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Showing posts from 2014

Someday is Tonight (Louis Toliver Jr-Monroe, LA)

In life, we think we can just wait  To be the person we seek to be  We sit at night thinking: "someday" "Oh God, when will that day come?" We often get no response  Because we're looking for God  In the places that one waits to fall We shouldn't wait to soar high We shouldn't wait for that someday I write that this "someday" is tonight 

Skeletons in the Closet: Part 1 (Louis Toliver Jr-Monroe, LA)

Once upon a time, there lived a young boy who lived what he thought to be a happy life with his father and mother. His mother worked at home and did domestic work as a good wife did. She never left the house. His father was not home much, nor spent much time with the boy, as he often traveled for work, and he worked hard as a good father did. There was only one rule for the household when father wasn't home: Never go into the father's bedroom closet.  The mother, nor young boy, had ever been in the father's closet. But this particular day, while the boy was playing alone, he heard a strange noise from his parents’ bedroom. His mother was busy doing chores so she wasn't mindful of him, as always. The boy crept up the  stairs to his parents’ room and saw his father’s large closet door. He went to turn the knob; he was certain that's where the noise was coming from. It was locked. It wouldn't budge.  Normally, the boy would dare not to te

Jesus Was a Capricorn? ( Louis Toliver Jr-Monroe, LA)

I  get so sick of the fake  Agitating my mind when I wake  They want to confuse me  Ignoring all the truth I see  They talk of Santa Clause  And flying  reindeer don't have paws  All the scary terrorists  Running around the forests Virgins sometimes give birth On this "only" planet like earth  Let me just take a pill  All depressions have appeal  I'm a fool even to use rhymes  When the fake just want my dimes 

Come Back to Me (Louis Toliver Jr-Monroe, LA)

Come back to me, My Friends Please, and let's make amends Forgive me for losing my way  Open your heart and let me repay  I can never justify changing My mind was just rearranging I profess that you are constant  Let your love be forever tolerant  Come back to me, My Friends Please, and let's make amends

Alright (Louis Toliver Jr-Monroe, LA)

Gonna be alright  Gonna do what's right  With all our mighty might  We're gonna be alright  Not messing with anyone Just trying to make life fun  Just shining our light  We're gonna be alright  Gonna be alright  Gonna do what's right  With all our mighty might  We're gonna be alright

Words United Top Ten of the Year

Boys Get Scared: Part 4 (Louis Toliver Jr-Monroe, LA)

"This is the point where we call the police, right?" Jake breathed heavily. Kevin stood, looking in the refrigerator, shaking. "This is the point where we call the fucking police, right?!" Jake emphasized loudly. The doorbell rang. Kevin and Jake froze. The doorbell rang again. Jake peaked around the kitchen counter to the living room. He saw red and blue lights flashing outside, through the glass of the upper front door.  The doorbell rang twice abruptly. Kevin darted out of the kitchen to the front door, while Jake peeped around hesitantly. Kevin opened the door and a cop was standing there with his gun pointing to Kevin.  "I was patrolling the street, received a call that a boy's screams were heard? Back up, boy!" The cop forced himself inside. Kevin backed up quickly and Jake came out of the kitchen with his hands up. "Who's house is this?!" "Mine, Sir," Kevin said shaking.  "Where's the other boy?" The cop ask

Louisiana Words Presents Rhythm Nation

S.O.S. (Grab the Rope)-(Louis Toliver Jr-Monroe, LA)

Hello down there!  I can't come any further down I don't have the spiritual equipment  And I don't want to also drown It's pretty dark down there  I understand your current fear  But I need you to reach up  Grab the rope, I'm casting near  Plenty rope to touch rock bottom  So listen to my voice and find it  Don't be afraid of what's up here  It's much better than this dark pit  Believe in this rope, and yourself  Leave this dark place and live  I don't know how long I can wait  Quickly be your own friend, and forgive 

Lonely (Louis Toliver Jr-Monroe, LA)

Time to put the rhymes aside  Be truthful to you right now  'Cause God knows I've felt lonely  It's something we all carry inside  It's what makes us an individual  Loneliness is a part of daily life  But let's change how we think  Of the way see loneliness earthly Could it be that we are self-sufficient? Maybe not, but we are all lonely  Born from womb, dead by tomb Watch how you spend loneliness  This determines our rise or fall.

Escapade (Louis Toliver Jr-Monroe, LA)

Take my hand  Let's take this land  Adventure awaits us We don't need no bus  Let's get to walking  While haters are just talking  It's me and you  No need to be blue  Don't let our lives fade  Our love is like an escapade  Es-ca-pade  We'll have a good time  Where our dreams are made  Ain't gotta spend a dime  Just me with you  Loyal to the present  Just me with you  The past, just a scent  Let's get our future laid  Our love is an escapade 

Miss You Much (Louis Toliver Jr-Monroe, LA)

For all those times  I stumbled to your door  For all these times  You loved me a bit more  I'll never forget how  You held me close to your chest I'll never forget how  You made me my absolute best  Though I'm never good with my words and such  I just want you to know that I really miss you much 

Next to You (Louis Toliver Jr-Monroe, LA)

I watch you sleep  In this life  And the next  I don't mind  Being next to you  You as my king Me as your queen  Royalty of the land You to my left Me to your right  A match for the gods I am your heart You are my brain  Whatever part I play  I'm just glad To be next next to you 

Putting Makeup on Two Faces (Louis Toliver Jr-Monroe, LA)

"Oh me, oh my, you sure look ugly today," the mirror said to me. "Must be mighty hard putting makeup on your two faces." "A pretty left face.  A hideous right face. How could a man look upon others with such delusion? Are you YOU? Are you THEM? I'm you're mirror. I'm you're best friend. I tell the the "truth", while you're eyes "lie."   A little blush for the bruises on your right face.  The shine on your left face seems a little dull.  Either way, pick a face. Both seem fake to me. Haha."

Boys Get Scared Too: Part 3 (Louis Toliver Jr-Monroe, LA)

"So..." Jake stared at the phone and then looked at Kevin. "You and Lucas must be pulling a joke on me...cause, yeah. We can stop now." "Or...you and Lucas are pulling a joke on me," Kevin returned the accusation. They both thought for a second and yelled together, "Lucas!" They went in the backyard to the pool, but there was no Lucas to be found nor any ripples in the pool.  "Lucas! Where the hell are you?" Kevin yelled again. He looked at Jake. "Where can a naked teenage boy go but inside the house, right?" Jake asked.  After what seemed like hours went by searching and searching. There was still no signs of Lucas. Then the phone rang again. Kevin picked up the phone, "Lucas! Stop fucking around, man!" "This isn't Lucas," the sinister voice laughed. "He tastes good. Want some?"  "What are you talking about?" Kevin asked and then put he phone on speaker.  "His testicle was the

What Have You Done for Me Lately? (Louis Toliver Jr-Monroe, LA)

Giving me all the things I don't need  Upon your hand, I no longer feed So what, you give me money So what, you call me "Honey" When is your love gonna start? When do I get your real heart? Hold me  Console me  Accept me  Love me  Are you listening to my plea?  The bond of us is all I want to be  So ask yourself, greatly What have you done for me lately?

Death Became Him (Louis Toliver Jr-Monroe, LA)

Another dusk came as he laid in his coffin, dreaming: a nightmare that he once lived but failed to breathe. He loved no one. He didn't know how. He never cared to. Didn't learn love as a kid. And so, no one loved him. How could they? He lived too busy in sin to be in love or loved. Now, forever in death, he lie restless full of hate, stuck in the earth, wondering if he were in heaven or hell, rotting and rotting as Death became him. Death was him. A dirty soul. His fate was now the meat of worms.

Gossip Boy (Louis Toliver Jr - Swartz, LA)

As I walk down the hallway of life, I hear the whispers of all the voices that don't know me. Maybe if I hadn't cut class today, I would have shown them there's more to my body...I have a brain. Standing at my locker, I can't remember my combination because "slut" is written on my locker. My actions set me up to be labeled, but I am just a distraction from others' selves.  I look to my left and see fingers pointing back at me. I look right and see eyes glaring at me. What is a boy supposed to do when gossip rules his life? My judgers stares rape me, only truth can save me, but no truth will take my side. Lies have shaped the halls of my future and now I must navigate through darkness to be a light of truth. But until then, I'm just your gossip boy.

The Director (Louis Toliver Jr-Austin, TX)

You're watching me  I'm watching you watch me  Being in front of the camera Can't be for me without purpose As an actor, Im not really acting  My gift, seeing fragmented reality  I must piece the puzzle together  I'm part of the puzzle   I have no script for my life  I'm going to write one My film is about our life  Lights, camera, action...let's live

Simple Autumn Love Story (Louis Toliver Jr-Austin, TX)

The autumn chill warmed them together. " You are the love my life, you know that?" Brendan kissed Lane on the lips. Lane unreluctantly kissed him back.  Brendan got done on one knee. Lane's eyes instantly wept. " Lane Anthony Tillman, will you marry?" Brendan's eyes twinkled. "Yes, I will Brendan Lane Gibbs!" Lane yanked Brendan off his knee pulling him up to his lips. He cocked his head back and spoke, "You are the complete me. I am the complete you. We are two completes." Their lips forever locked down the aisle like a simple autumn love story.

Boys Get Scared Too: Part 2 (Louis Toliver Jr-Austin, TX)

It was after the sixth ring, Lucas was slowly eating, watching the phone, Kevin was looking at the other guys, and Jake stood staring at the phone glancing at Kevin. "Um, that's six times now. Unavailable. No message," Jake itched his groin then looked at Kevin. "This is kinda freaking me out." "Ha, well smoking pot is off the table," Lucas slurped the milk from the bowl. "It's a wrong number. I'm sure." "Why would someone dial a number six times in a row, no message," Jake came and sat at the table with the other two. Kevin was sitting quietly. The phone rang again.  "Seven times," Lucas added. "Why would they call seven times?" "How about we just answer the phone?" Kevin leaped up and snatched the cordless phone. "Who is this?" There was just silence. "Hello? Hello?" The phone hung up. Kevin hung up the phone.  "Who was it?" Jake asked.  "I don't know. Th

Boys Get Scared Too: Part 1 (Louis Toliver Jr-Austin, TX)

It's was a boys' sleepover. Their boys' sleepover. Jake, Kevin, and Lucas. Three very close high school friends at Kevin's house.  "Who wants to say "Candyman" in the mirror?" Lucas laughed.  "Please. Save the games for kiddies," Kevin began changing. He took of his shirt and jeans, leaving just his plaid boxers on.  "Ugh, boxers are so gross," Jake took off his clothes revealing his black briefs.  Lucas remained in a t-shirt and basketball shorts, "How about no underwear?"  They left Kevin's bedroom and headed to the kitchen of the one story house. Kevin's parents were out of town so the boys walked around freely bantering with each other.  "I don't want to play in that basketball game tomorrow. Coach is such a dick," Lucas poured a bowl of cereal. "I'm probably going to be on the bench cause of.....you know." "Um, cause you got drunk before the last game and passed out in the sh

Circumstances (Kelly Hill-Lake Charles, LA)

You ever felt like no one was listening to you. Just a puppet dancing. Held by a string, you keep performing. Just another product of circumstances.  My circumstances are that  I'm pregnant and white. Not really just white, but in Louisiana, black and white is all you hear. My baby's father is black, and so my family is ashamed. They want me to have an abortion or go away, have the baby and give it up for adoption. I want my baby. I love my boyfriend. It will crush him if my parents take our child. It will crush me. I hate these circumstances.

The Sun Led Us (Louis Toliver Jr-Austin, TX)

We came to  Boat broken  Life vests  Not all us there We were once seven Three were missing  Four floating in the sea Sharks surrounded us Waiting to smell death We were full of life Legs kicking home  Grabbing hold of each other Lost at sea Determined to find a way  Exhaustion hit  We fought through the waves But death came in the night  We held onto our strength Used it to propel us  Swimming, almost drowning  Hunger, thirst, fighting Sharks, sharks, sharks, waiting But we were smarter, faster Instead of looking down  We looked up  The sun led us to land We beat death  And we lived 

Words United: Link Coming Soon

Words United: It's a Global Thing

Words United....Coming Soon

Door (Louis Toliver Jr-Austin, TX)

Knock. Knock. Knock. Someone's at the door Waiting for a war Knocking's getting louder Maybe I should open it Nah, not today I've got to be sure Who's side he's on Knock. Knock. Knock. I really have to know Am I gonna get hurt? I don't need anymore dirt Knocking's getting softer Maybe I should open it His voice is calling for me It sounds alot like me I'm calling for me I have to open the door

Certain (Louis Toliver Jr - Swartz, LA)

I'm certain  Something is behind life's curtain  We spend our whole lives  Waiting for that surprise  Of which we're uncertain  We're counting breaths in fives  Hoping our faith revives  That assurance can never come So we look for any crumb  Until our death arrives  It's usually in autumn  We feel a little numb  But with a little knowledge  We can avoid death's ledge  I am certain of this wisdom  Living on the edge That's certainty's wedge  Spirituality's birth  That's happens on this earth If we take that pledge  No limit is in certainty's girth Your purpose you must unearth I am certain  We should be certain We all have our worth 

Skin Deep (Wesley Yates-West Monroe, LA)

The girl I love is black  I've got her back  She loves me I love her  Soothing lotion  Nourishment  Love  That's us  Her beauty could only be matched By my internal admiration  I love how our bodies connect  A perfect blend  Our skins touch  The aura between us  Is mixed 

Race Me (Wesley Yates-West Monroe-LA)

If I could wake up  To a world full of love  Life would be breezy  Easy  Smiles  Hugs  Yet the color of my skin White  Many think I'm their enemy  It hurts me  I know love from the inside  What's white isn't always right Why am I blamed for the past? I wasn't in that cast  I wish people wouldn't race me Make me feel inhuman  Just a pieced shell of skin I'm more than that 

The Phoenix Dies (Louis Toliver Jr-Austin, TX)

Depression weighted  Time to be reinvented  Free me  I'm falling  Ignited fire  The Phoenix is dying  No one is watching  Judgement only  It cries  I cry  A loud shriek   Life  Ashes rolling into... What is that?  Who is that? In its end  In the beginning  God took dirt  He rolled the ashes He molded the Phoenix  He blew air  Soul inflated I have Him We hibernate  In an oven Temperature just right  I'll come out  Cooked to perfection 

They Call Me...(Tamara Broussard-Lafayette, LA)

It began as a still small voice, When life still seemed shiny, Crying during The Way of the Cross, This young girl was desperate for Jesus. The sacramental incense was sweet in my nostrils. The name above all other names, Was a joyful song in my heart. "Little girl you belong to Me!" When blossom of adolescence turned to thorns, Pills were ingested, This young woman desperate to run away, Run away and die. Standing at a cold metal screen door, I was crying again. This time not for God but to The Divine Parent. The voice louder, more stern, Like rain on a tin roof, "I Am here, go to bed little girl." Years passed, God and I, Off and on again, Ebbing and flowing, Other gods took The Almighty one's place. A new song filled my soul, Honky tonk replaced hymns, Jack Daniels replaced Jesus Christ. My Creator's call came louder still, "Choose life little girl!" Like a scene from a morality play, A chorus of wingless angels came singing, A song that saved m

Being Change (Louis Toliver Jr-Austin, TX)

God, we have come to a pivotal  point in my life. Being change. Left is new. Right is the same. I will go left. It brings certainty to us.  We are certain there come many possibilities ahead of me. Chance. From that chance, You seek me to change. To be whole within you.  You are all I need to be whole. Love. Your Love. I am not the same.  I accept this love. I accept Your Love, God. I am change. I am Yours. 

Whirlwind Endings (Adam Schexnayder - Lyons Point, LA)

You won't know until you know. Quivering breath consumes your moment. All the words you rehearsed, no longer imaginable. It stretches for infinity but snaps back like a rubber band, and grounds you. You forget the reasons, and relive the intentions. This is not what you imagined. Unrequited energy knocks you to your knees. Breathe in. Breathe out. The oxygen ignites your lungs. Your soul fires the rage. And the last thought, was always him.

Let's Not Talk about Sex (Louis Toliver Jr-Austin, TX)

" Here comes another stork  To deliver my precious babies!" Says the sexually frustrated dork Holding up a gun acting shady "Women are whores! Don't be tricked so blindedly When they get on all fours!" The dork shouted violently  "God wants you to understand, Not sex, but all precious guns. That is the power to band," The dork preached to his sons "Why sex is evil! Violence is bliss! I give power with great certainty." Two women came from an abyss Each held a baby with uncertainty  The dork touched them all with gun The women were raped with fear  He held his new kin up to the sun  All his sons, with guns, made cheer

Falcon (Chase Fontenot-Lafayette, LA)

I  see myself Pretentious, weeping, calloused-hand boy Invisible smile, unavailable and coy A quiet approach with plastic toys Awoken by a grasp with innocence destroyed That cursed outlaw, O’ treacherous fiend! Reprising a surprising recycled dream! Its his deception I tear at the seam With my forgiveness in between

Modern Love (Louis Toliver Jr - Swartz, LA)

I  take his hand Together we stand  Look at my words' face Upon your marriage's disgrace  This is love  This is our love Two men  Not a sin  This is your dawn of reality  Though love has been always  This is the dawn of a human morality  One that respects true love's ways This is modern love  This is everyones's love  I say it again Not a sin 

Winning! (Adam John Schexnayder-Lyons Point, LA & Louis Toliver Jr-Austin, TX)

Once upon time I felt like a loser because of all of my exes, but now I'm winning. Circles and circles, I dance around them, any negative influence for that matter. I never thought freedom would be possible from such misery. Free from such downers, drowners. I'm free from them! The sun is out! Shout! Those fools didn't think I'd get out of bed to enjoy my life. Wrong. Time to go shopping for a boyfriend or loyal friend, maybe even a dog, cause I'm winning.  I used to ask myself if I would get burned if I got too close to happiness. I only accepted the pain that got me through each moment. But now I'm winning. Winning a game I didn't even know I knew how to play. It's like I got to pass go and landed on a get out of jail free card. And the best part, I did it for myself. Me and myself got us out of a loosing streak. Liberation got me here but I'll never forget what got me liberation. I'm winning and it never hurt so good.

Fuel (Brandon Granger-Breaux Bridge, LA)

A fire so bright it burns within. I see the flame through your eyes I am filled with the warmth of your love. A surge of emotion takes hold of my soul. I am purged of all except my love for you. Patiently waiting to be by your side. I bring with me a fuel that never ends. It is our bond, our destiny and our passion that burns at our core.

Dominion (Dustin McGilvray-Zachary, LA)

Driveless corpse in eternal day Toiling toward that he cannot pay The lover fixed in his every thought Controlling him through each gram he bought Perpetual let down and ceaseless betrayal Stubborn cycle propel and prevail Smart enough to see the way out Yet addiction pulling harder and so reroute To downward spiral and depression abound All for affection and love never found Lover turned jester in most sinister ways Deathward addiction in crystallized haze Numbing emotion greedily sought Powderous rock of glittering bought Debt to jester expedience accrue Providing more the trickster doesn’t do Implosion of self imminent and steadily building Hardened heart of thorns jester is wielding Tender heart explosion, love raining and fleeting Empty space present no life, no feeling Driveless corpse in eternal day Toiling toward that he cannot pay About these a

Nelly Furtado (Louis Toliver Jr-Austin, TX)

Whoa Nelly  I'm yo felly  I'm like a bird Feeding off yo word Turn off the light  And watch me glow  Let your lips give me sight To that shit on the radio  Loose, loose I'm powerless  Caboose, caboose  I want to try the rest   I ain't saying you promiscuous   I know you ain't no whore  I'm transformed by your folklore You're a Maneater  My forca is sweeter I try to hold my love for you in  These broken strings don't sin  Your girlfriend in the city  Tells you to look at me with pity  But I say it right, won't pretend  All good things come to an end Me and you, are in God's hands Meet in the parking lot, our bands  Our spirits still indestructible 

The Darkside (Louis Toliver Jr-Austin TX)

Lurking in the dark  Smell of tree bark  The dark ones wait  For the taste of bait  Innocence is their bliss Swallowing into their abyss  The dark ones are out  Hoping for us to get off route  Slimy, dusty, smelly, death  Their perfume is meth  We mustn't fall into their trap So the lightside won't be a gap

Alcohol (Louis Toliver Jr-Austin, Tx)

He changes  a hypocrite  strangers into the mix wants things closed   advice from those  He doesn't want  to be anything like  can't reject what he wants in front of us  Alcohol takes priority  wants his life open  inebriated, intoxicated  He changes/no way  I don't want him Or Alcohol 

I'm Too Sexy for This Poem (Kisha Kana-Lafayette, LA & Louis ToliverJr-Austin, TX)

Touch my words  Each consonant is bliss You must have heard  My vowels are a kiss The sound of my voice Turns you on There is no choice All inhibitions are gone Undress my syllables  Don't be shy  We aren't criminals My passion makes us fly Hang on to every verse A trance behind my eyes This isn't a curse My words tell no lies

Have Faith (Louis Toliver Jr-Austin, TX)

I  have faith  In my God In myself  In my loved ones In my future  You have faith  In your God   In yourself  In your loved ones In your future  We have faith  In our God In ourselves In our loved ones In our future  Faith shall never be lost  For it exceeds all life's cost We hold that value inside us Crosses we bear become a plus  Now spread faith to the world  So that our lives are pearled 

Father Figure (Louis Toliver Jr-Austin, TX)

I  often wonder  Would I have felt bro                                   ken If I had a been fathered? Bro       ken, many little boys  Now, growing into men feel My father lives yet  He hid from his responsibilities  Choosing addiction over manhood  I don't want to be like that  I can't allow myself to be like that  Some boys grow up with no father  My heart goes out to them  But they still can be men  WE can be men WE can be women My mother fathered me It took some time to realize this  Giving me the tools  To cultivate a whole spirit  A woman or a man  Can be our father figure Or our mother figure  YOU can be your father figure  YOU can be your mother figure We don't have to be broken

Baby Don’t (Harvey LeBeouf - Kaplan, LA)

Baby, don't turn me down, Don't push me away. Baby, when I'm asking you to stay Don't tear me down, don't get mad at me. Girl, if there was any other way That I could make your world mine. I'd do it in no time, I'd make you all mine. Honey, I'll be your man. I'll always take your hand. I'll be here for you baby. If you only knew how true I was. You got nothing to lose  But those useless worries. Baby don't turn me down. Don't push me away. Baby, when I'm asking you to stay Don't tear me down, don't break my heart. When I call your name and I pull you in closer. I look you in the eyes and whisper in your ear. Baby I love you and I hope you're always true. You have my heart, my whole world is in your hands. Baby, don't break me down Don't push me away. Baby. when I'm asking you to stay. Don't leave our love, Sitting right here on the dock of the bay

Track Marks (Chase Fontenot-Lafayette, LA)

There were times  We didn't need a reason to cry Nor had motives to care Holding hands bridged our souls And an embrace tunneled hearts Cheek kisses as an evening's cliffhanger Street lamps weren't a mere passerby When the moon shone upon our whispers of love, Sex, death, pastries, sarcasm There were those times once But not now

Never Meant to Hurt You (Louis Toliver Jr-Austin, TX)

If I put pain in your heart Tore us apart Rubbed you  Blue  I mean no harm  Don't ring the alarm Please forgive me  I couldn't see  Blinded by my own pain I blamed the rain Everyone I distrusted My soul felt busted  It wasn't you I was blue My reaction  Was defensive action  Fear  Of what was near Please forgive me I couldn't see If I spoke  Words that made you choke  If I wasn't there  No time to spare  Didn't give you a hug When you put down a rug Made room Gave me a broom To share the life wealth Be good to myself Please forgive me I couldn't see I thank you Love you too

Wear a Tie (Chase Fontenot-Lafayette, LA)

A peak of interest in the way we dress We're just reflected by our closets Narcissistic and self obsessed Mistaken and misshapen for lower self-esteem Too often I've not gone back to that spot To collect my thoughts Now my stomachs in knots Pouring in distress over Tumblr or Pintrest How Instagram feeds can feed our will to breathe A book to the Face declares a race War between ourselves, how sour the taste Weaknesses rest as we look our best In eyes of others who care less Actions no longer speak louder than outfits Mistakes are well-dressed skeletons As we feel others revel in The pasts we want to hide We're only reflected by our closets

Poetic Hunger (Louis Toliver Jr- Austin, TX)

Here my poetic soul starves  Emotional meat, she carves Served on my favorite dish  A sonnet made from every wish  My poetic ancestors I eat  I cut my knife into each beat  Rhythm, I taste, so divine  Elizabethan Era be mine  Will I ever be full in the present? When I yearn for them in the past? Will my pen lose consistency fast? When, no one is full in the present.  Here, feminine beauty I pen  In hopes to feed wretched men 

Dead End Job (Rachel Leann Brooks-Lafayette, LA)

Silence. I go deep into my mind. Blank. I observe my surroundings searching for inspiration. Nothing. I listen to the sounds that surround me here at work. Buggies being shaken free, The metal clanging. Metal hangers scraping over metal racks. Plastic bags crinkling as if crying out in revolt to the environment they threaten to destroy.   Children crying, Pleading with their mothers for some overpriced piece of plastic, Or begging them to leave.   I wish I could leave. I wish I could just walk through those mechanical doors right now in the middle of my shift. I wish I could get into my car and just go, and never return. I wonder if I would go to my place. I wonder if I would stay in this city for my remaining three years of academic growth and spiritual decay. Or would I drive to the airport, And board a plane for far-off adventures in some fantastical place?   My soul yearns for the latter, For freedom and excitement, For the breaking of the steel and concrete chains That distort, re

Bay Window (Tamara Broussard-Lafayette, LA)

You close the door  And open a tiny window So small that even  Shelly Long's skinny ass Can't squeeze through My emotions aren't stirred  Because of your kind gesture But because of its emptiness  Your seeming cluelessness You stand in front this tiny ass window Like some Sapphic Vanna White  I smile but it's as empty as your gesture What is that one window gonna do My mind screams over pleasantries God promised me a bay window One where light flows And my flowers can soak up  The early, mid and late day sun No some glazed over bathroom window Your try to convince me will be enough You see I have never had onmy very own I've shared a kitchen window once Hovered in front of many  Dirty or Cracked portals of despire That closed once my repairs were done But never my own big ol' clean and shiny Bay window One that fills the room of my soul with light and I hers People with there own windows ask What's the rush  Why so impatient  Why ask why Is your window so bi

Inevitable (Madison Holland-Lafayette, LA)

When she told her "fuck you" Uprooted their secret confidences And flung them into the wind Using her own heart's words to wound her Peace love unity respect Words that meant nothing coming from her Breaking her heart and spirit so easily After that she found it hard to trust  Reclusive girl became even more hermit-like Because if someone so beautiful Could hurt her so much Then what was to stop anyone else From doing the same? Her belief in humanity was shattered by one nearest to her soul Of course she kept on trudging through life Doing what she needed to do But her broken heart still caused insomnia And her tears forever remained close to the surface Because now she sees behind every eye The dormant malevolence  And wonders when it focuses on her How long it will take her to recover This time

21st Century Problems: Sissy THAT Adderall (Part 1) (#201) (Louis Toliver Jr- Austin, TX)

“Mr. Boudreaux!” Mrs. Nunns shouted. “Hello?” “I’m depressed?” Did I just imagine a doctor’s visit? I came out of my mind and realized I was still at Richard E. Nixon Junior High School. I looked at my clothes. Yes, I was still dressed like Justin Bieber. Wait, Mr. Boudreaux was me. Trey. “Excuse me?” Nunns was becoming furious. “You are your son are next to perform. What is the song?” I looked over to Ben, also still dressed like a mini-Justin Bieber. Something wasn’t right. I grabbed him and pulled him to the side. “What Bieber song should we do?” “I don’t have Bieber fever. I hate him. He’s a sissy,” Ben started picking his nose while staring off at Terri who was watching her girlfriend and her kid dance to “No Rain” by Blind Melon dressed as bumble bees. “Ben. One. Sissy is not a nice word. Two. WTF!? What are we going to do? I’ve only studied Justin Bieber dance moves. I can’t focus,” I looked over to Terri who looked over to me and smiled and nodded.