~!~
AMERICAN PRIDE
Abby Swenson
I look to my left
Then look to my right.
I now see why
We stand and fight.
We fight for freedom.
We fight for life.
We will not stop
'til we conquer strife.
Raise the flag.
Raise it high.
For we will fight
Until we die.
~!~
“Midnight Gazing”
Darcie O'Shea
A hurried glance up, into the moonlight, into the maddening swirl
of clouds
- a wave of discontent washed over those glowing eyes and she was lost
peering into the evening
into her reveries
what was it she hungered for?
to be so illuminated by a greater being, such as her moon?
how jealous was she of its mystery, its captivity in the invisible mystic
binds of gravity
drawn towards its luminosity like the tides, cerulean blue and rushing
towards the great abyss of silent lucidity
the more she fought it, the harder it pulled
the greater the force of wonder was upon her searching soul
she needed only to be sated
required nothing but the sweet glorious comfort of satisfaction
-prophetic acknowledgment of tomorrows possibilities
but no such answers exist, no guarantees darling, or so they say,
close the blinds and take your eyes away from what you cannot comprehend
but know that your great moon will always rise and set
and likewise, that sultry impassioned sun
it’s all you can surely count on
the seductive wonderings of your mind will remain studded in your soul
and there they will fuel your forever desire to journey for the answers
to your moon and back
they will guide you
along the radiant vines of milky stardust,
past the encircling rings of doubt,
and on into the vast ever presence of fascination
~!~
ORANGUTAN
Jason Taylor
There’s a little orangutan hanging upside down,
on his face, there’s not even a frown.
He looks so sad hanging by his toes,
he will hang there until everybody goes.
As everybody leaves he gets off the tree,
his family comes over, he says, “just leave me be.”
He is very sad, and doesn’t know what to do,
then he looks at the ground and finds a little shoe.
So he brings this shoe back up to the top,
then he gives it to his very old pop.
He says, “take this dad, it belongs to a friend,”
then he got on a branch and it began to bend.
He says, “I’m sorry for everything, but this is the end.”
So, the orangutan hangs then looks all around,
he looks at his pop and then fell to the ground.
This little orangutan felt very sad,
that’s why he said that to his dad.
That little orangutan thought nobody loved him,
he felt his life was very dim.
~!~
TEENAGE SUICIDE
Jesse A. Weymouth
During the day I feel all right, but things start to change when it
Becomes night
During the night my heart is so tight from listening to the winds and the
Waves bringing the sounds of children’s plays
I realize the reality, the anger, the pain it’s something I try not to
Remember
Because I’m scared of the danger
As hard as I might, I cannot win the fight
I’m losing this game; it’s all a real shame
I take the blade, so sharp and so soft
I cough, I cough, my heart is still beating but the blade is eating, then
I feel the pain
I watch the birds flutter, so high in the sky
I see the blood splutter, all over the ground
I hear someone crying
I know I’m dying
This is the end
I am no longer here
I can no longer see them, no longer hear them
I see the light, so bright so bright, so I take flight
Here I go
There I go
Now I’m gone…
~!~
Lost
No directions
No signs
No friend to follow home
Confused
No answers
No ideas
Nothing to help me understand
Scared
No help
No advice
No person could comprehend
Alone
No friends
No family
No partner to hold on to
What can I do?
Nothing
I will be lost
confused
scared
and alone
Forever.
Christine Buxton
~!~
Everything
Katherine Johnson
I dreamt last night that I had everything.
I had you.
As I dreamt, I cried,
Because I know I never will.
You gaze at me,
With eyes like endless pools of nothing.
I want to drown.
Then I won’t have to listen to my screams.
The pale winter sun rises
And the coldness seeps again into me.
I lose the warmth of you
And I lose my sanity.
Spirits steal me whilst I sleep
So when I wake there’s nothing.
I’m stretched too thin
I can hear the twanging, about to snap.
You’re killing me
And you don’t even know it.
~!~
IT took all I had
All I could give
'till I had no more
Yet I yearn for the moment
Yearn for the day when
Again it will be mine
When it will be like it
was....
Moments of pleasure mixed
with pain
(Yet they say without the pain
there is no gain)
Days of bliss, everlasting joy
The heart breaking the soul
crying...tears of joy and of
pain.
CAROL CLARKE
~!~
The man in the mirror
Pomagraton
he's trying to kill me
he sees through my bull shit with those eyes
he fills my head with all those lies
but I welcome his death wishes
cause I'm fighting back
with right and the left on the attack
swinging hard in the dark blinded
missing my targets he'd too allusive
trying to some down on me like thunder
oh god help me I'm going under
but I get a second wind
here I come to finish what's been done
alone this time but i don't fly
insisted I hold my ground
feeling the talons ease, letting free
as the light goes on and I realize he is me
~!~
End Of Day
Bill Andresen
The Day Is Ending
Sun Is Sinking In The West
Sky Is Coloring
Vivid Pink,Blue,White And Gray
Velvet Night Will Soon Be Here.
~!~
Sad
Krystle Church
Sad when I'm at home,
all alone, No friends
standing by, when i sit
and cry, i feel down and
blue when my friends don't
have a clue, feeling like
suicide when my friends
asked I just lied.
Sad
~!~
FLASH OF LIGHT
Todd J. Caudill
Flash of light that split the sky,
illuminated Heaven a couple of seconds.
That mortal eye could glimpse the wonder.
In the night, this is so,
I've seen lightning, but one bolt,
that divided darkness,
shone light beyond the sky,
provided a glimpse unto my eyes,
mind and to my soul,
that Heaven is so.
The Lords home, this is true,
will dwell on earth with me and you.
So is written:
"Thy kingdom come, thy will be done,
on earth as it is in Heaven"
~!~
Paralyzed
Kelsey Trong
I can’t feel my toes
and my fingers are tingling
i’m laying on the floor
alone and hurt
my hearts going to pound out of my chest
the floor is cold under my bareback.
I’m paralyzed.
My hairs in my face
all i see is brown
the music is loud
but i can’t hear it
my hearing has been shut off
the door was slammed
but no tears were shed
my body’s as cold as Siberia
i can’t stand it but.
I’m paralyzed.
I want to hold something
nothing’s within grasp
i can’t live like this
but it’s too late
the ceiling’s whiter than snow
and uninteresting
i look around of someone
no one’s there.
I’m paralyzed.
my soul has been sucked out
the “dementor’s kiss” still haunts me
no way to escape
glued to the floor
no one cares.
I’m paralyzed.
I still can’t feel my toes
my fingers aren’t tingling anymore
they’re gone too
now my feet are tingling
my arms hurt
i can’t move.
I’m numb.
~!~
Fire and an Angered Child
Max Starowicz
birth, breathes in Life
crackling
sparkling
cry
squeak
becomes meek
violent birth, happy glow
plays, crawls about, explores
spreads, slips
across blood-stained gold floors
beaten down, drowned
withheld, restrained
survives!
even thrives
anger
rage
war it wage
hungry
as it grows
consumes all
swallows whole
burst!
of
color
light
heat
leaves behind
skeletons,
frozen in black snow
slowly slows, drains, cools
out life seeps
sleeps-stalls-dies
smothered in its past
its black, dark snow
~!~
I feel lost like a
desert with no sun or
a beach with no sand
i'm all alone no one's
there to offer a helping
hand. I'm hurting so bad
but no one can see or
feel my pain its invisible
to the world but does that
mean it does not exist?
Am I imagining how i feel?
If so then why do I spend
my sleepless nights in tears?
What's come true is all my
worst fears? I'm alone again but
no one understands. I know what
I want but is it what I need?
I feel like no one cares about
me. I don't know who to trust or
who to love. My life is hard as a
stone because i'm lost and alone.
~!~
EMPTY
BY LISA
Shaking, compulsing
Remembering the game
Shivering in my lonely shame
For am true not to be
Worry, just all a mess
Consider the gold
You dispense away
Into the empty puddle
My deep blue denim
Now being carried by fringe
Stop posing
We all know who you are
No need to repeat your name
You can't be alone for a minute
In my sight of fear
Trembling, as my thoughts
Bounce inside my head
Unstable, no concentration
Can't stand being here
When no one cares
~!~
Tell Me of Days Gone By
by
Ray Reyna
Tell me of days gone by,
of innocence running in the sun,
of laughter breaking the silence of a quiet afternoon.
Tell me of days gone by,
of eagerness waiting in a romantic heart,
of bright eyes shinning with tender love.
Tell me of days gone by,
of quiet faces trying to read a lovers mind,
of dreaming of futures with that special someone.
Tell me of these days long gone by,
for I have heard they were a delight,
sadly now gone, only memories can open those yester doors.
~!~
THE CLOSING GAP
Sourabh Gupta
The closing gap
the between
the rotting platform to the coming boat
the buses vacuum to the traveling man
the lone fingers to the folding palm
the wriggling seed to the pasted sky
the creeping birth to the instant death
the green headed laborer to the pinkish maid.
~!~
Healing
Naomi Poeticneicy
The
Darkest hour
Heart yearns
In desperation
Solely in search of
Savor devotions
longing to experience
The likeness of
Diverse relations
And
Likeminded enchantments
Soaring through dimensional
Opposition
Free negative yokes
Inhale infinite power
Exhale dissension
And
Withhold subliminal
Portraits of the past
Stimulates
Inflicting thoughts
Whereas
Creating mental barriers
Longing to revive
Serene energy
Astound yet mystical
Harmonize waterfall of fullness
Flourishes within
Healing internal wounds
Sensing charismatic
Vibes
Restores jubilation
Through
Sound emotions
Immense overflow
Of
Heart contractions
And
Soul elevations
Causes
Intensified reactions
Awakes healing.
2003
~!~
DAD
Carla McDonagh
A query, a thought, an idea
Should I voice it, I doubt it
I’ll show my own fear.
He lied when he said
All man are the same
He’s a racist and that’s it
It’s all explained.
There’s nobody to blame.
But there is, it’s him
And others alike
Who are ignorant and selfish
Keeping it hidden,
Neatly tucked away
In there English polite
The anger, the rage the fury in me
Who is he to draw prejudice
On people like me?
~!~
Regretful Birthday
Monica Banwait
I had a life of emptiness
a life that drove me crazy.
I had a life of hopelessness
a life that made me dozy.
I went out one day
and decided to play
a game that made me happy.
I regret even to this day
ever playing that awful thing
for it was me who was losing nothing
I lost my daddy for something I had done
leaving him alone and olden
I regret ever leaving that day
forgetting it was his birthday.
~!~
I'M FALLING APART INSIDE
BY: ALICIA MICHELLE BARRINGTON
I'M FALLING APART AND YOUR NOT HERE TO HELP ME
RIVERS OF TEARS, SILENT SCREAMS
BUT YOUR NOT HERE TO HELP ME
CAN'T YOU HEAR ME, I DROWNING IN MY OWN DEPRESSION
I'M TRYING TO KEEP MYSELF FROM GOING DEEPER
MY FAMILY I LOVE SO MUCH
MY LIFE I LOVE SO MUCH
BUT YET I FEEL THIS WAY
I'M ALONE IN MY HEART
SMILES, LAUGHTER ARE ALL JOYS OF SORROW
CAN I FIND MYSELF
CAN I COME TO THE REALIZATION OF HOW WEEK I FEEL
HEAVENLY FATHER FILL THIS EMPTY HOLE I HAVE DUG IN MY HEART
PLEASE, HELP ME TO FIND ME!
~!~
STRONGER
by Kelly Damm
A beautiful face with sinful eyes
and a heart as big as the sky
alone she sits night after night
and the lingering question is why.
Her choices in life were not all thought through,
but regret never crosses her mind,
being alone isn't at all new
she's not sure what she's trying to find
She can't see what she's worth,
always settles for less
gives into temptation and winds up a mess.
This young girl will grow up
and she will grow strong
and learn from her mistakes,
and in the end
she will see a little courage is all it takes.
~!~
UNDEAD UNREST.
FULL OF THE ROTTEN EARTH, SURROUNDING
GRAVES,
PARALYZE OF THE TASTE OF BONES, BESIDES
TASTE OF FLAMES,
ADORN WITH SCULPTURES OF HIDEOUS ANGELS AND
MUSTY WEED,
THE HANDS SCALD OF WINTER'S SUN, VEINS
POISONED LEAD,
LINEN SMELL OF DEAD IN THIS GLOOMY REST,
ALL THE COWARDS BURIED HERE, SO UNKIND
AND BLOODLESS,
SKELETON WANDERS AROUND TO OFFERS
THE FAINT ALMS,
SEXTON IS READING FUNEBRAL CURVED
IN MY PALMS,
I PANIC IN THIS SILENT PRISON, WITH PADLOCK
ON THE UNDEAD SOUL,
THE PANSY CONSOLES THE FEARS AND SMELLS
THIS UNHOLY HOLE,
UNDEAD CEMETERY OF LOST SOULS
SO PAINY,
PREACHERS CURSE US TO FEEL DEAD AND
BULKY LONELY,
THE SORROW IS OWNER OF THIS DAMN PLACE,
JUST DEATH CAN HEAL THE PAIN AND
STROKES THE FACE.
Cali Wilson
~!~
LAST BREATH
-Menuka Bashini Ratnadurai
Palms sweating, shoulders heavy, uncertain was I.
When I looked up at the sky I wondered why,
the past was filled with remorse, and the future so vague.
Why it was hard to stand by the precedent? Why so difficult to trust the
upcoming?
Many had passed by me, but some did enter,
a place in me that was forbidden to the rest.
And when they left, they left in me memories that I could never
forget.
Engraved in me, now they live-
those who tore my heart to pieces
and those who mended it back.
Here I lay, a lonely soul, looking up at the sky.
The cold wind against me, I felt confused and in doubt,
of what I was and what was to become of me.
Then suddenly, to my surprise, up at the sky, a golden goddess came into
view,
Hidden she was before, behind the dark clouds. But now, how beautiful she
looked!
Her warmth touched me, and melted away my fears,
Unexpectedly, I felt in me, a burst of energy.
The sweating stopped, my shoulders light, my insecurities secured, I
felt so ecstatic. Beneath the salty tears, a smile immersed.
And then I closed my eyes...
~!~
"WHO, WHAT, WHERE, & WHY"
I've heard the saying more than once
"Everything happens for a reason"
But i don't understand how the hurt that i feel
Could be part of a bigger plan
L.I.F.E
I translate it as;
L-agging
I- n
F- orewarning
E- xplanations
Meaning things will happen
And you will have no idea of
Who - will do it
What - Will happen
Where - It will take place &
Why - It is destined to happen
So i guess it's best
to be prepared for the worst & the best
If you don't prepare yourself
You will be leaving you're
Mind, Body & Soul
Open to pain & Shame , distraughtness
& strain among other things
Of course there is no way to justify
the predicaments you'll face
Just be strong enough to stare you're hardships
In the face.
-Latrina Charmaine Watkins-
~!~
seeing
Greg
As I lay here looking around
Seeing everyone feeling down
Watching my mothers tears drop
Only wondering what I can do to make them stop
I can see my brother
the person I loved like no other
with a look of shock
as if he’s whole world had been rocked.
I don’t know what I can do
I cant imagine the pain they re going through
I wish it could all be the same
but all I can feel is the blame.
But I cant change that when I sleep
all I can do is watch them weep.
All I want to know is god why?
Why must I die?
~!~
LOVE DREAM
By: Semeia J. Mitchell
Unnamed melody, unchained
ecstasy
Love to good to be true,
Cotton-candy memories
leave me wistfully
Longing only for you.
Our star lights the way
and we live in a day
Where you tell me of your
love,
I hope you can see that
in You I am free
You are the only one my
heart is dreaming of.
Fly away with me, set
your spirit free
Love me for all of your
life,
I give you freely now my
Soul's undying vow
To be your lover, friend,
and wife.
~!~
HAIKU
by Steve Durham
a blue egg
the mystical garden
of childhood
<>
sabbath rest
at the heart of all
buddha
<>
lifelong search
for my mother’s smile
Mary
<>
long yellow loneliness
of summer twilight
iconostasis
<>
separate houses
one vast basement
the mystics
<>
magnolia
scented white vibrato
from creation song
<>
candles all over
my office
nowhere going
<>
sedentary pilgrimage
candles all over
my office
<>
Jesus head bobbing
on a spring
yoiks
~!~
Sometimes
Josh Foeller
Something comes up
Our anger explodes
Money is tight
Everything isn't right
The littlest things make a bump in the road
I'm the problem but don't admit it
Many clouds and lightning come our way
Empty pockets are what we have
Some days are fine
~!~
LOOKING FOR A BETTER DAY
Kyle Mcelvany
Looking for a better day,
Give it time they say,
I try but it stays,
Enjoying the good times when I can,
With this Its hard to keep my head up & be a man,
She's not here anymore,
But my friends picked me up when I was knocking on suicide's door,
Thank God for them,
I don't even know what to really say,
Still looking for that better day,
~!~
"The Gift of Jazz"
Jane Koch
A cry out of the darkness
A mournful wail
Ray of light
Forbidden feeling
Stream of moonbeams
Rockets and fireflies
All illuminating in the night
With their own special music
Jazz is like that has not limitations
Total abandon, freedom
Along with the excitement
And exuberance, there suddenly
Is this piercing purity, and
Honesty that is from the heart
Then deep down into the soul
where one lives, and where one
has to be true.
~!~
SUBWAY INNARDS
LEYLA GULERCE
Deny it if you like,
that man has karma.
They run from him,
one box to another.
It is not his stench,
that imprisons them.
But their own
indiscernible shit.
The bags hang from him
like intestines.
Full of unshat feces,
collected over the course
of his unmasked life.
This man was born
to a mother.
He sucked a breast
poor babe.
He deserves no less.
~!~
LOVE!!!???
jackie pangga
I used to believe in the power of love.
I used to believe in the fairness of love.
I used to believe that love makes the world go round.
I used to believe that love is just and right.
I used to believe that love conquers all.
I used to believe that love is unconditional.
I used to believe that love does no harm.
I used to believe that love is truth.
I used to believe that love is life...
Then why am I in grief?
Then why am I in sorrow?
Then why am I in misery?
Then why am I in agony?
Then why am I unloved?
Then why am I wrong?
Then why am I being unfair?
Then why am I suffering much?
Then why am I dying?
¡¦When all I do is to love!!!
~!~
If I Should
karlo guevarra
If i should bend on my knees, i would
just to make you stay all day
for i have never felt being alone
you've always been in my heart to stay
If i should cry for you, i would
to let you know i feel for you
for you have been my crying shoulder
you've always helped me make it through
But if i should die this very moment
just let me, i will accept my death
for i have never known the meaning of letting go
knowing that you'll breathe your last breath
If i should dream that you're mine, i would
because there's no more time left for you
i must stay strong, i must believe these are all hoax
and someday i'll have that sweet dream come true
I know i must hide my feelings, but i can't
because it's only you my heart will sing
even though my heart is full of romance
i have to pretend, there's no such thing
If i should count the remaining hours, i would
for i would show you my true love and care
and i would cherish every second of it
'coz someday i'll be with you up there
~!~
Black Hole
Trust
Begin a bright and happy night
All our eyes so full of light.
We had some fun and loved our friends
But all good things come to an end.
What was there that crawled in my drink
That made it so very hard to think?
I guess I left that night to walk
Was I alone or did another haunt?
I do not know, I cannot say
There is no memory even today.
Now each day I try and try
To think, remember, or just not cry.
The bruises will fade from left and right
And a lucky girl survived that night.
What could have happened didn’t they said
So why am I still so afraid?
~!~
UNTRUSTED
Sarah Akkerman
Trust is not an option
It doesn't exist
It's not worth the time
The time I spend on trust
Is always thrown out the window
Trust is not an option
Trust lied to me
Trust said it would be there
To the very end
It said "close your eyes and jump"
It did not catch me
Trust lied to me
I trusted trust
It was a mistake
I was deceived
I never want to go through that again
All because
I trusted trust, but it did not trust me
~!~
Imprint
*PROM 2003*
Jeni Campbell
A symbol of safeness
yet it leads to betrayal
A figure of guidance
yet it takes me to the wrong path
A sign of caring
yet it is fake
A meaning of companionship
yet it is still unsure
A symbol of wanting
yet it wants too much
A figure of liking
yet it stabs me in the back
A sign of you
The Imprint of your hand
resting on my lower back
~!~
Ragged breaths, dwindling days
I've lost the ability to cry
Blurry image of my life
Snapshots, leaves tossed by the wind
Spinningspinningspinning faster
numbing dizzyness
And I'm numb.
Yes, I'm numb.
And the shadow's always bigger than the flame
And I'm flickering.
Yes.
But the leaves are still tossed by the wind
The snow covered night is still the most silent
And I'm still here.
I'm not leaving.
Yes, I am here.
Siobhan
