At-Risk Youth
click here for recordings of spontaneously spoken SOULSPEAK poems
SOULSPEAK also comes in a written version, called Elementary SOULSPEAK. Page down to see samples from many schools and children
There are many instructional SOULSPEAK manuals you can download free of charge, as well as extensive reports on the use of SOULSPEAK in all types of institutions and schools. Click here to see the list.
THERAPEUTIC SOULSPEAK: AN AIDE TO THERAPY FOR AT-RISK CHILDREN
(AGES 8 - 18)
(AGES 8 - 18)
Therapeutic SOULSPEAK is a revolutionary program that gives at-risk children a positive way to easily express deep, unresolved conflicts and fears. It helps break down the increasing isolation of children, an isolation that often leads to the type of violence seen recently in our nation's schools. Over 4,500 at-risk youth in over 40 schools have participated in SOULSPEAK programs since 1994.
The at-risk populations that have participated include children with dyslexia, ADD, autism, learning disabilities, as well as those with severe anger and emotional problems.
Therapeutic SOULSPEAK taps into the unconscious almost effortlessly and is both healing and cathartic. It is a non-traumatic process that uses the oldest form of poetry, an oral, story-telling poetry, to allow children to easily express their deepest feelings. It is also a poetry that young people find instantly appealing. It is performed in antiphonal fashion (speaker-responder) to slow music, and is learned almost instantaneously by anyone, even slow learners. No previous knowledge of poetry, or even reading and writing is required. The only population that cannot use SOULSPEAK are the moderately and severely retarded. Our experience has shown that a large number of children continue to use SOULSPEAK on their own and even teach it to their parents.
SOULSPEAK is healing in nature for both speakers and listeners and has been proven to dramatically increase self-esteem, self-awareness and, because of SOULSPEAK's unique communal nature, empathy for others. The poems spoken out in Therapeutic SOULSPEAK sessions also provide an extremely accurate diagnostic tool for counselors and therapists.
Therapeutic SOULSPEAK has been used at the following at-risk schools and institutions: Bradenton Drug Treatment Community, a federal and state project jointly conducted by the Florida Department of Corrections and Operation PAR; Myakka Stop Camp; Gulf Coast Marine Institute (Venice & Bradenton); Cyesis Teen Parent Program; Pace Center for Girls; Just for Girls; Adolescent Recovery Center at Manatee Glens; Oak Park School; YMCA Triad South; YMCA Triad North; Sarasota Foundation Middle School; YMCA Character House; Venice High/New Deal; Glenallen Elementary; Opportunity High; Girls Inc.; Boys & Girls Clubs of Manatee and Sarasota Counties; Clewiston Youth Development Academy; La Belle Youth Development Academy.
Grants from the Bates Foundation, Community Foundation of Sarasota County, the State of Florida Division of Cultural Affairs, Knight Foundation, Selby Foundation, Woman's Exchange, and the Venice Foundation have funded Therapeutic SOULSPEAK for at -risk children
Who Will Benefit From Therapeutic Soulspeak And Why
Our experience has shown that THERAPEUTIC SOULSPEAK will be readily picked up and enthusiastically used by ANY GROUP OF AT-RISK YOUTHS. Although Therapeutic SOULSPEAK is not a therapy in itself, it has proven to be a valuable aid to therapy, in that it develops a new sense of self-awareness, self-worth, and empathy for others.
AT-RISK Youth SOULSPEAK Poems
Poems From At-Risk School/Organizations
These poems by at-risk students are complex songs of love, despair, loneliness, courage, faith and hope. They are also the written counterparts of a separate CD album of oral/musical poems created by those same students. All were created using the SOULSPEAK
JUSTIN SPRING Founder/Artistic Director
Sarasota County Cyesis Teen Parent Program/poems created by teen mothers on pregnancy and birth/1997
Poem by
Jaclyn Hojnowski
Put your hands on my chest
and touch
my empty hole,
deep inside of me,
where I feel so alone.
Sometimes I am
so emotionless.
I feel as if
I were a doll.
When I sit there,
by myself feeling
so blue, I pray
to God, hoping
the darkness will leave me.
There is so much
to know about me.
I'm an interesting person
and a bit of a tom-boy,
though I'm not ashamed.
Poem by
Abby Hall
I sit at the beach
with my feet buried in the sand
and the sun beaming down on me
watching the ocean
gracefully come towards me,
listening to the waves
hit the shore, but then the sun
begins to set, the sky
starts to run black
and the seagulls spread their wings
and fly away. The wind
picks up and whispers
a secret in my ear,
and before I leave
I take a picture
to remember the secret.
A woman rises
from the ocean and spreads
her wings, opens up
her arms and welcomes me in.
As I walk towards her,
the sun sets
and the sky turns black.
A Poem by
Erica Timmons
I heard this cry from afar.
It was coming from behind
this big tall wall.
As I walked around there was my mother
lying in a garden of roses.
I went to her
to see what was the matter.
She had split her finger
and there was blood
spilling out. I wrapped it,
and told her
that she would be all right.
As we walked away we saw
this big golden hawk.
It was like
we're in peace, away
from all harm and danger.
A Poem by
Lisa Miller
There's a side of the moon
that we don't see.
Who knows what it's like.
It could be cold and dark,
it could be warm and bright.
It could be dead and rocky,
it could be filled
with flowers, and trees, and life.
It could be quiet and dull,
or it could be full of song.
It could be calm and still,
or it could be windy and violent.
Most judge the dark side of the moon
by the lighted side we see.
Few actually get a chance to see it.
Only the explorers,
the astronauts.
We too, have an unseen side,
and it is judged by the side well seen.
And only those who take the chance to explore
get to see this incredible sight.
A Poem by
Tangela Singletary
When I had my baby
blood was everywhere
and when I looked down
I saw nothing but jet black hair.
I was so surprised
to hear that loud scream
that was my son.
My eyes sparkled with gleam.
He is my pride.
He is my joy.
He is my angel.
That precious little boy
like a gift wrapped in silver
sent from heaven up above.
He is my heart.
The one I cherish, the one I love.
Poems by
Sheila Giles
I
The sunlight shone on my face
as I relaxed on the bed
watching my stomach,
wishing it would happen,
wishing I would have my baby,
but the months roll round by slowly.
There wasn't any fear in me about this
just sadness wondering
what I was going to do.
My stomach was getting
heavier and heavier.
I kept thinking to myself
I'm going to pop.
I walked down paths
and through tunnels
but still nothing.
I was still pregnant.
II
The dark sky was filled
with stars that night.
I took my baby
out for a walk,
it seemed to ease
her crying. The breeze
from the wind touched
my body like fingers.
The night seemed purple.
A Poem by
Tiffany Ziegler
The Mysterious Woman
This woman was walking down
the hall of this school.
You could tell she had secrets
that she just wanted to spill.
This lady was just dressed in black,
with the sun shining of her back.
I was scared to go talk to her
because no one else would,
I though maybe
she was a devil
with angels wings.
She had eyes
the color of an ocean
the voice of a princess
and the arms of a pillow.
I decided to go talk to her after all
but, she was as sweet
as could be, she told me
her name and how she became pregnant,
but she really told me
she was having a rough time
and no one was there for her
and she needed
a friend like me.
Poem by: Johnny B.
My head is hurt,
is hurt so badly
and my mother can look through the window
from her garden and see
that something's not right.
So she came in and said,
"What's going on?"
and she said, "I love you,"
and gave me a big hug and kiss
and then it was like the sun was shining in
through the window on both of us.
Poem by: Josh B.
I went to a park. I saw people who were angry. I don't
know why, but one of them hit me. This made me
angry so I decided to take a walk. I went to a part of the
park no one went to. I saw an old bridge. I went across
to find a cave. Once I got over the bridge, sunlight
was drowned out. It became very dark, many clouds.
I went in and to my surprise there was a lot of love.
And I stayed there for awhile. I was happy.
Poem by: Muhammed L.
The night was white¾white as a swan.
It was so cold¾cold as ice.
My mother, my mother was crying,
crying for me, crying for me to come home
because my friends are like tigers.
They're trapping me in, in a corner.
I'm trying to fight them off of me.
I'm seeing red.
I'm seeing red because I'm going into the night.
I scream because I'm going to kill my mother.
Kiss me, kiss me because she loves me,
but I'm trapped, trapped in the night.
Poem by: Bryson S.
It all started when I was at my new crib. I guess them kats
didn't like the way I chilled. And just because of that,
one of their homies got killed. I guess I had
something to prove, that I was real. And after that
all his home boyz got angry. One of them tried
to hit me up, so I had to slang him.
Now things are getting really hot.
I guess it's about time for me to call the shots.
I was riding across a bridge one day. I seen myself
slowly seeping into a cave. It's hard to see the sunlight
through the shade. I love the way that I used to live.
Now all I do is get clouded, running from my fears.
Poem by: Muhammed L.
Last night, the sky was red because the sun was lost.
My mother seen it too. Tears came down her face
because someone just died
I don't know why.
I was hungry, but not for food,
but for death. I'm lost.
Poems from youngsters at recovering substance-addicted teens at Adult
Poem by: Melinda
There's several wars stationed in my head.
I slip a little more into nowhere
with each passing day. I know what I want
but it seems so far away.
I won't be able to touch it I can barely see it.
My dreams have died down I see no end
There's a war where I live and I see no end
and I see no end, no end
Poem by: Laura
Sometimes in my dreams
I see a door open.
My father is standing there.
He reaches out to touch me but I run.
I'm unwilling to let him touch me.
I follow the river and find a mirror.
I look into it and see loneliness.
Never will anyone touch me again.
Poem by: Stacy
Sometimes in my dreams
I feel brave
I see the unwilling father
in my mirror and my heart bleeds.
My yellow sheets are wounded
and my love is cut in half.
I'm confused and wanna scream.
I cry to hard
all I hear is "move on"
but I say to myself,
"the cut will heal and the love
will turn to a brave emotion."
Poem by: Wanda H.
As the night gets cold
and the moon is full
my father is sleeping so loudly.
I watch the moon rise
deep into the dark.
I see a reflection in the mirror
that scares me and I try to run and hide
but the terror finds me
like a dog or perhaps a wolf.
Poem by: Melinda
There is an enchanted land waiting for me.
I sit, waiting, trying to burn a memory
in my head of the glistening tree tops:
the height is enormous.
I'm at the point now I don't have to turn around.
I feel his presence looking after me,
always with me.
I'm just waiting trying to find faith.
My time will come, it's coming up
sooner than I think.
I'll be leaving my old life.
I'm entering a red world.
Too much is unknown.
I don't care.
I am a thug going to school
I am a bullet speeding through the air
I am a comet hitting the earth
I am a lizard crawling up your leg
I am a star one out of a million
I am a volcano blowing up big
I am money spent on a house
Poems by: Mario B.
Sometimes in my dreams
I see my enemy
My enemy is death
Death took my dog
Death is in his eyes
I wish death would go to the door
I wish death would go to hell
I love my dog
He went to the light
My dog is my friend
I love my dog
I see my mother
She is standing on a mountain
I must embrace my heart
When I look through the window
I see the moon
The things I love are my nightmares.
Poem by: Melissa B.
Sometimes in my dreams
I remember beautiful times with a lost friend
I remember my love for him, the love we both shared
I remember my dog's bright green eyes
When they looked up at me all happy and cheerful
Then in an instant his and my life changed
A car from out of what seemed to be nowhere
I see his eyes close and watch as death falls upon him
I know he's scared to see the big door
That is followed by that big bright light
Then I see my love, my friend, my life
Close his eyes tight and forever.
Poem by: Avaughnte C.
Sometimes in my dreams
I see my father
He is disgusted in me
When I see him in the mirror
I know he loves me
But should he punish me this way
What about the secrets he told me to keep
Even though I tore down the gates of hell
It just wasn't enough for him
Together, I thought we could make it through anything
Why does he want to punish me this way?
Poems by: Matt C.
I am a thug hiding in the shadow
I am a bullet gliding through the sky
I am a comet like a rock
I am quick like a lizard
Bright as a star-wild as a volcano
I am lots of money in your pocket.
Sometimes in my dreams I see a gate
With great courage I open it
I see my life as a warrior before my eyes
I hope this is not real... so much blood
I see swords bang
I see myself together with an enemy... more blood
The hope within my eyes flies away
and back out the gate as
I see the truth
is the other...
is me
Poem by: Damian B.
Sometimes in my dreams I say, girlfriend you betrayed me, you
shut the door to your heart, you burned the sky in my life gray.
Your arms no longer open to me, but like the tree planted by the
waters, I will be
HERE
Poem by: Kris C.
Sometimes in my dreams
I am near a river
the water is silent
Silent, flowing, unwilling
unwilling to love
death is near
like a reflection in a mirror
she will soon flow
like the river
silent
and unwilling to love
Poem by: Staci C.
Sometimes in my dreams
I see my child
He is standing
standing in the doorway
He sees me
his mother
we embrace each other
I love my child
We are at a river
We are so distant
from the rest of the world
I love my son
Poem by: Ashley D.
I am a fire blazing through your house
I am a star flickering and flashing in the sky
I am the fist that knocked you out
I am the scream that pierced your ears
I am a bear in hibernation
I am the storm that floods your house
I am the lake in which you drowned
Poem by: Lindsey G.
Sometimes in my dreams
I see a flower
A beautiful blue flower of love
It makes my heart glow like a light
and shine like a star
The same star
that reminds me of my best friend
The one who betrayed me
and she did so with ease.
It makes me wonder
How someone you love
Love so much
can hurt you so deeply
It's not fair
It's not right
My love is strong
My heart is broken
Poems from middle and high school students with various learning and behavioral disabilities in an alternative school/YMCA Triad North/2000
YMCA Triad North
Poet: Nicole B.
Sometimes in my dreams I see the death of my boyfriend
looking back at me. Sometimes in my dreams I see him
lying with me in my bed beside me. I look in his eyes of
pain all inside of him, and I set near my window of pain
and then I see him by the river and I want to go with him.
I start to cry and screaming with pain and sorrow I fall
to my knees and pray that this pain will all go away
soon. Then as I rise up and wipe my tears away and clean
the black dirt from my knees I see him walking away. I
want to go with him. I want to touch him. I want to love
him. I miss him very much, very much, very much.
Poet: Karen C.
Sometimes in my dreams . . .
I see a large golden gate
Above it hangs a sacred cross
Beside the gate is a warrior
tearful and bloodied.
"The battle was a triumph"
He declares.
But a black hawk circles a sky.
The battle was also a defeat
because the enemy was his brother.
Poet: Ashley F.
Sometimes in my dreams I see my boyfriend again
that we are once more together.
The river is no longer sparkling and blue.
Now my river is black.
I hold his hand while we look into each other's eyes.
I cry looking through the window of what
we could have had but can no longer be done.
Sometimes in my dreams I am covered in blood.
I think that I have been defeated.
I see a gate and my brother is on
the other side.
He has to see me in battle. I have to stay away from hell.
I cry to my brother on the other side
but he is not able to help me.
He says I am a warrior and will defeat the unknown
but why the blood already?
Have I already been defeated?
Poet: Marcus F.
Sometimes in my dreams
I am a river floating down hill
Sometimes in my dreams
I see my father
He is standing in front of me
He is looking me in the eyes
He is waiting to tell me a secret
He tells me he loves me
But when he said it I felt hurt
because he was never there.
Sometimes in my dreams
I wish it was night instead of day
Sometimes in my dreams
I see my father floating into the sky.
Poet: Jason G.
Sometimes in my dreams I see him. He's walking through
a river. It's a beautiful day. He doesn't cry anymore.
There's no blood. I see him peek through an open window.
He whispers to me. It's hard to hear him. He tells me he wants
to come back. He can't. He tells me to be strong for him
and never look back.
Sometimes in my dreams I am flying like an eagle. Soaring
high in the sky. I'm looking for something I don't know
what. Is it my brother? My long lost brother whom I can
only see in the mirror. The mirror which is not reality.
At times I'm disgusted with not being able to see deep
in the mirror. I wish I could hug someone. Feel the love I could with a brother.
Sometimes in my dreams I am afraid of my brother.
He is a warrior on the other side of the gate with his
fist balled up, no longer loved, trying to get together
with me.
Poems by: Mike C.
Sometimes in my dreams I see my mother. She is sitting
in the cellar. Her lips are a bright red, and her skin is
white. As white as the silver moon. I feel love and anger.
I run away.
I am a spider looking for food. I am a plane crashing
down on the ocean. I am a forest full of trees. I am a
gypsy without hope. I am a stick breaking in half. I am
a lover without love. I am a boat sinking in the sea.
Poems by: Jesseca E.
Sometimes in my dreams I see very beautiful blue
eyes through my window. I love eyes just like I love
my beautiful mother. It's getting very dark and I can't
see the blue eyes anymore. It's very cold like I was in
the mountains. I couldn't see my mother. I was very
sad and then I wake up and realize that it was all in
a dream.
Sometimes in my dreams I have a brother who is a
warrior. I am afraid to open the gate for him. We have
really never been together. If my gates open, I have to
show him love. I never thought I would have to show
him love. I'm afraid he will not know who I am, and
he will try to raise his fist to me. Then he will realize
that it's me.
Poems by: Guen F.
Sometimes in my dreams... I'm walking in my
backyard. It's dark, I feel the wind blowing at me
violently. I'm scared. I see bright blue eyes. I see her,
it's my aunt. I want to be loved by her, but I'm scared
to tell her. The wind blows. She's gone and I'm
awake¾scared and dying.
Sometimes in my dreams I feel as cold as ice. I feel
disturbed but yet loved. When I look in the mirror I
see my mother in the cellar, and she's angry, it's dark
and black.
Poems by: Terra Hazen
Sometimes in my dreams I see my Grandma. My
grandma is full of love. I see her as I look through the
window into heaven. She places her hand on my
shoulder as I stare into her face at her beautiful red lips.
I miss my Grandma. She left the world with happiness.
Sometimes in my dreams I see my mother, so beautiful.
She looks angry, lots of anger. Her eyes full of love
and anger as she's sitting in the white padded cellar
room, the room of insanity. Confusion, mother
wishing she could still see the moon. I see a frown on
her lips as she looks at me. I love her. My mother.
Sometimes in my dreams I am a horse
my friend is on my back riding me
she is afraid to get down
she looks in my eyes
she sings in her head
I see a ghost and she falls off
her friends come and help her up
and she looks in the mirror
the mirror
the mirror
I am a boat floating through the river
I am a lake with a lot of fish
I am a tree on fire
I am a shirt for sale
I am a stone lying at the bottom of a river
I am smoke out of fire
fire
fire
fire
Poems by: Milan A.
Sometimes in my dreams there is a window.
Through the window I see a car. The keys to that car are next to me.
I am so happy, that I take the car for a ride.
I crash into a mountain. My heart stops. I am hopeless. I am mad.
I am a train, going very fast.
I am a bobcat, ready to attack.
I am candy-so sweet.
I am a river, so blue and long.
I am the wind blowing you away.
I am the rain, getting you wet.
I am snow-all white.
Poems by: Luke A.
Sometimes in my dreams I am alone with a bully.
He is hurting me. I am not happy playing with him.
He breaks my teeth in the scary room . . . scary room.
Sometimes in my dreams I see a big horse. He is a ghost
horse, his eyes are afraid. He wants to be my friend. He
sings songs. But I found he was just in the mirror, just in the
mirror.
Poems by: James B.
Sometimes in my dreams
I am riding a horse
I am with my friend.
There is a ghost near me
I am riding in a deep black forest and I am afraid
I hear singing
My eyes look funny in the mirror.
I am a boat floating on the stream
I am the grass blowing in the wind
I am a tree being eaten by termites
I am a lake and fish are jumping out of me
I am a microscopic shirt moving in the wind
I am the biggest stone in the world and people touch me
I am the smoke and everybody hates me
Poems by: David B.
Sometimes in my dreams I see my Grandma.
She is standing by a door. She seems so happy.
I get mad at my Grandma sometimes. Yet, I still love her. Sometimes I see her by a tree, and she is thinking about something.
Yet, she won't tell me.
I am a sword, getting thrown into the ground.
I am a mask, scaring my sister.
I am a squirrel being hunted.
I am a gun going hunting with someone.
I am a tree, standing so stiff and still.
I am a knife, stuck in the ground.
I am myself, playing kickball with my friends.
Sometimes in my dreams,
I see a big
blount putting out cloudy storms
I am on cloud nine.
So on it.
I see a vision of a hawk.
It appeared to me as if it was my mother,
Telling me to stop blowing a big one.
But I told this hawk, "The love of it won't set me free."
The hawk responded back saying,
"Hurt will come your way
If you don't get a new set of stairs of life."
"But the arms of a joint is too strong to let go," I replied.
The hawk said, "Streets is where the joint stay,
But if you go now, you can be saved from the arms of the joint."
I decided.
But 'bout time I said anything,
The hawk vision disappeared,
Leaving me thinking, "Which is best, a fat joint or my life?"
I think I ain't sho'.
Sometimes in my dreams
I walk through a dark tunnel
with a glowing door
with a gold flower on it
Open the door
and all I see is death before me
No love
No hope
Just lonely
As I keep walking through the door
All I see is a big sign
With a big plant on it
It says, "This way"
Sometimes in my dreams,
Brother that's what I call it
It gives me great shelter in da mind
I don't have to be afraid of it,
'Cause it's natural, from the Earth.
Just like the ocean
It ain't near white
I use my hand and mouth
To talk to it.
Poems by: Pallis
Sometimes in my dreams
I see my father,
To look at him is like looking at hell,
So I hide, I hide myself from danger.
I hide myself to where I'm free,
I go to the river to wash my soul
and I look up with my eyes
and I see me child
and she is like gold
and I then remember the love that she gives me
and my heart is free
and my danger has passed
and I am at peace,
I am at peace, at peace.
Sometimes in my dreams
I see a dark, dark storm
The storm of terror and of hate
But yet, it is calling me
And when I turn back
My mother is waiting for me
She's standing at the top of the stairs
She's calling my name.
Poem by: Shamika
Sometimes in my dreams
I see this window
this window with a little girl
a little girl in yellow
as I open my arms
my daughter comes running.
I feel love, and then I feel hate
I feel like a weeping tree
I am crying
I am crying
Poem by: Name Withheld
Sometimes in my dreams
it is spring.
I sit by the water,
I see the spring leaves.
I see my mother,
She is with a young child.
This child is not clean,
but dirty.
This child totters,
and falls on the hard floor
The child is me.
Poem by: Rachel P.
Sometimes in my dreams
I am angry,
burning with fire,
filled with hate.
I wish I could be as numb as ice.
I want to perish for one day.
There is something I desire,
I can't figure out what.
The furious pain escapes me.
It turns into an empty darkness.
So much destruction lies everywhere.
Will it ever end?
Poem by: Andrew S.
Sometimes in my dreams
I can almost feel
the cold hard ice.
The desire to destroy
lives among us.
I so much want to end
the hate that is burning inside of me,
but the hate flickers like fire in my veins.
I will perish,
and so will the people around me.
We will be gone forever.
The Warriors:
by Ariel P.
Sometimes in my dreams
I am with my sister.
We are close to death.
All of our enemies
are waiting at the gates.
I love my sister.
We are holding our swords.
We are brave warriors.
I Was Walking Down a Lane:
by Whitney S.
Sometimes in my dreams
my skies are gray.
I am full of sorrow.
Yesterday it was beautiful,
no heavy mist,
but sunshine filled the skies.
I was walking down a lane.
Out of nowhere there came a mist.
I wish it would stop.
I want sunshine to fill the sky
again.
Sometimes in my dreams
I see a stranger
trapped
with red cold eyes
but he is proud sometimes
and he is banging on his cage with his fist
trying to get out
I am a river flowing with fish
I am a thief that just stole your soul
I am a friend that helps you out
I am a knife that just stabbed somebody
I am a mother that cares a lot for her family
I am a mountain higher than Everest
I am a careful father that cares for his family
John C.
Sometimes in my dreams
I see a cold red sky
with eyes looking down at me
I feel trapped inside.
I hold my fist up to show I'm not afraid
but then I realize that I am proud
to be seen in my father's eyes.
I am a river that animals drink of
I am a thief with a poor life
I am a friend to my elders
I am a knife, red and bloody
I am a mother that loves children
I am a mountain that's too high to climb
I am a father that never has time
Barnard C.
Sometimes in my dreams
I see a ghost.
The ghost has secrets.
I lock him in my room and ask him all his secrets.
He turns gray.
I am unable to touch him.
He says he has an aching heart.
I am a river that runs far
I am a thief in the night
I am a friend who loves you
I am a knife that is very sharp
I am a mother who loves my kids
I am a mountain that is too high
I am a father who loves my mother
Jessie P.
Sometimes in my dreams
I see a stranger with a red bloody fist
shaking madly at me.
He has me trapped in
with his cold eyes on me.
I got away proudly.
I am a very cold river you can't swim
I am a thief with your money
I am your friend forever
I am a knife that is in a drawer
I am not a mother with kids
I am a cold mountain top with snow
I am a future father with a baby girl
Joe U.
Sometimes in my dreams
I am in a room.
There's nothing but gray fog.
Every direction I look it seems I'm unable to see
but when I do get a glimpse,
everyone I see looks ghostly.
It's as if the room is trying to hide something from me
and tell me something at the same time.
It's like a secret,
a secret I can't quite touch.
Sometimes in my dreams
I am floating in an ocean of blood,
red, red blood.
So cold I can hardly move,
I feel trapped so trapped,
I can't bear the cold.
All I can do is close my eyes.
I'm like a stranger in unfamiliar territory,
I clench my fist tightly from the pain,
wanting to let go, I can't
my pride is just too strong,
just too strong.
END OF ALL POETRY SELECTIONS
