Poetry

By Kevin Masmela The LA city wind collides against our skin as we countdown the seconds til’ the new year sixteen til’ the world gets to quote unquote reset An idea that should’ve happened yesterday but begins in fifteen cuz’ time can be controlling The end of (x) + the beginning of (y) = ( ) fourteen seconds til’ you finally decide to stop ( insert addiction here ) start ( insert replacement here ) if only we knew that time is not perfect “the perfect time” does not exist &

By Kevin Masmela In August of 1969 over half a million people waited on a dairy farm in Bethel, New York, for a three-day music festival known as Woodstock. A gathering that embodied three days of peace, music, love & drugs. In October of 2023, close to 4,000 attendees were on a farmland near the Gaza-Israel border for a music festival known as Nova. Only this time instead of peace there was war, instead of music there were gunshots, instead of love there was blood, & instead

By Kevin Masmela I replied, if I don’t, Silence will scrape the inside of my skull til’ there are fragments of bone stuck in between the creases of my favorite record. Play her a song that makes you feel like you’re skydiving without falling the song with the same BPM as my heartbeat, Play her that Taste You on My Breath song that What You Do for Love song that Name on My Tongue song that How Deep Is Your Love song— Play her that song that sweeps the remnants of your skull of

By Kevin Masmela Sometimes the music’s so good you have to close your eyes— your mind vacations inside as if you’re back in bed with your Beats in, as your heart beat plays the melody Spotify suggested for you this year. You inhale a bit of second hand vape & all of a sudden the scent of strawberries isn’t as good as you remembered it being. A quick shove, nothing too aggressive so you continue your sidestep under the music’s sway, while sweat tickles your side burns & the vi

By Avishi Singh The laughs, the fights, the tears, the smiles. Their presence is my serotonin, their happiness- my peace, their achievements- my pride, their sadness- my pain. One with a personality as bright as the sun, one as loud as the truth, one as sweet as love, one as determinedly firm as the mountains, one as maternal caring as the nature for it's children, and one as charmingly complex as the course of the wind. My rock and my land – it’s them. My sea and my anchor,

By Avishi Singh The fire in her eyes, the sheen in her hair, the strength in her words, and the confidence in her stance, it's admirable.The passion in her action, the ferocity in her moves, the deadliness in her twirl, and the serrated edge of her blade, it's intoxicating. The warmth in her smile, the tenderness in her hands, the gentleness in her words, and the softness in her heart for the people, it's endearing. The sharpness of her mind, the keenness of her gaze, the for

By Laura Marie Wingate Why is it some people have everything?                    all they wish for and more                               but they are never satisfied                              All i ask is to be happy                             just once for something to work out right                 for luck to bend my way                                   But the more i ask and the more i seek                    the further it seems to be                               

By Laura Marie Wingate I am feeling lost, alone That no one understands They think I’m rude and stupid That I have selfish plans I have a different outlook I’m reaching for the skies I see myself as pure But others think it’s lies I find it strange and worrying That they can’t comprehend Love, honesty, benevolence Is really all I send Are people so self-righteous So self indulged and blind That they can’t believe a person Can be so giving and so kind If only people realised T

By Laura Marie Wingate I didn’t do things  The way most people do And now I am realising How different I am  And that difference Needs to be overcome  To fit in Difference is real  Difference hurts It’s confusing Alienating Marginalizing I don’t want to be different If I have to be treated differently But I don’t want to be the same If the same means I have to be Like those who treat others differently Can’t I just be me? By Laura Marie Wingate

By Laura Marie Wingate I’d like to write a poem about  The thoughts inside my head About the times I feel like god Or wish that I were dead It’s never been an issue Cause I’ve never been assessed Cause it’s never been a problem That I’ve openly confessed But now I’m getting older Life is getting quite involved As I start creating friction My heart starts growing cold A part of me wants to retreat And lock myself up tight Another part is angry and Initiates a fight I never kne

By Natalie Jukes The male lion roars to send his enemies away. His roar can be heard from far far away. The lionessess hunt to feed the hungry pride. Their baby cubs are playful and stay by their side. The elephant can walk almost silently with their soft padded feet. They love munching on grass and never eat meat. They use their powerful trunks for smelling and eating, as well as caressing their young. They love to go swimming and role themselves in mud, to protect their ski

By Aribah Iqubal I haven't been able to find the rhythm since I grew up. Not the one that plays music through speakers-no, no. The echo of marbles rolling across mosaic tiles after lunch, the sound of steel plates clattering together in lazy piles the light dancing on their edges. I'm not sure if it's really gone or if I'm just not paying attention. I looked for it in the ticking of clocks the humming of machines but it's not the same as the sound of chalk dust rising...

By Aquila Gianna Palomiano Love has an advantage, Has its purpose in one image Within that image that flourish It is you whom I have wished God is good and is truly one of a kind, I am blessed to have a man who is hard to find My life is now complete, full of bliss I knew you were the one ever since Despite the challenges we faced, Varieties of trials, fights and arguments embraced. But still our love will rise, No one else shall criticize There are so many things I'm gratefu

By Aquila Gianna Palomiano Take a step back and move ahead Life's about to change and will never come to an end Be open for change and seek to ponder why  The more you wonder, the more you should try  Your journey is about to begin, hop in! It is challenging and way too exciting  Work hard and you'll get of what you aim And soon you'll be one of the world's hall of fame. By Aquila Gianna Palomiano

By Aquila Gianna Palomiano There it was, his love completely vanished Without a word, he took me for granted  It was unfair, he left me in anguish  Now, I am drowned with these thoughts bombarded My life stumbled and chaos took over It got me thinking if I should prevail?  I am in dire need of something greater, No more impediments that shall assail. As time slipped away, I am still yearning Days were difficult, without him on it Longing for things to change and kept praying,

By Aquila Gianna Palomiano Sentiments swirled up around,  We’ve been through life’s ups and downs.  A series of struggles compromised. We’ll outlast trials ending with a smile. Life’s been harsh lately, Everything seems to fall apart completely. But you never failed to amaze me, You’d always inspire without making me weary. Years have gone past, Our love had always been intact. Souls intertwined, emotions aligned. Our fondness for each other ever lasts. Blessed enough because

By Aquila Gianna Palomiano Amidst the thoughts I wonder, You, the only one I want to ponder Your smile, the sweetest thing I'll remember To me, it is you who matters I'm that girl who admires you The one who glances behind you If you don't mind, I'll just look at you Notice me and please give me a clue Oh it's hard having this feeling The feeling that I'll keep on thinking I hate thinking because it makes me crazy Okay I'll stop and now I'm dizzy You're that guy who always sp

By Aneri Nanavaty My demons go dancing / They go dancing at twilight / From my shadows they lurk forward / I whimper in pain – they laugh in delight / At the close of each day, I begin to crumble / Foolishly hoping they won’t come tonight / Alas like clockwork they always do appear / Ready to dance on my heart as I brace myself tight / With clenched fists, hunched over till dawn / Only then do the demons reluctantly retreat / I open my eyes to a razed, ghastly gravesite / Whe

By Aneri Nanavaty वो गने में तुमहारी आवाज़ है / वह किताब के पन्नो में तुमहारा नाम / थांडी हवा में भी तुम्हे महसुस करुं / शायद सहला रहे हो मुजे फ़िर इक बार // Romanized text: Woh gaane mein tumhari awaaz hai / Woh kitaab ke pannon mein tumhara naam / Thandi hawa mein bhi tumhe mehsoos karoon / Shayad sehla rahe ho mujhe, phir ek baar // By Aneri Nanavaty

By Aneri Nanavaty What will you do when a flower of my name / Blooms, from your lips / The love of me you tried, but could not tame / Secret worship you finally let slip / Will you deny the shiver of your skin / When a breeze carrying my voice / Carries you to the edge of where you’ve been / Will you still pretend you have a choice / The truth has a way of being shameless / Lingering in the air like a fragrance / Seeking neither permission nor forgiveness / It quietly prevail