by Sal Cento
The sun rises up
Evolution begins now
Then the darkness strikes
Young Poets OutLOUD
Many young Islanders (18 and younger) submit their original poems, and we publish them here on our website. We rotate poems continuously, so this page will change from time to time. Keep checking back to see what new work by young Islanders appears, and tell your friends to visit too!
Everyday Life, a haiku
Freedom Captured, a haiku
by Sal Cento
Limitless flight through
And through, until it is no
More, the freedom of …
My Five Senses at the Stables!
By Esme Ng, 2nd Grade
I hear horses
I see sheep dogs
I smell hay
I taste snacks that my mom packs
I touch my horse’s hair
My Black Rose
by Danielle Daniels, McKee High School
My rose symbolizes my pain
So you are the soil, my foundation
The reason I am who I am today
I wasn’t much when we first met
But, being in your presence made me blossom.
You didn’t give me the attention I needed
So, I started to lose color and die
Now, I’m nothing but a black rose.
No emotions, no way of speaking, and now, no place of comfort.
With you was where I needed to be.
But, I guess everything doesn’t work out for the best.
I am who I am
by Joneise McCrae, Curtis High School
I am who I am
The mirror will smile today
All masks put aside
I thought I should hide
But, it takes a dream to find
Gold inside my eyes
I am a dreamer
Dare to be a believer
Pursue who you are
Can you fathom pain?
Life is such a fragile game
But who cares, take risk
Closing out the rain
Be who you are without shame
I am who I am
The Road
by Ryan Arazi, Staten Island Academy
Life is like a road,
Sometimes there is traffic,
And sometimes It is clear.
Sometimes you get a flat tire,
And sometimes,
you get stopped by the police
sometimes,
you might just want to take it slow,
even if the road is clear.
But Never rush,
When you rush,
you crash.
And you will never,
Be able to fix it.
Just Be Kind
by Jackie Moses, PS 6
I try to wear a smile
I hide the sadness in my mind
My brother has autism
Why can’t people just be kind?
Some kids are in a wheelchair
And others may be blind
Some kids can’t read and some can’t hear
Why can’t people just be kind?
If only people would take the time
To lend a helping hand
We could learn from one another
We could learn to understand
If we all look deep inside our hearts
I think we all would find
The world would be a better place
If we all would just be kind
Inside My Heart
by Julie Moses, PS 6
My brother can’t speak
Or even understand
We all must work together
To lend a helping hand
Sometimes he is quiet
Sometimes he is loud
People may be staring
But still I am proud
He works very hard
Every minute of every day
If something is wrong with him
He has no words to say
Sometimes he gets angry
Sometimes I’m afraid
But I love him so very much
And I would never ever trade
My brother has autism
He is such a mystery
Still he is always inside my heart
And he means the world to me.
The Next to Normal Album
by Vivian Rapacciuolo
I shut my eyes
Striving to know nothing but the music
I feel the beautiful orchestrations run through me
Then the vocalists
And the music brings euphoria
The music can’t stop yet
I quickly put on Hair
Wanting to dance and sing
I shake my head and scream the lyrics
Then it hurts
And the music brings euphoria
The day speeds by
I don’t even try slowing it
Letting each album tell me a story
I’m taken through every emotion imaginable
Then I’m complete
And the music brings euphoria
Faces
by Anne Le (written in the style of Emily Dickinson)
Those faces
That you can see from afar
They fill the empty spaces
In your fragile heart.
They speak of how
The world can be so much more;
And how you can make a new day out of now,
Even when you don’t know what you want anymore.