The Poetry of Anouk Schneider

Lovely Lilies Can’t Touch the Truth

Lovely lilies touch her hair,
When
She
Is
Bleeding,
When
She
Is
Crying,
When
Her hair touches lovely lilies.

Her tears water lovely lilies,
Flooding
Droplets
Of
Guilt,
Flooding
Regretful
Past
Choices,
Flooding
Her, tears water lovely lilies.

Her fingers pollinate lovely lilies,
Gifting
Presents
Of
Peace,
Gifting
No
More
Trauma,
Gifted.
Her fingers pollinate lovely lilies.

Life can now chase the lovely lilies,
And
Old
Vengeful
Vines,
And
Old
Rampant
Roots,
And
Now the lovely lilies can chase life.

—–

Unexpected Motherhood

I’m yet a mother, yet a child
I
Ought
To
Know,
I
Ought
To
Understand,
I
Am yet a child, yet a mother.

—–

Not So Hollow Bones

I shall become hollow bones,
Fluids
Empty,
Notions
Gone,
Fluids
revealing
pride,
Emotions
broken,
Fluids.
Hollow bones, I shall become.

The hollow bones warn me not to speak
I’m
only
Small
Sand,
I’m
A
Wandering
Warrior,
I’m
Not to speak, I warn the hollow bones.

And now am I a hollow bone forever?
Perhaps
I’ll
Break,
Or
Perhaps
I’ll
Grow,
Although
Perhaps
I am a hollow bone, now and forever.

3/28/2023

Anouk Schneider is a writer and filmmaker at Duke Ellington School of the Arts, known for its prestigious art programs. Schneider has been writing stories since the moment she understood how, and spent the first years of her life in Paris, surrounded by art and culture. She has been recognized within her art department for a comedy film entitled, “Lost in A Ruff Day” presented in the school film festival, “Awakening.” To be sure, Schneider is also recognized and very much valued here at The Skinny Poetry Nation.

The Poetry of Sabrina Butler

my body is a temple but
empty
stricken
walls
violated
empty
robbed
forced
barren
empty
but my body is a temple

3/20/2023

Sabrina Butler is a poet and storyteller based in Washington, DC. She attends Duke Ellington School of the Arts as a part of their exclusive Cinematic Arts and Media Production program (also known as CAMP). Butler enjoys writing about issues that aren’t usually addressed. In the future, she wishes to pursue a career related to Literary Media. For that, and for her talent, the world should be very grateful.

The Poetry of Melodel Amdemariam

close your eyes and close your mind
you
don’t
need
pain
you
will
survive
if
you
close your eyes and close your mind

3/20/2023

Melodel Amdemariam is a student at Duke Ellington School of the Arts. This student writer very much enjoys the wide range of art choices that Ellington makes possible–and finds the school “marvelous.” Moreover, she expresses an interest in being a “full-time poet forever, in order to break walls and build bridges,” with her writing gifts. All of us at TSPN wish her nothing but success on that noble journey.

The Poetry of Zuri Kenyatte

Rose

She is a rose
Pricked
Prodded
Clipped
Cut
Pricked
Picked
Planted
Grown
Pricked
A rose,she is

~~~

Don’t

Close my door
Don’t
Let 
Him
In
Don’t
Look 
That 
Way
Don’t
Close my door

3/20/2023

Born and raised in Washington, DC, Zuri Kenyatte is a dynamic student artist at Duke Ellington School of the Arts. She is in the Cinematic Arts And Media Production (CAMP) department. Kenyatte is also a member and former captain of Taratibu Youth Association, a performing arts company based in Mount Rainier, Maryland. She has performed in plays and musicals, but prefers to focus on poetry. For that, and for her talent, the Skinny Poetry Nation is exceedingly glad.

“No Home” by Ela Albrecht

No Home

Winter
Freezing.
Benches,
for
bed,
Freezing
metal.
No
breakfast,
Freezing
Winter

3/18/2023

Ela Albrecht is a junior at Arrowhead Union High School in Hartland, Wisconsin. Albrecht found out about the “Skinny Poetry Competition” through her creative writing teacher and poet, Ms. Elizabeth Jorgensen. This student writer enjoys snowboarding and hanging out with her friends in the summer. Some of her future goals include going to Arizona State University. While Albrecht is not sure what she “wants to be when she grows up,” a career in the field of business is of keen interest to her.

“Grandpa Was” by Carson Ketterhagen

Grandpa was
Paralyzed.
Waist
Down.
Young
Paralyzed.
My
Dad
New-Born.
Paralyzed
Was Grandpa

3/11.2023

Carson Ketterhagen is a senior at Arrowhead Union High School who plays football and lacrosse. Next year, he will be attending Milwaukee Area Technical College (MATC) to study electrical distribution–where, no doubt, this promising student writer will continue to excel..

The Poetry of James Norcross

The architect, he set fire to his house;
burned
burgundy
cedar,
plans
burned,
preying
problems
shattered—
burning,
the house, he set fire, to his architect

—

Ducts are packed on a Monday night—
hiding
emergency
room
tears,
hiding
true
blue
news,
hiding
ducts are packed on a Monday night

—

Dive, for me, a blue pearl,
engulfed
with
wisdom,
isolated,
engulfed
by
crystal
solutions,
engulfed,
for me, dive a blue pearl.


3/5/2023

James Norcross is a vibrant and promising student at Arrowhead Union High School. He composes poetry during his school hours and also in his free time. Norcross hopes to pursue some sort of English-related career in the future. All at TSPN wish him best in that very noble endeavor.