Happy Birthday Dr. King

 

Honor His Dream

Issues are still the same.

Did change happen?

Was anybody motivated?

Have we been educated?

These are the questions

we remanence on

in today’s society.

There’s bias within everyone

including black people.

Opinions differ but issues

need be addressed.

Taua McAllister – student

 

I too Dream, Dr. King

I had a dream.

The dreams I think

stay with me.

My brothers fear

their lives will be taken.

Kamren Ferguson – student

 

My Dream

Dr. King had his dream

to stop all the violence

but we still see

there is violence

in the street.

Everyone drinks the poisoned waters.

They hate our skin.

They hate our hair,

our beautiful features.

But only against us.

Yes, his dream came true

but my dream

is to not have fear

for my daughter

because of the violence.

Christiana Moreno- student

 

Dream Maker

Dear Martin Luther King –

the man who had a dream-

the world is worse.

It’s like a curse,

but yet it can’t be seen.

People dying.

Mother’s crying.

All for reasons unjust.

It’s time that all those

crimes are paid for.

It’s a must.

Chedrick Carnegia – student

 

Bias

There is bias in the justice system today

for men.

Women can falsely accuse men of rape

and get away with it, and if found

that it is not true, they face

almost no punishment.

There’s the same bias

in paternity court

towards men.

Charles McPherson

 

Bias

Bias

A cause for crisis

If left silent

Bias

Bias

All people have

Against a student

one I have destined

to reveal will make me red.

Aisha Akright – student

 

MIRROR

You look into a mirror.

A face stares back at you.

But when at school,

you wear a mask

that no one can see.

Then, you go back to your house

and put your mask to rest,

go to sleep,

get up

and repeat

the struggle all again.

Chedrick Carnegie – student

 

Run Your Own Race

Being your own person

makes you sincere.

It challenges you to reach

different levels.

Authenticity makes you

the best person you can be.

Taua McAllister

 

Perfection Is Biased

Life is a -

rollercoaster

fun

scary

good

bad.

No such thing as a perfect date.

Trying to be perfect

is nearly impossible.

Perfection is a bias.

Be the perfect you.

Christina Moreno – student

 

Always Be True To Yourself

Because people don’t always

have your best interest

and sometimes are

out to get you.

Na’trell Kennedy – student

 

Be Happy With Yourself

The main reason to be yourself,

and not what others want you to be,

is that you will feel things you don’t want

and change the way you act

around your family.

Dakaila Johnson – student

 

Stay True To Yourself

Be true to you,

because you don’t

want to be treated

badly by anyone and

you can get depressed.

Destiny Willis - student

Teen Thoughts on College and Dating

Plan B
College helps prepare for our future.
But how do you prepare for college?
Some people go off of talent;
some off of brain power.
Most can’t afford it all.
But when you plan fails,
how do you get to your future?
Having a plan B gets you there.
Christina Moreno – student


Get a Degree
To get a degree,
it doesn’t have to be free.
Your future can be bright,
if you do it right.
You can get into college many ways.
Then, your career can shine
for the rest of your days.
Kiana Bowmen -student

Love
Break-up are the worst thing
because you fall in love
but fall apart over the smallest thing.
If you truly love someone,
give them your all
because you fell for them
and you love them
and they can break your heart
with all that for nothing
but a broken heart and crying.
Jamarion Hadnut- student

Truthful
He/she cannot give you
what you don’t have. So
work on your inner-self
and speak your mind.
Don’t be scared to tell
he/she how you feel.
Tylon lee -student

Be Nice
Date someone your own age.
The boy I liked; I love. He too
is nice but a goof at school
and to me.
I’m nice to him.
Zaryanna Hudson - student

Time & Place
It will take time,
I can’t believe I’m really
asking for dimes.
I ain’t got time.
I’m stuck here where
people can’t have
me like a mime.
I need someone to give me a vibe.
It’s too bad my heart can’t
really see vibes.
I’m out here trying to shine.
Yes, I know I’m fine.
These people trying to kill my vibe.
I love people on my side
like a shive
up your spine
I’m not falling behind.
You know I am deciding inside,
happiness is hard to find.
I push all the negative stuff to the side.
All said, I’ll be fine
but this stuff takes a lot of time.
It’s kind of hard to speak when it feels
you’ve got a steel pole in your windpipe.
I know it’s just me
but when it happens, it’s hard to breathe.
But I’m still going to be me.
So just sit down and see,
I just killed this beast.
So stay in your seat.
and I’m going to keep my streaks.
I’ve been out for weeks.
Yes, I know I’m unique.
This isn’t hide and seek.
I told you I killed this beat.
I’m going to go back to my seat!
Kelvin Flint – student

The launch of Issue IV of the Blackwater Literary Journal was quite successful at both the Milton High School and Milton Community Center. The Community Center had two speakers, Frank Onyemauwa, Ph.D., Sr. Principal Scientist of Pall Corp, who empathized the importance of a higher educational goal, Pell grant requirements and ACT scores for UWF and Glenda Frazier, local poet who spoke on teens in a funk and their need to climb out of something they don’t understand.

A dozen Santa Rosa County writers and dozens of teenagers appear in Issue IV of the “Blackwater Literary Journal.” The Santa Rosa County Writers’ Guild members Glenda Frazier and Patricia Packett volunteered to select the works appearing in Issue IV. This year submissions were accepted from residents of Milton, East Milton, Bagdad, Navarre and Pace. Also included is a section for the best student poems of the Milton Community Center’s Poetry Workshop that were previously published on MiltonFL.org/Blog; as well as a section for poetry from Milton High School grades 9-12. Lastly, the All County Writer’s Award winner for 2019 was announced as Jane Hutto of Milton. 



Issue IV of the Blackwater Literary Journal was dedicated to Media Specialist Lisa Murphey of Milton High School, who handed out the books with Milton’s Poet Laurate Marc Livanos imparted words, “My advice to poets is to learn to quiet your mind and listen, like a musician does. A lot of song lyrics are in poetry. Train your ears to hear the wind, and eyes to study the earth. Poets know how to honestly express their internal turmoil without divisiveness or hateful words. Honest words have a sticking power that eludes the language of flowery coverup. Poetry is medicine for the soul. It’s like talking to your soul.”

The use of honest words in Issue IV ring true with themes of teenagers coming of age, anger concerns and bullying.