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Sai B., I don't know
Tell me, what do you want to be when you grow up?
I don't Know.
What do you mean You don't know?
I don't know.
Child, you should know. You're expected to know.
But, I don't know...please, I really don't know.
I hope you do know though, the future will hold nothing for you if you don't know.
I know.

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I pledge allegiance to the flag of...

I didn’t pledge to live this way

Scared ..Tired ..Upset..Hated..Hateful

The United States of Ameri KKK a

Land of the free

Land of the wealthy

Land of the helpless

Land of the oppressed

And to the republic for which it stands…

We don’t stand

We glance

We shoot to kill if we have the chance

Shoot them. Kill them. Mistreat them.

It’s only white. (no typo)

No justice. No peace. No sleep at night.

They want no color here..Colorblind..

The only color they want here in Ameri KKK a is the opposite of mine.

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Sai B., To Be An American

What does it mean to be an American?
Does anyone really know?
People tell me that to be an American,
it means you are proud of the country,
that you feel honored to be a Citizen.
Tell me, how can I be proud to be an American if that's what it means?
How can I be proud when my black brother's and sister's blood are being spilled on the streets?
How can I be proud where in a country with such a strong military believes that violence is not the answer?
How can I be proud when this country runs on racism and prejudice?
How can I be an American if I'm not proud of this country?

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Anonymous, Darkness
She welcomed darkness

It's ability to hide the monsters

Their bloodstained hands lured her

The darkness consumed her

It's cold long fingers soothing her hair

Telling her “it's okay”

The void eating her sanity at a scrutinizing  pace

It's hunger growing day by day

Those around her will be her utter destruction

The expectations have driven her into absolute madness

Their words like bullets

The gunshots cracked into the sky in a cacophony

As the bullets punctured her skin she begged for mercy

Her cries remained unheard

The blare of the gun leaving her momentarily disoriented

The loud noise echoed and groaned in pain

Leaving her in a trance

So she welcomed darkness

“Mercy” “mercy” she cried to the void

Darkness with its cold long fingers soothed her

She is well acquainted with the demons disguised as angels

the darkness disseminated like a deadly disease

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Seline Y., Words
Words are like a wielding a sniper

Aim at your target from a concealed position

Pull the trigger and fire at the unsuspecting victim

The gun does not fire itself

The wielder holds the power

So is the gun to blame or the person who fires it?

Words are like candy

Sticky

messy

unhealthy

Coated in sweetness

They coat you and stick with you

Words are like a document

It can not be unsaid

Blows after blows

It becomes permanently edged on the skin of the victim

In bold letters it prints your skin

Words are like a table whose fourth leg is broken

Unstable and unreliable

Having the ability to bring down everything around it

Words, words, words

Carelessly thrown out of the sky

Pebbles that shouldn’t make a difference

But even a tiny pebble can gain strength and cause mass destruction

Words edge into our skin and become permanent

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Aaryan M., A Sweet Afternoon
Oh sweet afternoon

As the sun disappears

Color begins to manifest

But oh

Oh

These colors that brings joy

Creates joy for now,

A different reason

A reason like none other

It is no longer the joy for the visual aesthetic

But simply

For

The joy of being able to say

“I’ve lived through yet another day and was able to see the sun set again”

The joy for pleasing our eyes

Have now turned into the joy of saying

“We’ve lived to see the beauty of the world

For yet another time”

But now what once brought joy

Once instilled joy

Just makes us reflect on what we have

As well as

What others

Sadly

Do not

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Sai B., My Soulmate
I slowly drown out the world around me. I drift into a peace surrounded by various of melody's. I can hear the words travel around my mind and imprinting themselves into my brain. It has the ability to make me feel loved, the ability to believe. Whenever I listen to it, I always remember that I don't want realism, I want Magic. This music was my soulmate, the only one for me, the only one who understands me.

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Seline Y., Algodón de Azúcar

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Keandra S., The New Normal

“The New Normal”

“Coco, Mango, Cherry?”

People outside..It’s scary.

Noise.

Phone.

Car.

Drone.

Supermarket lines stretched out like an Amazon vine.

Card? Declined.

Long hair.

They don’t care.

Nail shops open.

Racism is still floating.

UberEats over all the streets.

People on sidewalks, no meal to feast.

“Your total is $7.89.”

Two cents needed.

So she greeted.

Fresh fruit everywhere.

No Fresh Air.

Social Distance.

So the mother can’t kiss him.

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Keandra S., [title]

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Deepa T., The Shining City

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Deepa T., A Blossoming Welcome

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Deepa T., A Blooming Start

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Sai B., Holding On

I wanna feel again. I feel so numb. I can’t hold on to anything, not even on to myself. I feel so pressured by all these problems. Can anyone hear me or am I alone? I don’t see anyone but they all claim to be there. My mind is stuck in a place where I want to escape but is forever trapped. I need help but I can’t get it, not for a while. For now I have to hold on to myself the best I can. For how long, I don’t know. Hopefully… long enough.

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Seline Y., A Blaze of Color [taken in D.R.]

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Sai B., A Sweet Afternoon

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"Summer Vibes"
For this week's Lit Mag prompt create a piece that shows what you enjoy about summer or what you have enjoyed so far. Have fun with it!

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Jenifer L., Our Urban Growth