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Here are some student creations from our latest CD for your listening pleasure. Enjoy!

Life Lesson

Krystal’s Beat

Father

Check out these highlights from our student showcase! The LAB would like to thank all our amazing students for their hard work and courage to perform! Here’s some student poetry as well. Enjoy!

You are my star you twinkle like the stars.
You have my heart and soul from the time I was born
to the time I am deceased.
You make me feel like I am loved
but sometimes it is like a roller coaster ride with all the ups and downs.
So sometimes it feels like a leaf falling from a tree
when my life is going on.
You make me laugh when I am sad
You make me smile when I am happy.
But most of all you make me feel like I am loved and blessed
by an angel from the heavens.
I know you won’t give up on me when things are going wrong.
I know you will be the first to say everything will be okay.
You are like a new song everyone wants to listen to you.
You are blessed in so many ways it’s hard to describe.
You are like Mother Nature
you don’t know what you are going to do next.
But when you do speak everyone stops and listens.
You are important and you are alive in this world for a reason.
But everyday you are here, the closer I get to you
and I trust in you a lot more than the first time I met you.
So just to let you know
I love all of you for a reason.

 

Can’t see what,
Can’t see how
As a kid,  I always wanted it NOW!
I just want to be successful
with wealth and health
But now these obstacles and troubles along the way
There’s no way I’ll get there
that way
Hope is a simple concept,
yet misused
I hope to live a cartoon life,
a simple life, maybe get a wife
But before I do, so much stuff to do
Improve my skills,
drawing is my profession…
writing too
Do it all day, maybe all night,
do it all over ‘till I get it right
Hope to reach my goals,
be happy and free
But I just continue
to strive and hope
I’ll be the best I can be.

~ Harding Youth Lab Poet

Ladies and gentlemen! The moment you have all been waiting for has finally arrived! The LAB is rolling out several tracks each week from our lasted record of student music and poetry. Today we would like to feature the unique stylings of students from Central, Ramsey and St. Andrews.  Enjoy!

Inspiration

Chasing My Dreams

No Competition

BANG!!

Hilarious

The Amazing Poets of The Ramsey Poetry Lab have been prolific!
Check it out!

Time Someone Told Me

Time someone told me
something that’s positive.
Time someone told me
that I have a creative side.
Time someone told me
that I am amazing at academics.
Time someone told me
something that didn’t make me cry.
I am not Michael Jordan
but I believe I can fly.

Read more

Check out this piece by a Highland Poet.

Reasons For Poetry

I have the same reason for each season.
I write poetry cuz sometimes my heart be bleedin’
sometimes I need someone to lean on
I feel sometimes my life goes back and forth just like ping pong
I just want my poetry to destroy the world like King Kong
All the reasons I choose to do is cuz of poetry
I can be African American and be successful
that’s something I want the lord and the world to see
Sucessful is what I’m gonna be
Since poetry is in my life that’s what’s runnin’
Poetry is here now let the sunshine
poetry is on the plate that’s what you call lunch time
Poetry is in my hand the mic’s in my hand that’s what you call crunch time
All the reasons I choose is because of me
I just let my mind think for it’s own
and let my voice be known
most of all let my poetry of art be shown

You’ve Got Me Mistaken

You’ve got me mistaken
Because the skin I’m in
Doesn’t really determine
if I’m loud or if I’m on crack
You can’t judge a book by its cover
So in this case don’t judge me because of my skin
I am who God made me to be
A bright, intelligent, young lady
With a great future ahead of me
And you’ve got me mistaken
Because of the things I used to do
But as I grew older
I realized you got me mistaken
…Mistaken…

Check out this poetry, written by our Ramsey Poetry Lab poets.

What I Could Have Changed
What I could have changed
Was to see my dad
The last time.
No hate to the person that did it
But why him?
Now, all the kids that are his
Have to grow up with a story that is

So tough.

I just rap my pain out on these streets
Cuz I think it’s the only way to find me.

Read more

Today, we began a new 7-week Poetry Lab group with 4 youth from St. Andrew’s.  I can’t tell you what a great group it was.  I shared a video clip of a Spoken Word Poet named “Sekou the Misfit”.  This man’s poem was called “When I Write a Rhyme”. He spoke rhythmically and powerfully about all of the good that comes into his life when he writes. He spoke clearly and directly about all of the negativity that is kept at bay when he writes.  The youth were inspired by his performance, his style and his words, and quickly, they set off immediately to write their own poetry. Enjoy a sampler of what these young poets wrote today.

When I Write My Rhymes

When I write my rhymes
it occupies my mind.
I would be in these streets
all day and all night.

When I write my rhymes
it occupies my mind
it stops me from spending my money on dimes

My rhymes keep me up
because there’s things I need to get off my mind

~ K

Read more

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