$5
Voice of the Knight was made possible by funding fromThe Morris and Gwendolyn Cafritz Foundation
Children’s Fund of Metropolitan Washington
Fannie Mae Foundation

Voice
o f

t h e

k n i g h t

John Edward Fowler Foundation
Marpat Foundation
Mattel Children’s Foundation
Meyer Foundation
Moran Family FundInternational Monetary Fund
The Tom Lane Fund
Wachovia Foundation
Weissberg Foundation
Wendling Foundation
Anonymous

No: Three Date: Spring2007top: Shannon Donaldson
bottom: Aaron Montel SmithFront cover, Top: J.C. Morrow • Middle: Brittany Plight • Bottom: Jamard SmithWelcome to the third issue of Voice of theKnight, the Ballou Senior High school
literary magazine, written and edited by
the students of Ballou. Voice of the Knight 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 inSoutheast Washington. In September 2004, after four years
of providing award-winning programming at Charles
Hart Middle School, the D.C. Creative Writing Workshop
expanded to offer similar programs to students at Ballou. In
the short time since the school has welcomed the program,
Ballou students have grown accustomed to such perquisites
as trips to the Arena Stage, the Shakespeare Theatre, and the
U.S. Memorial Holocaust Museum. Voice of the Knight is theresult of nearly a year of workshops with professional writersin-residence, giving our young writers the opportunity to
exercise their creative energies, speak their minds, and beheard by an audience throughout the city.
In 2007, breaking the previous record set last year withthe second group of D.C. Creative Writing Workshop
participants, Ballou Senior High School has produced fivewinners in the Parkmont Poetry Contest. Congratulations
to Maryum Abdullah, Ashley Barber, Damon Kee, James
Saunders and Renita Williams for their winning entries.
We have many friends who have helped to make Voice of theKnight possible, and we would like to express our gratitude
to them. Our sincerest thanks go out to the Herb BlockFoundation, Sarah Booth and Bloomberg L.P., Morrisand 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,

Spring 2007 | i

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, WendlingFoundation, Weissberg Foundation, The World Bank,
Anonymous, Borders Books and Music, Michael Joy and
TSCJoy/Monterey, LLC, Wells Fargo Home Mortgage, Karibu
Books, Holly Mansfield and GO! Creative, 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 atPopeye’s on Malcolm X Avenue, Gregory Auger, George andLenore 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. and Mrs. 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: Dr. Susan
Gerson, Sandra Hardman, Bernie Horn, Kathleen Huston,Michael Joy, Joan Kennan, Bill Newlin, Raina Rose Tagle,
Nancy Schwalb, Kirsten Tollefson and Jamila Wade.
We would also like to thank the following staff members who
are our partners in this endeavor: Principal Karen Smith,
Dr. Portia Bookheart, Ms. Vanessa Harris, Mr. Howard, and
Ms. Alex Skoog. lii | Spring 2007

contents
Maryum Abdullah• The Journey of My Dreams..................................................28• John Reads His Own Palm...................................................43• More than you think.............................................................79• Ode to the Moon..................................................................79
Adrian Addison• Time......................................................................................76• When Your Light Turns Dark...............................................77
Kanika Anderson • Racing through the Day................................31
Christopher Ashton• The Big Mountains Inside Me..............................................59• The Eye of the Storm............................................................61
Ashley Barber• Strange Dream........................................................................8• June..........................................................................................9• The Eyes of Thunder............................................................10
Asia Barber• He Was Lucky..........................................................................1• My father.................................................................................8
Briana Battle • My Kaleidoscope..................................................38
Michelle Bowman • Life................................................................33
Aaron Montel Brooks• Eye of the Tiger.....................................................................29• My Dream.............................................................................40• Colorful.................................................................................41• Think.....................................................................................81• Montel Reads His Own Palm...............................................82• Winter...................................................................................82• Sleep......................................................................................83• Prince.....................................................................................85

Spring 2007 | iii

Markita Bullock• Ode to Cleats.........................................................................75• When Your Day Turns Bad...................................................75• Sir Stupid...............................................................................76
Clifton Burgess • Clifton...............................................................38
Antonio Caldwell• Football: a two voice poem..................................................44• The Infinite Pastime Paradise...............................................56• So Cool..................................................................................57• Perhaps the Earth Can Teach You........................................57
LaTanya Carter • Life.....................................................................67
Ashley Cooper • Linda Reads Her Own Palm..............................40
Nefertearia Crawley • Where I wanna be.....................................80
London Davis • Grades.................................................................68
Lewis Franklin • Hunted by Time................................................67
Cierra Gibson • Ode to..................................................................65
Delonte Gorman • The Secret Life of Silent Hearts....................65
Jermaine Harris• Life Again..............................................................................51• I Am From.............................................................................61• Lightning...............................................................................62
Candice Hines • Racing to the new year......................................37
Dontaye Jackson • My Name........................................................29
Jasmyne Jamison• Another Chance....................................................................34• July.........................................................................................34

iv | Spring 2007

Alexis Jenkins• As Seasons Come....................................................................2• When All Meets.......................................................................3
Markus Johnson • Being 19 years old...........................................28
Michael Jordan • High School Blues............................................69
Damon Kee
• Beware...................................................................................23• My World..............................................................................23• From One to Another...........................................................25• Gone......................................................................................26• The Dark...............................................................................85• Sleep......................................................................................86• Destruction...........................................................................86• Unfinished.............................................................................87• What did I say?......................................................................87
Chris Ledbetter
My Eyes....................................................................................58
Sadness and Joy: a two voice poem........................................59
James Lewter• Knights..................................................................................70• My Life..................................................................................71
Benjamin McKinnie • Poetry Is....................................................63
Crystal McPherson• Seasons..................................................................................35• New Year’s Resolution...........................................................35
Termeshia Miller • My Real Name................................................68
Kwah-Preme Mitchell • The hunted.............................................62
Vernon Mooney • Visions of Secret Life......................................56

Spring 2007 | v

Johnathan Muse• The Rain................................................................................43• My Eyes Tell Lies...................................................................44• Football: a two voice poem..................................................44
Antonio Nwozo • My Fight...........................................................32
Carl O’Brien • Who is the Lion?...................................................73
Larry Pinkard• The Road to My Dream........................................................50• My Reign...............................................................................51• My eyes..................................................................................51
Cinthya A. Proctor• Letters from My Broken Mind.............................................52• The Pain of Wearing the Mask.............................................53• Darkness of Life....................................................................53
Danielle Rice • About Anger.........................................................88
Arthur Richardson• Birds to the Sun....................................................................46• Mask......................................................................................46• The Road to Glory................................................................47
Donnell Robinson• Poetry Is................................................................................74• Death.....................................................................................74
Kiara Ross • Name.........................................................................74
James Saunders
When I am like the world........................................................17
His Future................................................................................19
Slave Haikus.............................................................................19
Marcus Sharpe • In me and in you...............................................32

vi | Spring 2007

Deon Smith• Comeback.............................................................................38• December..............................................................................39
Harry Spencer • My name.............................................................32
Brittiney Sweetney• The Community Has Changed............................................47• Wisdom.................................................................................49• The Power of Dreams...........................................................49
Olethea Thompson• Olethea ...................................................................................5• Flowing Into a New Year.........................................................7• Kaleidoscope...........................................................................7
Jerrita Tolbert• No longer existing.................................................................11• Spinning Into a New Year.....................................................13• May........................................................................................13• Kaleidoscope.........................................................................14• Lost and Alone......................................................................39
Shanay Turner • Golden Life........................................................31
Calvin Vaughn• If I was a hunter....................................................................64• My Real Name.......................................................................64
Christina Washington• Spring......................................................................................4• A Life with Purpose................................................................4
Michael West• Philosophy.............................................................................15• Summer Time.......................................................................15• My Kaleidoscope...................................................................16

Spring 2007 | vii

Renita Williams• Haunted Haikus....................................................................20• Dreamer................................................................................21• I am, I am..............................................................................21• Angry Mood Days.................................................................22• Ode to the Trees....................................................................22• Writing Poetry......................................................................26• Trustworthy...........................................................................27• My Place................................................................................27• The Great Life.......................................................................80
Shamella Williams• A Beautiful at the Fair Inside My Kaleidoscope..................55• Two Men................................................................................55
Symone Wrice • Sidewalk..............................................................63viii | Spring 2007

p o e m s

l-r: Shiquida Smith, Laquietta Wright, Shakiyla Harris, Latonya Williams

top: Maryum Abdullahbottom, l-r: Gabrielle Martin, Brittany Watkin

He Was Lucky
Farewell, he said to the darkness
For out of millions of children
he was a survivor
Never again will he bein hollow, empty rooms
The voices and marching boots
Blindness of the dark
Fear of what might happen
if the door opens
Barbed wire on every window
and painted blue-black
They thought he was forgotten
Listen!
He said, I’m gonna get out
and he didbarefoot,for he broke the glass
Crawled out with cuts
and new scars—Asia Barber

Spring 2007 | 1

As Seasons ComeI
SpringAs the sun glows, and wind blows
and kids scream and joy rings throughout the air
I wonder how anyone can come to hate such a time
where one can eat ice cream without rushingso it won’t melt
and leaves shine and trees smell
letting everyone know that spring is here
II
WinterThere’s really not much to say to you,besides the occasional
laugh of someone falling in snow
School being out and being able to stay in the houseand eat till I’m stuffedwatch and listen to music
You bruise me with frozen hands and feet
Until we meet again I’ll be as friendly as you
Goodbye for now, winterIII
Fall
The season of mystery and love,the smell of cinnamon buns
The season of song and dance,
you touch me when I’m not at my bestwith the occasional sun which
always makes me smile, if only you could
stay longer than just a while

2 | Spring 2007

IV
Summer
The time of shorts, skirts games and laughter
Out of all the seasons
you seem to last the longest
Not only in days, but in my mind
You bring so many different times
There is no way one can not enjoy you
even though you make it hard to breathe at times
When you let down your guard
you’re so comfortable I almost
can’t live without you
Spring, winter, fall, and summer—
you guys bring so much to the table
Laughs, cries, joy, scares
It would be wrong to pick just one—Alexis Jenkins

When All Meets
Pink roses whisper in the air
Black snake slithers through the night
Cars drive in circles
Bears cry to the sky
Red daisies jump in the air
Tires become squares
A frog stops and makes a triangle
While blue and green monkeys throw rings
Into the air
And a donkey swallows them and screams—Alexis Jenkins

Spring 2007 | 3

Spring
I
My blindness from the sun
as it’s looking at me
I am dreaming of the cloud
as it rises
II
I almost feel the wind
as it passes through me,
the feathers on the bird
as it flies across the sky
III
The glow of the sunlike a huge candle
I can feel a shadow coming near me,a memory that all is lostIV
I can hear the soft wind,the evening of the sun—Christina Washington

A Life with Purpose
My gaze is overflowing
and I’m in fear,
the world is darkness
and I can’t see.
Every day is a mysteryand I wonder what it is,I open up a window
to look outside.

4 | Spring 2007

My shadow is present
and it doesn’t go away,
the afternoon is beautiful
the change of the area unknown.
The arrival of friends
the sunset is gone,
I wonder what difference
I can make.
The world is distantand so am I,
the triumph of victory,
the injustice of people.
The farewell of peoples’ death is scary,
the unexpected is near,and I don’t know what it is.
The world is where I live,
and I’m proud of it.
—Christina Washington

Olethea
My name is Olethea
and my name sounds likelots of cats fighting for food.
My name tastes like olives.
My name feels liked a big high wave
trying to get back into the ocean.
My name looks like ABC soupworking to get itself back into order.
My name smells like a dirty garbage canhoping to get clean.
—Olethea Thompson

Spring 2007 | 5

top: James Saunders
bottom: Nefertearia Crawley

Flowing Into a New YearI am flowing into a new year
and the old year’s spinning backlike a windy windthat I catch in my black hair,like heavy fingers,
like all my good promises.
And it would be easy to let go:
thinking what I said to myself,
starving myself, freeing myself,
thinking what I would dowith the New Year
—Olethea Thompson

Kaleidoscope
Jumping and dancing
gold bees are flying into hearts
I’m running into the house to
get my keys
silver cars are driving
in a formation
laughing at dogs trying
to get a boneelectric O’s
turning into blue and white flags
hearts and triangles
trying to turn themselves
back into shapes, anddiamonds look like daisies
houses filled with hamsters and rabbits
just like sunflowers and roses
growing in the sun—Olethea Thompson

Spring 2007 | 7

Strange Dream
talking green birds
sat on round trees
cheering as thedolphin skipped tothe beat of the pool,as the butterflies jumped
on the orange ape,
asking for the diamond tulips;
the blue eagles fly acrossthe sea of A’s,
the pink convertible
drove around theheart-shaped playgroundas the orange-yellow
roses blossomed—
I smiled.
—Ashley Barber

My father
My gaze is sadness, full of tears
hate, anger, frustration,
and, just maybe
sometimes happiness.
It is my custom to hidethese feelings of suffering and darkness.
And sometimes I may cry when
I’m not alone.

8 | Spring 2007

And what I see is nothing,no image, no face,as he slowly fades
from my mind and heart.
And I’m very good at forgetting,
But I will never forgive.
The world wasn’t madeto be stuck in the past,
but to move on and live life.
I have no regrets—
I think everything happens for a reason.
If I speak of him,
it is in hate and anger.
It’s not because of what he did,but because of what he didn’t do.
To love is not easy,
but I will never love.
—Asia Barber

June
I
June—
the shine, the glory
school is out, pools are open,
kids’ laughter brightens the day.
The sun is out, the cold is gone,
Whew! Those are the days.

Spring 2007 | 9

IIThe birds singing, rabbits hopping,searching for a bite to eat;flowers shining bright, flowing
to the rhythm of the beat.
Forgotten the time, forgotten the way
June is so good, I’ll be happy all day.
III
June smells so sweet,
makes you want to eat thecool breeze, air as
it surrounds you,just want to give up.
The crayon box open,
so you can see all the beauty
when June is alive.
IV
June, full of secrets
and good memories
and neon streets,
mystery sounds,
dreaming of flying
with the air.
—Ashley Barber

The Eyes of ThunderMy gaze is rainy, full of thunder.
It is my custom to create happiness,
Deleting all the bad things that happen
And sometimes I close my eyes
And what I see amazes me—
Things I’ve never seen before.

10 | Spring 2007

And I’m very good at seeing things before me;
I’m capable of having happiness,
Like I won the lottery
Having all the money I need.
I believe in good times
Because I can feel it inside,
But the sadness is what
I see when I close my eyes.
The world wasn’t made for me to see(just to live a lie).
I have no good memories; I have nightmares.
If I speak of snakes, it’s not because I’m bad,
But because of my life, and family past.
All I have is sadness, full of tears and anger,
No love.
To love is forbidden,
and only to hate is allowed.
—Ashley Barber

No longer existing
My gaze is distant and blurry.
It is my custom to slowly observeand think it through;and what I see is sometimes golden.
I’m capable of conquering the sufferingthat exists in the outside world.
I believe in spiraling out of control
because of overflowing happiness.
The world wasn’t made for an unknown presence;
it was made for change and new arrivals.

Spring 2007 | 11

top: Damon Keebottom: Tyesha SmithIf I speak of the past, it’s not because I’m sorry
but because it is golden and full of love.
To love is to unwittingly live
and not regret a thing.
—Jerrita Tolbert

Spinning Into a New YearI am spinning into a New Year,but the past keeps peeping around the corner
like a nosy child.
All of my past mistakes are
starving for more trouble; but
all of the fighting and stomping
is driving away.
They make a u-turn,but I manage to skate away.
—Jerrita Tolbert

May
I
May—
it rises, it shines
like the sun
rising at dawn
almost forgotten
like a faint memory
II
Laughter is breezing
and shining
like the glow of

Spring 2007 | 13

a warm smile,
just as smoothas a newborn childIII
The salty fragranceof the ocean shore
a slight blindness
as moonlight occurs
fading away only
until daylight comesIV
No random sorrow
only filled with glee
like that exotic feather
flying freeNo huge blankness
that is beyond me—Jerrita Tolbert

Kaleidoscope
Jumping pink and orange batsthat dance with the birds,
monkeys skippingin the green rose field,
clothes shaped as stars,
ladybugs crawling to the money,
heart-shaped tulips
in a yellow lake,a baby blue giraffe named J
running in circles
toward the jewelry
just like a gold-digger.
—Jerrita Tolbert

14 | Spring 2007

Philosophy
My philosophy is to exist.
My gaze is clear, but
my future is a mystery.
My way of thinking is:
my destiny is suffering.
Unknown obstacles don’t scare me—
The thought of one of those obstacles
offing me
is what I hate to see.
Farewell to the people closest to me,
I’ll see you soon, cause death seems
to hunger for me.
Being swallowed by darkness is a scary thing,boulevard of shattered dreams,
never to become king.
—Michael West

Summer Time
Summer’s my favorite season,and of course it’s for good reason—
memories of joy flow to me
like a river stream;
I’m still trying to uncover thedefinition of a dream.
Summer’s great,
but the heat’s tricky,
under the moonlight
I think of my blessings,
each one just as significant
as the other, like when I’m down,
I still chill with my mother.

Spring 2007 | 15

Summer shows the most beauty:
the women, the flowers,
the never-ending affection of the sunlight;
the air has a certain fragrance,
making me think miracles can happen,
hanging with family, friends
and just laughing.
—Michael WestMy Kaleidoscope
Dashing pandas,
fur as black as night;
ice turning solid,
now that’s a pretty sight.
The importance of A
exchanging for gold,
not too soon after turning old.
A pyramid turns to dust;
minorities learn to trust.
Stars brighter than the night before,
every obstacle means another door.
Choices, choices,
those are the thoughts in my head.
The results from themleave me wondering.
Mountains high in altitude,
the female lion carefully chooses her dude.
Life brings joy, but also pain—
this was my way ofallowing others into my brain.
—Michael West16 | Spring 2007

When I am like the world
Ironically, it is when I’m most self-conscious;
it is when I care what everyone else says.
When fatigue is festering
and I won’t die until I’m gently burnedby the gracious sun in the morning.
Lying in the bed, fresh out of the shower
my belly is filled with food, my homework is done.
I’m in my PJs, and these late-night re-runs effectively sedate me.
I’m ready.
Lying in the bed, I fight this impending darkness.
I have the world to blame for this fear.
It’s their fault.
Every night it comes.
And when it comes, I am like them.
I am then concerned with their humanist notions of life.
I am then fearful of going to sleep,
to die, and not to wake in the morning.
I’m no longer this outcast, rebel-type of guy
but I’m one of them.
I’m scared, just like them.
—James Saunders

Spring 2007 | 17

top: Renita Williams
bottom: Wayne HarrisHis Future
He comes from bologna and government cheese sandwiches,and juice, just juice.
He comes from corruption.
He has been blinded by the myths that promise him
dope boy status
if he is true about gettin’ this money.
Senile senior hood-rich celebrities
tied the blindfold real tight, didn’t they?
Ironically, he’s otherwise insouciant, until he’s filling his mind
with false dreams of hood stardom.
Corrupted, thoughtful, consumed, anxious.
He thinks of his future;it’s like he’s reading his palm.
And the doom that he experienced left him in awe.
Now he has this moment to choose:
Life, or death.
—James Saunders

Slave Haikus
I
Fettered together
Packaged with malevolence
like fresh frivolous sardinesII
Barefoot and bound tightThis great peregrination
was far from the end

Spring 2007 | 19

III
Alienated
In this inhuman hospice
my fear can’t be tamedIV
I sat and pondered
Fathoming what my crime wasand couldn’t find one—James Saunders

Haunted Haikus
Landmines
The kids cry and fall
They are hurt by it all, bombs
the missing leg gone.
HIV
Young women, young men
Hop to bed and then again
the clinic sees HIV.
Death
Heartbreak burns softly
Sorrow screams loudly, pain aches
death of human cries.
Holocaust
Stuffed up train reeks, smells
Shower filled with gases, burned ashes
cries out for help, scream.
—Renita Williams

20 | Spring 2007

Dreamer
Beautiful, peacefulMother sleeping in the universe
my best friend
so soft and gentle
the open eye
unity in the world
a lovely home sits there thinking,dreaming.
Her people scream with terror
They yell out Stop! Stop!
The blood sinks through the soil in the tree roots
All you hear now is pow, pow, boom!
I wake up and see a man lying there
not opening one eye,but he is fading in the sky
a future father is gone, Bye bye.
—Renita Williams

I am, I am
I am the footsteps of tomorrow.
I am the legend of morning trumpets.
I am the secret, grave voyage.
I am departed caution.
I am the breath of a 2 month fetus.
I am a coral forbidden backpack.
also opaque eyes.
I am the bang of a souvenir drum.
I am a decent speech of a breathless man.
I am ancient flutes during summertime.

Spring 2007 | 21

I am... who I am... I am the woman
who stands above us, who breathes everyone’s air
I am, I am Renita Williams.
—Renita Williams

Angry Mood Days
Open, mined heart; broken glass burning,
so deep, cold hearted, driven to destruction
on earth’s core, tarnish;
firefly burns, splintersin memory, tempests raining rage.
Sores upon their faces,
the arrival of the evening star,dissonance, self-defeating liars,
toxins mellow, hurting the inner soulPlease stop the madness.
—Renita Williams

Ode to the Trees
Sister of the planthood
Why do they treat you that way?
Growing above peoples’ graves.
You are so strong, you canknock down anything in your way.
Cut into millions of pieces,
blood dripping so much it can make a puddle,
So heavy, it burns. It’s almost like magic.
Don’t you feel like the world is invading your space?
But we need you to make paper
we need wood for fireplaces.

22 | Spring 2007

You are a sunrise,
you keep it cool when it’s hot
You can get elderly
to the point you have to get cut down.
Don’t you feel invisible?
Nobody knows your name, nobody cares about you.
But the world need you so much that
If you did not exist, there would be nothing to touch.
—Renita Williams

BewareMy life is a silver dagger
used by a madman
bent on killing and destroying mankind.
It is darkness in a golden light.
The knife of danger tells you to back up.
The blade of power, overthrowing everything
the handle of speed stabs very quickly.
My silver dagger of despair will obliterate and annihilate
every human and animal that tries to stop, hurt,
or make me eat brussels sprouts.
My one-way ticket to death dagger is very powerful.
The thing you need to watch for is not the dagger, but me.
—Damon Kee

My World
My world will consist of everyone
and no violence, no killingand every person will have a soul mate.
The world we live in is unstable,

Spring 2007 | 23

top, l-r: Rhia Hardman, Shannon Donaldson
bottom: Demetrius Walker

unfit for the universe.
A big blanket of sorrow over a planetthat does not belong.
The earth’s people are unfair and unjust.
We need to create a perfect world
and I know they say everyone is not perfect,
but let’s prove them wrong.
Just one can change the world and that one is me,
so listen up and follow my rules so this world
can be what it’s supposed to be.
But this is only the beginning of my greatest dream ever.
—Damon Kee

From One to Another
My unhappy world turns
From misery and woe to just plain awful
The grief I share with my soul—
If you tempt it, the cup will tip over
And the broken glass will turn to anger
The fierce emotion shall come to grips with reality
My horrible rage with its massive energy
The hatred for the world will turn to
A burning infinite flame of decision
My fury will subside into a tiny flame and eventually extinguish
A happy feeling will comeFrom a candle as bright as a gold star
Shining in the age of darkness
Then with a shimmering tear in the eye of the people
I say, the world is actually a cool place to live
—Damon Kee

Spring 2007 | 25

Gone
Some things are better left unsaid
The reason for this is that my dreamthat was supposed to be real
didn’t appear in front of me
My dream did not become a reality
The flight of a bird is a beautiful sight
I wish I could fly
The sight of a beautiful young animal is great
I wish I was there
Basically, I’m saying
I can’t do things that people expect me to do
I can’t fly. I can’t be a beautiful young animal,
or even an astronaut.
But the life I live is a boring one
full of things that I can’t do
I’m supposed to be a great person
I’m just not there yet
A dark past is revealed and forgiven
Forgotten, gone
—Damon Kee

Writing Poetry
Books are better than bowlingLove is like lined paper
Words are like falling winter snow
Writing is like a speeding cheetah
Reading is like frozen ice
Lined paper is like a kiss of the sun
It burns like words crawling in my fingertips—Renita Williams

26 | Spring 2007

Trustworthy
I am bursting with faithopen soothing heart that’s covered with weakness
I strut down these hallways like a Supreme
I worry about tragic things going on
I get very exhausted thinking of death
Something is haunting me that’s called love
I’m scared
Blood flowing through my bones
telling me stop worrying about amorous feelings falling apart
If I open my soul to you, will you crush it?
My sorrow’s tears filled with cement
so heavy it pulls my neck forward
so my tears can break it—Renita Williams

My Place
The injured animal crackers poster burned from stressThat blackboard freezes from torture
That unloved book remains rotten, pity.
Look to the left—
Don’t you see an unheard stillness from computers?
The flotsam words and kids jetsam into seats
Look to the right, what do you see?
Cherubs giggling and seraphim nod with a smile
The dictionary religion is recovering from lullabies
So if you dare to come in my poetic room
Without poetic thoughts
You’ll be sorry.
—Renita Williams

Spring 2007 | 27

The Journey of My Dreams
This mesmerizing thought of a private pastime,a path that leads to a world undiscovered.
These ideas linger into someone’s twisted fantasy,
which somehow messes up mine completely.
As I speed on to what I’m doing,trying to pursue things unimaginable,
things that frighten them to think about,but make me brave enough to be about it.
My fascination with this weird fantasyland
is like a vacation from reality,
some sort of acquired tastethat takes long to get used to.
—Maryum Abdullah

Being 19 years old
I don’t know what it is like to be 19.
But I really want to be 19.
I mean, it’s the best.
You’re not underage, old enoughto live by yourself. You’re able to drive,
get a job, have privacy, no curfew.
You would have your own rules. But, I’m notgonna say everything is gonna be perfect.
—Markus Johnson

28 | Spring 2007

Eye of the Tiger
To the sound of the crowd
as they cheer or boo at yourreign as champion
you’ve trained hard, you’ve fought hard
You’ve been beaten, battered and bruised
you have given all your heartand still have the guts to keep fighting
But you’ve lost it
the hunger, the thrill, the eye
You must train harder
You must fight harder
You will be beaten, battered and bruised
worse than ever before
but you must get up
to keep what’s yours
to keep theeye of the tiger—Aaron Montel Brooks

My NameDontaye tastes like a bucket of mild fried chicken.
Dontaye smells like a nice day in the summer.
Dontaye feels like running around in Six Flags.
Dontaye sounds like a crowd at the gogo.
Dontaye looks like a brand new Caddy—blue.
—Dontaye Jackson

Spring 2007 | 29

top: Deon Smithbottom: Rashida Wills

Golden LifeMy gaze is golden, like my rings.
It is my custom to have valuable things,
and sometimes, when I think about it
make people feel less fortunate.
And what I see is: I can get more than others
because I have the value,and I’m very good at creation.
I’m capable of defeat;I believe in destiny.
The world wasn’t made for me to suffer.
I have no unexpected visits.
If I speak of your arrival,
you will come and visit me,
but because of kinship I allowed you to.
To love is to change
and to change is to have the unknown.
—Shanay Turner

Racing through the Day
I am racing into a new day
and the old day catches up
like a cheetah.
I am forcing my way up
and trying not to think
about falling.
Once I am far away
I am smiling, skipping, and dancing.
Now I am back to the future,
sleeping through the night
so I can start another new day.
—Kanika Anderson

Spring 2007 | 31

My name
My name smells like fresh baby spitup.
It feels like the last touch from your fallen loved one.
My name sounds like a dead person yelling.
My name looks like an angel reserving his wings,
and it tastes like a mouth full of heaven.
—Harry Spencer

My Fight
I’m fighting my way into the New Yearbecause everywhere I go
there’s a new obstacle
and a new person to fight.
I’m gonna fight for my right to fight harder,
but the people that I fight seem to come backand try to bite me in the behind.
I know with a couple of sharp punches, andI can put them back where they belong—in the past,and turn this traveling starving young fighter
into a champion—Antonio Nwozo

In me and in you
In me there is a heart of gold
in you there is cold
I’ve seen our flaws
and all your darkness
and I’ve seen it fall
Having you is learning you
but the red window is falling on me

32 | Spring 2007

and you are invisible
In me there is a heart of gold
in you there is too
I hope that you will look up
at the man playing the saxophone,and the sunlight in the window.
—Marcus Sharpe

Life
Sweet July—
its laughter
birds have fallen feathers
lots of family gatherings
all of the family comes together
This is when people love the weather
We are blinded by the sun
showered by violence and guns
It seems as if it’s a dreamLooking through the windowat my beautiful shadow
I think I’ll go lie on my pillow
Life is full of sorrowblankness because the good die young
everybody is looking for a dollar
to spend under the sun
We need help
Everybody is wearing and saying
in loving memory of the loved one
who lost their life under the sun—Michelle Bowman

Spring 2007 | 33

Another Chance
Bouncing into the new year
trying to avoid negativity
I’ll bounce myself positive
surrounded by my enemies
I leave behind the worst
and bounce to reach the top
never to look back, I will try
once it starts, begin to fly
Begin to fly high in the skies
glide with my mate
try not to hateand dismiss all mistakes
entering the new year early, not late
—Jasmyne Jamison

July
July is sunny and warm
full of laughter and joy.
The moonlight shines brightly at night,
leaves in the morning, sacred in my sight.
Eyelids are hurting, body is not.
Strange feelings coming from the backmysterious heat
and a ghost in the sky to see
it’s the sun trying to hide.
The 14th day arrived bright, so yellow.
The sounds of the birds were mellow.
To dream of loneliness tastes sour and strong.
The dream of company is exotic and stays longer.

34 | Spring 2007

I wonder, I wonder, I wonder
why the sun so beautiful tries to hide,but once the truth is revealed
the sun escapes the clouds and enters the hills
way up there I want to go
to dream all night, never hope.
Once I awake, I’m back my way
On July 14, my 18th birthday.
—Jasmyne Jamison

Seasons
Kids swimming through the blue water
looking for starfish.
Raindrops falling down on a sunny day
Kids trying to escape the endangered dinosaurs
English bulldogs playing with red roseson the first day of spring.
White tigers running through snowflakes
on the first day of winter.
Frogs leaping on the green leaves in the waterTwo flower girls walking
down the aisle of a wedding
tossing red roses.
—Crystal McPherson

New Year’s Resolution
I was fighting in the old year.
I am killing people with kindness this year.
In the old year, I wasn’t focused,
seems like I kind of slept my year away.

Spring 2007 | 35

top: Marcus Sharpebottom, l-r: Latonya Williams, Teashia Yate

This year, I will even take vitamin pills
to stay awake and focused.
No matter what the issue is
I promise to handle my biz.
I am now new and improved,
no more late night “06” blues.
I will accomplish my goals in many ways.
I will do whatever it takes to fix my mistakes.
“07” here I come, running to you.
—Crystal McPherson

Racing to the new year
I am racing to the new year
but it seems as if everyone is ahead of me
I am running my fastest, but I just can’t seem to catch up
It’s as if everyone is against me
and I am the only one on my team
I can keep going, I say to myself
but everyone else is yelling that
I am not going to make it
I should drop out now
I say, no I can do it
I am going to make it
I start running even fasterI am catching up and now I am ahead of everyone
I made it, I won the race
when everyone thought I was going to lose
I proved them wrong
I am the best
I just have to put my mind to it
I can make it through the new year.
—Candice Hines

Spring 2007 | 37

Clifton
My name is Clifton.
It feels like a football after a football game.
It smells like fresh money.
It tastes like chicken on a Sunday.
I looks like a newborn child
It sounds like a penny dropped on the floor
in the middle of the night.
—Clifton Burgess

My Kaleidoscope
Jumping over blue squares
Black dogs with red hearts
Rattlesnake moving through dandelions
Crawling through K-Mart
Wearing purple shoes.
Monkey in Old Navy
Pink stars flowing through the water
Skip around Payless
Raindrops look like stars.
Roses in the air
Ks dancing all aroundWhy settle at Last Stop?
Foot Locker for me and you.
—Briana Battle

Comeback
I am skipping into the new year because I am happy.
I am happy because last year went bad, but I am leaving
all of that behind me so that I can start off fresh.
I am trying to start my year off

38 | Spring 2007

with getting out of English One.
But first I have to believe that I can make it.
It seems if I was fighting one person,
but there is a difference,and that is, I have more than one opponent.
I am on my way, I can make it.
These are the words I am saying to myself
as I am fighting my opponents.
—Deon Smith

DecemberI see Christmas lights
I see snow
I smell love and joy
I hear laughter
I taste the same food from a month ago,
but fresher
I feel the love of my motherand at the same time, the cold snow.
—Deon Smith

Lost and Alone
Hidden between dreams and reality
there is a lost soulwaiting for the darkness to end
to search for a love which just doesn’t exist.
Weeping in silence
because she can’t take the truththat her scars and wounds
can never be healed.
Her hopes have been buried

Spring 2007 | 39

and all dreams are crushed
as a sickness of emptinesssweeps over her lonely heart.
—Jerrita Tolbert

My DreamMy dream flies
it soars so high
the grace, heart and willof the suffering stars
have fallen
But, as it flies
a yawn of a gust of windwhistles my dream to the groundthrust into the horizon
with a jolt of thunder and lighting behind me
I hear an owl’s callthat lights an infinite flame in my soulto the point where fear’s absent
I will flap my wings
I will achieve my dream—Aaron Montel Brooks

Linda Reads Her Own Palm
Life is blind.
This may be a myth to you
but true to me. Doomed like acarrot in a salad, as if everyone looks
insouciant while I struggle for relief

40 | Spring 2007

empty as a juice box, which lies in myfuture. I am now senile, I don’t
remember the smell of cheese.
Life is blind because you don’t know
what’s going to happen. Doomed like acarrot. This phrase knows how it feels
to be in debt. Insouciant eyes, lookbut don’t help. I’m thirsty for wealththat can fit in my hand. I feel old
like I can’t do it myself. My
senses are gone left without any help.
—Ashley Cooper

Colorful
When bananas go rotten
they sit and turn black
just like I have
my world was gray at once
not knowing the difference between
black, white, yellow, brown.
But now its colorful
I can see now
I must take what I deserve
the color of my skindoes not, does not make me a fooland the others who fell into
this colorful world of yours
let them fall but me,
you will not make a fool of me.
—Aaron Montel Brooks

Spring 2007 | 41

top: Lamont Gaynor
bottom, l-r: Maryum Abdullah, Damon KeeJohn Reads His Own PalmJohn is doomed to a life of boredom,
problems and trouble.
He finds out his life’s a mythand his future is not what he wants it to be.
No matter how much he tries, he can’t change it
He is blind to the “whatever” comes next
because his palm wants fate to take place.
John becomes insouciant
and lets life take its course.
Unlike cheese and salad, he now knows
things are best left alone.
—Maryum Abdullah

The Rain
My dream is as strong as lightening and thunder
but it is not raining so there is no lightning or thunderso I have to make it rain
I have to have a wingspanbut there won’t be any rain for another four years
In order to do that I have to finish school
so I have to put the pen to the paper
and make it rain
the rain is hiding from me now
Not only do I have to make it rain
but I have to make it thunder and lightning
but it still doesn’t happen for another four years

Spring 2007 | 43

As I am getting older it is starting
to rain more
so I am likerain more!
now thunder!
now lightning!
and before I know it, it will be here
I can tell that it is coming—Johnathan MuseMy Eyes Tell Lies
My eyes tell luxurious lies
I have fallen fatally
but my violent visual mind is malevolent
my eyes stay awake
they are gullible on a good day
my eyes can see the baboon go boom
they can tell a tall tale one at a time
I can see you
they can see the whole terrain
they tell me to have some adaptation
sometimes they see badly—Johnathan MuseFootball:a two voice poem
I am
Roy Williams.
I wear number
31.

44 | Spring 2007

I am
Clinton Portis.
26.

I play with
the Cowboys.

I play with
the Redskins.

I
run fast.
hit hard.
I was in the playoffs in
2006.

2006.
Were you in the pro bowl?

Yes.
Were you in the pro bowl?
I playstrong safety.
Our record was
the best
in our league.
Football isNah.
I playrunning back.
Our record was
the worst

outstanding,great,
wonderful,
better thanbasketballsoccersoftballboxingbasically
all sports.
I can’t wait ‘till
next year.

all sports.
I can’t wait ‘till
next year.

—Antonio Caldwell and Johnathan Muse

Spring 2007 | 45

Birds to the Sun
I am a bird.
I want toreach my goals
and become an “A” student
and go to college.
I think I am a sun
because somebody
thinks that I am not smart
but to myself I ama sun. Bright,
because I will burnthem when they lookbecause I am bright,
and I can be something in life.
Birds to the sun.
—Arthur Richardson

Mask
I wear the maskthat gets judged
by many others
but I can’t believe
they are noteven my own
brothers. I feelsad, but when I
see everybody else
wearing a mask
I am proud becausewith this mask I am
over the clouds.

46 | Spring 2007

I wear the maskthat I get judged bymany others. But
I can’t believe
it’s even my own brothers.
—Arthur Richardson

The Road to Glory
Since he was in elementary school,
he had a huge dream.
It was as bright as fire.
It was his goal!
It was a dream like throwing rocks in a pond.
Then the dream got blocked by people
that walked past as he attempted to throw the rock.
The boy never had a chance to get the rock off.
Until one day he said, I am bigger than this.
Then he finally got to throw the rockand people thought highly of him.
—Arthur Richardson

The Community Has Changed
The community has changed
it has been betrayed
like the crimson temple
daydreaming for forgivenessthe twin gangs have been exposed to the young PG-13.

Spring 2007 | 47

top: Aaron Montel Smithbottom: Maryum AbdullahThis community has changed
it sheds so many tears for emancipation
like an emerald fortressit’s trying not to frown, surviving through it all.
The destruction of this community needs justice
to keep us rising to the top.
This community has changed
it’s balled up with anger asking for release.
Open up your eyes and smell the pheromones.
If you haven’t, you will see how
this community has changed.
—Brittiney Sweetney

Wisdom
I know that I have wisdom
but what I don’t know is what’s next.
I thought I knew what life was about
but I understand why God put us here
and why we have to serve our purpose.
But I don’t understand why we have to die,but I know the meaning of school –to get an education and to learn
respect and much more.
—Brittiney Sweetney

The Power of Dreams
My dreams are powerful
so powerful you couldn’t stand to see
the power and the glory of my dreams
they’re greater than a heart beating
loud as thunder, sweeter than a whistle

Spring 2007 | 49

The harmony and grace of my dreams
my dreams are so strong the sun can’teven melt them away
relax, the pastime in paradise has comemy dreams have blossomed
The shining of my new world water
my dreams are like a night without stars
a 1 out of 100 chance that it
couldn’t happen
out of the dust and into the lightthe shining blinded my eyes
my dreams just steal away.
—Brittiney Sweetney

The Road to My DreamThe road to my dreamwas very difficult. It was
rough and tricky. It was
imperative that I get to it.
I had to go throughthorns, water, animals and people.
More and more people came,
more water, more thorns andmore animals. My dream was
as visible as an HDTV andthen it got blurrier and blurrier
until I couldn’t see it.
—Larry Pinkard

50 | Spring 2007

My Reign
The earth had better be prepared for my reign.
When you see me, you will see rain.
I am going to rule the earth, I’m taking over.
I am going to end all sleepovers.
No one is going to be there at my arrival.
But everybody is going to be at my revival.
I’m the evening star in the sky.
When I die everybody will cry.
—Larry Pinkard

My eyes
My eyes make a gruesome grimace
The turn turbulent
My eyes recover resiliently
My eyes make people respect me
My eyes are able to adapt to anything
My eyes are able to sense danger
My two eyes tell me what kind of terrain I am on
My eyes rebuff the ignorant ones
My eyes show greatness—Larry Pinkard

Life Again
Red racing mysterious octagon shapes
facing the life ofdangerous lions thatrun in the windwith strong maple trees standing tall
until darkness arrives
then the movement changes

Spring 2007 | 51

different shapes appear
it turns blue and cold
ferns, fungi and orchids diebears pray for foodeverything spins, turns, twirls andjumps in the night
until morning finally comesorange fills the sky
clouds wave on by
now everything thatdied or sufferedhas
new life
and will not be destroyed again.
—Jermaine Harris

Letters from My Broken Mind
The powers in my eyes areas complicated as my soul.
Love is seen throughthe words written on my bones.
The anger of my life is likesadness of the world.
A baby cries to thedestruction of the world.
Letters from my broken mind
are as painful as
the madness of the world.
—Cinthya A. Proctor

52 | Spring 2007

The Pain of Wearing the Mask
The pain of a mask
is similar to death
they act unseen and unheard
but they are really waiting to be discovered
they act like they are just like you
but they are notthey really think that there is nothing wrong
that they have no problem
but in the end
everything is wrong
but there is no one to help thembecause they are too shallow to tell anyone who they really are—Cinthya A. Proctor

Darkness of Life
Darkness of life
you are the baby’s cry.
You stole the life that was once mine.
Why must you kill and feel this way,
when it is all because of satan’s rage?
When the stroke of life hits you are always
there for the absent pride.
You’ve starved and forgotten the life of the dead.
You never think, you always fly to the one that is about to die.
The souls are always screaming
but you never want to listen.
But then the final life or death will always find a way.
You make life a fiery deathand screams of danger you never fear.
Darkness, why are you not here?
You bring the chain of rage.
Your life will always be in the valley of death.
—Cinthya A. Proctor

Spring 2007 | 53

top: Damon Keebottom: Steven Coleman

A Beautiful Day at the Fair
Inside My Kaleidoscope
Dangling peach butter ponies
that float in the air
dolphins flip inside theaquamarine Potomac river
cheetahs with exotic flowers chase
red robins
purple balloon tulips float
through the air
this reminds me of spring timeat the city fair
—Shamella Williams

Two Men
Two men stare into the eyesof one another to see who’s more bold
A man who sees his reflection
differently than another’s
He’s aging right before his eyes
He’s looking at himself from both sides.
Could it be his soul growing old?
Or could it be man vs. man
angry and bold?
—Shamella Williams

Spring 2007 | 55

Visions of Secret Life
Sweet pride of visions ofdark halos are likethe bloody waves fromscarlet winters of awarm mountain thatsits in a rainy potholeon a side street that sitson a boulevard moon.
The youth season is coming up,
kids there have elastic hallucinationsof silent phantoms in thatbrick sand.
Spark the lights.
—Vernon Mooney

The Infinite Pastime Paradise
My dream is private likea night without stars being
sealed away in the darkness
saying goodnight moon
Out of the dust, it’s backthunder harmony and fright
my dream is so far away,
you have to look witha telescope towards that horizon
Bam, like that I found my
dream without fantastic damage
done to it. The twisted window is
unwinding the truth,
it’s a bright star
—Antonio Caldwell

56 | Spring 2007

So Cool
I am fourteen.
I am so young, I can barely
get into a pg-13 movie.
I am so powerful,they called the army
to stop my destruction.
I am so cool, you can’ttell me what to do.
I am fourteen.
My fist lies balled up
as I smacked a man
into the dreamland,but still I am so cool.
You can’t tell me what to do.
No man or woman cantell me where my community
can lead me to or I will
abhor them. But still,
I am so cool, you can’ttell me what to do.
No man or woman canrule me because I am
so cool. They can’t tell me
what to do.
—Antonio Caldwell

Perhaps the Earth Can Teach You
Now we will count to ten and I will mute you
so I can deliver this message with an echo.
The sweet toil over the crossfire is a husky
grudge match. There was a riot in a collagethat constantly screams unity.

Spring 2007 | 57

After the riot, you hear the confessionof the sparrow. He said this with openness,before I deliver this message I will tell
you that it will be burned in theback of your mind. You will be blessedwith the instrumental sacred seed.
Perhaps the earth can teach you about
being whole-hearted.
—Antonio Caldwell

My Eyes
My eyes are abrasive
and sometimes they are the beauty of the beast
like a malicious monkey
My eyes are horrible weapons and useless hands
They are killer birds and abrasive words
My eyes tell me about violent things
and recognize important things
They glow like stars
sometimes they stop
—Chris Ledbetter

58 | Spring 2007

Sadness and Joy:a two-voice poem
I am sadness
I am destruction

I am joy
I am delight

I am waron the streetsI am
gun powder

I am peaceon the streets
I amsunlight

with a golden bulletthat kills with force

in peace
I am bad emotions

with golden rays
that heal with warmthin peace
I am good emotions

we arein the heart

we arein the heart—Chris Ledbetter

The Big Mountains Inside Me
Inside meis like a field of snow.
The sky is like my soula bluish color.
The trees are like me standing
on one leg.
The snow is like me when I first
get out of the shower wet and cold.
—Christopher Ashton

Spring 2007 | 59

top: Aaron Montel Smithbottom: Wayne Harris

The Eye of the Storm
The eye of the storm makes people run
it causes houses to break
it makes the skies go dark
it spreads like a disease throughout.
The eye of the storm makes people mad.
Some storms seem very calm,
but not the eye.
—Christopher Ashton

I Am From
I am from a long line of
happy, funny, friendly people
that act funny in their own way
who laugh at one another who
act silly and just play to say
that’s where I’m from.
I am from the big country house
drinking lemonade in the hot sun
with the white wood fence keeping
the dog from a good run.
When dad comes home he has thisbig bag with fresh lemonade cakestraight out the oven for dessert. He says,“if you are good, you will always havethe best from me. Just make something for yourself,
But never forget where you came from.”—Jermaine Harris

Spring 2007 | 61

Lightning
The strength of lightning that separates . . .
life from deathpain from sorrowhappiness from fearfulness
and discovers the differences of the two
but mixes together and creates one
love andpeace—Jermaine Harris

The hunted
My education is hunting me
It is hard to stay away
I want my education
But I don’t want to die for it
The homework is like a shotgun
The classes kill like knives
It is hard to stay alive
The teachers are killing me
It’s hard to sleep at night
I wake up in the middle of the nightThinking about being killed
School is hunting me night and day
Everyone says that’s okay
I don’t believe them
Because it’s killing me inside—Kwah-Preme Mitchell

62 | Spring 2007

Poetry Is . . .
Poetry is stupid
Poetry is dumb
Poetry is not even fun
Poetry is crazy
When I do poetry, I get lazy
Poetry is hateful
Poetry is boring
I would hate to wake up to poetry
in the morning.
—Benjamin McKinnie

Sidewalk
1.
You step on a crack
you break your mama’sback
2.
You see all those cool shoes
But when you look at your shoes
you feel the blues
3.
When you walk to your job
some sidewalks are people’s homes4.
You look up and the sun is up
you look down and there is gum
on your shoe

Spring 2007 | 63

5.
Days when you want to run away
the sidewalk can be your journey
to somewhere
6.
Sometimes the sidewalks arebroken,the same place yourheart was broken—Symone WriceIf I was a hunter
If I was a hunter
I would hunt for a dreama dream that would help me succeed in life
If I was a hunter
I would hunt for all good and positive things
so that I could stay out of trouble
What’s hunting me?
Trouble is hunting me
trying to keep me from doing goodthings and tryin’ to keep me from being
a positive person—Calvin Vaughn

My Real Name
Today my name is righteousness
Yesterday my name was helpfulness
Tomorrow my name will be dangerous

64 | Spring 2007

My friends think my name is hilarious
My parents think my name is intelligent
Secretly I know my name is Black soulfulsaxophone jazz player—Calvin Vaughn

Ode to . . .
Ode to a mirror
A mirror can tell what’s wrong
You can watch your talk in a mirror
In your mirror, you can see your reflection
A picture can mean a lot
so a mirror can tell you a lot of things
Also it is made out of tiny pieces of sandthat is why I made this poem,
ode to a mirror—Cierra Gibson

The Secret Life of Silent Hearts
She has a silent heart
She has so many lonely tears
She is lonely in this world
Her heart is a halo of sweet birthfilled with sad dreams and tears
She wants her birth to fade away
No more birth dance
No more sweet birth memories,
life filled with starved lilies
lonely—Delonte Gorman

Spring 2007 | 65

top: Anthony Gales
bottom: Jasmine Boswell

LifeLife is hunting me
not knowing if you
will make it another day
not knowing if
someone you care about
will make it
not knowing if you
will make your goal
the streets are what hunts
me everyday
the drugs, my brothers, family,
clothes, killers
I’m going to make my goals in life
—LaTanya Carter

Hunted by Time
Being hunted by time
I’m losing my mind
second after second
minute after minutehour after hour
Where am I going to go?
What do you want to be?
What do you want to do in life?
How are you going to get there?
Maybe it’s metrying not to bewhat I know I can
but can I beat time
like the beat of drums
Do I know how much time I have?
Just a thought

Spring 2007 | 67

that keeps runninglike a world sprinteror track starfeels like there is just no end
But the ends of the world
I’m losing my mind
Being hunted by time, thoughts,
myself, and more.
—Lewis Franklin

My Real Name
Today my name is beautiful
Yesterday my name was babyface
Tomorrow my name will be respect me
My friends think my name is La-La
The police think my name is sneaky
My parents think my name is crazy
Secretly I know my name is whatever
I want it to be—Termeshia Miller

GradesMy grades are hunting
me and I’m the target
I can’t get it straight
but it’s very easy to do
I gotta think quick
before I lose it
It takes a lot of mind
to get my grades straightbut I just don’t know

68 | Spring 2007

how I gotta do what
I gotta do, my intentions
are to focus everything
on my grades!
—London DavisHigh School Blues
I am a high school student
my report card is not
bad or good.
School is like temptation,
you try to be perfect.
Gangs, surviving, lies, andthose cute twins you havea crush on, but they don’t know
you exist. My girlfriend has a lot of anger.
In school, you refuse things that people think
are cool like weed and gangs.
It’s hard to have emancipation
when you’re popular, it’s cool but
you need a break here and there.
I’m black and have timeto grow in my future. My girlfriend has a lot of anger.
My life is basically PG-13,
everything you want to do you
can’t because you have to be 18
and older to do it.
It’s impossible to tell thetruth because you want to shine
but you are as dark as the ocean floor.
If today is a bad day, than tomorrow,
you think about – should I do this or that so

Spring 2007 | 69

today won’t be like yesterday, and again
my girlfriend has a lot of anger and I think
I made her mad.
—Michael Jordan

Knights
1.
Soldiers who
survive abattle.
2.
Royal soldiersof the high school
battlefield.
3.
Defenders of
the blue & gold
pride.
4.
Football soldiers
battle to getanother victory.
5.
Blue & gold
prevail,all is safe.
6.
Knights of thefootball field

70 | Spring 2007

battle inblue & gold
to survive
in high school.
Football defendersof the Knightand kingdomof Ballou.
—James Lewter

My Life
I am fifteen
I live in a negative community
Justice is violated every day
People frown every day from murders
Anger is expressed violently
and still my smile shines like the sun.
I’m the future
The change waiting to happen
I am the fortress built with brickMy report card grades are great
I don’t know if I may live tomorrowand still my smile shines like the sun.
It is impossible to hold my tears
The truth must be told
I refuse to accept the government’s lies
I don’t know how to blend in with others
I am the tempest causing disruption
and still my smile shines like the sun.
Soon I have to play against theCrimson Tide of Dunbar

Spring 2007 | 71

top: Anthony Gales
bottom, l-r: Jamard Smith, Brittany PlightOur fans are going to flood Eastern’s stadium
I grow more anxious as days go by
Surviving in the hood is all I can doOnce I leave the hood I won’t be staring
down the line of defeat
and still my smile shines like the sun.
Gangs brutally beat people everyday
Trying not to get exposed by the media
I should try to benefit from what
I learn in school
I will try to stay cool and not lose it
I suppose it’s because I’m a student athlete from Ballou
and still my smile shines like the sun.
—James Lewter

Who is the Lion?
Have u heard about the lion?
The lion is the bravest one out of them all
The lion has feelings he is not scared to show
The lion kills at will
The lion protects what’s his
The lion has the biggest heart
The lion is a man or ready to be the man
The lion isme.
—Carl O’Brien

Spring 2007 | 73

Poetry is
Poetry is
the expression of one person’s mind
the unspoken words of body language,
feelings.
The words of inner life and who you are,not who you wanna be.
—Donnell Robinson

Death
As I’m being surrounded by it
I’m shadowed by when it’s coming for me
Why I live life free as a stray bullet
I’ll never know when it’s gonna hit me
strong as an ox
but light as a feather
I’m only humanDeath can come wheneverUnwarned like a heart attack
And I’m the victim
Am I the hunter or
am I being hunted?
—Donnell Robinson

Name
Today my name is sleepy
Yesterday my name was excited
Tomorrow my name will be joyful
My friends think my name is niceBut my parents think my name is carelessBut when it all boils down,
my name is beautiful—Kiara Ross

74 | Spring 2007

Ode to Cleats
Sister of boots, Nikes
Jordans, and Vans
Opposite of gloves
that go on your hands
The view of the diamondshaped field, filled with dirt and grass
They give you leverage and traction
So you can run really fast
They may not be worn often
to school everyday
But they are worn in softball
My favorite sport to play
Jackie Robinson wore themwhen he made history
The ladies at UCLA wore themwhile they cheered in victory
We often take advantageof what we wear on our feetthat’s why I am writing
Ode to the cleats—Markita Bullock

When Your Day Turns Bad
When your day turns bad,nothing anyone says matters
Your mind revolves around the thingthat made it turn bad
Friends try to cheer you up, but they can’t
the situation is just too strong

Spring 2007 | 75

You want to fight and listen to “tear the club up” music
Sometimes you may hurt the ones you love
and all they want to do is help you get throughThen, it seems like one bad situation after anotherIt’s kind of like the domino theory
One thing falls then another falls, then another.
It seems like you’re always trying to live goodwhen your day turns bad—Markita Bullock

Sir Stupid
You’ve fooled me with your plastic tears
I didn’t know you had a pothole heart
I would’ve believed you if you said there was a magenta moon
Or a light bulb shining in your pockets
You left me breathless, screaming for oxygen on Torn Boulevard
Waiting on your yesterday’s absence and tomorrow’s sweaty palms
I let you in my stainless steel heart
And you left it a shattered, blistered, wounded bloody balloon
Oh, but don’t worry, I won’t be left singing the classic blues
Just know I am strong as brick and twice as sweet
These leather hips will keep swaying
Never looking back—Markita Bullock

Time
1.
Sometimes fastsometimes slow
2.
There is the pastpresent and the future

76 | 3.Spring 2007

Time travel cancreate alternate realities
4.
They say it took
a billion years forhumans to evolve5.
60 is the key to maketime keep moving on a clock—Adrian Addison

When Your Light Turns Dark
When your lightturns dark you
become evil
like someone
who kills people
just for fun.
You may feel likeyou’re untouchable andstart trouble just because
you can beat oldpeople, robbing, looting,shooting, stabbing, andkilling without
feeling any remorse.
All this happens whenyour light
turns
dark.
—Adrian Addison

Spring 2007 | 77

top, l-r: Breona Carpenter, Kevyonna Parker
bottom: Markus Johnson

More than you think
My brain is this bridge with deep thoughts
My heart is the trees, used a lot
The water is my eyes, farther than you can see
Saying, “There is more to me than you think.”
The water’s reflections are my soul.
The black sky is dark emotions I show
And the little land is what’s hidden about me
Saying, “You don’t know that much about me.”—Maryum Abdullah

Ode to the Moon
The brightness that lights up the stars
centered in the middle with ostentation
Vivid as it is exquisite, surrounded by
its azure admirers. The night sky.
It is a sculpture of brilliance,
created by no human.
The way it glows, blinds us, it cannot bereached. For it is an untouchable beauty.
The moon remains young, and still pretty,
notorious and wondrous every night.
—Maryum Abdullah

Spring 2007 | 79

Where I wanna be
I’m stuck at the bottom, but I want to be at the top
It feels as though there’s no way
so I guess I should stop everything
It’s so cold and rocky, I wonder if I get there
will they like me?
It’s such an emotional whirlwind
wondering if I’ll ever fit in
I don’t care about them, that’s the thing
It’s who I wanna bethat makes me wanna scream
I wanna be at the top of the mountainwithout getting trapped in an avalancheWill I make it? I don’t know.
I’m so scared and it’s so cold.
I’m scared to face them at the top
I wish I could put my life on hold.
—Nefertearia Crawley

The Great Life
Well, mom,
Let me tell you
Life for me has been like a sunset on the beach.
Sometimes it’s hard, but I’ll just keep on going.
My life had some dark times, but as I turned aroundthe morning light hit me.
All of the roses and daisies are blooming,and the rain is coming down so fast,
but pure, and the satin sheets cover my heartas I think about you at night

80 | Spring 2007

The love I have for other people is bare
My love for you will last for a lifetime
There’s only one way you can go, and that’s up,
looking at the sky.
—Renita Williams

Think
Explore your mind, not just your brain
take the time to think of the things you can gain
when you think…
about the things in the backthe back of your mind where
you wrapped your thoughts in a box
a box with chains set on firenever to be set free.
Think so that you can smell your mind burningin the back of your mind,
smoking so much you can see it out your ears.
Think so much that it becomesa rollercoaster of a natural hightaking you high, higher, highest…
until it gets you to the point
where all you want to do is…
Think.
—Aaron Montel Brooks

Spring 2007 | 81

Montel Reads His Own Palm
Blinded to his own futuredoomed within his own life
growing old, impatient, and senile
as he wanders into the galaxy of nothingness
His talents are growing old
the cheese has gone badand the leaves have gone purple
in the salad that he calls his life
Beaten down and stomped on
and trampled and chokedtill the point where he wants to end it allby the slit of his arm—Aaron Montel Brooks

Winter
Winter—It’s the time for me
watching the snow fallhaving the miraculous feelingof just knowing that it’s coming
Feeling—
The snow in my handbringing kids joy across the world
laughter and happinessmoonlit rooms watching movies with hot chocolate

82 | Spring 2007

Hearing—
The wind behind your ear
following up with an ice cold snowball
to chill your mind and bodylistening to your mother yell at you
at 8 o’clock in the morning
Montel, get outside and shovel that daggone snow!
Smelling—
The cold sweat ofwhen you’re outside playing snow footballsmelling cookies in the ovenand hot chocolate on the stove
Smelling love from familes and friends
that care for you
I wonder how that feels.
—Aaron Montel Brooks

Sleep
Now I’d lay me down to sleep
but no one’s there for my soul to keep
within the blackness and the light of the candle
in the back of my mind
resembling the life of a fragile fragment of flesh
I have left burning the rose of my mind
petal by petal
as an angel hovers abovethat rose quivering and wonderingas the darkness in the cloudless sky takes over
—Aaron Montel Brooks

Spring 2007 | 83

top: Maurice Nowlin
bottom: Rhia Hardman

Prince
Arrogance beyond belief, the child of greatness
Royalty among degeneracy,
Instead of the shiny gold and silver
He wilds out with a color of his choosing
Puts his power to use in sinful ways
Kiss the royal rings, as he says
Besides all hail him, it’s
Awww man, it’s him
A crown of thorns, robe of fire
and advisors twenty deep
He never fights his own battle,
but his people bring that heatStrength of a million
within a whisper of his voice
His father will pass down
the prize of his choice—Aaron Montel Brooks

The Dark
A dark destructive time is at hand
An illusion of a scarlet end of being
The tempest destroys all
The earth’s core, driven to destruction
Thunder is crashing through the air
Mankind is going down
Into the burning fire of a firefly
Driven down into the abyss,
Where death is certain, the biggest fear
Of all fears is ourselves
The destruction of earth is now
Fear the darkness.
—Damon Kee

Spring 2007 | 85

Sleep
Before I sleep, I think ofWhat will happen the next day
Light is what I see,The burning candle,
Guarding a cloudless sky
The royal corners of my room,
Providing endless darkness
And a secret door filled with amazing things
Outcropping of shadows on my window
Trees are scarce for the time being
My eyes close and I drift into dreamland—Damon Kee

Destruction
I am a cup of death
Filled to the top with hatred
The anger boiling inside of me
Like a kettle of hot water
It rages like a black tornado
Destroying everything in its path
My red hot angry knife
Slices the last bit of light and love
The darkness covers everything
And chokes the life out of life itself
Red and black covers all the earth
With slaughter and murder
Destruction is my name andThat is what I am
—Damon Kee

86 | Spring 2007

Unfinished
July is a heated summer month.
I feel the heat radiating on my skin.
It burns my body like a volcano.
I don’t hear a silent moonlightwhen the sun goes down into a secretalmost secluded place
Evening is a neon eyelid
filled with the sounds of an empire
I see a child…
—Damon Kee

What did I say?
My world is monochromatic
In black I see an abyss of anonymous thirst
A pack of newborn prophecies to be revealed
My universe is a legacy of wisdom where I am kingMy cursed world is a gift for people
Who understand what life is all about
The things are complicated, so
Now
What did I say?
—Damon Kee

Spring 2007 | 87

About Anger
The first thing anger does in the morningis throw pots and pans.
Then she goes upstairs and throws hot wateron her brother and sister,and runs back downstairs
to fix her bowl of nails.
She decides to leave for school,
breaking the wooden door in half.
(She catches the bus to school.)On the bus, she takes all the kids’ lunches
and jacks them all up in one spot.
Now she’s at school;
she’s walking to class, andas the kids walk by her, she
throws real old Froot Loops.
She gets to her classroom and begins throwing
the desks and chalkboards.
She gets put out of class and sent to the principal,
who asks her “What’s wrong?”and she swings on him, so you know she’s expelled.
But anger doesn’t care. As she gets even madder,
she’s turning purple and her hair is turning green.
Back at home, her mother says, “Hi, how was your day?”She stares real hard, so hard that her eyes
pop out and hang.
She says Hi, and keeps heading to her room.
—Danielle Rice

88 | Spring 2007

$5
Voice of the Knight was made possible by funding fromThe Morris and Gwendolyn Cafritz Foundation
Children’s Fund of Metropolitan Washington
Fannie Mae Foundation

Voice
o f

t h e

k n i g h t

John Edward Fowler Foundation
Marpat Foundation
Mattel Children’s Foundation
Meyer Foundation
Moran Family FundInternational Monetary Fund
The Tom Lane Fund
Wachovia Foundation
Weissberg Foundation
Wendling Foundation
Anonymous

No: Three Date: Spring2007