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This week marks the beginning of the second of three modules in the Visual Pathway. Our first module was all about self and identity, and this module is all about working together and building community. Students spent the week working on/writing original poetry and creating beautiful collages based on those poems. We learned about artists who utilize both visual art and text in their work such as Barbara Kruger, Adrian Piper and Lorna Simpson.  We were inspired by an interesting project called the “1000 Journals Project”.  This book was developed after a blank journal was sent out into the world, allowing anyone who picked it up to contribute with visual art and words.  The final book was published.  Click here to check it out.   After we finished our collages, we created bound books of our work to make a collaborative piece. Enjoy some samples of the visual art and poems that made it into our Visual Art LAB Pathway book. Powerful.

Negativity

Consider me a thug.
I give no hugs, hurt with pain

I feel no tugs
Past so bad it makes me mad

Can’t handle the struggle

It makes life last,
If there was two wishes

I’d pray for me to crash
It doesn’t matter what I do

Life still seems bad
Can you do what I do?

Can you judge me without standing a foot in my shoe?
Can you understand what I do doesn’t concern you?

Negativity.
That’s my damn issue.

This has been another exciting week in the Poetry Pathway!! Students are excelling in their writing by leaps and bounds. The focus has been incredible and the results have been evident.
On Friday, April 27th the students were asked to perform at the Wilder Foundation for a U of M Social Workers Celebration. Over 150 people were blown away by the stories, real-ness and outstanding performances given by our students through spoken word and music pieces.

There was also a field trip to a professional recording studio that was hooked up from our very own special guest artist volunteer, Courtney Yasmineh.  The students recorded and messed around with real live instruments ranging from electric guitar, to drums, to piano and beat making!!  They did extremely well with questions, staying on task and being focused as well as taking full advantage of an awesome opportunity! Thanks Ms. Courtney!  I couldn’t ask for a better set of students. I am proud of them all!

Here’s a student poem from this week’s pathway:

Reaching

Comin from the struggle, where everything is all bad

I was abrupt last night night now ya girl feelin sad try walkin in my shoes ten years without a dad

Momma did it on her own now the kid almost grown

Let’s convene… that’s assemble for a meeting and i swear it aint no beefin for no reason

‘Mante by my side  so the love we got is even as long as we breathing, we gon’ keep reaching, we gon’ keep reachin

….for the clouds .

-S

It was a very exciting time in the Poetry Pathway this week!! Each and every one of my students is excelling in their quality of writing, content, expansion of vocabulary through learning how to efficiently navigate a dictionary, thesaurus in conjunction with the “Bonus Vocabulary Words” list I give them every week to look up, define, find a another word that means the same thing and bonus points for actually using in their writing.  We critiqued and analyzed writings from hip hop artists Mos Def and Xavier Marquis. Going over the lyrics of other artists and the different styles of how they write really inspires our students to be themselves. We always have discussions about the content and how it relates to us all.  Through this process of thinking, discussion, and analysis of lyrics and content, students gain new tools for their own writing and become super conscious about how they represent themselves.

We have been asked to perform at the Wilder Foundation for the some U of M faculty this Friday and all the students are excited. We have really worked on practicing our songs and becoming comfortable and courageous with our work. The students of the Poetry Pathway are extremely confident about what they do even now just have the first 3 weeks!! Attendance has skyrocketed and everyone is participating in their own success daily. I also have noticed that this has lead to improved performance throughout the school day in other classes.

It has been an exciting three weeks for my students. I eagerly look forward to what our next 3 weeks brings.

Here is an example of some of the things being expressed and written:

Dear father

I can never say it enough

I really hate to bother with all these questions and stuff

but I’d like to know why everyone I love is taken away in shackles and cuffs?

I look in the sky ask God why I hear no reply

and start to cry, defend my emotions with lies

I look inside myself

Father, can you hear me screaming for help?

and I’ve wondered so far the mental stress is rippin me apart

It hurts

This is the truth pouring from my heart

It’s hard dealing with heart wounds and mental scars

I say this is my mission and I see no need for competition

My behaviors switching around

I’m not as crazy as I sound

My pulse pounds so loud like sony surround sounds

I’m wearin a mask that smiles and behind it hides a frown

Now I don’t know if I’m allowed to say, but Dad

I hope I make you proud of me someday.

~ A

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

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