Category: 06th

Secret Questions

Can love shed light
In your darkest corners?

Can hope bring joy
To eyes haunted with death?

Can silence find the words
You don’t dare speak?

Can a scream
Inspire the world?

Can a floating lily
Hold up the world?

Can a moth find the courage
To resist the flame?

Can a secret question
Find an Answer?

Ann Richards School for Young Women Leaders

6

Things to Remember

You might think
Light fights off the shadows
But it only conceals them

It might appear
That fire kills and destroys
But it gives warmth

You might fear
A place that isn’t heaven
But it is just a place
For people too hurt to love

You might assume
Your actions speak louder than words
But your words could change a world

You might wish
That everything is fine
While your world crumbles around you
But you have to love what is with you

Ann Richards School for Young Women Leaders

6

Collision

Chasing daydreams
On golden wings
Through stars
And silver light

Bottling love
In crystal flasks
On a sunlit pier

River singing
Peaceful songs
And lilting melodies

Dew speckled blossoms
Blooming in
The blood red dawn

A haunting chorus
Silent and loud
In the golden dusk

Silver snowflakes
Crashing softly down
Clinging into icicles
Melting into hope

Lovely harmony
Crashing apart

Ann Richards School for Young Women Leaders

6

Where I’m From

I am from hot irons glistening with steam, from needles that poke and dirty windows that get a scrubbing with the Clorox that we praise.
I am from the old brick New Orleans style house.
I am from football Saturdays and getting reminded the Golden Rule and the smell of greasy bacon and sticky donuts when I wake up.
I am from the pine trees swaying in the breeze and the tomato plants standing tall.
I am from church on Sundays and freckles all around.  From the Mulig branch and the Shirley.
I am from running around the neighborhood and making sweet fresh jelly with family.
From, please get along with your siblings to thanks for setting the tone.
I’m from Jesus died on the cross and kindness will get you through life.
I’m from if you don’t eat seafood you’re not going to like my family.
From crawfish boils and cornbread dressing.
From the Papasitos’ story and the laughs.
I’m from 10035 Clemente Circle.

The Little Blue Planet

Can you look behind you
and stop looking in the mirror, stop living in a reflection?
It’s not really you. It’s not real,
but turn around, please, Just look.
It’s broken, it’s cracked and it’s irreplaceable. It’s our home.
It’s earth, the little blue planet.
It’s a dark place to live in now because we made it dark.
But why don’t we help?
Why? Why is that fair? Do you know?

We took everything,
everything from our planet.
It was a friend, not a person, but it was alive
with everything living on it.
We wore it down, though,
down to a solid and unliving figure, standing alone,
Overheated, melting, caving in.

It’s not simple anymore.
We’re too self obsessed.
We’re too busy looking at our phones.
We think we can’t make a difference.
We think is pointless to try,
but it isn’t.

Adults always teach us to believe, but it’s hard
when those who teach us to believe break
not only their promises, but they break the world.
They hand over a pile of trash and expect us to clean it up.
Maybe it’s not fair, but life was never fair.
Quit feeling sorry for yourself
And do something.

The Heart Hears Music

Fallen light slipping through the grasp of leaves, littering the ground
Violet flowers dance across the speechless grass
The soothing smell of honeysuckle floats through the air like a pixie
A lake, standing still, peacefully smiles
Oar dips, sending ripples of life
From an old rusting boat
In the forest the ears may hear silence,
But the heart hears music

Lamar Middle School

6

The Note

I thank the silence
That keeps us apart.
And the darkness
That lets me sleep at night
Without pondering the question that looms above
What are we?

They said love was warm and soft
Like the baguettes found at a french bakery.
Yet it feels heavy and cold
Almost like guilt.

They said love was beautiful and gentle
But as I pass him,
I feel like I’m being stabbed
As false joy disguises dread.

They said love was a blessing
But they’re wrong
It’s a curse
Coated in desire.

It all started with a note
from him.
So obvious and blunt:
I love you.
So simple and evil:
I love you.

I cried.
Maybe from pure joy
or pure anger
I loved him too.
Just not what we’ve become.

Lamar Middle School

6

Why

Those special memories
When we climb Mr. Bijan’s favorite
tree and steal the fruits

Those special days
When we cheat on the tests but
we never got caught

Those special times
When we tie the running contest
and we had to share the trophy.

Why we stopped it
Why can’t we stay together like
we used to do

Is it because we are far away from each other.

Lamar Middle School

6