“Fossil Fuel Vampire” by Rebecca Spring

Fossil Fuel Vampire

A fossil fuel vampire is biting into Mother Earth’s turned neck.
Vampires
Fangs
Sink
In.
Vampires
Keep
Sucking.
Addicted
Vampires.
Is Mother Earth turned into a neck-biting fossil fuel vampire?

Rebecca Spring
3/9/2020
________________________
Rebecca Joy Spring is a 9^th grader at Duke Ellington School of the Arts in the Literary Media and Communications Department. She films and writes in a variety of genres and forms, and she loves doing all art forms for fun. Spring has made several short films that are available for viewing at Rainbow Rebecca Films on YouTube. She tries to use art to speak out about and fight the climate crisis. Additionally, she’s part of the media team at the climate organization Extinction Rebellion DC. 

This poem was generated from celebrated poet Derrick Weston Brown’s intensely inventive creative writing class at Duke Ellington School of the Arts. Enduring thanks to Mr. Brown for continuing to teach the Skinny form and nurture young artists as they grow–and add beauty to all our grown-up days.

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“Dyslexia and I” by Isley Gold

Dyslexia and I

Dyslexia writes for I
Don’t
say
I’m
slow
Don’t
call
me
Braindead
Don’t
I write for Dyslexia

Isley Gold
3/9/21
________________________
Isley Gold is a writer, filmmaker, and dyslexic advocate whose a freshmen at Duke Ellington School of the Arts. Before Ellington, she went to the Lab School of Washington D.C., where she found an appreciation for the written word, despite having a learning difference. Outside of writing, she has been an actor in multiple productions, such as Fame, Hamlet, and Twelfth Night. In her free time, she spins tales of mystery playing Dungeons and Dragons and watching bad action movies with friends.




This poem was generated from celebrated poet Derrick Weston Brown’s intensely inventive creative writing class at Duke Ellington School of the Arts. Enduring thanks to Mr. Brown for continuing to teach the Skinny form and nurture young artists as they grow–and add beauty to all our grown-up days.

“Cold” by Maya Ray

Cold

The distant eye is awake
Frigid
Hands
Reach
For
Frigid
Hearts
Warming
His
Frigid
Eye, the distant is awake

Maya ray
3/6/21
________________________
Maya Ray is a Sophomore at Duke Ellington School of the Arts in the Literary Media and Communications Department, graduating class of 2023. She enjoys cross examining her classmates in Street Law, fishing at Fletcher’s Boathouse and apple picking to make homemade apple pies. In her spare time, she enjoys watching anime on Zoom with her friends.

This poem was generated from celebrated poet Derrick Weston Brown’s intensely inventive creative writing class at Duke Ellington School of the Arts. Enduring thanks to Mr. Brown for continuing to teach the Skinny form and nurture young artists as they grow–and add beauty to all our grown-up days.

“I Can’t Cry” by Jameela Ayoub

I Can’t Cry

I’ve run out of tears to cry
Dry
eyes
leave
me
dry
cries
fill
me
dry.
Of tears to cry, I’ve run out

Jameela Ayoub
3/3/21
________________________
Jameela Ayoub is an aspiring writer and photographer based in the Washington D.C. area. She’s a sophomore at Duke Ellington School of the Arts and is a first year student in the Literary Media and Communications Department. She will be graduating with the class of 2023.

This poem was generated from celebrated poet Derrick Weston Brown’s intensely inventive creative writing class at Duke Ellington School of the Arts. Enduring thanks to Mr. Brown for continuing to teach the Skinny form and nurture young artists as they grow–and add beauty to all our grown-up days.

“A woman’s world” and “Alabama, what have you done?” by Madeleine Voth

A woman’s world

you were her first
took
that
away
you
took
her
purity
you
took
first you were hers

***

Alabama, what have you done?
women’s
lives
forever
changed
women’s
bodies
not
a
woman’s
what have you done, Alabama?

Madeleine Voth
6/13/2019

Madeleine Voth is a third generation Washingtonian from Northwest Washington, D.C. She graduates from the Literary Media and Communications Department of Duke Ellington School of the Arts in 2021. Madeleine is a writer and filmmaker.

This poem was generated from poet Derrick Weston Brown’s ever-inventive and noble creative writing class at Duke Ellington School of the Arts.  Triple dap to the good Mr. Brown for teaching the form and helping to spread the skinny on the Skinny.

 

“Wake up, it’s time” by Kamaya Finn

Wake up, it’s time

It’s time to wake up
new
day
night
gone
new
movement
opportunity
experiences
new
Wake up, it’s time.

Kamaya Finn
6/7/2019

Kamaya Finn is a young poet and writer based in the Washington, D.C. area. She is currently a sophomore at Duke Ellington School of the Arts in the Class of 2021. Before moving to Washington, DC, she lived in Havertown, Pennsylvania–the town that inspires most of her pieces. In 2016, she was awarded the second place prize in the Haverford Township Human Relations Commission’s Creative Expression Contest, and in 2019, she presented for the first time in the showcase titled, “VALID I.D.” Outside of writing, Kamaya excels at painting landscapes and enjoys studying fashion and programming languages such as JavaScript in her free time.

This poem was generated from poet Derrick Weston Brown’s irrepressibly inventive creative writing class at Duke Ellington School of the Arts. Triple dap to Mr. Brown for teaching the form and helping to spread the skinny on the Skinny.

 

“The city’s reaper” by Quinn

The city’s reaper

In cities lights where there are bones buried,
Cold,
Black,
Reapers,
Stealing,
Cold,
Souls,
Gnawing,
At,
Ones,
Cold,
Bones in cities where lights are buried there,

Quinn
6/7/2019

Quinn is a Spoken Word performer and a native Washingtonian. She is a sophomore in the star-making Duke Ellington School of the Arts. She performed an original duo poem, entitled “Money, Love, Love, Pride,” with No’El Overby in the 2019 LMC (Literary Media and Communications Department) fall showcase in the Duke Ellington Performance Hall. Quinn also performed In the DC Scores Poetry Slam in 2014, 2013, and 2012, which addressed the theme of “overall want and need for worldwide peace.”

This poem was generated from poet Derrick Weston Brown’s irrepressibly inventive creative writing class at Duke Ellington School of the Arts. Triple dap to Mr. Brown for teaching the form and helping to spread the skinny on the Skinny.

 

“Longing for a Goodbye” by Ivanna Ramazzini

Longing for a Goodbye

I missed my chance to say goodbye.
Stood
still.
Dry
eyes.
Stood
there.
Unspoken
Words.
Stood
I, missing my chance to say goodbye.

Ivanna Ramazzini
6/7/2019

Ivanna Ramazzini is a 15-year-old writer and dancer who attends to Duke Ellington School of the Arts and she will graduate in 2021. She is also part of City Dance Dream. She was born and raised in Guatemala but recently moved with her mother to Washington DC in 2014.

This poem was generated from poet Derrick Weston Brown’s irrepressibly inventive creative writing class at Duke Ellington School of the Arts. Triple dap to Mr. Brown for teaching the form and helping to spread the skinny on the Skinny.

 

“A Fear That Loves” by Zak Atkinson from Duke Ellington School of the Arts

A Fear that Loves

Don’t I fear love
From
Rejection
From
Cowardice
From
Past
Wounds
Re-opened
From
Fear, don’t I love

Zak Atkinson
5/21/2019

Zak Atkinson is a student of the Duke Ellington School of the Arts’ Literary Media and Communications department’s class of 2022. Alongside writing, he has a long history of musical talent and has played piano at USC in LA in celebration of an accomplished musical assessment.

This poem was generated from poet Derrick Weston Brown’s irrepressibly inventive creative writing class at Duke Ellington School of the Arts. Triple dap to Mr. Brown for teaching the form and helping to spread the skinny on the Skinny.