In celebration of Poetry Month, I sent out a submission form to everyone willing to speak their mind. In my opinion, poetry is a way to communicate your emotions and feelings into a way everyone will understand a little bit differently. I have always used poetry to speak my heart when life took its turns and I’m sure there are many others who feel the same way.

Here are the submissions for week 3 of Poetry Month at CCHS!

Sebastion Neeley, Junior: “The Reward To Be Born a Man in America”

The reward to be born a man in America
Is the road before you to be paved with success
Your pay is greater, and words shown sharper
But your heart you must never digress.

The reward to be born a man in America
Is for the anger inside to comfortably roll off the tongue
The eyes that look your way are none but sympathy
But you were never allowed to feel anything other than, since you were young.

The reward to be born a man in America is the powerful image you hold
Either a force to be reckoned with or a sturdy ally
Yet the authenticity to your soul,
when you were born, was what was sold.

The reward to be born a man in America is the hatred and ignorance of which you instill
Insecurity in yourself must run deeper than the ocean trenches,
Your burning self hate could lead you to kill.

But even so …

The reward to be born a man in America is the great potential you keep
To be a loving boyfriend, husband, father, or son,
And affectionately hug your loved ones to sleep.

The reward to being born a man in America is to lead young boys and men to love, allow their tears to fall and feelings to roam,
To teach them the ways they have yet to hear of.

Braeden McConnell, Freshman: Life

What Will Life Become?
To be determined,
That’s how my life’s perceived.
Young enough to be uncertain,
But old enough to be worried.

Worried for what my future will hold
Or what I’ll do when I get there.
Will I end up being bold,
Or will I be stagnant or filled with despair?

Some believe I’m immature
Because I don’t know how to do one thing or another.
But the people who doubt me will rest assure,
There is more to me that is left under covers.

Under wraps I am more than what is seen,
I can become the person that nobody had foreseen.
Whether that is a good thing or not will be found out later,
But for now I am seeking what will make me greater.