In Celebration of National Poetry Month, Culture
Keepers participated in a series of Spoken Word
Workshops in April.
Special Thanks to The American Poetry Museum for
providing spoken word performer Bomani Armah
to instruct the workshops.
Poetry by Culture Keepers...
"Confused"
By Malaaya Adams
Grade: 9th
Confused whether to be
Open like a book or closed like a locked door
Confused whether to be involved
or to ignore
Confused whether to speak up or
keep quite to stay out of trouble
Confused about what to be
Confused about what music
I should listen to
Confused about how to trust
Confused whether to catch up
or slow down
Confused about how to wear my hair
Confused about what to wear
Confused whether to dare
Should I care?
"Untitled"
By Eric Luis
Grade: 9th
My bass will be like a supernova
My rythym will be smooth like a stream
but also explosive like a roaring avalanche.
I want to be loud as a lion
but I'm quiet as a mouse.
So my music will be like a partner in crime
and I hope it won't leave like baloon to a 5 year old.
"I am Reign"
By Amari Nixon
Grade: 9
I am reign, I cover everything.
My dreams are the truth
Like aging, death, they will happen.
You see me so vividly, with grace as a swan
you see me.
Amari Canyon is on top.
My Dream never stops.
"I Want to Love..."
By Darian Smith
Grade: 9
My Art is like the line where the earch and water meet.
My love is like the snow touches rough skin
My dreams are like the cloud in heaven.
"Dreams.."
By Jimmica Yarbrough
Grade: 10
Dreams so high like the summer weather.
I can do anything when I hold my head up high.
Stumble upon a rock, when I'm in trouble
may sink to the bottom like the titanic
the beauty of my dream
the cooling breeze the spring,
like the multiple colored wild flower, I know
when I look into the sky, and keep my
head up my dreams wont fall stiff or unleveled.
Like the 7 Kwanzaa Principles, that many follow
My dreams are where I reside with the
stars that sparkle oh so bright
If I keep trying I can soar high.
High, high is where I stand, I am a queen
in this once beautiful land.
Your dreams may be rusty but mine is
clean.
won't let anything stop me from reaching my dream!
"Flow Steady"
By Bryanna Rather
Grade: 9
I want to flow steady and constant like a river,
yet run wild and free like an animal
Be rich with minerals like the Nile
yet dull and dry like the Sahara.
Cool and pure like the Arctic yet knowing
and contminated like the Gulf.
I want to be at a stand still only
Occasionally with a slight sway like a tree.
Yet solid only moved by those who
are both willing and unwilling like a shell.
Hollow and molded, I want to be created
and to be known as one of the most
prized possessions to few, like a rare stone.
Or active and dangerous like Kilowaya.
