Poem: "Where's the Snow?"

I'm not sure if I know,
where in the world is snow?
In frantic, with folly,
in fields, no frost,
everything is lost.

When I yell out,
"Where's the snow?"
All I get is,
"I don't know."

Again, I frantically frolic,
still no frost, or frost bitten flowers.
Everything is green,
then I realize it is spring.

CW, age 15

Poem: "felon of the night"

being up so high and trying
not to fail is an amazing thing
plus trying not to be seen. the more
paint yon hare and supplys the more
the wight and the harder it is
to clime. trying to make
the burner look just right the smelll
of the paint is to me like
the smell of food or flowers
or purtrim to other people I love
it. the feeling after you have
finished is like a feeling like no
other to see your work the next
day and to have eveyr one talking
about how sick that peace that
guy did was. It is a way to express
to feel like your heart is about to
blow up it beating so fast. I am
an artists. I am a creater. I am a dreamer.
I am a ghost. I am a felon of the
night.

SH, age 16

Poem: "What Made It"

It made it bad cuz when my mom
said dont take off and i did and i
didt came back hom tell 5:45 cuz my
mom call my P.O and said that i tike
off from the home when i was not
told to go anywhere so i tike off
and hang out with some one that i was
not to hang out with.

ZR, age 17

Poetry: "The Best of Me"

Back in the day or at least around my way. When the weekend was creepin it was time to go play I dont need to be pacific but the times seem real terrific party's, fights, the good old nights. but when you hit 18 you lose your juvenile rights, next thing you know your an old man livin every day with regret tryin to make a stand. Now Im here to tell you thats not going to be me, trying to fulfill my lite as truest can be, dont question me, bless me to see the best of me every mistake I make is going to take time All 5 have for advice is dont do the crime cuz your just going to regret wishing you could rewind.

DW, age 17

Poem: "The Relationship with Carlos"

1. i thought you were so good to me
but you wernt.
2. i felt you were my everything
but you wernt
3. i thought you truly loved me
but you didnt
4. i thought you were going to be there for S
but you werent
5. S screamed for your attention
but you didnt
6. i cut myself badly
but you still didnt care

1. you took away my friends & family
but i didnt care
2. you took my sobriety & then my drugs
but i didnt care
3. you took my right to be a mom
but i didnt care
4. you would call me things like stupid or ugly
but i didnt care
5. you controled my whole life
but i didnt care
6. you kept me living on the street
but i still didnt care

1. we beat each other bloody
but we didnt care
2. we said we loved each other
but we didnt really
3. we screamed & yelled at each other
but we didnt care
4. we both wanted something eles
but we didnt care

dont do what i did!

SC, age 16

Poem: "Free"

I see but I can't be free
in here I can't be me
like a dog in a cage
filled with rage
All I want is outta this cage
so let me out
and set me free
so I can show to you all
who I can really be

AC, age 17

Poetry: "When we met"

When we met for the very first time,
I felt like a rocket in the sky.
I thought you'd be right by my side,
but now your gone and I'm all alone
wishing you didn't do the things you did
You said you lost me but I'm still here
When I told you I loved you I ment it
So I'm gonna be here forever my dear
Mom told me to never judge a book by its cover
Even though you did what you did
I still love you because you were there
when I needed you the most & I'm your love.

TP, age 17

Poetry: "The Life of a G!"

Its hard livin the life
of a g! looking ova my
shoulder at the age of
sixteen. Thinkin what
will happen to me am
I gonna get jumped
shanked a bullet to
my brain? or am I gonna
get to spend another
day with my family. I
know I messed up choosin
this life but know it's time
will I live or die. Thats just
the thing nothing in this
worlds perfect, wait I dont
believe that you see she
my daughter shes undefeated
shes the most precious thing
that Ive ever seen and I pray
to god she don't bang at the
age of thirteen. This aint
the life for a little gir no
doubt about it, it may seem
cool it may seem fun, but its
not the life to be livin on
the run, to have to cary a
gun so you dont get shot
but cops dont care it's just
another bullet on the block
just another Mexican, cops dont
care cuz most of them are
different skin. But I can't
change that, thats their
problem. I got enough of them
as it is but thats how it
is to live the life of a g
you never know what to
expect sometimes I look at
myself then at my man and
think do I really want this
life around my kid. I never
once asked if it scared
her. did we prepare her
never ment to scare her
what does she see through
her little brown eyes Mom
and dad always having
fights. Moms sorry I never
ment to have you see that
but just remember we love
and we never ment to hurt
you. never ment to make you cry
we want to see you smile
tell the day that we die. you
know hun its craz we lost
your little sister but I know in time
you'll learn to miss her. I know
I miss her daddy even misses
her but just remember baby
shes in a better place and
we can't change that no
one understand why it
happened thats why I seem to
cry and cry. Why are we
left here to suffer, what
did I do what did I say to
make god change his ways.
That was my baby I watched
her grow, then you took her
away like it was nothing at
all I cant believe it. I feel
so defeated my hearts torn
to tiny little ity pieces. She
never got a chance to take
her first breath to get her
first glance when she came
she was so tiny so perfect I
didnt understand why she was
just as big as my hand
but what happend, happened
I'll just keep pushin tell the
very end.

MS, age 16

Poetry: "Be True to Yourself"

Be True to yourself...
Speak up!
don't sit down
express yourself
don't tell yourself
open up
dont shut down
Rise Above
don't lean against it's time to
man up And be true to yourself
or lie to your self and lay there And
bleed.

ZH, age 17

Poetry: "Sweet" and "Why?"

Sweet is the sound of falling rain,
and the stream that leaps from hill to plain,
but better than rain or rippling streams
is water hot that smokes and steams.

I sometimes ask God why?
Why him? Why now?
What has he done to deserve this?
He's done everything you asked.
And yet you still can't save him.
I need him here to coach me. I can't settle
for a sub.
I need him on this earth to guide me
Please don't take him from me.
Why him? Why now?

WE

Poem: Helping Hands

When you want to cry
or even die
you need to understand
& take the helping hand
when your nee's are on the ground
you hear two sounds
the sound of your fear
it seem's so queer
when you hear the right voice
you feel so rejoice
so you start to feel
emotions that are real
now you understand
you should take a helping hand.

A.A., age 15

Poem: Gangs

What are they for
Why are they here
To claime terrotory
They do not possess
To fire a weapon
At an inosent child
Bring drugs to our streets
To tear up our familys
Gangs
What do they want
Do they want our possesions
Do they want our kids
Are they here to steal drugs
To act as the greatest
For what
What happened to civil rights
I thought color didn't
Matter
Now if you throw on
the wrong color
You loose your life.

A.M., age 14

Poem: The tunnle to the Camera

I see the light, at the end of
the tunnle, it sure is bright the
close I get the faster i run
it sure has been bad but now it's
getting better, I wanted to stay in
this dark dark tunnle but it
sure is cold, in the camera room-
Im on in 10 minuet watch I guess it
is okay they do it to see if
im dead today, I made a mistake,
letting myself think these thoughts but im
pretty chill, talking to control.
Thank you valdez, sending me
here, I hope you see that I have
changed. Please.

L.S., age 14

Poem: Love

Love it's just a word
It sounds so upsurd
It comes from above
Just like a dove
Some people say it's crazy
I say it's like a daisy.
When your in this trance
You want to dance.
You follow this feeling
completely willing
When it comes down
On your crown
You get so sad
Poor little lad.
you need to be careful
& still be thoughtful.
Lend your heart for a whil
& trust me you will smile.

A.D.A., age 15

Poem: If Only

Though heart ache can take and take and leave you so awake,
don't want to sleep just wee and weep,
you cry for lovers sake
the dreams are sad and lonely too
it hurts to sit, day dream about you.
My tears are acid, they burn my eyes,
wondering if you hear my crys
I ask for help, you just ignore
If only, if only you'd just adore
I hope one day, I wake up happy
because looking at the ceiling makes me feel like I'm mping
My soal is an adventure, so I take my time
I don't understand it but I will someday find.

R.M.

Poem: Look What You Did to Them

Look what happened,
Look what you've done,
Look at the example you made,
See the way you've become!
See the way you've changed,
See the way you've hurt them,
Do you know how to change,
Do you care at all.
Do you have any idea,
What will you do,
What will happen next,
What is going to change

T.H., age 17

Poem: How do I

How do I
Become the one
The worst of all
To answer the devils clal
To walk then fall
I used to walk so tall
But then I fell
Fell in love
With the rush
It had me there
For a while
Then I think
Is it time to change
Change the past
Stop wearing the devils mask
I don't have to
Be the one
Always feal
I have to run
Runaway
From all my troubles.

A.M., age 14

Short Poems

Pride

My Pride gots the best of me

You best believe these streets are

Going to be the Death of me

I never had time to hit the 

Penetentury

------------

Who Down
who's down to ride
who's down to roll
let me know right now
because I am
walking out da door

------------
Lost in a cloud of smoke
I was lost in a cloud of smoke
And I can't see to find my Way
Back home to you.

-----------
Pain
As he beats too
you try to get away as
you try to get away
but he grabs you
'n' beats you again.
tell your black and blue.

------------
When Im High
When Im high
Im High to the sky
When I am in the sky
I meet a man
a man that set me free from my pain
that I have inside me.

B.C., 15

Poem: I am a Goldfish

I live in a tank
I eat in a tank
I sleep in a tank
I suffer in a tank
I died float in a tank
I am a goldfish.

I wish i was not in a tank
I wish i was out of this tank
I will get back out of this tank
I hope i go home to the sea and not in a tank
I will get out of this tank
I am a goldfish.

I will go home someday
I am going to get out
I am getting out someday
I will sea my family again
I will get back out
I am a goldfish.

D.S., age 14

Poem: Pain, That's what it brought me

All the choices I have made.
Had me locked behind a door.
On a cement slab is where I laid
Wishing I could do more.

What I was doing was wrong
"This isn't me" I would say.
For I knew I was strong
To put my foot down and turn away.

I was living a life of hell
What I thought was fun, you see,
was really pain hiding in a shell
And pain, is what it brought me.

Plus what is fun anyway?
Disrespect, lies, and the laws I was breakin'?
Friends were not friends at all
For I had surely been mistakin'?

Now the present is what it is,
The past you cannot change
But by making right choices
The future you can arrange.

I can no longer live this life,
going down this destructive path,
It's time I end this strife.
And put to death this awful wrath.

I've chosen to again rise above,
to live right, pure and free
to reach out to the ones I love
Because pain is all it brought me.

N.O., age 17