___________________________________________________
Kay Ryan has been named Poet Laureate of the United States, 2009-2010.
A native Californian, Ryan was born in San Jose and grew up in various towns
in the San Joaquin Valley. She has publised six collections of poetry.
Expectations
We expect rain
to animate this
creek: these rocks
to harbor gurgles,
these pebbles to
creep downstream
a little, those leaves
to circle in the
eddy, the stains
and gloss of wet.
The bed is ready
but no rain yet.
Copyright © 2005 by Kay Ryan from the collection "The Niagara River" (Grove Press)
For more about Kay Ryan, go to the Library of Congress "Kay Ryan
Online Resources."
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s nt P ., age 17, Bakersfield
April 1, 2009
"her name iz she".......her name is she with long hair, her name
is she who does not care, her name is she who is in others
talks, her name is she who is blind when walks. her name is she wh0
is f0olish with choices, her name is she that hears all the wrong
v0ices.........her name is she wh0 runz the streetz....
__________________________________________________
Patricia , age 25, California City
April 2, 2009
Easter is a special day to celebrate and give thanks for he has
rose again, to save our nation the color of the world means so
much to the lord that he gave his only begotten son for I am saved
by god and I give thanks to him for saving a sinner like me, The
lord is my savior and I hope that u love as well as I do, Praise
god and amen !
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John , age 56, Weldon
April 3, 2009
there is a girl I love, tho she is far away
she lives inside my heart
forever and a day
she comes to me at night, in my deepest dreams
then one awakes along to find things aren't always as them seem
____________________________________________________
Terri , age 50, Bakersfield
April 3, 2009
Long before tattos, there was life. We lived.
My body is a leather pouch, beloved and worn smooth.
I've carried it near me for over fifty years.
It has served me well.
It is a faithful companion, even bearing fruit out of season.
My grain is supple and relaxed, stretched but not torn.
My body is priceless.
The imperfections are wisdom on canvas
and the characteristics of beauty and quality. Lasting quality.
Beauty that evolves painstakingly over time. Much, much worked
clay.
These flaws are not battle scars
they are from use.
They tell a story of life.
My body and I are
the most faithful of companions.
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Steven , age 8, Bakersfield
April 7, 2009
it was dark
a bat went out of its hiding place
when sunrise came a cat awoke and found a hat
a dog came out of no where
and then it started chasing a hog
the big chase was on
_____________________________________________________
krystal , age 30, Bakersfield
April 7, 2009
change
mothers are crying children are dying living in the hood isnt a
piece of cake struggling to survive to live a good life but the
devil comes in tormenting young minds to kill each other off.What
it about territory in the gang life suposively your a family
united as one but have you considered what you have done sold
your self for life. think your all bad think twice before your
serving 25 to life. think every thing is cool firing a gun think
twice before your lying on a bed hooked to a resperator and the
people who love you are asking god to spare your life
____________________________________________________
Kimberly , age 43, Taft
April 8, 2009
Life
Is what we make it
What we make out of life
Is that we often take it for granted.
Life
Is too short to be messing around with it
Before it is too late
Let's sit down and look back
And just maybe we will see what we lack in
Life.
_____________________________________________________
Shawn, age 36, Weldon
April 8, 2009
On This Breezy Spring Morning, I Enter the Courtyard to a
Standing Ovation
My audience of one:
A fifty-foot cottonwood.
Rustling its keen leaves.
_____________________________________________________
michael , age 30, Bakersfield
April 8, 2009
when i first saw him i fell in love
a brown haired italian guy
like something from my dreams
i had him once, now he is far away
one day we will be together again
i am living for that day....
_____________________________________________________
Teresa , age 50, Rosedale
April 9, 2009
Who are the heroes? Wounded each day yet still living, in fear of
the unknown, yet they will carry on. Forever alone, sacrificing
their life for the 'stranger' who doesn't even care. Surviving
the unthinkable, she never saw it coming. She labored, nursed,
comforted and bled but is now Despised by the children she
brought forth. They are the Mothers of sons and daughters who
have forsaken their birthright for the joint-the hit-the
needle-the "high". She would do it again to have her babies
back.
______________________________________________________
emmanuel, age 11, Bakersfield
April 10, 2009
the sky is blue it is true
it looks like it was drew
this is true
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brandon , age 16, Kern County
April 14, 2009
the world is so bad but you look so good to me but the ground is
so dim to so are you
_______________________________________________________
Eileen , no age given, Bakersfield
April 16, 2009
Alone
As I sit thinking
Silent stare, hardly blinking
Thoughts of the day
As I make my way
A silent moment
Such a peaceful time
Please don't bother me
Some other time
Continued thoughts
Maybe a walk
Sounds of a symphony
What beautiful harmony
Music so soft
Like feathers flowing
Serenity in the air
As I stare peacefully
______________________________________________________
Max , age 27, California City
April 16, 2009
WHY
Why do I feel so sad and lonely
Why do I feel so blue
Why does my heart Ache so slow and
lonely
Inch by inch my heart falls into
Pieces so slowly it hurts it pains me
Everytime it rains on me
I'm wondering over & over if
Someone out there is willing to love me so
And if they can will they be able to mend
My broken heart back together again
_____________________________________________________
Dj, age 16, Bakersfield
April 16, 2009
I know it hurts and i might put you to shame but all I need is
your sex, love and pain
______________________________________________________
Arturo , age 47, Bakersfield
April 18, 2009
One Day
God said to me
"I created thee
and ye know I created thee."
But I ask thee
"If "I AM" an entity,
A deity.
Then who created Me
"GOD ALMIGHTY"
Was it thee,
Or my GOD to me?"
"No my Lord."
I said.
"I did not create thee,
Nor did your GOD to thee.
But ye created yeself to be.
To me,
Ye are the one and only
HOLY TRINITY
Of true Love for all eternity."
COPYRIGHT:ONE DAY
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Mortez, age 27, Bakersfield
April 18, 2009
You can't divide the divine.
Or comprehend the glory with your mortal beneign
little mind. God only reveals those things in which he wants you
to find, because everybody dies, we're only alloted so much of
his time!
______________________________________________________
dave, age 50, Bakersfield
April 20, 2009
often we wonder how long/lives flyin' by so fast/it's an ocean
but it ends at the shore/
______________________________________________________
brianna, age 11, Rosamond
April 21, 2009
i can see mountains
i can see deserts
i can see you too
but what i really want to see is the sea
i am at the sea
and i miss the
mountains and deserts
but what i miss more is YOU
_____________________________________________________
brianna , age 11, Rosamond
April 21, 2009
its you and me
how could it be
i am not your type
how did we end up together
i dont know
well its you and me
forever it will be
_______________________________________________________
Anthony , age 52, Bakersfield
April 21, 2009
as the mind sparrows and temptations con struct traps, the
rbasping wind of confusion distort our souls direction.
Victimized by the voices of I. Weeping tears asking God to
forgive us for being disobiedant to our fears.
_______________________________________________________
Anthony , age 52, Bakersfield
April 22, 2009
Poem #1
eTERNAL UNDERSTANDING, THE MASSES OF OUR MINDS ESCAPING INTO
FORMATS OF CONFUSION. TEMPERED BY THE SOURCE OF OUR INNER TRUST
TO KNOW AND SEE THE TRUTH FROM BEYOND THE PAGES OF DECEPTION,
RECEPTION BEING THE PURFICATION TO OUR RECEPTERS OF BELIEF. SEEK
AND ONE WILL FIND UNDERSTANDING.
Poem #2
AS THE MIND SPARROWS AND TEMPTATIONS CONSTRUCT TRAPS, THE RASPING
WIND OF CONFUSION DISTANCES OUR SOULS DIRECTION.VICTIMIZED BY THE
VOICES OF I. WEEPING TEARS ASKING GOD TO FORGIVE US FOR BEING
DISOBIEDANT TO OUR FEARS.
Poem #3
BENEATH TURMOIL EXIST THE ABUNDANCE OF LOVE. GODS POWER TO
POSTION US OVER AND BEYOND THE SCARRED FIELDS OF EARTHS DECIET,
MISTRUST AND CONFUSION. FROM BEGINNING TO END, GOD WILL REVEAL
HIS GLORY OVER EVERYTHING.
Poem #4
MARTIN LUTHER KING HAD A DREAM I HAD DREAM ALSO, IN 1967, ELEVEN
YEARS OLD, FLASHING LIGHTS, FLICKERING SHADOWS, SITTING IN FRONT
OF A OLD MODEL TELIVISON! GREATNESS, HOPE, THE POWER OF
PASSSION, LOVE, THE EXTENDED FAMILY, THE MASSES OF PEOPLE
EXPERICING DRAMATIC CHANGE, ENFLUENCES FLICATING INTO MADDNESS!
CONFUSED AGENDAS, PEOPLE BATTLING THE INFLUX OF A MAD SYSTEM.
PANICK IN THE AIR, PEOPLE MISLEAD AND LEAD ASTRAY, SIGNS OF MUCH
MORE INTICIPATED. CHALLENGES OVER POWERING LOGIC IN THOUGHT, THE
CRIES OF WE SHALL OVERCOME DRAMTIZED THROUGH OUT ONES LIFE.
STRENGTH DERIVED FROM OUR UNIVERSAL POWER! GOD!MARCHING THROUGH
THE STREETS, THE EMBEDDED SPIRITS OF HATRED. I HAD A DREAM AND IT
GOT LOST, NOW IT HAS RETURNED 37 YEARS LATER! KEEP DREAMING,
BEAMING, USING YOUR CREATIVE ENERGIES! THIS IS OUR LIST JESUS,
GOD, HUMBLENESS AND OBEDIANCE, LETS LIVE WITH GODS ACCORD. AMEN!
______________________________________________________
Cher'Maine, age 35, Bakersfield
April 22, 2009
TIREDNESS BEGINS AT HOME WHEN YOU HAVE TO DO ALL THE WORK WHEN
THERE IS TWO....TIREDNESS CONTINUES AT WORK WHEN THE TEAMWORK
THAT SHOULD BE IN PLAY EVAPORATES AND YOU FEEL ALONE...TIREDNESS
IS WHEN YOU GO HOME AT THE END OF THE NIGHT AND CAN'T CONVEY THE
LOVE YOU FEEL FOR YOUR FAMILY AT FIRST BUT WHEN YOU SEE THEM
SMILE, RUNNING AROUND, AND SEE HOW HAPPY THEY ARE THEN YOU START
TO THINK MAYBE THE TIREDNESS IS WORTH IT.
________________________________________________________
Crystal , age 23, Frazier Park
April 25, 2009
"Annoyed"
Leave me alone,
I don't want you around,
curse the damn people
whom taunt my every ground,
Leave me alone,
I hate your annoying voice
when your standing right over me,
you give me no choice,
stop trying to save me,
stop trying to love me,
Leave me alone in this dark room,
where I sit in the corner and rhyme alone,
Iam better off this way,
I think its for the best but everytime you come near,
I want to die and rest,
So let me be, I'll never change,
for the secrets I hold are more than you can vain,
with skeletons in my closets
and ghosts in my house...
I see this is going nowwhere,
now I'll scream and cry for HELP!
_____________________________________________________
Trina, age 42, Bakersfield
April 28, 2009
love ones
______________________________________________________
Anthony, age 52, Bakersfield
April 28, 2009
MOMENTS THAT UNDERSCORE OUR SELF WORTH. THE VALIDITY OF OUR
VALUES. CONSTANT CHANGE AND ENFLUENCES THE BATTLE CRIES OF PAIN.
STEPS THAT ASSURE US THAT OUR PATHES AND JOURNEYS ARE FOCUSED IN
THE RIGHT DIRECTION. HARDEN FROM THE INSIDE OUT, LOVE HAS OVER
POWERED THE FALSE IMAGES OF IMAGINE THOUGHTS. WE MUST LIVE WITH
PURPOSE AND INTENT AT ALL TIMES. PRAISES ALWAYS TO OUR FATHER GOD
IN HEAVEN. THE SUN HAS SET. WHAT IS YOUR BET. THE RESOVIERS OF
LOVE.
___________________________________________________
Ashley, no age given, Bakersfield
April 29, 2009
A high perched owl takes a flight,
Into the stormy darkness of night.
Golden eyes, Piercing eyes,
Glow in the light of the fireflies.
A cricket's chirp is heard to play,
Songs of wonder, hope, dismay.
While the trees arch overhead,
Their leaves whistling with songs unsaid.
A streak of fire gleams in sight,
Shooting through the darkest night.
Slowly it rises, a golden glow
Shining light on those below.
Soon eyes begin to crack,
For the darkness that they lack.
Dreams though shattered, now are sought,
From the light the sun has brought.
A new day dawns.
_________________________________________________
Anthony , age 52, Bakersfield
May 1, 2009
The ignition of our spirits. Bright lights blinding the source of
our direction. Scenes reflection turmoil from beneath the
surfaces of the imagined. Out lines of true bueaty. Know whats
real.
__________________________________________________
Gabbie , age 14, Bakersfield
May 6, 2009
One day I ditched school so I started walking down the street and
I met a lady that was singing on the side of the street that had
a beautiful voice but she was very poor. She was very dirty and
her hair was crazy nappy with bald spots. She had holes in her
shoe's and holes in her dress. and she looked a little like me. I
had a little of money in my pocket so I walked up and gave it to
her. I had asked how old was she and she said 24 then I said "Why
are you on the street singing for money?" and she said "I got
this way because I thought I was to cool to be in school so I
ditched at the age of 14.
__________________________________________________
PETEY , age 12, Bakersfield
May 6, 2009
MY DRAKNESS IZ BAD, MY GIRL
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ryan, age 21, Bakersfield,
May 7, 2009
WHEN IM ALONE IN MY ROOM SOMETIMES I STARE AT THE WALL AND IN THE
BACK OF MY MIND I HEAR MY CONSCIENCE CALL TELLIN ME I NEED A GIRL
THATS AS SWEET AS A DOVE FOR THE FIRST TIME IN MY LIFE I REALIZE
I NEED LOVE
___________________________________________________
JUSTIN , age 23, B Town
May 7, 2009
COMIN HOME FROM WORK IM FEANIN FOR AN EIGHT BALL I GOT CRACK ON
MY MIND IM HEARIN COCAINE CALL TELLIN ME TO BEEP THE DEALER TO
DELIVER ME SOME KEEP IT A SECRET FROM MY WIFE CAUSE SHE THINKS
THAT I DONT DO DRUGS
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Nancy, age 62, Bakersfield
May 8, 2009
Gods peaking around the corner to catch a glims of what he
created.
He heard his creation must have turned out to be very amazing
as someone had stated.
I got a peak at him a little while ago, and I wish to tell
you he is amazing beyond belief.
He made his appearance so I could see him one day. I thought
how on earth could the human race not love him that way.
His hair as powerful as the rest of him in stature so bold.
Gentle with the touch of his hands that make you feel as
prescious as gold.
The power of strength , and the power of love he sends out
radiating from his body makes you feel so safe....
God is really up there looking down on us. To see what I see
of him you really must..
See his beauty. God bless
_________________________________________________
Ariel, age 17, Bakersfield
May 10, 2009
Tomorrow, mother's day
The day 24-hour dedicated to my mother...
to your mother...
to every mother in this world.
__________________________________________________
Jasper , age 25, Bakersfield
May 11, 2009
I have drawn
countless numbers,
of hearts on paper
thinking of you.
And I would guess
and be correct
that the number of,
hearts on paper
that you have drawn
thinking of me,
would be
zero
__________________________________________________
Alissa, age 26, Bakersfield
May 21, 2009
My soul expands and contracts
With my wallet. I worry:
Is this materialism?
A bad word, something I denounced
And derided, back when I had the luxury
Of fewer bills. Now I always know
Exactly what's in the account, precisely
What I can spend. But life
Always demands more; the moment
I've cleared a wiggle space for little pleasures,
Large expenses shoulder their way in.
Like you, I usually panic, but pull through,
And wonder,
What isn't materialism?
Aren't all our souls contracted,
(Angels dancing on a pin)
In these times, when we've wormed our little ways
So deep inside our wallets,
That you just might find us if you just peer in?
Or, rarely, if we just peer out, and wave?
__________________________________________________
Alissa, age 26, Bakersfield
May 23, 2009
To Market, To Market
The light of the tiny shop was hard and golden,
And weighted with fish smell, unbearable
To my lungs. I lingered near the door, and air,
And the familiar, brightly packaged shapes
Of chewing gum, or peanut butter cups
I knew she' d buy me. She had to bribe me.
I hated the place, and have no memory
Of its interior other than that stench,
And the small comfort of the candy racks.
Done with her purchases, she' d lead me out,
Clutching my consolation, gulping
At that clear southern California air,
Little mouth too wide, maybe,
Like the gaping dead fish inside.
This place, now, is large and cool,
And the fish smell ties my gut in knots,
Not disgust, but pain. I pass
The noodles, pastries, tea,
Sauces and crackers, stupid things
Having nothing to do with the Philippines, mostly,
But they make me see her.
These are my familiar
Smells and contours, now.
Maybe
I can bribe myself from feeling, keenly,
How little she'd they'd left me of our culture.
My words for them: Lola and Lolo'oh,
And their word for soy sauce: toyo.
_________________________________________________
Kasandra, age 14, Bakersfield
May 29, 2009
love is something special, and not something that is ment to be
thrown away, love is used each and everyday, love will be around,
until that very day when everyones true love is found, love puts
a smile on everyones face, being inlove for the first time is a
memory that you can erase.
_________________________________________________
Shena, age 14, Bakersfield
May 29, 2009
theres this girl,with a long pretty curl. there was this man,that
asked for a hand, she said yes, i'll try to do my best. when she
picked up a box, fell out hundreds of locks. she ask what are
these locks for, he then said they are for the nob on some
doors. she said why so many for so little, he said the doors are
very,very briddle.
________________________________________________
Gia, age 24, Bakersfield
May 31, 2009
I remember love
I remember love
When it was so adolescent
I remember love
Never kept me guessing.
I remember love
So mediocre to the definition today
I remember love
Loveâ ¦when did you go astray ?
Come back my way.
I remember love
Kisses were so sweet
I remember love
When love wanted the best for me.
I remember love
Love so divine
I remember love
Once upon a time.
I remember love
Sacrificial to the touch
I remember love
Loveâ ¦how I miss you so much.
I remember love
So pure and so sweet
I remember love
Loveâ ¦.how did you forget about me ?
_______________________________________________
Tammy , age 44, Bakersfield
June 4, 2009
Though this doesn't rhyme, here is some food for
thought. People are like a rose. Beautiful, unique in their own
design. But if handled wrong you'll get stuc k
_______________________________________________
Chandler, age 13, Rosamond
June 12, 2009
Laughter is like a flower it's pedals break off and it turns to
something ugly.Why cant we get along why do we have to make
racial remark.Why.?That is the question.
________________________________________________
Alvin , age 35, Rosamond
June 12, 2009
eyes that sooth my arousal exspectantcies a close encounter
has me drawn in with new life when i found her
i love her i love her not saintin wit a new plot theres no
stoping
i stay close to god while im hip hoppin
label her dangerous miss me wit the kiss of death
deadly to her like wise to her when god gave me breath
so breathe in breathe out entangle in spiritual awareness
wither away the pain and hurt annd gloomyness and bareness.
_______________________________________________
Rene, age 13, Bakersfield
June 16, 2009
every time i hear your voice a million things come into my head
some stuff is amaginary
_______________________________________________
Ramon , age 17, Delano
June 16, 2009
All my life, I've been skipping to your beat, following your
melodious ideas
Never questioning, never thinking it was time to hit my own frets
I sang your tune every time i was up to the mic, the mic you set
for me
Now, I think it's time to write my own song
I'll set my own stage, my own mic
I'll find my own audience and recite my own lines
Don't tell me I can't do it
Don't tell me i won't make it
Support me
Be there when I play my first note
Be there when I get my first standing O
Be there whenever I need you
Support me
I don't need to be let down again
I just need your support
My music is life
The words I create burn with the passion of a thousand souls
The wind never blew never like this before
I never spoke words never like this before
Support me
Now that I am vulnerable,
Now that I am here,
listen to my words and help me rid myself of fear
Don't let me chase this dream alone
Tell me I can do it
Tell me you'll be there
Please, be there when I come home
________________________________________________
Jessicaa , age 14, Rosamond
June 18, 2009
the night has fallen the sun has gone . the darkness overides my
skin and cuts me deep. i feal the blood levening my body and
excapes my vains and gose to some one new. another life is lost
in this sill game we call love that has only just begone.
_________________________________________________
Jessica , age 15, Rosamond
June 18, 2009
there it gose agen my life as a person. there agen a kid cries.
there agen the moon has risen.there agen is the girl with the
broken hart that tries to move on day by day. theres agen is the
boy that just wants to die. theres the lovers that will never
love agen. there agen i right this pome .there agen it will
become a song.
__________________________________________________
Lizbeth , age 9, Bakersfield
June 20, 2009
roses
not every flower tells romance
but a rose can
the beauty
of a rose
it's unique look
it's divine smell
the colors of a rose
from orange to red
it is simply a flower apart from all others
__________________________________________________
Jessica , age 14, Rosamond
July 7, 2009
how did i get so lucky to have meet you??how did i be so brave to
tell you i like you?? how did i say i love you?? how did i follow
you?? how did love take me over agen?? how do i say this.....I
LOVE YOU
________________________________________________
Samantha , age 10, California City
July 14, 2009
love is true to all who cares its worth the wait but soon it
tears hearts are broken here and there knowone figures out who or
where but some how its just there
________________________________________________
Jasmeen , age 13, Bakersfield
July 15, 2009
A speck
onlooker, a nobody
watching, not saying
but making a difference
a speck is all i am
A speck is a i need to be
but in truth are we all not specks?
________________________________________________
Martinique , age 13, Bakersfield
July 17, 2009
bold as lightning
strong as thunder
against she is, of fighting
majestic is her power
always is she thinking
leaving us to wonder
________________________________________________
Melissa, age 18, Bakersfield
July 23, 2009
without my baby i aint s**t, i need her in my lyf so i cud
suceed. she made me fall so crazy in love, and i will never
forget my truly love... her name is mariah my beautidful babe. if
u ever read this . i want u to see what u made... a girl who is
crazy for u, i just hope our love will never fade away. i love
you baby your my world my wife my every lil thing . i need u....
and i love you. your my all.
__________________________________________________
Deadrianne , age 16, California City
July 23, 2009
life aint what it seems !!!
living in the projects aint what it seems some
leave their kids at home some tell them to leave killing and
shooting aint the best thing so you should just leave4 take all
your things and hurry out the door leave a note to your homie
tell em ypur gonna make something out of your life cause when you
maske sothing out of your higher than high when your brain goes
to waste it just dies
__________________________________________________
Barbara, age 57, Bakersfield
July 25, 2009
Haiku
Art, music, dance
Alternative Academics
Heaven on earth
_______________________________________________
Laura, age 17, Bakersfield
July 25, 2009
Title: Eight Years.
It's been eight years since we heard them yell,
Eight years since the towers fell.
Eight years since they lost their lives,
Everyone taken by surprise.
It needed to happen so that we could stand together,
And let us remember that, now and for ever.
November 11,2001.
Never Forget.
_____________________________________________
Jim, age 9, Bakersfield
July 28, 2009
i am red u are green
u are red and
i am green
your mom is blue
and your dad is red
get it
_____________________________________________
Victoria, age 15, Bakersfield
August 1, 2009
My sadness
goes on
forever
_____________________________________________
Victoria , age 15, Bakersfield
August, 1, 2009
my sorrow goes on 4 ever i could write pages on and on til' the
days grow dark and weary way past the death of my mom it gets sad
wat i write 'bout breakups deaths and broken bones i would slowly
bore you but that is all for now
_______________________________________________
Cory , age 17, Bakersfield
August 4, 2009
My Desire I desire for you for food and money and life. I desire
in my sleep and everywhere i go. My heart desire you over my
lifetime and i never ever get you off my mind.
______________________________________________
Sam , age 11, California City
August 6, 2009
hi weeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee weeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee love
_______________________________________________
Nancy, age 62, Bakersfield
August 8, 2009
GODS PEAKING AROUND THE CORNER......I BETCHA HE SURE
IS.......TO TAKE ANOTHER GANDER AT HIS CREATION........
HE JUST THOUGHT HE WOULD STOP BY, AND GET A REMINDER OF
WHAT SPECIAL THING HE HAS DONE....TO LET US KNOW HE MADE US WITH
ALL HIS LOVE......
HE NEVER STOPS LOOKING DOWN AT US FROM ABOVE.....SOMETIMES HE
POPS IN TO SEE US......TO GIVE US A PEAK......TO SAY NOPE WHAT I
MADE IS NOT WEAK......
HE WANTS TO TELL US IT WAS WORTH IT WHAT HE HAS DONE.....TO
MAKE US WITH EVERY BIT OF WISDOM HE HAS.....YOU KNOW WHAT I AM
GLAD.....
________________________________________________
Bill , age 67, Tehachapi
August 13, 2009
Wooden Soldiers...
In your hand,
they seal fates, secure fortunes and launch ships --
tongue sharp and sword mighty.
In mine,
nothing they do is permanent,
and most is rubbed away --
fit only for notes and lists,
a doodle, a drawing, a scribble, a sketch.
In your fingers,
they spin and dance --
ballerinas twirling on their toes.
In mine,
they stomp and stumble --
clowns wobbling on their heels.
For you,
they are tools of craft and precision:
slender, straight and tall,
young, six-sided and cedar fresh,
eager to empty their black hearts
on painfully white fields,
and sacrifice themselves without regret
to crumpled sheets and polished gems.
For me,
they are merely soldiers:
yellow uniforms and pink helmets
armed with lead and ready to march,
but doomed to die in vain
on paper beds...
_______________________________________________
Sharleece , age 15, California
August 13, 2009
dear god,
i want one eye to be green and the other blue
i want him to be 5'9 and hansome in pesonality
i want him to love me but for me not to love him back so i
may never be hurt, so i may never sit up and cry about him
cheating on me, so i won't ever hava a broken heart
love always,
legacy
_______________________________________________
Josh , age 18, Bakersfield
August 13, 2009
A world of darkness
A world of cold
A world of sadness
A world unknown
It may seem simple to see the world as a place to run and play
but what will happen to our world when polluotion comes to stay
A world of ashes
A world of lies
A world of worries
A world os cries
If our world comes to an end
beacuse the problems could we not mend
then all we have will be so lost
as the world frezzes over in a cold, white, forst
_________________________________________________
Joseph , age 30, Bakersfield
August 14, 2009
I love Allah Like i love my mom Why? Cause he give everything i
need and never act for nothing in exchange. I love Allah Like I
love my father Why cause he protect and never let harm come my
way. I love Allah Like i love my best friend Why cause i always
can depend on him thought thick and thin
________________________________________________
deadrianne , age 16, California City
August 15, 2009
im waisting away with nothing to say my life is dead an gray i
start to wounder what i want what i need and how to express
myself to thee the one i love the one i call BABY the one that
holds me close in the night but flees away at the site of life,
who have i become this distance that i see never the more i seek
my true identity looking and hopeing for the est but that doesnt
last forever my love is at rest. i search to find love that is
blind it sits right in front of mewhy cant i see the fate of my
life in the psalm of your hand to be held so carefully and
lovingly too i wonder if i could love anyone the way i love you
!!!!!
_______________________________________________
Paige , age 25, Lake Isabella
August 18, 2009
CHERRY HILL
I am staring at a gray horizon
Burnt cherry trees are staring back at me
A frog jumps from the internal pond
He smiles at me and vomits a firefly
He snatches it back but doesn't swallow
I've discovered the reasoning of the gray sky
As mountains of ash form all around me
It hasn' t struck me yet as to where the frog has gone
All that remains is the wings of the firefly
Broken on the ground, reflecting the light of the harp
That sits next to the only blooming cherry tree
I play the harp without any knowing
The music is soft in my ears
And I sleep
_______________________________________________
Paige , age 25, Lake Isabella
August
18, 2009
CRYSTALIZED
The mammoths return to their warm caves
On the sparkling mountains above the window
In this winterized town located somewhere in dreams
Losing the last drop of blood
Taking a last painful breath
A crystallized leaf-like snow flake drifts by
Slowly changing to an amoeba
Swimming in a makeshift sea of weightless dances
Eyes slowly shut
Crying last words in a jumbled sentence of betrayal
Why did you kill me, father?
___________________________________________________
Isaiah , age 20, Bakersfield
August 20, 2009
we laugh
we cry
we sing
we die
thats the way we live our life
we love
we hate
we chase
we escape the minds we have but its to late
the facts of life are not that far away dont treat it as if it is
_______________________________________________
Sanuuese , age 29, Mojave
Sept. 9, 2009
I HEAR YOUR BEAUTIFUL VOICE
A VOICE SO CLEAR THAT ONLY I CAN HEAR
A VOICE SO DEAR THAT MAKES ME LOOK WEIRD
BUT I KNOW THAT ITS YOU GOD
REACHING TO ME
HELPING ME WHEN I PRAY
IT'S YOUR VOICE THAT I HEAR
THAT MAKES IT SO BEAUTIFUL AND CLEAR
I JUST WANT TO THANK YOU FOR ANOTHER BLESSED YEAR
BECAUSE IT'S BEEN REALLY TOUGH
I CAN'T COMPLAIN WHEN I HAVE ALL THAT I REALLY NEED
A FAMILY WHO LOVES ME AND KEEP IT REAL
FRIENDS FOR LAUGHTER WHEN I'M FEELING WEIRD
IT'S NOTHING WEIRD WHEN GODS IN YOUR EAR
IT'S HIS WAY OF SHOWING THAT HE'S WITH AND VERY NEAR
SO THANK YOU AGAIN FOR ALWAYS LISTENING
BLESS IT BE PRAY TO ME GOD IS NEAR NO NEED TO FEAR
_________________________________________________
Hector , Age 23, Bakersfield
Sept. 12, 2009
YOU TAKE ME TO A PLACE I NEVER GO,YOU SEND ME KISSES MADE OF
GOLD,ILL PLACE A CROWN UPON YOUR CURLS, ALL HAIL THE QUEEN OF THE
WORLD!
_________________________________________________
Jessica , age 15, Rosamond
Sept. 12, 2009
i once hade a hart and it was hole then it was broken like a
pole
it hirt so bad i cried ever day un tell i finally for got my name
i walked around the earth like a lost sole with no friends and no
fun
i hade lost ever thing in my life even u that is way i am soo
blue
but then there was this day when i looked down at my srcares and
relized that a better day is soon to come
i fealt as if i was my self agen and in they end i am still your
best friend!!
________________________________________________
Evangelina , age 21, Bakersfield
Sept. 15, 2009
poem 1:
Those days
I am but a fool.
Oh, how those sweet autumn days
blissfully caressen my memory.
Those days in which we were but friends
as innocent as a childâ s laughter.
Oh, how I feared this dreaded end;
my soul does cruelly remind me of those days.
Yea, I have even reminisced in those days of
tones gone a flare and tempers unmatched.
Oh how I long to seek your forgiveness
for my spirit is restless.
Ah yes, those days in which we spoke of lifeâ s
unforgiving bite and those who need more
than a bandage to heal their broken wounds.
Alas, memories I wish could fade
but oh, how my heart echoes your shadow.
A friend from another life you were
and yet it seemed your presence
resketched in to my emptiness.
Once in which we were mesmerized
by the friendship we held was
once as soft and gentle as wings of angels;
wings which have been charred by those who despised.
In those days of which visions lingered in our eyes;
as our lips formed the prophecy.
The days of which we would
stand and drift apart.
The days of which we would be held
by a single thread of memorizes.
In those days of glad tidings and joyous occasions
smeared by envy and jealous hearts
became the brand which burned in our hearts.
Melted thoughts, ruined memorizes
and forgotten actions have all been displayed
by the love of our friendship.
Disputed by many, accused by idle, longed by me.
poem 2:
Ashed Beauty
How then must my life
Be lived?
Should it be as the trinkets
Of life that adorn me so?
Or shall it be as this friendship
That I despise?
Words of comfort were replaced
By words of anger and hate.
My lips that once held
Innocence were raped by the
Fabrication of your
arrogance.
My eyes were disguised
By the masquerade you
Upheld;
But the jeweled scales fell
to reveal your twisted face.
Once, Oh, sweet honey
Did intoxicate my taste
Has now lingered into waste.
You have wrapped me in silks
Spun from webs of hurt, brokenness,
And betrayal.
Musical chimes once intoned
To my heartâ s song
Now has been crushed
By the mockery of your
supposed tough.
All you have said or done has
Turned into a sour memory
Of the past.
For you, my friend, have become
Ashes clothed in Beauty.
____________________________________________
Kumari, age 44, Frazier Park
50 Pound Dog
No amount of nuance can make my big dog small
yet she prefers to curl into a white wolf shrug
nosetip to tailtip, one seamless ring of cur
____________________________________________________
Sequoia , age 17, Weldon
October 6, 2009
The moment I saw him he stoled my heart.
I hope we are never apart.
I went to see him today
All we did was play.
It was hard for me to watch him leave
There it is again my heart on my sleeve
I don't know why I love him so much.
I absolutley adore his touch.
My heart flutters at his sound
Than my heart begins to bound
When will this feeling stop.
It feels like my heart is going to pop.
He looks my way
than I realize he won't stay.
I beg and plee
but he really doesn't see.
He has my whole heart
And it tears me apart.
Why did God give me this
I thought that he knew best
_________________________________________________
Cystal, age 14, Lamont
October 7, 2009
I WROTE UR NAME IN DA SKY BUT THE WIND BLEW IT AWAY, I WROTE UR
NAME IN DA SAND BUT THE WAVES WASHED THEM AWAY, I WROTE UR NAME
DEEP INSIDE MY HEART N FOREVER IT WILL STAY!
_________________________________________________
Ashley , age 14, Bakersfield
October 11, 2009
-Untitled-
The Earth cold and lonely
all living in despair
no one living happily
a small and hopeless affair
all is misery and defeat
the strong and weak are in sorrow
loss is help to be beat all sing for tomorrow
tomorrow is a new day all defeat has moved along
all the sorrow at bay
a little bell goes ding dong
for with a new day
there is always peace at bay
-Spring-
Spring nature's bloom
little blue flowers
bright yellow flowers
inteanse white flowers
spring breezes going through the trees
grass parts as little bugs climb the stalks
ladybugs and beatles they're all there
birds sing, squirrels run, bees buzz
its all apart of nature's beautiful
never-ending cycle
small crickets are chirping their song
grass has a new fresh smell
little plants of all types
rough and strong but aged with history,trees
are older and have seen more
so many stones rough, smooth, sharp, dull
they all represent their own place in nature
birds, squirrels, bees, crickets, and other
creatures have a place to stay in
Spring, natures bloom.
________________________________________________
Mariah, age 19, Bakersfield
October 16, 2009
Love like the ocean...its so wide and so deep..u wonder how far
it truely goes...will it ever end..will it consume me? will it
ever dry up? will it ever have a limit? or is it like a
iceberg...u never reach it all..u just barely hit the
surface...hmmmm i think its like a a tootise pop lol the world
day never know...bt what i do know and what i can tell you
is....i know who i love and i know my love runs as deep as the
ocean and as long as the Nile...i love you melissa...my light..my
star...my all.
________________________________________________
Monique, age 20, Bakersfield
November 12, 2009
True calm blue
ocean breeze.
The seas float unto me.
Out from the depths
of the soul arises a darkness,
Hallow from the beating received by my skin.
I close my eyes.
My body is restful from from the night;
Letting the air to breathe unto me.
________________________________________________
Hannah, age 23, Bakersfield
Nov. 23, 2009
Roots are planted deep,
leaves are weathered and weary,
waiting for the earth to rumble
Strangers dwell in their own dimension
becoming lovers with time and place
I trail down a rip in the universe,
little strings tugging at my eyes
Just down the trail of memories,
into the neverwas,
where I find it impossible to sleep
_________________________________________________
Mariah , age 19, Bakersfield
Nov. 25, 2009
As time ticks then tocks and i look at my clock to see how much
longer will it take before i see your face again...im being
impatient cant wait till the time i see your pretty face and have
your hand in mine....trying to focus when your away makeing money
so we both have a place to stay..now you may not have everything
you want but i promise you will have everything you need..i love
you melissa you mean everything to me..trying my hardest to make
you happy..i promise i wont stop till you have everything i
promised...you may get a what you want this christmas and you may
not bt i promise by the time im done...you'll have everything
you've every wanted and more...love you babygirl..3x and
more......mwaaaahhhhhhhhh
________________________________________________
Saria , age 13, Bakersfield
Dec. 16, 2009
i was scard when i 1st saw u i was scard 2 talk 2 u
when i 1st talk 2 u i was scard 2 hold u
when i 1st held u i was scard 2 kiss u
when i 1st kissd u i was scard 2 luv u
now that i love u im scard 2 loose u
__________________________________________________
Anna , age 38, Bakersfield
Dec. 16, 2009
Numb my town, numb my city, numb my nation, numb began with me
When did your cries my brother or yours my sister stop affecting
me
Numb my town, numb my city, numb my nation, numb began with me
Were yours drowned out by mine till my eyes and ears could not
hear or see?
Numb my town, numb my city, numb my nation, numb began with me
Reach out my arm, my hand my fingers my thought and pinch away my
wide away sleep!
_________________________________________________
Laurie , age 33, Bakersfield
Dec. 18, 2009
I ONCE HAD A FRIEND MY FRIEND WENT FAR AWAY FROM ME NOW THERES
NOTHING MORE TO SAY OTHER THAN I LOVED MY FREIND
____________________________________________________
Anna, age 38, Bakersfield
Dec. 18, 2009
Allow me to delve into the labyrinth of your mind
To explore the hidden chambers of your soul
To unmask, to unravel,
To be mystified by the melody of your thoughts and your passions.
________________________________________________
SnowAngel , age 14, Ridgecrest
Dec. 28, 2009
Mnt Smthng:
Loving you was harder that i thought it would be
You BETRAYED me
You said you really cared about me
LIAR that's what you are
What i told you was true
I never betrayed you
I was the one who was Pure of Heart
We were a secret 'till YOU hurt me
I was blinded by how much you ment to me
I remember there was a time when i ment something to you
we used to meam something to eachother
Was i the only one telling the truth
You're made up of lies
I LOVED YOU & YOU LOVED ME
You ment a lot to me... you were my other half we completed
eachother
Then you broke my heart and our bond with your LIES
Now we will search for someone else that completes us
@))--%---
______________________________________________
Ana, age 38, Bakersfield
Dec. 30, 2009
Like a bird born in captivity never knowing that to it belongs
skies buttered with glorious sunset and peppered with glowing
firey clouds to adorn its flight. So is the soul of a man caged
in a prison of thier own making.
_______________________________________________
Ernst , age 53, Bakersfield
Jan. 5, 2010
ERNIE'S DOGGIE DELIMMA
THIS IS THE STORY OF ERNIE,
A WIENER DOG BREEDER HE WOULD BE,
SO HE BOUGHT HIS FIRST MALE FOR 100 BUCKS,
AND GAVE HIM THE NAME DOOGIE.
I SAID TO MY WIFE I HAVE AN IDEA,
TO MAKE MONEY BEYOUND COMPARE,
SO I BOUGHT DOOGIE A FEMALE,
SO DOOGIE HIS LOVE HE COULD SHARE.
WELL SNUGGLES THE FEMALE GOT PREGNATE,
AND I HAD DOLLAR SIGNS IN MY EYES,
BUT THEY WERE SO CUTE WHEN THEY WERE BORN,
MY WIFE COULDN'T SELL THEM TO MY SURPRIZE.
I STARTED OUT WITH TWO,
THEY MULTIPLIED INTO FOUR,THEN DOOGIE DID IT ONCE MORE,
AND NOW I HAVE FIVE SO NOW I AM WIENEE DOG POOR!
NO MORE, NO MORE, THE DECISION WAS MADE,
I HAD THEM ALL NUETURED, I HAD THEM ALL SPAYED,
WITH MY POCKETS ALL EMPTY, I CAN'T PAY MY DEBTS,
CAUSE ALL OF MY MONEY BELONGS TO THE VETS!!!
WRITTEN BY---ERNEST TRUSSELL
_________________________________________________
S. Graham , age 38, Frazier Park
Jan. 8, 2010
Poem: - Juvenals' Hand- - Juvenals' Hand-
[Photo]
It doesn't create you,
So I have learned,
The small gesture,
Of damage and retribution,
The walls can claim,
To you the keeper of continuous thought,
And mere ideals of fancy.
The pages of life,
For strangers comfort and seek age,
It is strati to often told,
In the travel of ones slumber,
And reminders of graven.
Where is now,
Small child of hope and Juvenal,
Taken from in the brittle bones,
Of the specter of age and density,
Taken the life from a poet's parasol,
And told her the shade,
Was the shadow of God.
- A Stained Picture Of Self -
The self contemplates,
Imagery of life,
A stained picture of spirit,
Whose edges embrace,
An emotion to the heart,
Ventures in the gardens lear.
When alone,
We find memory to define,
The state of everlasting present,
Candid lines of eternal past.
The ink of our lives,
Splayed forth as spring of human,
As demur ocean of earnest breath,
My name a mere second,
In the hour of existence,
Here for the fractured decades,
Displayed in the hands of quest,
To try to forgive the question,
Of amending the name of self.
Lord, lost many have I?
To the tears of agony and la ment,
Yet I must move onward,
I cannot forget the lessons of death,
In the palms of my family.
Head downward,
Cast eyes to floor,
The hope diminishes,
In the flame of an ode,
Which is the strongest silence,
The soul it is a stranger to the invite.
My Shepard,died could of I a thousandth of time-
Thus You have spared a poet so,
And I have cast my fist unto You,
A many time in the spirits misunderstanding.
Why was I created this way?
To endure in shadows trumpeting,
The sickened lore of what love is,
I do not believe here today,
I do not belong on the path,
Which starts at the end,
Then begins with not haste.
The loss incomplete,
As an abstract feather blown,
From the hand of a dreamer,
Who keeps her silence,
In the vigilance of redeeming,
All of quietude and requiem.
Watches the feather,
Blown by the fate of wind,
Never to be felt in the angelic from,
Of what once held truth,
Is the virtue of surreal pictures,
Which play like strange fiction,
In the garden where,
One sights natures disgrace,
In the disguise of what she sees not.
The self contemplates,
Imagery of life,
A stained picture of spirit,
Whose edges embrace,
An emotion to heart,
Ventures..........silently in self.
________________________________________________
Brittany , age 12, Rosamond
Jan. 9, 2010
You said you would love me
even if it rained fire
even if the Earth stopped spinning
even if it was the end.
I would love you,too,friend.
_________________________________________________
saria , age 13, Bakersfield
Jan. 16, 2010
what happend???????
everthing was going great
everthing was going fine
everthing was going perfect
everthing was going the way i wanted it to be
intill you told me something
somthing that will scar me forever
everthing was going great
everthing was going fine
everthing was going perfect
everthing was going the way i wanted it to be
intill that day you told me you cheated on me with someone else
i screamd inside and out what happend???? i couldnt think this
was happening to me i thought i could trust you i scremd for two
days but what happend???? but now im with someone else and
everthing is going great
everthing is going fine
everthing is going perfect
everthing is going the way i wanted it to be and that person is
not cheating on me that person is not scaring me and what had
happend was for a good reason
_______________________________________________
Ana, age 38, Bakersfield
Jan. 16, 2010
my friend the leaf
a whimsical escape into random thought,
mind in a state of suspended reverie
clear,concise under microscope, feelings sharp,
and felt entirely as if they shawdowed me
into the memory of past actions or into the
created adventure for today
________________________________________________
Nina, age 19, Bakersfield
Jan. 22, 2010
Have you ever wonder why we were born?, And how everything was
created???, I wonder about that a LOT and just because everyone
say's that god created everything that dosent mean anything. You
werent born at the time; So how do you know by reading the
bible??? I guess that's the only way. You know sometime's your
mind just has to wonder off and think about this stuff and you
can not lie and say that you dont because everyone's mind
wonder's off. and im not going to lie and say that my mind doesnt
because it does but the question is does your's?????
________________________________________________
Angie, age 19, Bakersfield
Jan. 22, 2010
I know that this is not a poem and that I did not make this up,
but I would like to summit this because it is kind of like a poem
to me. Its by Tupac.
Question: When will there be peace on earth???
Answer: When the earth falls to peice's!!!
-Tupac (2pac)
Thanks, Agnie, Sometimes just sharing a poem you love is enough. -the Editor.
________________________________________________
Nyza , age 16, Bakersfield
Jan. 23, 2010
Since you left me; my body stays here to rot & my soul lingers
all around this planet earth lost.
I'm not strong anymore. My body becomes weaker every day. & my
heat will turn to coal. I need you NOW!
_________________________________________________
Alicia , age 17, Bakersfield
Jan. 27, 2010
rOsEs ArE rEd ViLoEtS aRe BlUe SuGaR iS sWeEt AnD sO aRe U :]
_________________________________________________
Contributions from outside of Kern County.
Josh , age 17, Fullerton
April 16, 2009
I once went to the beach to play,
There I saw a hermit crab decay.
But the sand was too hot,
so I let it just rot.
That terrible crab that day.
____________________________________________________
Carlos , age 18, Fullerton
April 16, 2009
I waited till 3:00 that day
I was ready for adventure and play
But I couldn't handle the tension,
So I got a detention.
So I waited till 4:00 that day.
___________________________________________________
Allexis , age 14, Fullerton
April 16, 2009
Tanning in the sun
Having a lot of fun
Weather started to get bad
I went surfing, it was rad
I had a hot dog and bun
___________________________________________________
Neel , age 18, Fullerton
April 16, 2009
Neel-
Spring Break was good
it put me in a spectacular mood
i didn't miss troy
but i am here now, oh joy
but i did enjoy the food.
___________________________________________________
Monique , age 16, La Habra
April 16, 2009
yesterday was great
but there's nothing like the now
tomorrows unknown
____________________________________________________
annette , age 15, Fullerton
April 16, 2009
Spring is here when
colorful leaves begin to fall
when Spring Break starts
____________________________________________________
Farshad, age 17, Fullerton
April 16, 2009
there once was a guy
he wore a nice tie
every morning he went to his job
he hated his boss bob
so one day he threw at him a pie
_____________________________________________________
maria , age 16, Fullerton
April 16, 2009
you could drink a coke
and it may be a joke
and you can get hyper
and end up eating off a diaper
so don't drink too much coke
_____________________________________________________
cernelle , age 17, Fullerton
April 16, 2009
Love can stink
Love me like a song
like the stream that flows along
like the deer that poops
_____________________________________________________
Melina , age 16, Fullerton
April 16, 2009
Music is an expression
that can only come from within
and is pleasant to hear
_____________________________________________________
Megan , age 16, Fullerton
April 16, 2009
It was finally Spring Break
Didn't have anything to take
Just went with the flow
Had no where to go
That was my Spring Break
____________________________________________________
Mauricio , age 7, Fullerton
April 17, 2009
Kye can't wait for his vacation,
so he can travel the nation.
He'll go to the parks,
and stay out 'till dark.
And ride coasters for the sensation.
_____________________________________________________
Peter , age 17, Fullerton
April 17, 2009
Some people were sick at home
Some people were having fun
And some people don't say a word
At the end some people were tired.
________________________________________________________
Jill , age 56, Brea
April 17, 2009
Ash blackens the hill
Mustard petals glow yellow
Defy destruction
________________________________________________________
Vishal , age 17, Fullerton
April 17, 2009
Vishal: aay spring break is coming
lets hope the break doesn't end
ooh too bad it is
________________________________________________________
Noemi , age 17, Fullerton
April 17, 2009
Life is full of choices
Make sure you pick the right one
Don't listen to the voices
Hear only yours and you have won
Many people will tell you
You need to change your looks
Don't take to heart their view
Fabulous bods are found only in books
There is only one voice
That you should listen to
It will help make the right choice
That is perfect just for you
Your looks are your own
Someone will always love you
You will never be alone
Look in the mirror and you'll see who
________________________________________________________
Daniel , age 22, Tarzana
April 25, 2009
"To the love of my life...Crystal"
What made us friends,
in the long ago
when first we met?
well I think you know,
The best in me and
the best in you,
Hailed each other
because they knew.
That always and always
since life began
our being as friends was
part of God's plan...
Love, Dani
_____________________________________________________
Brandon, age 16, Los Angeles
May 4, 2009
i look in my room to find you but you are know where to be found
_____________________________________________________
Ryan, age 21, California
May 4, 2009
now i was once in the mix with some phony homies who turned there
backs on me when i needed them the most and even though there my
enemies im keepin em close because i can either sink em or keep
em afloat and while the ship jumpers go searchin for life
preservers im gonna stay here and try to repair the holes in my
ship tighten the loose boards in the home thats i built i did
this by myself i didnt ever need your help
_____________________________________________________
Oleg, age 24, North Hollywood
May 5, 2009
Under a Rock
Beneath the cinder block, star-struck module, sit I
Candor-hewn, coke-colored spleen-stained monkey -
He who rides the back of an elephant doesn't pay -
stomping strict, foot the bill in sun-down reverie sparkles...
But the club soda doesn't color bubble -
Deep in the pit of strained elegance,
necks tighten, to forgo gathering gazes;
my ailments, heavy as glass,
sentimental crowbar carriers
magnificent stoics in land-of-the-free border brigades
melt and harden as once did cement of cocky skyscrapers
fossilized by landmarks - snow - packed in rabid heat.
All for this...
The tiny appendage beneath a couch cushion
breathing into drunken ashes - sobbing -
though no dry crushed bread can bring memory back -
somewhere under a rock, a locket will, for her, salvage a wink.
Yes, God-willing, someday, someday,
she'll maybe emerge.
__________________________________________________
dj , age 16, mississippi
May 7, 2009
listening to lilwanye and puttin boys to shame but i never drink
i prefer to think iknow its a cold thing but i got to bling with
shiny things and rap but i might sing and i might talk but you
wont here a sound you might ask me were going i say btown
__________________________________________________
Adriana, age 30, Alhambra
May 12, 2009
Special Delivery
Dear Mr. Postman
Don't wear your shorts all year long
As you deliver those happy words
those hopeful packages
those dismal numbers
Don't pair your shorts with heavy boots
or black socks
or unruly hairy legs
The rain puddles will be unkind
The tan lines will begin to show
Pants are a better option
for a wintery day
And when the dog bites down on your leg
You'll remember why
you left your shorts at home
Untitled
My father never looks me in the eye
Since that day at the movies
When I was supposed to be at school
But he was supposed to be
at work.
_________________________________________________
Jessica, age 19, Houston
June 15, 2009
theres this girl her name his karina she has the smile of an
angel the laugh of a god and the voice so sweet that when she
talks my heart starts to skip a beat i love her so much she makes
me go crazy even tho we are so far from each other she lives in
my heart i can't wait teal were close again then i can hold her
in my arms and never let her go.
___________________________________________________
Nautica , age 14, Missouri
August 25, 2009
Can you see why my life is spining?Can you understand my
explantion of the unending?Can you understand my life of reasons?
___________________________________________________
Dawn, age 16, Palmdale
Jan. 26, 2010
rubies are red diamonds are blue
moms are beautiful and so are you
____________________________________________________