The Stars are Finally Yours: Writing from the students at Brooklyn East Collegiate Middle School

Writing from the students at Brooklyn East Collegiate Middle School

Edited by Shante’ Cozier NY Writers Coalition Press

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Writing from the students at Brooklyn East Collegiate Middle School in BedfordStuyvesant, Brooklyn, New York

NY Writers Coalition Press Spring 2019

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The works published here were prepared or accomplished by the various authors in their personal capacity. The opinions expressed in this anthology are the author’s own and do not reflect the views of NY Writers Coalition, nor its funders, staff or board.

Copyright © 2019 NY Writers Coalition, Inc. ISBN: 978-1-7323640-2-8 Library of Congress Control Number: 2019941645 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED Upon publication, copyright to individual works returns to the authors.

Editor: Shante’ Cozier Interior Layout & Design: Nicole Di Luccio Cover Design: Nicole Di Luccio, Asmielle Espinal, Franzlou Chevren The Stars Are Finally Yours contains writing from members of NY Writers Coalition’s workshop at Brooklyn East Collegiate Middle School in Bedford-Stuyvesant, Brooklyn, New York.

NY Writers Coalition Press, Inc. 80 Hanson Place, Suite 604 Brooklyn, NY 11217 (718) 398-2883. info@nywriterscoalition.org www.nywriterscoalition.org

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// Contributors // Arianna Smith, age 15 Asmielle Espinal, age 10 Bakari Cisse, age 10 Chad Jones, age 11 Christie Chevren, age 10 Daniel Mitchell, age 14 Franzlou Chevren, age 11 Gabby Jones, age 11 Isaiah Dawson, age 11 Iziah Langdon, age 14 Jasae Laliveres, age 12 Mordecai Dubois Lamothe, age 11 Nicolette Medford, age 12 Zaniya Selassie, age 11

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// Contents // FOREWORD by Shante’ Cozier

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ORIGINAL STUDENT WRITING A TIME LIKE THIS

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WHEN WRITERS FLY

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WHO WE TRULY ARE

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

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ABOUT NY WRITERS COALITION

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// Foreword // Every Friday afternoon as part of their arts enrichment program, students from Brooklyn East Collegiate came into my workshop sweaty, cold, noisy, upset, happy, cranky, and excited, but always eager to write. I was inspired by their thirst for learning and their ability to connect new information with old information. No one can merge pop culture references to the historical the way that these students could!

This year they ranged from 10 to 15 years in age. So I meditated on how to build a safe and creative space as an adult with such a wide variety of adolescent students. I was encouraged to remember that I too was once an inquisitive child, and all I wanted was the truth and to be supported. I therefore was transparent with them and they were, in turn, honest with me. We trusted each other and I supported them in their creativity.

They would say, “Ms. Shante’, you're my favorite teacher!” And I would smile and try to act as if it was an inconsequential compliment. But in fact, it is one of highest. I give thanks for them.

In The Stars Are Finally Yours, these students explore a myriad of subjects through prompts and their own intuitive writing, that range from exploring artificial intelligence, horror, what it means when a man falls from the sky, and the memoir of their mind. Each section is a line pulled from one of the students’ work in the book. The work reflects the deeply conscious and unconscious thoughts of our young writers. ‘A 11

Time Like This’ depicts the current fears of the students and what they see in their environment, on TV, and the world around them. ‘When Writers Fly’ explores their creativity as writers. This section is a manifestation of their imagination and all of the wild and wonderful things that they conjured up. ‘Who We Truly Are’ is a reflection of how the students want the world to be and how their impact will create the change they want to see.

Their writing is pure and uninhibited. During this workshop, they did not write with an audience in mind. They only wanted to express themselves and be heard and seen.

As we all do.

The writing in The Stars Are Finally Yours shows their deep souls, their deep fears, and the genius of their creativity and their hope. I feel blessed to have been in company with such energy.

To the writers: Remember what I always said: Exercise self-control. Advocate for yourself. Push past your fear.

Write!

It is our honor to present The Stars Are Finally Yours!

Shante’ Cozier NYWC Workshop Leader Spring 2019

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A TIME LIKE THIS

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Arianna Smith The Madness Rise above the madness, but how? Everything I do, everything I say with my big mouth, it hurts. Not me, other people: my friends, my family, everyone. There’s no escape from the madness, my madness. Yeah I try, I try over and over, try not to cry, try not to scream, but my thoughts they say, “shut up, or I’ll make things worse”. I don’t listen. The little happy adorable behaved girl you see right now, that’s not me, and that’s because instead of rising, the madness drags me down, and every piece of me with it.

Epitome I am the epitome of a somebody I walk the earth sometimes differently than others We somedays live the same way a person does from across the world I am the epitome of a somebody When I die, my body’s gone and a spirit is lifted. Now I am the epitome of a nobody 16

Unlovable What does it mean when a man falls from the sky?

He’s a devil, the man of all sins. His home is hell, he belongs with no angel, he has no right to live. Even the humans despise him.

Now, not even God can love him.

Arianna Smith

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Asmielle Espinal Skydiving Do you know what it means when a man falls from the sky? Not rain, not death, but skydiving. Yeah, people like to skydive. To be honest, it’s scary. What if skydiving kills you? What if you get caught in a tree? And you can’t reach help?

Black Figures The eyes of Martin Luther King have seen danger, the eyes of Rosa Parks have seen discrimination, but their actions had consequences and their consequence held success and achievement. Their civil movements have changed this world for the better, and they will always be cherished inside each of our hearts.

Sprint Quick Our teachers invited me to night school, because I’m the most unsuccessful student in the class. They sent that letter to my mom. She said yes, and now I am more miserable than before. But, since I’m “unteachable,” the teacher lets me do whatever I please.

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Asmielle Espinal

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Gabby Jones

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New Friend On my first day at the tree house, there was a girl’s new friend: green hair, socks, tattoo, white dress, eats eggshells. I didn’t know her name, but we grabbed some snacks from the white countertop and we ended up talking so much to each other. But, our names were anonymous.

Rain As I was walking down the street, I encountered a woman. She was wearing a red raincoat and a hat. But all of a sudden, she took off her coat and hat. She said, “How do you all wear coats at a glorious time like this?”

She scrunched up her face. “Back then, in the desert, we had no rain. Be grateful for this miracle!” After all, I agree. Without this, we would all be dead bodies in a barren wasteland.

Fast Food I was thinking about Taco Bell, McDonald’s, Wendy’s, etc. The sensation of fast food spicing in my mouth, that cheesy taco enthusing my tastebuds. My mouth waters at the thought of fast food. And that’s the memoir of my mind.

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Bakari Cisse On The 8th Day On the 8th day, every thing happened but all the country was together. On the 9th day all the country was apart.

Bakari CIsse

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A Recipe I am cooking at the house of my family because we are going to eat some food. It will be so much fun because of the things that can happen with my family. They like to have fun doing things that are cool. We eat vegetables that are good for your body and make you feel good and comfortable.

Stars Look Up to You Stars are sun. The sun gives us light, and during daytime we can’t see other stars because the sun is blocking us from seeing the other stars. There are more than 100 million stars in the sky and some planets have at least more than two stars. But earth has one.

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Christie Chevren Snow A snow is wonderful and fall from the sky people love snow and a girl call Snow White.

She love snow because She was born in snow. Her mom was murdered so her dad married her to an evil guy which was a witch.

Snow White was the most beautiful girl in the world.

The witch wanted to poison Snow White but she couldn’t because the fairy give Snow White a gift. But the witch killed her.

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Christie Chevren

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Daniel Mitchell Liver What do I do when this world and life moves too quickly?

I need to get one soon please don’t leave me to be forgotten but what changes if I’m gone? the world goes on.

But I’m scared if I leave --- do I leave? what is after heaven or hell? is it the afterlife that’s expected or is it nothing but darkness?

Do our lives mean anything, or is it pointless?

What is my legacy?

Is there a legacy?

But then my liver arrived.

Epitome Am I an epitome of what pain is? I’m nothing. Welcome to hell.

The epitome of hell and pain. Red is fate.

Red, the color: it represents fate.

Here was fate I guess my stomach was penetrated by an antenna on the roof of an Ohio nightclub in late May. I blink and the image dissolves. The world doesn’t change a thing. Having

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my life wasted changes nothing except my life. It’s worthless and spoiled. All what’s left is red. The color for fate.

So is it my fate. Or was it my fate to die this way?

Madness How do I escape this life? It’s too addictive, it eats away at my sanity, killing me as my life depletes. I remember your words, “Rise above the madness,” but I’m broken and fall deeper, embracing the end of myself. My head is infected as my ghost is all that’s left. This floor cold and calming letting me embrace my thought, collect them, sewing my mind back together as my legs slowly go numb and my arms drift further into the dark.

Flowers The flowers continue to grow even after they have been forgotten and left alone.

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Franzlou Chevren Walking Through Walls One day I was walking to my friend’s house and I went to sleep. I fell asleep and while I was sleeping I was dreaming that I was walking through the wall. And then I hurt myself.

I was on the floor when I woke up. I saw myself on the floor.

I said, What happened? And I saw a lot of people surrounding me and looking at me.

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Asmielle Espinal

Here Comes the Sun Ho! “Here comes the sun�, everyone was yelling because we were in the dark. Never see a light, not even a phone light. One day the sun was coming and everybody was going outside to play. That was amazing and when the sun was finished, everybody was tired and had a good night.

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Gabby Jones How Can Black People Write About Flowers at a Time Like This?

A rose is the most beautiful flower because of its look But in reality the rose has deadly thorns that can hurt people So why do people expect me to be dangerous just because of my looks?

In reality I’m just a child who wants to be loved So why are they scared of me and not of the rose?

Welcome to Night School in Paradise.

Press A to Start.

Hello, my name is Kiki, and I’m your teacher. In the day you do homework, earn cash, and so much more. At the top left corner of your screen, this is how you feel.

But at night, the learning can begin. Earn bonus points and fall in with the students.

Remember, learning can happen in PARADISE.

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Franzlou Chevren

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Isaiah Dawson Rise Above the Madness Rise above the madness boy you know I’m the baddest also the raddest don’t be mad anymore, be happy even though I can be a little rappy don’t hold grudges it will make it worse.

Quick tip never take an old lady’s purse if you let it go, your happiness will be free hold up, I have to pee when I come back, I will see if you rose above the madness and let yourself be free.

Sometimes You Go Through Walking through walls Sometimes I fall going through walls aren’t good and you feel pain going through your veins it’s an adrenaline making your brain think you should keep believing the worst walls are fences the ones with barbed wires and wrenches.

Sometimes you go through walls and feel pain.

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Iziah Langdon Black People How can black people write about flowers at a time like this? During a time of oppressions, and police brutality.

A time where families are ripped away from each other, never to be seen again. So explain to me, how can black people write about flowers at a time this?

Visions Are my visions a nightmare?

I see demons, people who disregard teachers, students who curse them and flip them off. Who don’t care how many times their parents are called.

But it’s just a vision that I hope never comes true.

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Jasae Laliveres The Big Day This is it. The day has come and to be honest, I’m not ready. I have to meet the epitome of death. When I was little, I saw it too. Even though I wasn’t supposed to, I saw it. A man was gutting my father out like pig guts. His eyes were in the back of his head. He saw pleasure in this. He was laughing with an evil grin. I couldn’t look away, it was terrible. I tried to make out a face but it was too hard. I could make out a twisted smile, that was one of the worst. His cheeks were cut open like in the movies and then the man did it. He dropped my father’s dead carcass and he said with a mortifying voice, “You’re next, Talia.”

And now is my day. I’m currently at the hall and here he is in front of me with that mortifying grin. I say my last words. “I’ve always loved … FOOOOD!” He looks into my eyes and mine meet his. He shanked my throat, he eats my brain like its bacon. I try to stay strong, but for every beginning there’s an end and this is mine. I am Talia and this is my story.

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When Man Falls from the Sky When man falls from the sky, he holds tight and plans to die.

When a man falls from the sky, it means when writers fly.

When a man falls out the sky, It is time for you to go.

You go out to go then See way more to go You say I’m sorry but Still do it anyway You say don’t worry Try but I still want to I say it doesn’t matter I can kill who I want Anyway.

They say what happened the police cars come

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I say nothing while holding my gun.

When men fall from the sky, what will I do I will kill and kill till I find you!

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Mordecai Dubois Lamothe From the Sky Let me tell you about the time I was walking down the street and all of a sudden some guy fell out of the sky. He looked like a demon that died on the spot. I ran and ran but I was sleeping and I dreamed it.

Bakari Cisse

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Nicolette Medford Day 1 Here comes the sun.

In all its brightness, it powers the earth. It gives us the energy we need. It wakes us up early in the morning and gives us a reason to stay here, to stay powerful, to get stronger. Sometimes the sun is the only thing we need to stay happy. Our lives wouldn’t be here without our sun, or at least they would be able to see through the night.

Day 2 How can Black people write about flowers at a time like this?

How can Black people live at a time like this?

Our lives put in danger with the police with no help Lives at stake though we show no surrender We put ourselves underground until the sun rises again We fight to the end, the darkest days, Until love and peace are seen again

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Pop-Culture Pop culture is when those who have changed our culture have made a mark and are remembered by the world. People like Malcom X and MLK have changed us by bringing our kind together. Through pop culture, we remember them. Songs, stories, biographies all tell us how they changed history and how they went down for us to remember.

Artificial Intelligence Combining A.I. and remodeling it has been man’s dream. But would it really be a dream? I mean, really, we may be advanced but creating tech that couldn’t go haywire or rebel against us. A.I. is powerful, too powerful that we can’t even control it. So as much as having a robot butler sounds amazing, the world would fall apart with them.

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Memoir of the Mind My mind is full of demons that love to take control. I never know if my own mind is in control or my demons are controlling my actions. Whenever my mind looks into the mirror, it doesn’t see a mind that was bright, smart, and happy anymore. It sees a girl’s mind trapped behind layers of evil. My mind knows it doesn’t want to be this way but the old me is gone, cried herself to bits. I wish to regain my strength--- to bring myself strength, but that’ll never happen ever again. I was picked on most of my life, but children looking up to me had always brought me back from the dark. I used to love it because my mom was a teacher in which all the teachers loved me and my help. But when I came to this school, I became a bully because the kids around me hated me. The few that I can trust appreciate it because I could use people to keep me here. My mind is surrounded by demons and having my friends keep those demons from completely taking over.

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Zaniya Selassie Untitled On the first day the world divided into two, the rich and the poor.

On the second day they all accused each other of not being good enough.

Franzlou Chevren

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WHEN WRITERS FLY

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Arianna Smith Magic Trick Welcome to the show, where things you have never seen, never realized, never imagined was possible --- are possible! Today you will see with your very own eyes the magic that will be unhidden today and will still be with you tomorrow. For the first act, here’s a magic trick!

A Forest A recipe for the forest No such thing until now First: You’ll need: the right tools Second: A BIG piece of land, BIG. Third: Have a lot of patience. It takes a long time to cook a forest.

Fourth: More than patience, you have to have love.

That’s the final and most important ingredient to cook a forest.

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Invisible I’m walking through walls because I am invisible. You can’t see me but I can see you. I walk on the ceiling as if it was the floor. I have the ability to fly but I like walking through walls.

Night School As I stepped out into the chilly night, I had a smile on my face. I knew I was going somewhere special: night school.

As I walked to that special place, I wondered what we were going to do today--swimming, coloring the walls, another circus? So many opportunities. I walk faster as my excitement takes me over.

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Asmielle Espinal I have come to take you back I opened the door and I saw an alien say, “I have come to take you back.” So, he took my back, and then I died. The end.

How to Cook a Good Book How to cook a good book - Find inspiration - Think about the genre: What do you want it to be about?

- Brainstorm the topic: The topic is the focus - Then, try to make a setting - Don’t forget the characters!

- The last ingredient, the best ingredient, is creativity and personality.

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Tortoise and Hare He said he can run, He said he can run faster.

He took a rest, And he took his time.

When he woke up, He was already there, And that’s the story Of the tortoise and the hare.

Smiley Self-Control Focus on breathing, practice self-control.

Dive into your thinking hole, like a mole.

Hold it back, practice self-control Before your heart is as black as coal.

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Bakari Cisse Running I was running with my friends and then I fell. And then they got me up from the ground to rise again.

They were running with me from home to school and I fell to the ground. There was a boy who was playing basketball and fell on the ground also. Being a friend is good but when you are running from home to school, you can be running and fall but your friend will not help you.

Chad Jones

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Chad Jones Mind I wake one day to see what’s going on.

I see if there are any demands.

I see if my body parts are intact.

I see what I remember.

I see what I have to do.

I see how I am.

You might think this is Chad.

You’re right, this is Chad.

---not his body, but his mind.

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Christie Chevren A Choice You can sell or We can converse We can talk Or we can curse Form a team or Fight to be first But not both I can ask or We can demand Shake my fist I shake your hand We can walk together Or take a stand But not both A state of mind or A tone of voice Confrontation Cooperation A personal choice One or the other But not both

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Daniel Mitchell Eggshells White eggshells White countertop White dress Red blood My blood Stains all an endless red White floors White knife White hair Red now, All of it My young face loses color Red eggshells Red countertop Red dress Red floors Red knife Red hair Pale face 51

Kiss One kiss --- that’s all it takes Is it all a dream or my nightmare?

I build them off that kiss, I build an empire of beauty or an isolated desert of loneliness. Your embrace is my utopia. Your absence is my dystopia.

I can’t let you go I can’t let you escape

Reaper Damn, my job is so hard, especially when they don’t willingly come with me or when they straight up try and escape.

“I have come to take you back,” I said angrily.

“I’m not ready to die,” he said, extremely scared.

“I’m tired of this. I quit!” I said, pushing the scythe into his hands. “Here, you can be the reaper.”

I removed my robe and revealed my shirt and jeans that were underneath. A loose fit, showing my bones.

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Vase A vase of flowers sits on the table but the scene is already set. Glass broken.

It’s all over A few bodies on the floor.

The tension Their clothes scattered.

The end The blood spreading.

The end The yellow petals on the floor.

The flowers Each light got darker Somehow until the light Was gone and all that Was left was the smell Of sweat and blood As time continued the Broken glass continued To sound louder---the vibrations

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Franzlou Chevren Artificial Intelligence Once upon a time there was someone in my school who was artificially intelligent. Every question the teacher asked --- his hand was already up and his answer was right.

What It Means When a Man Falls from the Sky This man is crazy?

I have an idea: Maybe this man went to see God. And God wasn’t excited to see him. So God sent him back Down!

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Isaiah Dawson

Gabby Jones I Hate Cupid This is the start of a new day. Nothing can ruin this day.

Nothing! That’s what I thought this morning. Now it is 8:30 PM. I’m starting to think that maybe I should’ve stayed home. It all started the minute I walked out of the house. I’m the new girl at Discover More High School. And I was late for the school bus. How on earth could I miss the big yellow bus? Anyway, I had to walk to school and while I was walking I saw a beautiful girl with mint green hair running on the other side. Who is she? I thought. When I finally got to school and into my classroom, I saw the mint green girl again. Sadly, the only seat available was the one next to the mint-green-hair girl. I tried to make sure I wasn’t noticed, but as if the universe hates me, the minute I closed the door the whole class looked at me. I quietly tried to leave but the teacher called me up to the front of the class to introduce myself. “Hi, my name is Jixus,” I said. Whispers started bouncing around the room. I quickly went to my seat. “Hi,” the mint-green-hair girl said. I didn’t say anything back. When homeroom was over for the day, the mint-green-hair girl tried to help me with everything. At the end of the day, I asked her why is she so nice to me. I’ll never forget the words that she said: “What do you mean, silly? We’re friends, aren’t we!” I think I hate cupid now.

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Rise Above the Madness Rise above the madness Because I am not insane I’m just plain or made to play Some may say that I’m mad Others will say that I’m bad But I am now fixed And I can hear myself tick Rise above the madness

When I Fall from the Sky I used to be an angel who lived on cloud nine Until my wings turned to ashes And I felt like I was going to die Only to see my beautiful queen That started to laugh at me Before all went black I started to recap All the times I fell for you only to see a demon before me When I fell from the sky

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The Colors of the Ants The colors of the rainbow are a beautiful thing. I love all the colors in a rainbow. I love ants. Small creatures that can build huge colonies. The best thing is that ants can be all types of colors. My type of ant is darker than red but lighter than purple!

Magic Trick A magical tool To fool the mind See through time To be a mime To change and rearrange And fool your little mind

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Isaiah Dawson Here Comes the Sun Here comes the sun quick we better run my bars are so fire it sometimes hurts my tongue Ms. Shante`’s the best thank god and the rest.

I’ma spit my fire out that’s hotter than the sun so now I’m rapping. Quick you better run, I’ll chew you up and spit you out like gum so here comes the sun I think you should run because I’m the sun burning you with my rhymes until you’re well-done.

So before the moon rises and my flames go away I’d just like to say please can you stay because there’s gonna be a sunset in candy lane see you tomorrow because I gotta go don’t worry that’s just how I flow.

Now go go go go to bed, I’ll be back tomorrow just like I said.

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how can Black people …

The world is changing but the raps are the same some are good but some are just for fame when they talk about guns and violence, I really think they’re lame they say those words like a wild dog that can’t be tamed.

It’s time for us to start anew in the past it was red or blue enough of these gangs it’s time for us to change make a revolution then you’ll be known for fame.

There’s beauty in the air, magic in the sky if you’ll just open your eyes, then you’ll be able to fly.

Step into the future and leave the past behind, in the future you’ll find things new and good for you to try.

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Iziah Langdon Colors White eggshell, white countertop, white dress.

Brown eggshell, brown countertop, brown dress.

Black eggshell, black countertop, black dress.

Memoir of the Mind I remember gunshots, pow pow pow, I remember being knocked out, waking up nine months later.

Iziah Langdon

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Jasae Laliveres The Funeral My father has finally passed after seventeen years of spending time together. Not all my siblings came. Allison is with her child and so is her husband Blek. Diego is God knows where. Number 5, he … well, we don’t talk about that.

Burger Bandit The day was cold, foggy and dark. Me and Gabby were going to the coffee shop for a drink. We go in and we feel a sudden presence …. We continue on in the shop. Shara is more on the fritz than usual and it kinda scares us. “Hey, Shara, can we get a--” We hear a sudden movement. No one is in the shop but us …. I turn around and wabam! The lights come off. They came on quicker than you say, Burger Ban Bat, I turn around to attempt to reach for Shara, but …

I stop. Her body is knifed to the wall, her guts spilling out like sausage links, her spine hanging from her head for dear life. Well, on life.

I think I can make out a word … Gabby beats me to it. Look behind you! What is that supposed to mean? We look behind and see … a burger?! It’s holding a bloody fork in its hand and the lights turn on again. She’s gone! Gabby is lifeless with her brain on the floor.

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Mage School “Ugh, here we go again,” I say with such ignorance. “Like, why am I here anyway? I’ve only killed twenty people!”

“You’re so lucky you’re not in jail, just in detention,” Mrs. Love says.

“Well, it’s not my fault that he pushed me! Oh, and James, why are you here?”

“Because I killed the teacher. You need to kill people only on missions!

“I need to kill, it’s in my blood!” Kiki blurts out.

“But my crush is so cute and dearly! Aw, I wish we could date ….”

Mrs. Love tells us that we can’t kill yet, we’re still in Mage School. Ugh, sometimes I wish I was a regular human instead of an alpha!

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Mordecai Dubois Lamothe A Liver I was walking to school and my mom called me and told me to come back home now! I ran all the way from Roger’s to Coney Island and she told me that my cousin was dying. So I gave him my liver, but unfortunately he exploded and all his guts were outside.

Mind My mind -- thoughts go in, thoughts go out. Some are bad, some are good. Some thoughts stay, some go. My mind controls my thoughts, my thoughts control my dreams. It controls everything I do in life. My mind can kill me, with my thoughts.

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Nicolette Medford Fell from the Sky When a man falls from the sky it means he comes with a message, a gift of greatness. If he rises from the ground, he’s come with a curse to put on our world. If he’s in our world, he’s a kid with a dream to be more than he is.

Maybe if we let go of expectations we can bind together and create a new bond to bring us closer to a new and different world.

Magic We all have a magic trick in us. Mine is to freeze time. My friend’s trick is speed. Sometimes it takes a while to find out what magic trick we each control but magic still controls the world, though some just think it’s science. I know it’s not. People say miracles can occur, so why not magic?

I believe magic can change the world and it has been for so long. So no one can say magic doesn’t exist if the world has been changing, and we even exist to this day.

How is that all possible without the magic trick of the universe? Science, what have you got to say to that? You can’t say that isn’t magic.

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Magic Forest How to unlock the magic forest: Step 1: Go to the edge of the village and scream “Magic in me!” three times.

Step 2: A portal should appear and you must step through it quickly. The portal won’t stay forever.

Step 3: You’ll arrive in a forest without magic and to unlock the magic forest, you must travel to Edgelord, the keeper of magic.

Step 4: Show him this receipt. He’ll know who wrote this and will give you magic to restore the land.

Step 5: Give magic back to the forest.

Walk Through Walls To walk through walls means to turn see-through and not have a worry about being seen. I go through walls to get to a place no one else can reach. But it takes me being calm to work. I go to a room where no one can touch me. A place where I can hide away from the world. No one knows of it because it’s hidden in plain sight. Walking through walls is my gift to use. I choose to keep it a secret and use it to enter a different world of my own. My paradise in the wall.

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Zaniya Selassie Invisible Mind Walking through walls is like walking blindly through the whole world not knowing what challenges you’re gonna face or what you’re even going to accomplish. Walking through walls almost means tripping all the time through life. It’s like you feel as if you’re gliding because that’s what you believe. But hitting every wall, it’s just a slight reminder that you’re still in reality. What does it mean, to walk through walls? It means gliding from dreams into reality.

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Asmielle Espinal

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WHO WE TRULY ARE

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Arianna Smith Look Up to You Stars look up to you Why? Because you’re brighter than them You set the example for them You are the moon Your light lights up the night The stars look up to you

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Asmielle Espinal Rise Above the Madness Rise above the madness, flee from that sadness.

Step away from the past, I promise it won’t last.

It will be alright, you won’t get in a fight.

Just leave your anger alone, if you do, you’ll be sitting On a throne

You Don’t Look Up to the Stars, the Stars Look Up to You You shall do whatever you please, be a doctor, a biologist, a soldier, whatever you want. Because you don’t look up to the stars, the stars look up to you. Achieve your dreams so that you can evolve from a follower to a leader, rags to riches. Work your hardest to become an inspiration for people’s actions. If you do that, you’ll overcome challenges and become one wealthy fellow.

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Happiness Such a passionate and happy man was never sad. How was he not always gloomy? Aha, little did we know, he had a magic trick. He pretended that the madness was unexisting and invisible, to obtain his smiles at any moment until the day of his passing. Such a nice man deserves immortality. And authority. For I believe he will be missed.

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Bakari Cisse Walking Through Walls When I am running I run and go inside the wall. My friend tried to go in the wall too but it didn’t work because he didn’t know the password. So the wall will not let him in to go and pass me. The password to the wall is 243028024. But my friend said 243084428. So the wall told him he is not the owner, because he didn’t have the correct password. The wall will not even let him see through it again. Then I ran and said 243028024 so my friend could hear me and get the password. But then he said 243028029 and the wall said “You are not the owner --- do not try to get through, and I will grow plants so you can’t see me again.” I see walls. That is my gift.

I am the best boy people like because I always race people in the passway and get through different walls to go to my house and other places I need to go to.

Memoir of the Mind When I play I am always happy. But then when somebody makes me not have fun, I start to be sad. So then I go and tell the teacher so that I can be feeling better. I hate when people can not make people feel better about me and other people. Thank you, have a great weekend, bye-bye!

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Christie Chevren When I Get Home ‌ 1.

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get my uniform off eat food little brain brake eat some ice cream go on my computer watch Wonder Woman annoy my brother play doll and go to sleep

Daniel Mitchell

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Daniel Mitchell Walls To walk through walls Depends on your definition of walls.

Whether it be literal or metaphoric, it takes energy to stride through a wall and finding that energy isn’t easy but the outcome is worth the time that was put in because without that energy there would be no change.

Memoirs of the Mind Who do I think about what’s in my head?

What’s behind the curtains of my eyelids The eyes are the windows to the soul, but I have lost all parts of my soul All parts of my mind Gone and all that’s left is the memoirs of my mind

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Franzlou Chevren Epitome I am the epitome of my self because I like to play soccer When I was small I liked to kick and hit things.

Franzlou Chevren

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The Stars Look Up to You Hey look!

The stars are looking up to you, so something is going to happen to you.

You could be a king or something so great.

Do not do things that are not right.

Practice Self-Control So some people don’t have self-control. They don’t control their body, they are everywhere they are not supposed to be. That’s how they get in trouble. Then they gonna act confused.

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Gabby Jones Here Comes the Sun How we have so much fun In the days we play But fight at night With smiles so bright I might not see the light Here comes the sun

Do You Dream of Me? Every night I see you in my sleep Lying right next to me Smiling right at me Your rosy red cheeks are all I need To fall fast asleep But in the day it’s just a dream I wish you knew how I feel

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A Memoir of the Mind A reality will never be my home where love is lost and hate is found. But in my mind I live in a world where hate is small but love is huge. I could create a place where love is everything and everything is love. I rather live in a world

Gabby Jones

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Isaiah Dawson What It Means When a Man Falls from the Sky What it means when a man falls from the sky?

Does it means he’s gonna hit the ground and die or is it a warning that in your dreams you’ll be able to fly Is he an angel giving you a second life or is he a demon telling you you’re gonna die Life is strange and full of mysteries You’ll never know what you’re gonna get from it but when you see it you will know that your time is up it’s time to go don’t be sad don’t ever cry everyone has their time to say goodbye.

Quote: People will remember you and give you blessings.

One will pray to god and give you a message.

It’s ok, don’t cry, you’ll get to come down just like the man from the sky.

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Jasae Laliveres The Beautiful Stars Me and Alex look at the stars beneath us. I wonder if he felt the spark between us. Do you feel that? Planet Zipcron is in its final days thanks to us. We killed almost everyone who didn’t want us be together, and that’s two planets bigger than the Sun! My bloody hand with my mother’s brain mush is still on it and I reach out to him and say, “The stars are finally yours, my king.” He reaches towards my hips and kisses my neck and my hand is in his fuzzy hair and he slowly makes his way to my mouth. Our romance session was quickly interrupted by the half-dead, halfalive. She had her green gun to her head. I quickly go to her with a butcher knife and chop her legs off. We own the stars. I sit and listen and we die with the planet, the only ones left.

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Nicolette Medford Day 3: Epitome She is a demon in the disguise of a baby. A demon acting without life to guide her. Acting like a harmless baby.

She’s the epitome of darkness and despair. But I refuse to give up on her. She’s my little hero and my shoulder to cry on. The person I rely on to keep calm, and able to deal with this world without falling apart. She’s my epitome of a hero and a friend. She’s the epitome of darkness, a demon in disguise. She’s my child of the night, and she’ll be here to stay and fight through the night.

The Stars Look Up to You Usually we look up to them but now they’re looking up to us. Our lights have grown since the past and now we’re stranger, better, more important than the stars themselves. Well, almost anyways. But the stars are bright alone, we are brighter when we stand together as a team.

We are unstoppable and unbreakable. As more of us enter this world, we grow stronger till we’re more powerful than the sun. We’ve looked at the stars for so long, but now they’re looking up at us.

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Zaniya Selassie 9½ The clouds are dark and everybody in town are mad at themselves for who knows what: poor vs white, white vs black, who knows what our world is coming to. People screaming at each other, fighting over just a little bit of water. Who knows why. Then it finally happens: everybody comes at each other, trying to reach at once for an invisible throne not knowing what they have become yet.

They are digging out each other’s flesh for who knows why. These people have become so selfish and so disgusting that they forgot who they truly are.

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Another World It goes up, up and up Feeling like your about to catch the stars and go to heaven Then it drops, making the wind backlash in your face, causing you to go in This world you never been to or Seen before. Nobody’s there, it’s only you in a world of fear, excitement, and make believe.

Being there alone makes you feel scared and vulnerable.

Not knowing your not the only person whose head is racing.

You feel like your emotions are making you stand out from the rest But actually you’re making emotions stand out from the best.

So how do you feel now, still like you’re standing from the crowd?

Just scream, trust me it makes the pain all go away, just in that world, don’t make a sound.

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Zaniya Selassie

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THE BROOKLYN EAST COLLEGIATE WRITING GROUP

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Franzlou Chevren

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// Acknowledgments // We share the belief that the world is a better place when all voices can be listened to and respected.

Our writing group at Brooklyn East Collegiate Middle School and this publication are made possible by the Art A Catalyst for Change Initiative, supported, in part, by public funds from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the City Council and NYWC Council Member Laurie Cumbo.

Many thanks go to our foundation, government, and corporate supporters, without whom our writing community would not exist: The Banks-Baldwin Foundation, Cowan Slavin Foundation, Emmanuel Baptist Church Benevolence Fund, the Meringoff Family Foundation, The National Endowment for the Arts, The New York City Department of Cultural Affairs, The Nicholas B. Ottaway Foundation, the Tiger Baron Foundation, and the Two West Foundation. NYWC programming is also made possible by the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of Governor Andrew Cuomo and the New York State Legislature.

We also rely heavily on the support of NYWC members and attendees of our annual Write-A-Thon and Red & Black Fundraiser. In addition, the members of our Board of Directors have kept this vital, rewarding work going year after year: Laura Cococcia, Louise Crawford, Atiba Edwards, Marian Fontana, Kaitlyn Greenidge, Susan Karwoska, Cherise Lesesne, Brooke MacKenzie, Sophie McManus, Alexis Nixon, Lauren Sanders, and NYWC Founder and Executive Director Aaron Zimmerman. We would also like to thank the staff at Brooklyn East Collegiate.

To find out more about how you can sponsor a NYWC publication or program, please contact info@nywriterscoalition.org or (718) 398-2883.

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NY Writers Coalition Inc. (NYWC) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that creates opportunities for historically voiceless members of society to be heard through the art of writing.

As one of the largest community-based writing organizations in the country, NYWC provides free, unique, and powerful creative writing workshops throughout New York City for people from groups that have deprived of voice in our society, including at-risk and disconnected youth, homeless and formerly homeless persons, individuals who are or have been incarcerated, veterans of war, those living with disabilities, cancer, and other major illnesses, immigrants, seniors, and many others.

For more information regarding NYWC programs and press publications, please visit www.nywriterscoalition.org.

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Writing from the students at Brooklyn East Collegiate Middle School

FEATURING // Arianna Smith Gabby Jones Asmielle Espinal Isaiah Dawson Bakari Cisse Iziah Langdon Chad Jones Jasae Laliveres Christie Chevren Mordecai Dubois Lamothe Daniel Mitchell Nicolette Medford Franzlou Chevren Zaniya Selassie NY Writers Coalition is proud to present The Stars Are Finally Yours, a collection of art and writing by students at Brooklyn East Collegiate Middle School in Bedford-Stuyvesant, Brooklyn, New York.

Our Brooklyn East Collegiate writing group is made possible by the Art A Catalyst For Change Initiative, supported in part by public funds from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the City Council. Created by Council Member Laurie Cumbo, Art A Catalyst For Change is part of a comprehensive, city-wide effort against gun violence.

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