lady are thinking the same thing.
But we can be different they say.
Could they be thinking
good or bad things?
“I look like you from one side,” she says.
But we can be different they say.
Nicole Williams

Over the wall, when it
Comes to success
Marquette Price

Newborns
Seen together as newborns
not knowing they were split at birth
as years go by they could
feel something was wrong
going back to a place once born
angry twins split at birthreunite in their own nightmares
they stand together as one“let’s go back as we were born,laying side by side,
two different mothers cameand split us apart.”

Blossom
I am a lion
I will be fearless
I want to be red
I used to be a squareI let go of the galaxy
I’ve forgotten how to jump
I remember how to be a pink
blossom
DeJon Tucker

DeJon Tucker

53

Dripping Sorrow
June, summer
and that evening
I was outside
the heat was so hot
and the sky looked likea hurricane was coming
so I hurried on before dawn
so that I could see the moonlightbut I had forgotten mysweater outside, thenraindrops quickly came down
and I smoothly ran backwards
to my house and forgot thatmy sweater outside
was left out there
I just didn’t think about it anymore
Markiya Davis

Anacostia
A never forgotten dirty place
where fish will never swim
where bodies lay beneaththe sand and dirt will sneak within
The fear of all the dirty waterthat splashes up in your face –you will never be able to get it out
Nichell Kee

54

Writing
The hobby that has two intentions of pencil and paper
Ideas that preserve themselves with every inky letter
The sound of the scribbling that rhymes with the pen
The very gorgeous handwriting that’s written
It doesn’t exclude any genre,drama, romance, science fiction, comedy
With every stroke of the quill,
his hand is weary with the main point
He makes lovely letters with lyrics
The strike of the mighty sword is inferior
to the pen in his angry letter
Words blend in with the setting
Maryum Abdullah

Not Reality
As I strutted my stuff in theelectrifying sunlight, I foundsome golden sunglasses that had
misty gray lenses
I picked them up, put them on
and there was a blinding
light, next thing you know
the store across the street
that was being robbed, now wasn’t
The abandoned old woman who needed help
up the stairs was now quickly being helped
This oasis is perfect, no killers or drug dealers
no woman or man being robbed or
put down at their jobs

Windswept
I am a Black woman
who is a little windswept
sometimes in the morning
I have secrets about my life
I can’t stop from being me
what I can stop is me from doing
the same windswept things in my lifeand sometimes at school
I feel windswept
Jamie Warren

All you hear right now is the wonderfulsoothing bells from the sanctuary
the fleeing animals, who were just being hurt
were now being carefully treated
The mango colored skies that are filling my eyes
have birds streaking acrosswith bursting sunlight barely showing over the hills,
the glasses started to crack as the glasses aretorn in two like pieces of paper
I saw the woman still having trouble up the steps
I saw the person who robbed the store run down
the street and shoot a little girlI also saw drug dealers going to kids a little over twelve
What happened? What happened to my new world?
What happened to my oasis?
Nichell Kee

55

What I See
I see desks
with poetic people
I see pencils andpens tapping and scrollingon a paper wondering
what to write
I see the pictureson the walls coming
to honor people’s eyes
I see words
flowing on papers
like the ocean
I see myself
creating art
on paperwith faithful words
I hear the laughterof the flowing group
I see words written on
the board like a lullabye
I see the tiles on the floor
lighting up likea scarlet colored candle
Reginald Conway
Mo

n ae

S mithMy LifeSometimes I feel my life is likethe birth of a newborn baby.
Sometimes my life feels likea wet and cold morning
and I don’t want to go to school.
But most of the time
my life is great.
Yasmin Jones

Unappreciated
There’s an unappreciated woman
who’s not feeling so well
she’s feeling like she’s not wantedor she has no respect.
She knows that her family loves her
but she still feels this way.
She is having some problems with
her love life, but she isstill standing strong.
When you look at her you
cannot see her bad feelings
but they’re all inside.
I would never have expected
her to be hiding.
Yasmin Jones

56

Chocolate Surprise
my life is like chocolate surprise
you never know what it’s gonna be
it’s chocolate, but you never know
if it’s gonna be a cake, a muffin
or just chocolate pudding
you never know what
I’m going to be or do
I’m like this because everyone wants me
especially the ladies
Markus Johnson

Hate
Hate sounds like that annoying sound whensomeone takes their nails and runs themdown the chalkboard.
Hate tastes like the everlasting tasteof burnt popcorn.
Hate looks like that look that you givethe person you hate.

I Am

Hate feels like walking around your housewith no socks and shoes and stepping
on a long and sharp nail that is rusty.

I am what I say I am
And no one can tell me how I am
If I was a voyage
I would go all over the world

Last but not least, hate smells like thatgarlic smell that surrounds your whole housethat makes your stomach hurt.

I am a person who will respect
you and myself
And I am a person who will loveand help a person
I am also silly and fun to be around

Hate is a lot of things.
But you won’t experience any of it,
until you hate someone as much as I do.
Patrice Rouse

I am a nice person
But at times if you get on my nerves
I will pop off
So I am warning you now
I may look nice
But I have a lot of attitude
Wendie Thomas57

If I Was a Waterdrop
If I was a waterdrop
I would go through the groundand make mud puddles
If I was a waterdrop
I would wet the trees andmake the pretty leaves come out
I would come from the clouds
and wash the earth from its dry self
and make the earth become clean
Danielle Blake

Rising
You may talk about melike I’m a statue.
You may step on me likeI’m a bug.
But I’m rising above you.
I may not be like you
Have a lot of friends andget the cutest boys in school.
But I’m rising.
You may tell me that I’m fat
and I’m too smart andwon’t amount to nothing.
But I’m rising.
You may tell me that I’m notpretty and not very bright.
But over it all, I’m rising.
Danielle BlakeMy Friends
My friends go to my school.
My friends are always by my side.
My friends are crazy.
But they are fun.
They are funny.
My friends are lazy.
They have big attitudes.
We always play at recess.
When I am mad, they calm me down.
Jada Brooks

My Daddy
My Daddy is fun.
We play volleyball.
We go to he park.
My Dad has a big house.
I look just like my Dad.
He always looks out the window.
He walks slowly outside when I’m
at his house.
His shadow is big.
Jada Brooks

58

The Forbidden Room
The empty paper wasdesperate forunwanted words.
The words on theboard are flotsam
or maybe jetsam.
The computers are
injured fromthe thieves
going witha slow flow.
The pictureson the wall
reached recovery
from the car accident.
The words are tortured
by kids. The notebooks
make noise like anocean wave.
The books are unloved
and complain when
they are not being
read. The clocks
are not honoringthese teachers‘cause they are
not working. Thereis stillness as
I think. The
chairs are singing
lullabies. The desk
remains as rotten
merchandise.
The windows are still
like scarlet candles.

n
Kia

a Mu

rp hy

Dreams and Words
when I speak
the words just turn blue
thinking of being
in a room full of many people
having many dreams
I saw myself melting away
tomorrow maybe
I might dreamof private thunder
my dreams tell me
people fear absence
I tell them take aglance at the orange
Ashley Stevenson

Ashley Stevenson

59Questions I Ask Many People
Is my sister skinny as a twig
or fat as a building?
If I didn’t have a sister, would I
have my own room?

ColorsOchre
glitter golden yellow
on my nails
sparkling so bright

Why are you king of the jungle?
Why do you sleep with the light on?
Will your car be red in the future
because back in the day you said
your car was a Lexus in red?
Without your electricity, can you see?
What would happen if you went back in time?
I wonder in the future will I be famous?
Is it always this hot?
Bnyonka Simpkins

60

Emerald
bright green trees
standing still
blowing through the wind
Scarletbright vivid roses
just bright as they can befor someone special
Bnyonka Simpkins

Yesterday, Today, Tomorrow
Exploring cells, just to see what’s in there
Or what can be in there when you fill them
Other people on the outside looking at you
Wondering eyes, wondering about
the not so clear past of yours andnot so great future of tomorrow
But why can’t tomorrow think for itself?
Why can’t tomorrow’s today think of
the yesterday’s yesterday?
Does it all add up to the present?
Or will we have to wait foryesterday’s tomorrow to flow
into the future?
Even if it isyesterday, today, tomorrow,it’s still stuck in the crevicesof your cerebrum
for you to think about.
Aaron Montel Brooks

For My Aunt
Cloud Nine
They say when you love someone
you have to let her go.
Butwhat if you give her infinite
chances to leave. . . .
And when you open your eyes
she’s still there in your arms?
Don’t get me wrong
I want her there.
But why does she want to be there?
You can tell if someone is a lie
by looking them in the eye.
But when she looks me in the eye
all of sudden I’m in the sky.
1 cloud, 2 cloud, 3 cloud, 4. . . .
Aaron Montel Brooks

Girl, your darkbrown long pretty hair
you’re a retired model
short and skinny
you’re nicewanna be mean
and when I’m in trouble
you’re on my team
Keishawna Simms

61

Where I’m From
I am from the two level house
From low cut grass and Sunday dinners

FrozenI am from big boned Jaylin, Charles, and the Jacksons
I am anger and impatiencefrozen in a cold world like an August snow
it goes past your ears, whistling slow
crumbling from wind like a fiery cloudtime awaits you like delicate rocks and fragile
mountainsangry poetry leaps
don’t forget
remember to question God with your sweetness
Sha’Quan Smith

From being pretty and angry,
from bad pictures and a Christian family
I am from coco puffs from the box and canned corn
From the accident, the problems and the lies
I am from shopping with friends at the Dollar tree
I am from Congress Park
From dirt and steady
Joylin Yates

Who am I?
I’m not a cheetah who runs so fast
I’m not a snake, so sneaky and quiet
I’m not a lion, strong and loudI’m not a hater, but a congratulator
I’m light as a rock, smooth as silk
I’m very talkative and serenely sweet
I wear clothes that are colorful and creative
I’m cool as December
I’m a dynamic diva with fiery fever
I have moody moments but I’ll be okay
Who’s this luxurious girl?
I’m myself
Not a cheetah or none of those things!
Briyianne Sharlene Johnson

Confused Am I
To question God on a journey with no path
Searching for answers with such emancipated hands
With a poor uplifted soul staring at
The delicate rock beside the white rose
Lost in mind, lost in self,
Wondering, have I ever felt?
Bittersweet memory makes it so hard to focus
The weight of weakness won’t go away
Deep down she knows something is missing, but what?
Time awaits
She’s still questioning
She imagines dancing on the moon
Drowning with glory
Like red dirt and black sand, life comes
Sometimes she thinks
From simple to sophisticated to loving myself
While dining among stars
She whispers to me, “I can finally be free.”
Joylin Yates62

the blues
I got the blues when I found loveon a two-way street
and lost it on a lonely highway

I got the blues when I watched him lay deadin his casket

I got the broken heart blues from being in love

I got the blues when my dad threw a party for me
and it ended early because of all the drama

I got the blues when I asked God to send me an angelfrom the heavens above to HellI got the blues when I turned 12
because I wouldn’t be young no more

I got the blues when my mother left mewith nothing to say

I got the blues…
Shainairie Jones

I got the blues when I saw
my uncle get shot
twice in his head

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This magazine was made possible by funding from:
Anonymous
Bloomberg L.P.
Morris & Gwendolyn Cafritz Foundation
DC Children and Youth Investment Trust Corporation
Fannie Mae Foundation Fund of The Community Foundation
for the National Capital Region
John E. Fowler Memorial Foundation
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International Monetary Fund (IMF) Civic Program
Marpat Foundation
Mattel Children’s Foundation
Weissberg Foundation
The World BankhArtworks