These fantastic poems were submitted by Traleia McCorkle, Faith Rhodes, and Yasmine Bryant and deserve a huge shout out.
Yours and Mine
Yasmine Bryant
Meade Senior High School
When the night falls
And the day is over
I come home to you.
When my nights
Get a little bit colder
I come a’runnin’ to you
That’s my baby
Can’t nobody take him from me.
Ouu, that’s my baby
Can’t nobody take him from me.
When the day
Gets a little rough…
And the night try
To do you harm…
You come a’runniin’
Oh! You a come a’runnin’
To me
Ouu! I’m his baby
Won’t let nobody take him from me
Hey, I’m his baby!
Won’t let nobody take me from him!
(Hey, Ouu, Ohh, Adlibs)
And if they take him from me…
I don’t know where to go.
I said,
If! They take him from me
I got nowhere to go!
Hey! Not my baby!
MMM, I gots nowhere to go.
Hmmmmmmmm, oh, yeeeeeaaaaaah!
Wonderland
Faith Rhodes
Oldfields School
Lush green hills sweeping through the land
I know best, while engulfed of the tall forest men. Navy paint
suppressing the fiery stars, whittling bit by bit into the sunset. Bees
burrow their heads into the dewey corners of the patio. Crickets
preaching their song like a Sunday choir, and little brown bats, dipping
their wings into the navy paint, with droplets trickling off the sandstone
edges; separating what’s nature and human.
In the morning, alarm clocks are the chirps of birds, while the warmth
from the sun immerses the land. Yet, the cold damp air leaves the
crave for touch. Walking through the rich green grass,
dew kicking up on my ankles, I’ve got my head in the clouds,
while waiting for the sun to rise.
The place where issues dissolve; Just breathe.
An exhale and I don’t wake up on a beach, but in my
mother’s hammock. A place where music cannot replace
the sound of the land’s soothing voice.
You are my safe spot, Wonderland.
Wonderland – a land or place full of wonderful things.
My Obligated Duty
Traleia McCorkle
Frederick Douglass High School
There was once a time-
A time when I was a good person.
Perfectly sane,
Even on days that rained.
I was okay
At least I thought I was
September the month I would change forever
2001, the shift
There was a war,
A revolution of some sort going on within my head.
I wrapped myself up in my thoughts
Logics swarming within my head
But no one knew.
No one knew except for me.
Brent Yuritopen is my name.
This day started as any other day.
The sun was shining
The grass was swaying
The wind blew a slight chill over my shoulders.
At 7:00 AM I got a call from her
She was calling to say goodbye
As she was on her way out the country on a business trip
But the way she hung up the phone was peculiar
“See you sometime soon,” she spoke.
“Goodbye Yuritopen”
Never did she call me by my last name,
Unless something bad was getting ready to happen
I hung up, staring at the wall.
What was about to happen this time?
It couldn’t be that bad, she was getting on a plane for goodness sake.
But, something in my gut didn’t feel right.
In no time, I was in my car, zooming down the highway to get to the airport.
I walked in, hopped over the gates and saw her curly auburn hair walking onto the boardwalk
Of the plane
Her medium sized stature and broad shoulders
I called her name
But she didn’t turn around
I called it again
But this time a little louder
She kept walking.
I ran toward the entrance,but the gate shut right before I could walk through
“Please tell me what is about to happen!” I banged on the door.
Sliding down ever softly, a tear slid out the corner of my eye
Something was about to happen
I walked over to the chairs and sat there until the plane took off.
I was frantic
I didn’t know what was going to happen
But soon something was going to change.
I looked to my left as a lady was screaming and pointing at the television
Her husband caught her as she was falling to her knees
Her body went limp
I looked to the television, turning slowly
And there, I saw an airplane resting in crumbles on the ground
I couldn’t make out the name of it
But when I said 617 it was then that my heart plummeted to my groin
And just then, I woke up
Sweat dripping down my face
Staining my pillows and drenching my comforter
My alarm sounded
I got out of bed, and as I reached for the remote I heard
“BREAKING NEWS”
My eyes opened wide
And there it was
The plane
The same plane I saw in my dream
617
Laying on the grass flipped over
Burned holes on the sides
Heads sticking out the window
I dropped to the ground
That was her plane
My love.
My everything
My beauty
My wife.
So today, I write this not justifying my actions.
But explaining a sorrow and sadness I can’t express
I will never be able to understand the rationale behind this action
But I have to do it,
She didn’t deserve to die on that plane.
And so now, I have decided to take it into my own hands
So as I stand in this airport, I apologize
I apologize to all the families that will be hurt
And for the millions of dollars that will have to be spent recreating this airport.
I am prepared for my consequences.
I stand by the Starbucks,
The same place my wife probably stood as she waited for her Caramel Frappuccino
Hours before she died.
I set the bag down
Finally, I couldn’t wait
It was heavy.
As I walked toward the Exit
I heard the small lingering sound of the distant ticking
I picked up the pace
Jogging to my car
Off I go.
I remember I’m doing this for my beloved.
My wife.
So as I drive down the highway,
Smoke flying from the airport, sirens following behind my car
I know there is nothing else I can do.
I take the verge off the highway and onto a dusty road.
I see the cliff in the distance.
160 miles
I press on the gas.
In no time,
I’ll be home my dear.
Just wait for me.
