POETRY FROM THE INSIDE
Writings produced by youth in Theatre Of Hearts/Youth First Creative Writing and Poetry programs conducted in probation camps and schools
Trying My Best
by Enrique A. (age 16)
Sometimes I feel like such a fool
like I’m not learning the lessons
Maybe it’s all payback for the things that I’ve done
All I know is I’m here doing the time for my crime
Again
I was out there in the streets
running from the cops instead of being into my books
I picked up a bad habit, and ended up in jail
Thought I was having fun and ended up in a cell
Being here
I get the chance to get my head straight and acquire some knowledge
I know, I’m causing my family a lot of unwanted pain
I can see it in my mother’s eyes
the look of lost trust
a pain that makes me feel guilty
a pain makes me want to do it all differently
I know you think I like coming here
but if only you knew
Sometimes it’s so hard for me to maintain
But this time
I’m trying my best to get out and stay out
The Little Boy Who Stood Like Concrete
by Alejandro R. (age 17)
I cry for the little boy who is playing with his toy
I cry for the little boy who has nowhere to go
I cry for the little boy who stays in one spot
I cry for the little boy who has no clothes
I cry for the little boy who has no food
I cry for the little boy when his dad is beating his mom and kicking her out
when his dad is telling him to sit in one spot and just stay there
when his dad is getting drunk
when his dad is beating him
when his dad is kicking him out
I cry for the little boy who is out in the streets
I cry for the little boy who has no home
I cry for the little boy who isn’t in school trying to get his G.E.D.
who gets in a gang
who gets shot
I cry for the little boy when he runs to my house
when he asks me to help him out
when he tells me he has no dad
when his Gramma dies
when his heart is breaking
I cry for the little boy who has no money
who is in jail, standing like concrete
who thinks he has no future
0 he has a future and I smile
I smile for the little boy when he gets his freedom
I smile for the little boy when he changes his ways around
I smile for the little boy when he finds his mom
I smile for the little boy when she tells him he has a home now
I smile for the little boy when she tells him not to worry anymore
I smile for the little boy when he tells me he never had a friend like me
I smile for the little boy when he is happy
I smile for the little boy who smiles
It’s Just Music
A Diamonte
by J. Williams . (age 15)
Music
R&B, Hip Hop
Rhyming, Singing, Dancing
Loud, Thump, Peaceful, Suppression
Sleeping, Meditating, Concentrating
Quiet, No Music
Silence
My Eyes
By Jose’ M. (age 17)
Look through my eyes
the eyes of a fool
the moon with the evil in its eyes
the eyes that look through the barriers of the doors of hell
look into my eyes
the crazy side of me
the side that feels no pain
the side that doesn’t care if he lives or not
the side with no regrets
Look through my eyes
the chemical side of my eyes
the eyes that hurt people without touching my hurt
Be tell me
have you looked inside my eyes
to see the kindness of one who cares
the one who has returned from no return
the one who thinks before he acts
But no
you were blind
careless to notice
missing the one you thought who would never see
blind
missing me by the blink of an eye
Equal Colors
by Ocie M. C. (Age 17)
Black, white, gray, brown, doesn’t matter. Through reality people are people. Equal, made as one, created to live. Color is a word that was given to our skin, white or black. Observe, concentrate, contemplate, create. Don’t mistake me for my illusion just because I’m black to the naked eye. What color would I be if you were blind? If it’s my skin color you hate then learn to love my mind. In time we’ll all be angels. We may take a new shape. Would you detest me as a triangle? My blood is red, let me see, yours is blue? Scientifically and predictably if you don’t learn now you will never get a clue. I’ll look white or brown for you, but don’t downgrade me for not being you.
POETRY FROM THE OUTSIDE
Writings produced by youth in Theatre Of Hearts/Youth First Creative Writing and Poetry programs conducted in urban schools and community centers
Untitled Free Verse
by Carlos A. (age 16)
It’s a dream where I have to make better choices
I might know what I’m getting into
that there are bad and good circumstances
it might be a place of death that begins with drinking and smoking
it might be a peaceful place, lit up like an electrician’s logo
it might be school
It’s in my conscious
Or in my dreams
I begin to look deep inside myself
So I can be original
It makes the consequences seem easier
The signs are shown to make me believe
To make me start thinking about my future and decide
I want to live for a long time
I need to try what I know and see if I can succeed in my goals
My dreams will be reality when I have success in my life
Poverty
(in Malaysian Pantoum format)
by Julio A. (Age 15)
It is poverty
It is like a barricade
It involves a little or no money
When life hands you lemons you make lemonade
It is like a barricade
You can’t get through
When life hands you lemons you make lemonade
You try to climb to the top
You can’t get through
When one door opens one closes
You try to climb to the top
You try and try
When one door opens one closes
It is poverty
You try and try
It involves a little or no money
Untitled
(in Korean Sijo format)
by Morgan J. (age 16)
There was a girl who lost hope and took her anger out on the world
The girl saw a light that gave her wisdom to never give up
She found her hope and strove to be somebody that the world would know
The world saw her change
and acknowledged
she is a loving person
and willing to do better
She got involved in basketball
found her greatest gift
The world is no longer her enemy
The world is now her friend
My World
by Daisy O. (age 17)
My world, it’s all about me
Little do you see, that it’s me, all of me
I keep my pain inside
So no one really knows how I feel
Little feeling do see
In my world there’s nothing else
But pleasure and pain, love and hate
One day in my world would be the last
Simply because
You can’t live half of what I live through day to day
Everyday
Stress, stupidity, struggling to strive
Getting hugs, tugs, kisses and disses
Living life, loving lies lying laughing
Broken promises, broken heart
Shedding tears, bleeding pain
That’s what my life’s about
My world
My rules
Just me
Hate it, love it
Either way, you’re not gonna be in it
Culture
by Jenik B. (age 15)
How we dance
The texture of our hair
What we wear
How we look
Our skin tone
Our religion
How we’re raised
Fried chicken
Tamales
Potato salad
Empanadas
Italian pasta
A New Day in L.A.
by Anthony M. (age 17)
Los Angeles is a utopian beauty
“where we come from, sometimes beauty drifts like clouds…”
Los Angeles is nothing new to me
In the morning, the sounds of birds chirping
And the sight of invisible highways
Of bees.
But, by the afternoon the sounds of yelling
Dominate over the beauty
That once existed.
I got to wait ‘til tomorrow for the beauty to be fixed again.
Translucent Sorrows
by Heather F. (age 16)
This rose of mine does fall for thine
With petals once red now shaded in black.
I feel as though dead still mourning this loss
Of love not just taken back
but shattered at my feet
like crystal fragments now dancing in blood
Spiced with my tears
These feelings shall not fleet.
Soon is same as yesterdays and tomorrows to come.
the irony is this,
that the source of my pain is my own wretched tongue.
For this my stress, my hurt, my regret
All for you my emotion is real.
Believe this, I wish I could see you through
But you left me with layers still to peel
Translucent sorrows are all of mine
My rose lie still behind you as you leave stepping swiftly
And cursing my name
To utter words I need to hear
would cure this sickness that I have
So here I stand solemn as you quickly leave me
But for now and tomorrow hold this in thought,
Thou shan’t be forgotten
And love is something not sought
……………but found
Tokyo and Australia
by Gabriel B. (age 15)
I am a robust, ripe, rigid toothpick
a round, romantic toothpick
I came from the colorful, cool coast of Darwin in Australia
Someone flicked me into the water
I travelled north, all the way to Tokyo
It took me one day
The water was cold
I felt freedom because I would rather be in the water than in someone’s mouth
I saw lots of fish and sharks
Once I got to Ambon, Tokyo, a fish came and shot me up in the air
I landed on soft, hot sand
Ambon was a beautiful, big, blissful beach
There were lots of nice people
Someone came and made me into a small, paper, play umbrella
The wind blew me back into the water
This time the water was more pleasant
I saw more fish and the colors on them were prettier
Like pink, blue and green
When I got back to the coast of Darwin people were looking at me
They all said, Wow!
The Knighthood of Life
A group work by Jared V., Lesley M., and Yahaira T. (ages 13, 14 & 14)
Today is a new day
You have been given this day
To do something
Good
Or
Bad
Once night falls
This day will be gone forever
You will leave this day behind
In your past
Forever
Let it be something
Good
Lune
by Ariana V. (age 15)
Swimming in the pool
Life is cool
Freedom, just being
Just Make
by Taneshia A. (age 16)
Just make a tear run down
and the pain goes away
Just make life open up
and make love enter a simple way
Just love one another and the other love you
make sound of your voice make my pathway
Just say the word and I’ll open up my heart to you
Just make my life easier
by letting myself love you
Just tell me you love me
and the words would come true
Just make this poem a reality
and make it for eternity
Super Power
by Nia B. (age 17)
I was born with a gift, invisibility…
and it works so well
people don’t even notice me
not even when I yell.
it could be a good thing, or a bad thing
but that’s up to you to tell.
I raise my hand,
teachers never call on me
I stay in place,
people walk right through me
Sometimes I wonder if it were a curse…
and other times I say, it could be so much worse
Sometimes I’m enraged
people don’t see me!
they don’t care
they don’t stop
they don’t stare…
Just In One Flash
by Courtney H. (age 16)
Standing now as she wonders
Wonders why no one cared
Cared enough to see the sadness
Sadness scarring her eyes
Eyes reflecting horror
Horror from a past
Past forgotten
Forgotten just in a flash
Empty gray days
Days filled with sad memories
Memories from the past
Past best forgotten
Forgotten just in one flash
No Answers
by Lizeth I. (age 17)
Everything happens for a reason
Sometimes things fall apart just
so other things can fall together.
But in the end, what’s meant to be
will always find its way.
When we were together I thought
we were going to last forever.
and I thought I had found
the perfect guy in my life.
But it ended up being a dream
A really painful one!
Sometimes I feel like crying
But then again I feel like dying
I want to die and fly up high
Time passes by and I don’t know what to do.
Should I smile and act as if you’re there?
Or cry because I know you’ll never be…?
I keep on thinking and thinking
and I don’t get an answer.
Do I move or stay stuck in love?
So many questions without reply
All I could say is
I’ll always love you.
Untitled Praise Poem
by Guadalupe J. (age 15)
Guadalupe
The name of the virgin
Born during a fair
Tamales, Banda Music, Bull Riding all in my blood
My chocolate colored eyes are big and beautiful
I can go into my shell like a turtle
I’m like a whisper, shy and serious
I love to move my feet to the rhythm of music
I love to cuddle with bunnies
A dreamer, a helper, a friend
The Cup
by Stephanie M. (age 16)
I am a cup
I need my soul filled
I am in a rut
I need my heart healed
I can feel the rain
touching my skin
I can feel the pain
coming from within
My eyelids are heavy
my tear drops are cold
and inside
I feel kind of dull
I search for a feeling
but what could it be
I am the cup
the cup is me.
A Chat With My Father
by Erik R. (age 17)
Sometimes when my old man tries to talk
his mind runs like a small boy on a path through the woods.
You know the story
there’s home to get to
and it’s getting late
only a little light still slicing through the trees
And the boy has walked the path so many times he thinks he can do it in his sleep
but no
some bird sounds off way back in the woods
and he tries to ignore it
but it harps again
and suddenly he’s off the path
deeper and deeper
into the trees
wading the shadows
following the strangest and most beautiful birdsong he’s ever heard
until he crosses a stream and catches in the corner of his eye
a ruby as big as his fist
sure, a ruby or some rock just as precious
and bends to pick it up when a wild dog —
no, not a dog —
when a wolf barks across a gully
and he
my father
is beating his way through brush and briar
trailing those barks and howls already fading in the distance
all the while the woods have grown dark
And suddenly he looks across the table
and you see in his eyes that he is lost
I’m Afraid
by Ymani S. (age 15)
When I first saw you
I was afraid to meet you
When I first met you I was afraid to hold you
When I first held you I was afraid to love you
Now that I love you I’m afraid to lose you
The Fight
by Bri’anne W. (age 17)
They’re yelling again
And it makes me think
Of loud voices up stairs
And broken dishes in the sink
Things in my past
That haunt me each day
Fear in my heart
That won’t go away
Holding me tight
She cries her little tears
Alone with no light
Wishing my mom was here
The loud noises have stopped
The fighting has ceased
Asleep in my arms now
All is at peace
