Selected Work
2009-10 Horizons Outreach
Many a Journey
By Lori
Ubuntu family shelter
Many a journey we’ve traveled on the road.
As you help me carry life’s load.
You lead my direction and later
You’re part of my reflection.
You listen well, you’ve picked me up when I’ve fell.
You’re not of many words – but all advice heard.
You seem to know what I’m thinking at all times.
“Living in peace divine.”
When I walk looking down, you tell me
“Hold your head up – don’t frown.”
You’re here everyday, consoling in every way.
You’re beautiful to sight, even more so at night.
Precious to me you are because we’ve gone so far.
Sexy, caramel brown, with you I just want to hit the town.
You’re so long and thin, when I look at you I can’t help but grin.
I love the way you shine,
Uhm! You so fine.
You’re so gentle to the touch,
Wow, I love you so much.
With me you walk through the rain, feel my pain.
My tears often shower you
For that I’m sorry, Boo!
Women are jealous of what you do for me.
I tell you, “Let it be.”
As I stare at you, you stare back.
All I can say is haters,“Stop trying to get on my track.”
Even though you wiggle in a funny play,
You’re just perfect in every way.
Nothing but blessings
do I wish to my foes because
“You are my toes.”
The Big Man
By Michelle
Mercy Housing Lakefront/South Loop Apartments
THE BIG MAN
BIGGER THAN EVER.
STRONGER THAN MIGHT.
ABLE THAN ANY MAN THAT WALK.
CAN NO ONE NOT PRAISE THE UPMOST HIGH.
WHAT PROBLEM THAT MAY OCCUR.
THE BIG MAN IS ABLE TO HANDLE.
KEEP A SMILE ON YOUR FACE.
THE SUPREME BEING IS ALWAYS THERE.
KNOW WITH-IN YOUR HEART HE’S
ALL WAYS SMARTER THAN YOU.
Delight in the Daylight
Anonymous Author
T.A.B. South family shelter
There’s delight indaylight,
When the devil isn’t atthe door.
Full of delirious,delicious dreamer’s talk –
There’s no devotion thatwouldn’t be a delight.
Even dying – would Ireally be so distraught?
I want to drink down mydestiny.
Then all this passes.
It turns to night.
I ‘m a diplomat againwatching my own life –
the night has dropped downto bewilder me.
Shelter
By Latoyrina Carter
T.A.B. South family shelter
The shelter - what is a shelter
Why are we here we ask that question and nobody knows
we come we go but we leave we come we find are on we don’t
but in the end we in up back.
A poem what is a poem I ask why
do we write them what do they mean.
Selected Work
2008-09 Horizons Outreach
Haiku
By Lita King
Thump tha-thump…palpitations…
I gasp for breath.
The rhythm of the bongo.
Raindrops…warm, flowing
I walk slowly in them. “I can’t!”
They are my tears.
Winter
By Waltarsha Jackson
You look into sky and mostly all the birds are flying south
You can feel the shakes and shivers like we in the North Pole
Basically ever car headlights are covered with icicles
Many of streets are so slippery
The trees are covered with patterns of white flakes
Children are riding the hills on sleighs and creating
A new frosty
The fireplace keeps sparkling firewood as it blazes arise
Thicker clothes are needed before we go outside –
The excitement of the different color light that shine
in the window or on a tree
The beauty of the cold midnight sky
The twinkle of the frosty stars higher above the earth
The strong sound of the wind twirling and spinning rapidly
The education of what below zero means
The reality of what warmth truly means
All these things occur in the wintertime
Legacies
By Felicia Lea
Both of my grandmothers are legacies because they both raised me and my siblings. They taught me how to do everything, as well as my mom, so I guess I see three people as my legacies. I believe everybody has a legacy, whether they are famous or just ordinary people. One of my grandmothers has passed on, God rest her soul, but her legacy lives on through her family and that is my mother’s mother, Willie Ruth Echols. I miss her smile, her touch, her voice, everything. She was one of the best women in my family beside my other grandmother, Sevella Mae Lea, who is still living. God has blessed her with longevity in life. I have been blessed to have her around still. I also still have my mom, Earnestine Thomas. She is my support system when I am down. God bless her. Also I am glad to have been around to share the time and space with them. I just want to say thank you.
Dream
By ShaRon Jones
I dream that I’m not here.
I dream that all the pain could go away
Also has dreams have never come true
As I sit here dreaming it seem
Like the pain is slowly going away
for yet space for something else to
dream about.
If I could dream about the past,
I’d be a sad person
If I could see the “future” then maybe
all my dreams would be over
If I dream about tomorrow then
what would really happen
But as far as I know dreaming is
for believers & seekers
But for me I just want this dream
to be pain free.
Why Is Sorrow My Best Friend
By Kristen Jefferson
Why is sorrow my best friend
Every time I look up it’s back again
Why is sorrow my best friend
I blame myself that our relationship ever began
Throwing pity parties for your self is never right
Because trying to look ahead your days won’t be bright
You look forward to sulking, being moody and downright down
What’s the point of walking around with a continuous frown
Why did I ever let sorrow attach itself to me
Because I wanted to be blinded and not properly see
But I’m distancing myself now and trying hard to be strong
And yes I know that this is the way I should’ve been all along
Sunshine is ready to beam down on me
It’s time for me to go ahead and just let it be
Why was sorrow ever my best friend
I can’t really answer that but I’m glad our relationship is about to end
Maturity
by Faheemah Aneesah Askia
Many many years ago
I was shown the way to go
But I just laughed and walked
away. As the time went by, I
discovered that I was wrong.
I could not face another day.
Thank God for maturity.
It enables us to know when
we’re facing the wrong way.
And to hold our sign saying the
right way. Yield!
The View
By Melissa Benson
From where I sit, what I see is
the world pass me by. The hungry child cry for
more…please may I have some, please.
The single mother sigh…why God why?
Do I have to fight this all alone?
A lost soul trying to find their way home.
In this cold world with no house of my own…
When the sun rises to the east and I
rise to my feet and look at the walls
surrounding me I can’t breathe…
Is this all a dream
or maybe a nightmare. I want to
wake up now but don’t know how.
From where I sit, what I see is the
future in front of me the past
behind and the present a gift
untold.
The Next Four Years: November 5, 2008
By Anavia Davidson
What I believe will happen now that Barack Obama is president is thatthe U.S. will make a big turnaround. Those that thought theywasn't going to make it in life thinks, and some knows, that they canmake it now. The economy is going to be back on track over aperiod of time, health insurance won't break us as much, the singleparents that doesn't abuse the system is going to get betterassistance, those that want to further their education can go as far asthey want to go. The guns is going to vanish. Basically tome now that Obama is president, those that really want to be stable inall aspects of their life, they can, because 11-4-08 we saw changebeing made and if Obama can work hard so can we. The harder youstrive and work hard, live right, stay stress-free, eat right, treatpeople in a humble manner, and most of all pray, everything is going tobe just fine.
Alone in My Space
By Mark Jones
I'm having a pity party alone in my space
Tears wet my face
Rick is gone off the line
His heart popped
His body stopped
I feel like I've been dropped
Just yesterday I gave him a dollar
I still owe him five
We were friends who started out
Fighting each other
How can you love someone
You didn't like
Truth is hungry men find ways
To feed themselves
You can't fight and feed yourself
You can do anything if you have help
Rick and I made money together
Passed money between each other
Worked well together
Now I have to go on without him
Carry him inside me
Make him proud of me
One day I will be with him
Today is not my turn
Tears wet my face
Rick is gone
I'm having a pity party alone in my space
