 The 2010 National Poetry Month poster, designed by Marian Bantjes. Inaugurated by the Academy of American Poets in 1996, National Poetry Month is now held every April, when publishers, booksellers, literary organizations, libraries, schools and poets around the country band together to celebrate poetry and its vital place in American culture. Thousands of businesses and non-profit organizations participate through readings, festivals, book displays, workshops, and other events. Share your poems with us.... Here are a couple of mine...enjoy! Raised up… Copyright © 2010 by Helen Tinsley i raised an empress & 3 warriors African spirits of long ago descended in you to continue the fight that still needed to be fought & wasn’t won yet. i put words in you as they had been put in me, from generations past thru the gift of the pen. i raised fighters to change the status quo, revolutionaries to awaken the masses, disrupters of false peace ― becuz there is no peace with over 2 million Black folks on lockdown, homeless families from coast to coast & death by starvation on our city streets. i raised poets, rappers, entrepreneurs & independent thinkers to stand up for what is right on this battlefield called America. so my children, if you lose your focus, & get distracted from the path like the Sankofa bird i raised you to return to the source & continue the fight for freedom, justice & equality.. Who Speaks For Me Copyright© 2008 by Helen Tinsley i am the voice of the voiceless i am the voice of those students who are uneducated, miseducated or simply not given the tools to be successful in society today. i am the voice of those students who languish in special education classes, remedial programs, alternative classes or other structures that marginalize & demoralize their essence. i am the voice of students whose spirit is squashed by uncaring adults, low expectations & pervasive disregard in inner city schools throughout America. i am their voice & this is their story. STOP – u don’t know me u only make money off me yea, tho i walk thru the valley of public schools i shall fear no evil for i am BLACK & my God is with me. i sit in classes, raise my hand, draw my pictures, want to read my story & teacher, u don’t call on me music teacher – u give out instruments & u bypass me math teacher, u have calculators i never see art teachers – your closets r full of papers, paints and clay u think r too good for me principal – u create cracks to push me in breed academic gaps & try to limit me what is your problem & whose agenda do u follow? i am strong, powerful and smart & i’m gonna do me i read the books u hide understand the knowledge u deny & recognize today is the day we will not be shy we will take this information & fly. today we are revolving, slowly evolving & the lies are dissolving. the revolution was televised when the levees broke & America choked Langston Hughes wrote about the ways of white folks & the Hon Elijah Muhammad spoke — told us Wake up Black Folks This is the final Call! CommentsJessica Bernard (10 years old) 04/15/2010 08:37
Homeless People It's my house and I live here. Shalena 04/19/2010 11:58
Hi Im a student at Crotona Academy and also of Mr. Cruz. I will be sending you some poems that i wrote and i will appricate feedback and i would like to be on your mailing list. i am 18 years old and looking forward to graduate in January 2011. To the youth and high school students that have contacted us and shared your stories and poems, we thank you. We want to continue communicating with you and your friends. We encourage anyone who is interested in sharing ideas,thoughts and poems to check out www.writerscollective.ning.com Thad Govan, Jr. 04/30/2010 12:01
Lost lot, lot lost 05/13/2011 03:03
borse chanel 2011 so useful,The newest stylish of high quality Leave a Reply | Helen TinsleyHelen Tinsley is an educator, writer and artist who is committed to health, wellness and quality education for all. ArchivesApril 2010 CategoriesAll |
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