EXPRESSIONS

Graffiti, sketches, paintings, photographs, poetry, songs, video, ….whatever…if you can express it we want to post it. This is YOUR VOICE. We know you have something to share so why not share it. If for some reason we think it is really hot then you never know…you could become famous! Yes please present, in as much creativity as you can, how you are feeling, perceiving, coping, living. We want your present condition. We know it’s a journey and we want to do it with you. Please share with us and everyone else who may feel just as you do.

Student Works

Kevin Collins

Work hard
play Hard
Too hard
to play god
play round
no charge
like that game I play
its prince of hearts
play my cards
and get these
charts right
act good in the day light
but be that devil
in the night time
wear green
all the time
but sour like
lemon lime
I’m too cold
like that winter time
yea I’m ganna shine,
but not run
out of time.

Emerson Hatton

I sit upon this tired cot
gazing upon,
the shredded remains
of my self-image.

The battle fields of society
have not been kind t
to the
The tired
and broken state
of those living here-
at refugee camp.

Nonconformity show the scars
left to soldiers
who did not know it was a war.

So astounded by their total
and utter defeat at
the hands of the
invading force,
that they shunned such a thing
as ludicrous.

I long to fight there,
to live as a king
upon a throne
of those I have slain.

Alas,
I am ill-equipped
to win such a war,
and so I sit
on my cot.

Wasting away.

Chris Hayes, Junior East HS

I ain’t got no friends
Ain’t makin no ends
Thats where the trouble begins

Dream about cream
Haven't created a scheme
Therefore I got low self-esteem

Every day
More trouble
More struggle
Gotta toughen up
And flex my muscles

We'd kick it
After school, So cool
Writin rhymes
Just to pass time

Got along, Wrote a song
About temptation
Cuz what me and my crew facin
Is an everyday situation, Contemplating

Wether I should stay after
For the discussion
People fussin
In the back of the room cussing
So what if you shop at Ross in the clearance
That doesn't make your true appearance

Inside, suicide
You fear it
But you should hear it
Cant have another lose they own spirit

Understand
They just want a helping hand
Say you love ‘em
But will you cry wit ya man

If he felt he had no friends
He's antisocial
Ya'll hang together
Cuz you wear bifocals
And when he goes postal

Cuz he can’t deal with stress
Friendship put to the test
Pains up in his chest
Now he laid to rest

You wasn't there
In a corner scared
You ain’t prepared
For what lies ahead
So instead of dealing with it mentally
You hurt physically

Beatin ya self
Giving in to drugs, And it bugs
Where you live the thugs
Tell you they there for support
But when you was in court
where were they at

Oh, They was out drinking, thinking
It was ok, not knowin
They might not make it to see the next day
Mental Health was there for me
And it can be there for you
Just spend a hour with them and they'll see you through

Skyland HS Assembly Fall 07

You might think you know me
But you don’t
You don’t know what I will or won’t do
So why you
Criticize how I act
When it’s an actual fact
That I’m naturally black
Persecuting the wack
So I can bring it back
To when the rhymes was dope
Remain equal
Spit for the people
Got ‘em keepin hope
In the 90’s they was all lethal
Gave me an injection
Passed me the infection
Come in my direction
Receive a deadly secretion
That’ll get ya sick
The boy lyrically ill
Blessed with true skill
I’m so for real
I’m so hot
Just like the weather
I make it rain
Hot shit forever
Man it’s whatever
Cuz
I serve as further evidence for the intelligent
And I’m fully eloquent
Cuz I knew ever since
I was an infant
To keep my distance
Keep far from cats
And stay distant
And in an instant
I’ll turn you from teenage to infant
Rhymes leave an imprint
You can get it
Real simple
Cuz the flow far from gentle
Cuz I’m real mental
Draw you a picture
With no stencils
Write raps with no pencils
But folks eat it up with no tensils
They starvin to hear
Bleedin from ear to ear
Hurtin severe
So adhere to my calling
Floodin in the people
But this ain’t New Orleans
This is the place
Where you can see anything
People getting by, by any means
I know cuz I seen it on the scene
When I was only fourteen
But I’m smarter now
So I know how to shake fiends
Make anyone see clear
Like visine
Let me in with no id
Cuz I be killin everybody
Like HIV

Shelby Parker, Freshmen Skyland HS


Love
It is not visible to the open eyes
You only see what you desire, And have no remorse for its disguise
It's miss leading passion can cause euphoriant release
Though in reality it is no more but an immanent disease

Confused

I’m walking down this long dark road, shivering and crying my body’s so cold
I don’t know where it’s taking me I don’t know which way to go
The noises around me
Cause my heart to no longer beat slow
I’m coming to two doors, which one shall I take
Something is telling me one will cause mourn and hate
But shall I chose the wrong one
Can I take a few steps back? Can I turn back time and change and unwanted fact?
But which do I choose?
This one move can change my whole life, delete destiny’s path in which one strives
As I enter door two, I call out a name
to which one reply’s….
Welcome I’ve been longing and waiting for your arrival, we met in the past, but you were the only survival
And now, I hold to you my hand asking to come with me
And leave this world of crime and cruelty
As I take this strangers hand
A feeling of relieve tells me I have entered fates plan.

I'm a Female

I’m a beautiful intelligent female
Full of hope and potential
I’m striving for the truth in our hearts
To find the real identity’s
Just because I’m a female
I’m lowered and degraded by the opposite sex
Just because I’m a female
You can look at me and automatically not like me
Just because I’m a female
Men think I wont kick their ass if hurt me
Just because I’m a female
Many people think men have that right
Fact is women are stronger then any man could ever be
Not physically, but mentally and emotionally
So I am a beautiful intelligent female if you think so or not!

When I Look in the Mirror I See....

When I look in the mirror I see
An intelligent young woman trying to be….

An intelligent young woman
Trying to find her place in this cruel corrupt world
In this world that causes to much pain
To our minds, hearts and souls

When I look in the mirror I see
An intelligent young woman hiding from the facts to scared to show
What her life truly lacks
Nobody really sees the one inside of me
Too afraid to shine and let her free

When I look in the mirror…
That it what I see
An intelligent young woman and the frightened little girl
Both struggling inside of me

Niishia Hysaw, Senior East HS

Introspection
These chains I can’t seem to see
But I can feel them wrapped around
my ankles, gripping tighter and tighter
cutting deeply into me…
The pain from the metal ripping my
flesh causes me to stumble
causes me to fall…
So I collapse in a pit of my sorrow
wondering why me?
What are these things doing to me?
Where are these chains my eyes they
cannot seem to see?
Is it because it’s so dark?
Deep in the crator of my heart?
Have I paralyzed myself by giving the
credit I deserve to someone else.
So now I don’t know what I stand
for…
Excuse me? Can I lean on you?
I need that strong, support I give to
you for myself too!
Can I lean on you?
I know I’m a big girl but damn
I thought you of all people would
understand!
Different size, same me
I am that I am and that’s all I
know how to be.
But somewhere down the line I lost
me too. I lost my purpose in life when I
planted my will in you.
So now I’m starved for human
contact I need a real spirit
ressurection so I can snap
back.
Can I borrow your will Lord
so I can be reminded of what
I’m really here for…
cause right now I feel like
quitting I feel like throwing
in the towel, just for a little while
I need a break from myself
I’m in pain!
and I’m the one with the
keys to my own chains!
But I can’t see ‘em what’s
wrong with me?
Am I so blind that I can’t see?
That the one who’s holding me
back is infact…me.
That these bloodstained chains
that keep seeping into my veins
were put on by me? Wait a minute
I don’t remember doing that!
Why would I want to chain myself
back? Unconsciously I have become
a victim of myself, now a new enemy
is myself, preparing for battle against
myself for the sake of myself. Gotta
regain control of myself, because I
lost it…Lord hear me…again
Lord save me…again
Lord hear me again please!
Cause its plain to see that I can’t tell when
I’m doing internal or external damage
to me so maybe if I give you these
keys you can see these chains and

free me from me.

Raymone Lee, Junior East HS

Respect
Respect

We got to respect
The people who never hated us
We got to respect
The people who had faith in us

Respect

Respect the people
Who believe in you
Respect your friends
Who have been by your side
Respect your mom and dad
Who give you support
Respect the good minds
Who advised you
Respect your girl
Who loved and cared about you

Respect

Respect is the code name
We always got to stick together
Don’t ever give up
Always have courage
And the people around you

Respect

No one is perfect except God and angels
We pray God day and night
We look into God’s light
We follow our hearts
We do what’s right
Respect my friends
Who never give up on me
Respect my mom
Who makes me happy

Respect

I got a brave heart
You got to have hope
For the people who trusted you
Respect.

Send Your Stories or Expressions to:
pkennedy@mhacolorado.org