by DONYEA

We are the lucky ones. Every day the large figure grabs up all. Some return, most don’t. They leave for an unknown abyss outside of the world we know. The rest of us return to the incubator. Some of us, in fear that the next day we’ll be gone, or a loved one. Others live curious of the other side of the incubators doors, hoping that the others are alive.

My brother has an announcement to make. He told me earlier that he believes he knows a way to find out who is next:

“Attention everyone, please, listen up. We don’t know what is on the other side, but I think I know how to get there.

“You wanna go out there?” the old shoe salesman yelled.

Distinct chatter sparked amongst everyone only to be interrupted by the chief of police. After yelling he demanded that everyone listen to my brother. So he continued,

“I believe that everyone under that (motioning upward to the weird angle of the wall) will be the first to go because of how the figure moves our home.

“I don’t believe you,” someone yelled.

“I’ve been studying this for days, Jasper was right over there when he disappeared! The same as my mother. We need to know where they went, so who wants to volunteer to stay there when the figure comes back?

by MESGANA 

after American Gothic by Edward Hopper

Their names are Edna and Luther. They have that pitchfork because they just buried their kids. They burned their children because they asked for food. This picture expresses their behavior toward America and its people. On the other hand, the mother screams and cooks. She only ever cooks spaghetti. The father eats dirt and works on the farm. Together they make an unhappy family’s problems dissolve. To conclude they are a Catholic and Sunni Muslim household, they took the picture to help explain remorseless actions.

by TATIANA

See me as you did
when you first laid eyes on me.
Accept my flaws and pretend I’m perfect
while we walk through this park and
see the dead leaves I see something
more beautiful in you.
The bench we sit on after our first date
completes me, connects us.
The beauty,
the air,
the Happiness.

When we walked away we chose a different path
without knowing what the future had in store for us.
We chose to turn left because it felt right.
The glory that we’ve gotten is miraculous,
but I always ask myself what would’ve
happened if we’d turned right.

by LYZ

• Take 1 family of 5 and set them in a living room sized oven.
• Now turn the heat from 0 to 100, dad starts to get upset.
• Sprinkle some curse words and here goes mother.
• Add a teaspoon of smart remarks and guilt trips.
• My sister’s attitude should rise along with my anxiety. Why can’t we just have one okay night?
• Take one cup of happy family and put it into a bag.
• Take a rolling pin and crush it to a fine powder.
• Throw in some hatred. Not again…dad just sit down. Welp, Sister is gone now.
• Take a handful of stairs. Run up them once.
• 3 cups of tears shed that night.
• 3 cups of quiet daughters.
• 2 cups of angry voices that fill the air.
• When you finish, repeat endlessly.

by DONYEA

Move slow & shatter like
a glass-slug.
I’m the fastest out.
That’s a fact there will never be any doubt.
Dropout of the race if you can’t keep your place
I’m greatness’ face, the goat for goodness sake.
Brace before I elevate
They celebrate when I detonate
Speed from heavens grace
Step back & give me space
Save yourself the embarrassment,
Don’t start the chase.

My words are like a drug
Comfort when you need a hug
You’re outmatched you can’t keep up.
Walked all over your slow-paced
& shatter like a glass-slug.

by JOSEPH, CHRISTIAN, ALTON, & MIGUEL

Looking at my life and my blessing
About to share it with you, giving you life lessons
Nowadays people fake as hell
Won’t even cut a check for some taco bell
I got glass-lips when I talk that talk
I got the swagger cuz I walk that walk
Lesson one; don’t talk unless you got it
Lesson two; keep your best card in your back pocket

Lesson three; keep a couple bro’s don’t let ‘em in the clique
Because they’ll turn into some dogs, and then they’ll take yo bitch
Clean up your act and learn from your mistakes
Lesson four; only proper, never hate

Lesson five; your true friends always got your front & back
Lesson 6; you ain’t cool if your only hope is trying to stack
Lesson 7; learn from your mistakes or go to jail
There are two choices Die or go to jail.

by BRION

Going shopping on a budget
Never ceases to amaze
Single parent with 5 kids
Yes I’m kinda brave

Driving on street-magnets
To buy this month’s food
Was denied food stamps
Cause I seemed rude

Walk into the store
The cashier smiles
Legit I’m a lip-magnet
Cause she stared at it for a while

She thought I had no money
Since I filled two carts
She was surprised
That much was off the charts

She turned with a hoarse greeting and said,
Will that be Ebt? I said no but I have coupons on me.
She looked confused but conceded with haste.
Okay your total is 3.99. Wait I have a coupon for that lace.
Hot dogs check so are the buns, Pillsbury, a pie of Mariah Carey.
I stroll out of Family Dollar, having spent fifty cents.
Good thing I didn’t buy that mit.

I come home, bum rushed by kids.
Daddy Daddy, here’s my list.
I stare at them, say what?
Daddy all I want is this toy truck.
No sir you’re getting the same thing
You got last year. But a pic of a deer
Will bring me to tears. How about a beer?
You’re six years old, so bold, little toad.
Go and sleep…ugh you’re so cheap.

by LYNAE

Being in high school
Kinda make me feel uncool
Takes away my social life
If you ask me, it’s kinda trife

All this school work is givin’ me headaches
All this eating my stress away is givin’ me toothaches
This lack of sleep is making me queasy
Man, this rap stuff ain’t easy

by STERLING

I’m broke
Ain’t no joke
It’s not funny
That I don’t have money
Lit slug-faced cashiers
Trying to end my career.
Reach into my backpack
Roast ‘em with Thxgivin’ clapbacks
Pullin’ out my blueleaf
While they being impatient makin’ me leave
This little cactus-magnet
Givin’ me a new shooting habbit
But anyways back to my anti-abundance
Of equity. These get rich quick
Skeems aren’t helping me.

by MARY

When he lost his money, he lost his mind.
No telling where he going, he left it all behind.
“Come back,” she screamed, but he didn’t care —
She tried to wash the debt out of his hair.
No crying. No smiling. No emotion. I see
he didn’t even cry when she got down on one knee.
If you don’t have a ring, it’s not real love
He couldn’t see god smiling down from above.
She screamed and cried, he broke her heart
Now we see how money played a part.