The Blues

The Cell Phone Blues

by K’Vina Mayo


My mother done took my cell phone,
I really want my cell phone,
She took it ‘cause of my grades,
But, since it’s been gone my grades dropped,
Everyone thinks I’m throwing them shade.

I really miss my cell phone,
I wish I had my cell phone,
It’s like I’m erased from the world,
I be extra bored in the house,
I can’t even talk to my girl.

I wish I was holding my phone,
I miss the grip of my phone,
It’s like my world is at the end,
I’m really unhappy lately,
I can’t even talk to my best friend.

I miss talking on the phone,
I miss texting on the phone,
My social life’s coming to an end,
People think I’m ignoring them,
I can’t even talk to my friends.

Lately I’ve had time to myself,
I’ve had plenty of time to myself,
Writing poetry having fun,
Taking long walks in the park,
I’ve seen a lot of the sun.

My mother done took my cell phone,
I really want my cell phone,
She took it ‘cause of my grades,
But since it’s been gone, my grades dropped,
Everyone thinks I’m throwing them shade.
















LOVE / HATE BLUES

by Ashia McCraw

I can’t believe that I loved you
I can’t believe that I loved you
So much love, it’s turning into hate
I can’t believe that I gave you that
Do you remember our first date

When did we go wrong
When did we ever go wrong
Was it you or was it me
This all must be just a dream
How couldn’t we just be

Do you remember that day
Do you remember that day
When I gave you my all
Should I have did something else
Because after that, our relationship has fallen

Now that I moved on, you want to come back
Now that I moved on, you want to come back
I am debating on what is right
Go back to him or keep moving on
Inside myself, this is a hell of a fight

Now I am all alone cause I left
Now I am all alone cause I left
I let you come back and lost myself
Trying to chase you
This thing is trying to take my health

Now, I feel like a fool
Now, I feel like a fool
I tried to do the right thing
What did I do to lose myself
Looking back, I think, maybe, that it was just a fling










My Attitude Blues

by Asia Robinson


I can be rude and very direct
But I’m honest and don’t take no mess
That’s just my attitude, “yeah, yeah, yeah”

I don’t feed into drama like little girls
Arguing over boys and sweat’n the b* word
That’s just my attitude, “yeah, yeah, yeah”

I am anti with so many females
When things get real and nobody is still around,
I am all I got in the end, no one to be found
That’s just my attitude, “yeah, yeah, yeah”

Never been the competitive type,
my looks were always better.
I showed off my looks,
like I just bought a new sweater
That’s just my attitude, “yeah, yeah, yeah”

They stay trippin’,
I don’t want what’s theirs
Their boyfriends ugly, childish and always acting scared
I just keep my cool and chill…
Nobody will ever be able to get to me,
I’m just that real, That’s my attitude, “yeah yeah yeah”

Real recognize real and I’ve faced reality
I will always remain number one,
I’m just me, That’s just my attitude, “yeah, yeah, yeah”

I love no other, but myself
I keep me on my mind, no one else
That’s just my attitude, “yeah, yeah, yeah”












Teachers Blow Me Blues

by Lottie Mitchell


They do, entirely, too much, all the time,
Teachers do too much all the time
Teachers do too much, all the time
Sometimes, they just give you some work
Now, I don’t do it most of the time
But, then when I don’t do it they don’t have to act like jerks

They mean and dry
Dry and mean they are
They take situations way to far
They always acting simple,
Man, after you through with a teacher
You wanna go to a bar

They lose your work and expect you to do it over
Like, they really lose your work and expect you to do it over
What is wrong with them losing our work
They need to be slapped something terrible
Doggone teachers always act like jerks

Teachers don’t understand
They really don’t understand
They say we always have excuses
I tell them, they're always acting stupid
They make you wanna throw the deuces

They be trying to call your house for nothing
They just be calling your house for nothing
You have to be smart and delete the messages
Because, Mr.King calls faithfully
See, me, I erase all traces of evidence

And they give final exams, knowing we not going pass
Just be giving final exams Now see if I don’t pass, huh…
Consequences and repercussions
Cus sooner or later,
I’m ah have to whup somebody's...














Hot Hand Blues

by Racquel Clarke


I love the mall
When I go to the mall It’s like I’m an Energizer Bunny
I buy all the clothes I spend all the money
My mommy told me to save some
But, I spent it instead, just being dumb

I get in the house and my heart beating
I yell, “yes”, then she wakes up
I look in the room where my mom was sleeping
I ran to my room my legs are large stumps

She came in my room saying, “where your money?”
I’m like, “I don’t know”
She said, “stop playing, 'for I give you some”
I finally said, “I spent it all”, “huh”
Then she started pushing me against the wall

I picked up the bag that she knocked off my back
I showed her the clothes that I got off the rack
She said, “they cute,” “but were mines at?”

I’m thinking in my head, I should have got her something
But standing right here, I’m glad I got her nothing
She looked upset, but I don’t care
She walked in her room and flat ironed her hair
I’m feeling wrong, but a lil’ alright
But still thinking, “why did we have that fight?”













School Blues

by Layah Manigan


In school, teachers keep preaching
While they preach, the kids are thinking
We are wondering and dreaming
About something entertaining

We spend all of our lives at school
School is too long with a bunch of fools
A different class every hour
The teachers towers over you WAKE UP!
And get your work done
You have class, school is not for fun
Then you say, “I was just chilling”
But, then I’m in detention cooling
Then, I think about how I’m feeling

At lunch, eating who knows what?
Talking to a few of my friends in the cut
Lunch is done, back to this dumb class
It’s Algebra, this isn’t fun
How long does this math class last?  















Mother Blues

by De Erica Leonard


Mothers are always complaining
Mothers are always complaining
She always annoys me with the questions
But, I never tell her or make any confessions

Even though she get on my nerves
At the end of the day, she listens and learns
She learn new things about my personality everyday
She tries to get through to me anyway
So now to think about it,
I understand when she is complaining

















Hard Class Blues

by Dalonte Blanchard


I really need to pass this class
I really need to pass this class
If, I don’t pass this class this time…
I need at least an 80% or better
Or my parents will take everything that’s mine

They will take all my money
They will take all my money
They will take my cell phone
There goes my TV and iPod
It’s like living life all alone

I can’t go on without my phone
I can’t go on without my phone
I can’t go on without texting
It’s already been like two weeks
I can’t go on without texting

I can’t go without my iPod
I can’t go without my iPod
I can’t live without my music
It helps me drown out annoying people
I can’t live without my music

I can live without my TV
I can survive without my TV
There’s nothing good on TV anyway
I’ll just end up watching reruns
There’s nothing good on TV anyway
Luckily I got a B














YOUNG LOVE BLUES

by Mayra Lizbeth Espinoza-Ruiz

Were both different but, both the same
His stare burns me and makes me shamed
He makes me smile with what he shows
His sweet kisses are my weakness
We think its love but, we don’t know

Our eyes meet and I look away
Hands clasped while on the ground we lay
Being with him, I’m never low
We’re both a world that can’t be harmed
We think its love but, we don’t know

Everyone’s gone, even the world
He’s my sweet drug and I’m his girl
Happy, we just go with the flow
No matter what, he lights my day
We think its love but, we don’t know

But later we yell, shout, and scream
Were pissed off, wished it was a dream
Our love is crazy and it shows
He’s always there when I need him
We think its love but, we don’t know

We try to move on, yet we stay
We try hard but, can’t stay away
He’s there wherever I go,
But I’m his and he’s all mine
We think its love but, we don’t know

Just his kiss wipes my tear away
No matter what, he lights my day
Together we mature and grow
It’s hard to be separated
We think its love but we don’t know

I just can’t take him off my mind
His heart and love has made me blind
To each other, our hearts we loan
So, he hurts me and I hurt him
We think its love but we don’t know
















Home Blues

by Alma Lopez


The same thing happens everyday
The same thing happens everyday
I can’t stand it anymore
All the yelling and screaming
It doesn’t stop; I’d rather go out the door

Happens on Monday
Happens on Today
It’s just always the same strife
About being nothing major
Being nothing in my life

Happens on Tuesday
All of this happens today
It’s always my behavior
How it just doesn’t get better
It hurts me in my interior

Happens on Wednesday
All of this happens today
This time it’s all about boys
How I am just too young for them
Might as well treat me as a toy

Happens on Thursday
All of this happens today
This time it’s about my anger
Not to treat people with this mood
And how I should be someone greater

Happens on Friday
All of this happens today
The worst off all is the cooking
Making food for everyone in the house
I wonder if He’s looking  












Pet Blues

by Miya Green


I never keep my pets alive
They're always too weak to survive
I forgot to feed my fish once
The day after that he was dead
Don’t forget to feed your fish

Once, I had a rabbit named Sweetie
At times she was a bit needy
I came from school to find her dead
See, owning pets isn’t for me
I cried a little because she’s dead

Animals weren’t meant for keeping
My turtle was known for creeping
One night he ran but, we caught him
Away he went, but it’s okay
It’s cool because I didn’t kill him

If pets loved me they would stay,
they're always gone the next day
I try hard to keep them alive
For some reason they all go
Maybe they’re just too weak to survive

Next, I got a new pet named Kat
Dum-de-de-do sat on my bed
Man, do I love my pillow pet
It’s a ladybug with black spots
There is no way to dead this one I bet  











Mother Blues

by Joshua Blocker


Thoughts about my Mom
I never knew my mother
Not as lucky as my brother
They knew her from the start
Up until the end
But, I’ll always keep her in my heart

I think about my mother almost everyday
I think about my mother when I pray
December 30, 1996 a lot of things happened
A lot of things scare me
In the hospital I can hear the devil, laughing

When the time came, it was done
The time my mom was almost done
My mom was still trying to fight
Death was looking us in the face
Praying that my mom won’t go in the light

The doctor said it will be the baby or the mom
He said one of them might be gone
They said that mom die and baby lived
I still have thoughts about my mom
What if the baby died and mom lived

There it is, I lost my mother
I might not know her but I still love her
I was put on this earth for a reason
I wonder when my time will come
So, I think about my mom achievements

That’s not all the thoughts about my mom
But, I do feel that it’s my fault about my mom
My family still talks about her
They love her at all times
Still, I have thoughts about my mother


 










Untitled

by Skylar Jones


Your heart makes you blind
Your heart makes you blind
Boys, they confuse you into thinking it’s okay
Even if you haven’t been together that long
Relationships are confusing
You never know what can happen in a day

Why do it to yourself?
Why do it to yourself?
They leave you hoping they call
You can’t sleep and you get love sick
Then the relationship goes wrong
You hit a brick wall…

They say, "I love you baby" you know that
they say,"I love you baby" you know that
It’s all a bunch of lies when the feelings aren’t there
You get hurt and and that’s when you give up
Love is a relationship that doesn’t play fair

How many people have you loved and lost
How many people have you loved and lost
You do things to make them love you
You put your heart in it
But in the end it’s some that’s never true

When you do find love
When you do find love
It feels like something indescribable
Having someone you can be happy with
They make you feel desirable

Yeah, those are the tricks
Yeah, those are the tricks
You get under their spell
Your heart can only take so much
It’s a constant fight, but I’m ringing the bell  












School Bus Ride

by Daneetra Bryant


Everytime I get on this bus its LOUD
Everytime I get on the bus its LOUD
Kidz be jumping and smacking me around
Like they don’t even care that
I might be on the ground

The bus driver is old
The bus driver is old
He is fat and big just like a pig
He always talking on his phone
The old man wears a wig

We live in DC, but it’s more like Maryland
We live in DC, but it’s more like Maryland
They both are big happy and good
The people are all nice,
But we live in the hood

I LOVE little kidz,
But, I hate those kidz
I LOVE little kidz,
But, I hate those kidz
Those kidz think they get the bait
He is fat and ugly,
those kidz are always late  














Mommy

by Damica Barnes


My mother was very pretty
My mother was very pretty
She loves the color blue
She took me to Disney World
She loves me too

My mother brought her first car
My mother brought her first car
She loved her red car
She drove it everywhere
My mother loved to drive far

My mother spent the whole day with me
My mother spent the whole day with me
We went to get our hair done
My hair was pretty
We shared a tear, she’s my hon

My mother got sick with Cancer
My mother got sick with Cancer
She looked weaker each day
She always talked about good times

We would always pray
My mother past away
My mother pasted away
She said this would happen soon
She sleeps peaceful, It was noon

I miss her everyday, dammit
I miss her everyday, dammit
I miss her eyes the most
They use to make me smile
We loved each other most  













Money Blues

by Ricardo Barbour


My money is so big
My money is so big
It can’t fit in my pocket
I need to stop getting money
Cause my pocket is so fat, I can’t lock it

My is money so green
My is money so green
People think it fell off the tree,
But this money help me to eat
When I spend this money,
It makes my pocket feel free

I can buy anything
I can buy anything I get anything
I want I go buy lots of guns
So, when I get hungry,
I can go hunt!  












People Blues (The way they act)

by Maiyah Mercer


Why are people fake?
Why are people fake?
They need to get real,
They change their ways,
Just about every single day

Why do females turn gay or bi?
Why do females turn gay or bi?
They just want to follow the crowd,
They either can’t get a dude
Or they just plain rude

Why do people do what they see?
Why do people do what they see?
They wanna be like you, They just hating,
With that there ain’t no debating.

I only trust a few.
I only trust a few.
Most of the time,
I keep to myself,
They are snakes,
and I don’t have time for fakes.

It’s too many snakes.
It’s too many snakes.
They need to get another hobby,
They need to go to bed
Because they make me, “shake my head”.

They need new hobbies.
They need new hobbies.
They need to get a life
Maybe they are good at what they do,
But, ain’t nothing about them true.












Relationships

by Deja Bell


Relationships are hard
Relationships are rough
But, if you really Love a person you
Shouldn’t give up

But, sometimes it is
So hard to get over
All the hurt and pain
the person caused you
it’s hard to maintain

Relationships are unexplainable
Relationships are all different
But at the end of the day
That one person will
Look for what they had; now it’s missing.  















Money

by Michelle Williams

I love Money
I really love the way it looks & feels
I love its green color.
My love for money is so real

Having money can keep you fly
Having money can keep you fly
You can buy all the hottest clothes & shoes
You can stay going out to eat every night.
You can keep yourself up,
Rocking the latest hair doo’s

When you have money everybody wanna be in your presence
When you have money everybody wanna be in your presence
You can get into all the hottest spots
You never have to pay for parking
You stay getting love,
Yeah, you get a lot

When you have money life is always fun
When you have money life is always fun
You can travel to many places
Eating all kinds of foods
Each night, seeing different faces

When you have money everybody love you
When you have money everybody love you
People always be in your face
Smiling and laughing with you
People always wanna be up in your space

When you have money you want it for nothing
When you have money you want it for nothing

Forestville "Knight" of Poetry

“Knights” of Poetry 2011

Self Expression lies at the core of humanity. We encourage our cadets to creatively express themselves through poetry in an attempt to gain access to their world. Accompany our cadets on their journeys. See things through their eyes. - R. Claiborne


Amanda Hooker "The Takeover"
Alexis Robinson "Something Unexpected"
Arlethia White "Growing Up Poor is Hard"
Sade Lowery "Fearless"
Shannon Stringfellow "For Her I Wear A Smile"
Denarian Early "High School"