by TYLYN

A Rainbow walks the runway streets
Dark Chocolate lies with Caramel on ice cream beaches
Salt tastefully brings things together, preserving a new peace
Chopsticks pick the Curry up from their despair
The trees are a bright green, and in fact quite clean
It looks like the day’ll be nice
Blues and Pinks are holding hands, glee in their eyes
Even the Shattered Glass clatters along the sidewalk with pep
Gold drinks tea with the Iron
And I pray that this peace remains.
–
But in the shadows
A Beast plots
Spilling red water ruins their thoughts
So my prayers go unanswered
And all of my people begin to drift away
To a wicked crusade abound

by TYLYN

In the Internet, I discovered Wikipedia.
From Wikipedia, I learned a myth.
In that myth, I found a story.
With that story, I made bank.
Using my bank, I built a reputation.
Taking that reputation, I grew famous.
So that fame saw me
Leave my past behind.
Without a past,
My future was ahead.
Standing tall,
Though not quite strong,
I tossed out terrible terms
Like “Fate” and “Destiny.”
For it was my willpower
And that willpower fades as we speak.
Listen,
And remember,
Nothing is all that original.
Humans are only good at stealing ideas,
We just look good doin’ it.
I promise…
I’m telling you the truth…

by TYLYN

*Money

The day came when a cheapskate won the lottery. A million dollars went to the man who held up grocery store lines to pay for his entire cart in coupons, at Goodwill, hangs his underwear outside when dryers are a thing, and considers Sia’s “Cheap Thrills” to be his theme song.

“What’re you gonna do with the money?” Greedy friends and family, and nosy news reporters bombarded as they sought ways to part him from his money.

“Nothing,” he responded every time, “And no, you’re not getting any. Now ba-bye.”

So he went about his usual business each day, still a penny pincher to his last, with over a million sitting in his formerly anonymous bank account. The the day arrived when his life would be forever changed.

He fell in love. ‘Twas a stunning woman that made his heart skip, a redhead with blueberry lips on an hourglass figure, her eyes were as paralyzing as her strong wit, quite the fox indeed. Soon enough, he wooed her hand into a costly marriage, thus finding his way of life “refined.”

He strutted down sidewalks in gold-suede suits from a house worth $400,000. And his trophy wife was hooked onto his arm, a testament to his great fortune.. A dapper young man, well-dressed and of an upright vibe, walked towards him.

“Hey, um, sir. Can I have a few seconds of your time?” He asked of the miser-turned-millionaire.

“Why sure, young man. What can I do for ya?” He responded, as the young man closed in on him.

“Would you care to hand me the money?” The young man asked, still maintaining a courteous demeanor, and good posture.

“What do you mean?” The former cheapskate asked, fully befuddled by the young man’s request.

“I mean, give me what you have, or die.” The young man threatened politely, faintly nodding at the blade he held in his hand, gestured at the duo.

“But, but–” The stingy elitist stuttered.

“No buts, my friend,” the young man interrupted, “You knew this would happen if you flaunted your wealth so foolishly. Now hand it over before you lose your green and you life.” Shaken, the man gave the money he held to the young man.

“And your clothes.” The young mugger prodded, prompting widened eyes from his victim. “Now, now, give it.” He twirled his blade casually, beginning to whistle. The trophy wife turned away from her husband and stalked away, without a huff or a puff, leaving her victimized lover to the attacker, his problems no longer hers.

The man went home in undergarments that day, and found his once-exclusive driveway filled with moving trucks, his wife directing them in the removal of pricey pieces of furniture from their home. She noticed him and turned towards him as he approached.

“Filed for a divorce. Now that it’s finally happening, I get half of all of your assets, so you’re about to be broke.”

Within the following twenty-four hours, he was forced into a rock-bottom apartment, having traded in what he still had in his marriage for the same things he had prior to his wealth. And the week saw him back to his old ways, having already forgotten about the affluence and capital that was so counter to his typical lifestyle.

“Oh well,” he thought to himself, collecting coupons once more.

by TYLYN

*The Sound of Silence
The clear crack of broken glass cuts through the cool night.
It took time for the chiming to end, though it did quit.
So I rested with my mind a blank slate.
So I tried giving meaning to the question that is life.
Even with the brightening of day, the heart remained hardened.
There was crackling as a garden went down in the flames of arson.
I saw it as a “far sin,” one that’d never find me.
In a cannon, there was the run of what shan’t be banned, confrontation.
Touching the rough curls of hair on my scalp, Becky came to my thoughts.
Shouldn’t I be lost in those, still to nothingness, oh so clever, no?
Carmine and tangerine, amarillo y chartreuse, cobalt plus violet.
Feathers are at-once powdery yet shadowy, scentlessly exquisite.
‘Tis not ut a claim to frame the shame and blame it on a name game.
A rambling gamble, seeking jam for some column of “leafdrum.”
When I’m gone, I bet a “glassface” that I’ll win.
When you’re gone, you should bet a “blackflick” that I’ll win.
Whatever that is, so, so scatterbrained, but tamed.
The ravings of a mad man really wrong, right? Partially tripping you up? Yep?
So, so far-gone, time climbs away, leaving what’s inside to thrive…
Feels weird to say that, but hey, it’s somethin’ alright.
Just the sounds of a silent mind amidst plotting, not quite to insanity.

by JOSEPH

After Gertrude Stein’s “If I Told Him”

What has a head and a tale but is never able to tell you the time. The time for a new tale from telltale is quite the tale, say it again? What was two tads but no head and is in constant tale taking mood of shrubs and shrooms. Bing bang boop bada bop bink bow. Is a verse too hot, you might even say its super hot.

You slam the door on my face so now wretched in despair, the look I give you — a strong distaste. What better than to taste a look, white hot with a distaste and a door, is there need to say more from this morder moore with a little more than mooooore.

Take me to the edge and catapult me off the clip. But you can’t do that. You gotta land so we’ll calculate your speed. Hey if a speed is a what you need, then here take this speed with me. Speed, speed, speed — what’s the difference? We can play with keys, no piano. You’re right. Not that we got the key to the streets we can connect to keys with streets. Now a piano got to connect with no keys but a street piano, tomato to-mato potato po-tato easy peezy lemon squeezy because our proportions are fair right so the answers a cat right? No it’s you.

by JOSEPH

As I draw closer to the smell of blood and pain killers I discover a giant footprint. It seems to stretch out for at least a mile. “We’re close exclaimed James Dean, I can smell the corpses.” “ We should set up camp for the night, the cramps could be waiting for us,” exclaimed Childish Gambino. “You don’t know that! Joe, what do you think?” asked Dean. “Let’s keep moving. When you can damn near taste the blood you know you’re close. Let’s proceed.” I said. We walk into the dark part of the forest, not knowing what we’d find ahead of us.

We are drawn into an open field surrounded by ghostly hollows. There is tension in the air, it’s so dense you can almost taste it. “Some things not right…I’ve got a bad feeling about this,” yelled Dean. As if on command we began to hear chanting and moaning all around us. We’re engulfed in the sounds as they begin to draw closer. We begin to walk faster to get out of the field. As we draw near the end we hear the most painful ovary wrenching screech we’ve ever heard. We turn around to find the tribe leader of the cramps standing about thirty yards away. He begins to charge at us with a lifeless sort of state. Behind him cramps pour out from a manhole. “Their beneath us!” screamed Gambino. We dash for the underbrush and instantly dive behind bushes. This was a smart move because the cramps are blind. To be continued…

by JAYLEN

I know I struggle in school, a lil bit
My mind never stays on the topic even when I’m ahead of it,
I know I’m weak at talking to new people, but who wouldn’t
The way they look at you when you say that initial word.
I hate having to speak in front of people.
I feel like their stares are entering my soul.
I was told to imagine everyone naked but that doesn’t help.
But when I’m on the drums, the darkness gets overthrown by the light.
I’m like big foot and no one can see me but they can hear me.
My mom always says I was like a monster.
But monsters were under my bed, at least when I was little.
Now monsters walk around me with their white eyes.

by JAYLEN 

It all started with a beat
Had to learn a groove with it
To knock you off your feet
My love wouldn’t stop it
No matter how I seen
I’m always there for you
Even if I’m off the lean
You got my love cuz ur my boo
Nothing can stop this
My love is true
Enough of this talk-ish
It’s me and you
Done with the games come with me
We’re gonna be together my Georgia peach

by JOSHUA

Hey baby tell me your beautiful name
My heartbeat stops when you are in the room
Eyed land on you and it’s never the same
Let’s be together until our very doom
I’ll slide in your Snapchat and Instagram
I promise you that I’m worth your sweet time
Waiting patiently for your telegram
We’ll both soon be happy when our phones chime
Leave your loved one behind cause they’re old news
Heard that your partner cheats, isn’t slick
I’m well respected by all the school crews
Trust me when I tell you I’m not one trick
My love is genuine and won’t compare
Because baby I got all thisss to share!

by CHRISTIAN

They think I’m crazy
I guess you can say that
But what someone sees effects
The way they perceive reality
Let me take you back to the day my views
Changed
It started on a Tuesday morning
Walking up to the rusted old cemetery fence
Light fog makes it so I can’t see the other side
Cement placing with long since faded names
Rough to the touch but seems smooth
As I kneel before her and all of her glory
I can’t help but see looking across the field
Another family, dressed in black with facades
Knowing fully well that their hearts are in shards
Knowing that they will never get that
Last hug, that last love, that goodbye, last kiss
Will deeply reminisce. But it’s too late now
All you can do is make a fist
I hear the pastor preaching, people sobbing
It’s too much I turn unable to watch
But I hear the casket being lowered
I feel my eyes turn moist
My vision getting misty
I turn my head back to its original position
To get back to task, I look up to ask why
But not expecting an answer
I drop my Rose, glance once at the grave
In front of me
It’s bittersweet really, after all these years
Me being here