One Last Chance

One Last Chance

Teen Boy

All I need is one last chance

But will I get it?

Only the judge knows.

In the past, I've said I'm going to change

with no intention in my heart.

I say I want to stay sober

Yet all I want is to get high.

Everytime I get out

I run straight to the block

thinking they can help me manage my life 

But all they do is corrupt me with the drugs

that make me a slave

So every day, I pray to my God

For just one last chance

to get out of the game.

Fake Faces

Fake Faces

Teen Boy

Trapped in these white walls
Forced to walk guarded halls
This place has some wear and tear
They even recycle the air
A lot of people put on a front like they don't care
They be pretending at night when they cry
Pretending that no one hears.
No matter what,
I have no fear
'Cause when it comes down to it
I'm the only reason I'm here
So here's to make it clear
Plain and simple
Don't come here.

How? Because....

How? Because...

Teen Boy

I chose the struggle,

I chose to hustle,

Now I'm to blame

for the way my lil' brother

acts every day. 

Blood's not always thicker than water

'till you see that coffin,

Motivation, There's no stopping

When you're in the fast lane,

They call it a game

but there's no playing

Sometimes life is the admission.

Who's paying?

Addiction took my life away

to me a knife is no way of payment

No one keeps it real in this place

How come?

Because alone...they're on knees praying,

Real talk nobody can take it,

For me, I can't take being away from the streets.

Tears of a soldier

If you hear a tear drop on the floor

Out of cell 1E4

That's ain't ride-or-die

in the heat

They run-or-hide

can't take the streets

No I love you

Don't say it because the streets don't love too

The streets are cold and hearltless

So I'm only eating with who I started with,

This is the real me,

This is what the streets make young

Loyal teens out to be.

 

Resist Temptation

Resist Temptation

Teen Boy

There's only lies in these elections

life is just about prime selection

tryng my best to resist temptation

'cus my life's full of deception.

Everyone around wants to feel some acceptance

but for many it means grabbing the weapon

My life so far has been me second guessing

really not a student, never got the lesson.

Now, the only thing on my mind

are the years of my time

Why'd I ever do the crime

Didn't read between the lines.

I was trying to grind on my shine

But now all the time to focus on my rhymes

Now I'm locked up with my own kind

from misdemanors to felonies

all I see is orange in a big chunk of my memories

When I pass, will anyone remember me

or just the judge that condemended me

Hopefully Jesus will transcend me.

Poetic Justic

Poetic Justice

Teen Boy

My Momma told me to stay home

But boy, oh, boy did I want to roam

Hated the thought to be alone

So I hit the streets that I call home

Now look at me,

all alone 

as I talk to Momma on the DYC phone.

Locked Up

Locked Up

Teen Boy

I always kicked it with the homies
'Causing trouble until I got stopped.
When I got pulled over,
Sometimes I cooperated with the cops.

Some of the Police Officers were nice
But when they pulled me over,
I was on ice.

I'd always tell them I was heading home,
But they didn't believe me.
So in the end,
I found myself in a cell
all alone.

When I'm locked up,
Sometimes I was happy
because no one was there to support me
but my family.

God's Gift

                                                    GOD'S GIFT

Teen Boy


The day we are born on this earth
until the day we leave in the hearse
you realize that deep inside
there is a gift that is full of pride.

It is up to you to find the real you
the gift that is deep inside you
the gift that will lead you to success
the gift that makes you the best.

Be the best at what you do
because you never know
when dreams will come true
And when it does come true
you'll know what to do.

Because God gave us all a gift
we've had the gift for years.
It's up to you to find your gift.

Out With the Old

                                                  

                                OUT WITH THE OLD



Teen Girl


Out with the old
In with the new
I'm getting rid of all my anger.
I'll stop fighting with you.

I never hear you say, "I love you."
And to hear you say
"You miss me"
is too good to be true.

Out with the old
In with the new
I'm getting rid of all my anger

Changing

                                                     CHANGING

Teen Girl

Out with the bad
In with the good.
No more doing crimes
and kicking it in the hood
Need to drop all the drugs
and quit trying to be a big thug.
No more regrets of all the things I've done
I need to unwind
I'm so done.

Choices

CHOICES

Teen Girl


I was just a little girl
I didn't know what was going on.
My Mom's boyfriend sneaked into my room
every night.
When I got older,
I started to realize what had happened
and what he was doing.

I told my Mom.
She said, "Shut up. Stop trying to make him leave me."
She kicked me out.
I was on my own.
She chose her boyfriend over her kid.
I feel sorry for the man who raped me.
In the end, he'll get his karma

I want to thank my brother for believing in me
when my Mom was never there for me.
Thank you Brother, for everything.

Written in the Truth and Lies Poetry and Literature Workshop, January 2012

My Name Is Powerless

Teen Girl

MY NAME IS POWERLESS

My name is Powerless

I live in a corner

In a broken house

My last name is Fear

My middle is Doubt

My parent is Addiction

My sister is Revenge

My brother is Fury,

They go to no end.

My eyes are empty

I have no heart or soul

Knowing me really takes a toll

You won’t be able to fight me

Once I’ve been around

Soon you meet the whole family

We’ll drive you in the ground

You’ll learn not to ask questions

Soon you’ll be like me

Powerless has no end

Good luck getting free.

Powerless

Teen Girl

POWERLESS

They think I’m Powerful

Because I do whatever I want

Because I tell everyone to screw off

Because I don’t listen to anyone

Because I run for months and I am never spotted

But, I am Power-Less

Because my friends are backstabbers

Because I can’t trust anyone

Because I was raped

Because I was jumped

Because my Mom doesn’t want me in her house

Because I cry everyday

Because I’m an addict

Because I miss my old, happy life.

In The Eyes of My Litttle Sister

Teen Boy

IN THE EYES OF MY LITTLE SISTER

In the eyes of my little sister

I am her big brother

I am like no other

She looks up to me

like one might look up to the midnight sky

So full of wonder

Trying to take everything in.

Always listening

Always watching

Her big brother

Who needs to set a good example

for what to do in life.

For she is always listening

She is always watching

She is always there

So full of wonder

I am always in the eyes of my little sister.

 Written in the YA Poetry/Memoir Workshop, June 2011

What They Don't Tell You

Teen Girl

WHAT THEY DON’T TELL YOU

I’m an “A” student.

I live in a family of ten.

I like to sing.

I’m a really good kid

I’m engaged at the age of sixteen

I love children

I play sports.

Written in the YA Poetry/Memoir Workshop, June 2011

Role Model

Teen Boy

ROLE MODEL

I’ve lived my life as a gangster

But now it’s time for me to say good-bye.

I don’t need this stuff in my life

I’m going to be a Dad.

I don’t want this stuff for my son’s life.

I don’t want him to end up like me.

I always tell my family that I’m going to stop

Stop doing Meth

Stop and get out

But I never do

I have a little brother that looks up to me.

I write him letters

It’s sad that I can’t see him

Because I’m locked up.

Written in the YA/Memoir Poetry Workshop, June 2011

The Monster Within.

Teen Boy

THE MONSTER WITHIN

There’s a monster within me

It’s anything but sane

It’s anything but tame

I hope me and it never become one and the same.

It’s full of an evil blind rage

Locked away, inside me

Like a wild bird in a cage

Just waiting for a chance to escape and fly free.

I hope me and it never become one and the same.

For the monster within will never
be completely tame.

Written in the YA/Memoir Poetry Workshop, June 2011

My Sister

Teen Girl

MY SISTER

I remember

my pain

a laugh erupting

through your lips.

There was nothing to gain

and to stop you was a risk

But suddenly and secretly

You opened up your heart.

You told me how you frequently

Surrendered to the dark

Then you walked out the door

(More like climbed out the window)

You left my tears to pour

The misery a steady flow

Every time you came back

Our bond stronger than before

You slam the brown and smoke the crack

Life is an unstable screeching roar

But no matter what it does to you

I still won’t forget,

The day that you told me the truth

The day I hope you don’t regret.

They call you an addict

They seem to forget your name

But sister please don’t panic

To me you’ll always be the same.

You’ll always be my sister

I love you.

Written in the YA/Memoir Poetry Workshop, June 2011

In The Eyes Of Myself

Teen Boy

IN THE EYES OF MYSELF

In the eyes of myself

I am a failure

The one with no successes

A cursed future.

In the eyes of the beholder,

I am a disgrace

The one with no success

A sad little person

Set only to failure

In the eyes of myself

I want to be a success

The one who means no harm

Hoping for a hopeful future

Not made to fail.  

Written in the YA/Memoir Poetry Workshop, June 2011

Love Was A Party

Teen Girl

LOVE WAS A PARTY

I’m sorry that we are over

This love is a party

And I need to get sober

It’s either clean

Or

Painfully dirty.

You were so sweet

And then you hurt me.

Like smoking weed,

You burnt me.

I took a hit

You were all I needed

I was so high

Eating clouds

Then it faded

And I hit the ground.
I lusted your ways

Give me a dose.

I love you.

But I cut my hands picking this rose.

The rose died

I opened my eyes

The song is part of the beat

Even though I hate it,

I gotta keep moving my feet. 

Published in Please Brave Me, Dry These Tears. November 2009.