Jazz Light
Latoya Welch

The moonlight shines beautifully
as I dance slowly
to the smooth rhythms of your beat.
Play that music.
Play your heart out.
Tell your secret
and send your message out.
Make me feel your beat,
your rhythms, your blues, your jazz...
and make me dance under the moonlight
and the beautiful stars.

Mark Prospere

---

Just Listen To Her Voice
Idelfonso Espinal

I love to look at her lips
as she speaks to me:
the way she looks
deep into my eyes
as if she's trying to tell me
something. Sometimes it seems,
as I lay in my bed
and think about her,
I hear her voice.
I look around, but she's not there.
So why do I hear her voice?
I start to hear her voice again.
So I listen very carefully:
she talks about the love
she feels as well as
the hate she has.
But just listen,
listen to her voice.
It sounds like snow
gently hitting a window
on Christmas morning:
I love that sound.

---

Little Poetry
Maggie Kourounis

My house is like a jungle:
my brother's room in the corner of the living room;
my room perpendicular to the kitchen;
and the kitchen quadrilateral to the living room.

I could hear the sounds of little children running around.
I could smell the Greek style food when I walked in the door.
And, I could see the running of animals.
My grandmother always calls me up from Greece.
My house cries out to me when I enter and exit.

The flowers begin to bloom in the shiny summertime.
The sun is very bright and orange as an orange.
Hey bro', I'm tired of this sun hitting my face!
I can feel my face pounding.

Mike never could play the guitar.
Mike, though, will try to play the guitar until he feels the
burning in his fingers.
The children always play ball around him --
Kala ata, Kaly nos, La Athena

The sound of the radio makes my brain shiver.
I feel surrounded in a large house full of different people.
Maybe I'm in Alaska or Argentina;
or maybe I'm just dreaming of the wonderful world.

---

What If . . .
Stanley Stokes

In this world I feel so much anger.
Is it because I'm a stranger
being led into unknown danger?
I don't know why nor do I care.
I just know if I had wings
I would go out there
and fly in the air
where I would have no fear.

But I realize that will never be true.
As for now, I'm trapped
and don't know what to do.

Then all of a sudden there was silence;
no more yelling, torture, torment;
no more violence.

Then I heard music and sound.
I imagined a 70's party
and a disco ball spinning round and round;
every guy dancing with every girl;
all standing in the Soul Train line,
screaming "Harlem World";
the DJ playing the hot mix;
it was with Blackstreet, O.D.B. and Slash, "If you need a fix."

Then the celebrities came in.
Oh, what a sensation!
Shaft, Dolomite, Hey! even The Temptations!
Everybody was singing and dancing.
Oh what a feeling!
And right before everyone left,
the DJ put on Marvin Gaye's "Sexual Healing."

Oh this party; it must have been a gift.
But, it never really happened.
It was only a "what if . . ."

---

 

One Day
Sheena Ellington

A day I remember
was the day I left for Buffalo.
I was scared.
My heart was going
boom bum boom bum boom bum . . .
I was going to a place
where I didn't know anyone;
and the people I knew
I couldn't find.
Well, I found them.
I said, "bye," to my mom
and boarded the train.
It took off and went
chuck a chuck a chuck a choo choo . . .
We took pictures through the window.
Click, click . . . went the camera.
We went to get something to eat.
Beep . . . went the microwave.
Cha ching . . . went the cash register.
We went to our seats.
We talked, slept, etc.
We finally made it to Buffalo.
The people were friendly.
It would be all right after all.

 

---

Maņanitas
Minerva Tejada

Despierta madre, despierta
mira que ya amaneciķ
mira este ramo de flores
que para ti traigo yo.

Cuando miro tu carita
llena de tanto candor
quisiera darte mil besos
para mostrarte mi amor.

Cindy Hall

 

---

 

Sounds
William Patton

Every thing, or every one, makes a sound;
even boxers all the time when they go pound
for pound. Mostly sea shells make sounds
of the ocean, but if you think about it --
it's all in motion. Like a scientist makes
sounds with his potion.

Mark Prospere

 

---

 

Poetry Is Still The Same
Denise Santiago

To me poetry is still the same.
I find that mooshy ones are still so lame.
Tragedy is what I like.
People die with great insight.
Dark and lovely are still the same.
But, mooshy ones are still so lame.
People talk about love and care.
But, do they really dare
to share their love and care?
Fearing a broken heart,
they stay locked up
and grow without a gentle care.
So, poetry is still the same.
Mooshy ones are still real lame.
Tragedy is what I like;
and I enjoy it with great delight.

Victor Costa

 

---

 

Crumbling Down
Patrick Vassell

Crumbling down!
The world is crumbling down on me:
prostitution, hate, war, death
and evil workers.

Crumbling down on me:
love, good kids, Christians, teachers
and preachers.

Crumbling down on me:
knives, guns, rockets, war planes
and missiles.

Crumbling down on me:
Bibles, books of both great and good men,
soothing music and birds of peace.

The world crumbling down on me:
both good and bad.

Victor Costa

 

---

 

I Wonder
Roy Gray

Sometimes I wonder about this place known as Earth.
I wonder if we were born here because we were cursed.
I wonder why we feel pain and sorrow.
Through all this, I wonder why we see tomorrow.
I wonder why the world is round.
I wonder if we'll live again after we are buried underground.
I wonder why there is so much hate.
I wonder, in ten years, what'll be my fate.
I'm listening to elders, and am starting to comprehend.
But then, after a while, I wonder again.

Duane Brereton

 

---

 

I Used To Think
Shakenia Garlick

I used to think New York was exciting.
I used to think soap operas were cool.
I used to think finding a job was easy.
I used to think being with an older guy was cool.
I used to think my boyfriend was the bomb.
I used to think I could never fall in love again.
I used to think my grandmother would disown me for having a baby.
I used to think I would be out of high school before having a baby.
I used to think having my own apartment would be fun.
I used to think I would never live alone.
I used to think I wouldn't have any problems.
I used to think life was all about partying.
I used to think I'd never have big responsibilities.
I used to think life was easy.
Now that I know better, I understand how wrong my thinking was.

Cindy Hall

---

 

What Did I Do Wrong?
Bridgette Cameron

I feel like I did something wrong.
I should have held on to my feelings,
but time was taking too long.
The trouble and pain I cause
will only tear us apart.
What did I do to you? Tell me.
What did I do wrong? I really don't know.
Now you won't even look in my
direction. It seems like I have
already sung this sad song.
I feel like running, but with
nowhere to hide.
You have another love
on the outside waiting for you
the same way I am on the outside looking in.
But, damn, why couldn't it be me
you are always thinking of?
I thought you cared because
of all the time we shared.
Now I know I was wrong.
How dare I try and take you
from someone else and not care?
Even though I still don't know
what I did do wrong.

 

---

 

My Time Past
Angel Robles

I am here too long to do my time.
When I rhyme in my mind
I see the time pass by.
When I look at time I know
I have been here too long to do my time.
When I look up to the sky
My time has passed by.
When I open my eyes, I look up to the sky.

 

---

 

Life
Edward Rivera

I am living life. I am living life.
You can only live once, not twice.
I see good. I see bad.
I thank God I'm not that kind of lad.

I am living life - true.
I wrote this poem all for you.
Life is to grow, to know, and to show;
Not to be cold as snow.

Is this my life or is it yours?
I have poems like clothes in the stores.

 

---

 

Live Or Stay
Natalie Duckoff

The unexcused are just amused
by silence. Violence walks in the air.
Tell me why they stare - Do they really care?
I'm living while I'm living with no need to make it fair.
I accept it. They reject it.
But little do they know
they don't have to show
they think we're low.
The excused only choose.
They've got nothing to lose.
They never get lonely
with their friends only.
When they're alone
they've got nothing but home.
So they call their friends -
once together, rules bend,
'cause they're staying.
How they're staying
so we end up playing
their game . . .
Are we all the same?

 

---

As Long As Forever
S.J.

I will stay by your side
as long as I live,
as long as you care.
I will do anything for you.
I will go any where.
I will bring you sunshine.
I will comfort your fears.
I will gather up rainbows
to chase away your tears.
As long as forever
my love will be true,
for as long as I live
I will only love you.

Robert Stuart