6 THE COMPASS - SPRING 2008
CAMPUS CONNECTIONS
Recapture Freedom of the Dream
Bv Seretha Clark
Why not listen to the echoes of the lash of blood that my ancestors
stained op'freeJom stripes'7
Can \vc rccapture the Drcam:‘THAT Ail, MES ARE CREATED
EQllAi?"
Does it blemish your heart that a block man deserves rights/
Why not listen to the tears of mammj as the Master smothers her
ix omb ivith pleasure and pride?
Why not rune in your ears lo the strugijlc that tightened the rope
around that "Master boy’s' neck?
Did Freedom come withjear? Did Freedom come with pain? Did
Freedom eome with Hope?
Why not listen to the hvwns of the“\'egro slaves"?
II In nor listen to the speech, to the“Drcam oj the King’7
Hold your pain, but release and let Freedom ring.
To bejree and not to be free often comes up over and over again
But whether you're black.green, red. or white ....
a part oj the Dream of the fighl:"THAT ALL MEN ARE
CREATED EQll\L"
let Freedom Ring!!!
wishful Thinking
By RDMACK
If I yvere a Butterfly
If I could just touch the Sky
Then I would fiv aitui'
(I n il! fly jMui J
If I had the months of spring
If I had a ni’ir song to sing
Then I could sing all day
(I can sing all day)
ifi were like the sun. Golden
If I were so Bnghi and Bold
Then I would \hine like stars
(I will shine like Superstars)
If I could reach Mounraintops
If I could just va‘i’ them out
Fhen I nould be okay
(Everything will be okay)
l ife is life on this Life's Journej
Searching Life is strife, and it hurts me
Rainboi^ s seem so invi’X, so I follow
After pots of complete. Fool's Gold
Oi’i’. I am bold)
(So. I am toldi
I wish that I were the Sky
I wish that I could just fiy
I wish that ihngs would get better
Reality 's still a lie
I just nant to fh
Interruptions
Bv Caniron Gorham
Interrupiions Keep occurring and They 're Blurring Up My 17-
.vjon, Heavy Thim^s On My Mind Hard For Me To Pay Aiieniion.
Did I .l/t-nr/c>n Tm Having To Make Decisions And Provisions,
And It Seems Like E\ervihjng I Do Runs Into Collisions, I'm
Giving Out Good Karma But Getting Soihing But Bad. They
SayYou Got to LiveWhhom But llif/i Me I \ever tlad.ylnd The
Sad Thing About It Is I Used To BeThe Man, In My Head Ln Aly
FJeari Forever Thinking Of M\ Dad. My Diiily Snuggles Mir
ror The Hard Mori And Tough Times. I Know It’s \oi J Given
People But Read Bemeen The Lines. And I'm Fitu'Uell At Least
I'd Like To Think That I'm Fine, But The Same Things Seem To
Occur Time After Time, I 'm Like A Mime So One Hears Me Walk
On iio Bout )t>uf Buxines'!. I'm Glad I'm BIc':sed And Highly Fa
vored Cause lyThe LORD I Seek Forgiveness.AndTheWord Says
HeUoni (jjifK)u More ThanYou Can Bear. I'm Trying To Bear
All Of This B'ui I'm Scared. I'm Scared OjlVhat l\ ill Happen
irhi’n I Fail AndW hen I finalh Succeed. So Many Speed Bumps
Tm (lOing (her How Can I E^er Take The Lead. Depression \o
Aggre^^ion Leaxe.^ A Alan Like Me Conjessmg. (hi .l/v A'ncv'-'
HanJ Together For A l^iiei Do^e (y Fra\ er. Think . Ihour Whar
Life T- Vrci. The Top Bu.k On The Ba^.cr. I’m A sLncr OfllorJy.
Well / U^cd To be until S'uncihing Moved In Me. Bui That 's An
other Stor\, I IhedTf lla\e Inspiration anJ DediLaaon Ihrough
Peispiraiion and J/i Ajjuiiuion Down L‘ Earih Ih'tghed With
ITea\ V (/All tiJiu-n, Ciood Things Cowc T,> 1 hose tl /i.> II j/t Bui
Tie Be.nUairing And Fri Mv Friend.- G>.\1 Things I lave Been
Cominq. .Seems Like I'm' Running A \evcr ending Raie, Seier
CoingTolVin. But Somehow From Somewhere I Pull Some Faith
Together Again, SO Interruptions Keep Occurring And If They’re
Blurring Up My Vision, I Guess Til HaveTo Reali/.eThat's Just
Aly Purpose For Living
What If...
Bv Casaiincira Scellato
What if...
What If I w as uglv
What w ould I do
What if I was mean
I would have no clue
What if ! don't understand
I would need some advice
What ij I had anything and everything
Something's t would have to sacrifice
I Vhat if...
What iJ I Huy poor
God ivould still be on my side
What if I was beautiful
I would have nothing to hide
What ij I HUi smart
I would get evciyihing right
What if I H US scared
I w ould hide from fear hidefromjright
What ij ...
What if the sky h im green and the grass w as blue
What i/ It was the dog who moo's
Whai if the walls were able to talk
What if a newborn baby could walk
What if..,
Since I am alive
I thank god every day
There are .so many things to thank himjor
So many things to .-.i/r
But sometimes the question pops out in my head
And L{uietlv in our head is said
!l7){/r if...
Reunions
BvTalisha Askew
Let 's do what ivc love to do best
Pass time hv and dress up our mess
We'll hug, kiss, repeat stories of old
II hisper, “She s fat"
In hopes our girdles will hold
But all things will unjold
When past, present loves meet
How funny the heart
What tvt’ feel, tvc’ dare not speak
So slip di« Ji'. doing our dance
Gallop to the left then right for three
,1 run for toilets re.\t
H't’ could catch
Who ha/ed the stalls with yvecd
Time has passed by. » c' Ve messed up our dress
Repeating hugs and kisses
Remember the days of thy youth
For'ti second time around isn 't .. .promised.
The Place That Time Forgot
O
Bv Cindv H.nes
Beyond the neighborhoods and farms is a place that beckons me
a pni ate, unpaved road that passes an enormous cypress tree and
goes through the fields that lead into a forested canopy
I trod guietly into this nook that means so much to me
.4 secret niche that fills /nr soul, captitates and transports me
back to the simple days of old ihat somehow set me free
.-!> / cross the rock-hriek bridge, the creek chuckles below
fireplace, all ihai remains of someone's home from long ago
I hear the clip-clop of the hooves, and the .sgueak of wagons near
I greet mv neighbor 's ancestors as they suddenly appear
The farmer tips his hat at me, his wife smiles and udiVi-
They both are dressed siiangely in the clothes of i esterdav
I blink and rub mv noi believing whai I hy
Then I hear children giggling on the other side of the trees
I curiously turn ihe corner n here the basehall field should he
(tirh in bonnets and dresses are pUning happily
and link- bois in bnuhes ar-‘ roi-ling in ihe kwes
I siare u ah mv mouih open, but ihe\ do not sec me
I turn and cross the rock-hnck bridge smiling as I !ea\e
and walk back into mi life, ou; through the canopy
Know ing the place that time lorgot n ill al\u!\s be there for me
THAT FAMILIAR BEAT
By Von Southerland
All u see if darkness... all you hear is silence... you want to
open your eyes, bui are afraid at w hat you may see... and as you
calm your nerves.you hear ajamiliar beat heartbeats)...
Sow you know for sure that you are, alive// and with this reliej,
you noil hold the strength to open your eves// and you blink 2
'or 3 oJ times until your focus is steady/ / but what you see before
your face,you weren't ready// as you look harder, looking up
from the ground//you are staring dow n the barrel oJgun, and
once more,you bear theJamiliar sound (S heartbeats)...
So non , ert’n though your eyes arc w ide open, you still see dark
ness/ / cu/you are staring down the barrel cj a gun, and don't
know the purpose// you try to speak, but you Jeel the blood
gurgling inyour lungs// and rhejeeling of it, just numbs you
tongue// so now uir deductive reasoning.you are able to con
jure that you have been shot//you never heard u hang, but you
look up again, and notice the silencer on his glock// once again
there’s silence, as you hear that Jamiliar beat and the‘‘tick-tock
tick-rock", from your, 200 dollar Jacob wrist watch//
So obviously this wasn't a robbery// so your still looking down
the barrel of this gun// itsfelt like S minutes has gone by. when
in reality ii's only been aboui 2 oseconds / / and the gun, is going
to fire again you reckon/ / so rou cry out to the gun. speakincf
into its barrel// “/ don’t know what I did, or didn't do. but
please don’t shoot me again / please man. I'm sorry!'/ / and the
gun doesn't move, it’s still staring back at rou like the reflection
of a ray of the sun// and you cjose your eyes and pray to the
L.ord.“Lord! I!shall I do?/ for I don't know what I did. or
what I didn’t do. but please Lord just tell this man to not shoot
me again. Plea.se Lord! I Pray ToYou! '//
For a second you hear that, familiar beat (S heartbeats)/ / and
^ou say,"lisien OK man, Tm sorry, I'll give vou whate\er you
want! What do you want from me?"/ / io rou reach inio your
right pocket with your left hand to grab your wallet, lo get
■some moiTey// and just as voa get the wallet out, you hear the
GLOCK, COCK!!// and suddenly you’re terrified and canjeel
the weight of death bearing upon your shoulders// lou can
hear the breathing paiiern oJ the glock, which is identical to
jours// or maybe ii's just an echo, cuj'you notice the glock is
truly dormant with sleep// then you begin putting your wallet
back into your pockn, when you see the gun FLISCH! / / and it
nearly mirrors your countenance as it gets closer to your face//
lb’lou close your eves once more, your heart starts to pace (fast
heartbeats)/ /
And rou open your eves and cry out once more// “Tm Sorry!!,
just don't shoot me again, I don't know what I did or didn't
do// but if you don 't shoot me again I'll do whatever, please
man. Tm Sorry!!"/ / and the gun rises slightly/ / so you figure
you can get up and forger this ever happened// >'o vou. lift your
head up nearly hitting your head on the tip of the glock, ro(/
began to rise// then the gunman says‘'S10P!!"/ / and vou try
to hurry to your feet, be he shoots you again, and you close your
I’vt’i and hear that Jamiliar beat (S heartbeats)//
And as that familiar beat is drowned our by the sound of foot
steps and the slamming of a car door, to your surpri.se, you open
your eyes once more// only to-see a man with a familiar glock
begin to climb into a. policeman's car// And as the blood qushes
profusely oui ^j'you.you wail/ "PLEASE MISTER OFFICER.
HELP ME!!"/ / the officer turns around and gives an evil stare
to you lying there helplessly on the ground/ /
The ojficer rushes over and screams and shouts// "WHYWOST
YOU fUST STAY THE HELL DOWS, DOS'T GET BACK
UP ASD DOS'T ALIKE ASOTHER .MOTHER FREAKISG
SOUSDH’7/ he continues and yelps "IM GOSNA LEAVE
YOU HERETO DIE ASDYOU BETTA SOT.ASK ME FOR SO
HELP!"//
Is he walks away, w ith his gun still in his band.you know you 're
going to die anyway// so.roi/ swallow the blood that irus wad
ing in your throat and you call the police officer out// you
say.nOV AIS SOTHISG BUT A PUSK!// SHOOTIS ME
FOR \0 REASOS, ASD .^5 THEY SAY,WHITE POLICE .MAS
CAS'T JUMP// YOU SISSY POIICEMAS// WHY 00\T
YOU JUST Kill ME SOW?//YOU GCJTTHE GUS ISYO
HiSD!"//
So the officer gi\es another evil stare and fires the gun. 3
rniFS! rriMFS! STnirS’ // amlyells out"IS THATWAT
YOUWWTED. Mh LO SHOOfYOU IS)OUR .^PISE?"//and
as the police officer lays his qun. bv vour side, he climbs into /j/v
car. and awav he /
The.Lht thing vr-u hciir, besides ihe sirens of his ridt.' / is the
familiar hear ( 3 hearrbeats). ended off, by voar final sigh
Conversation of Souls
Bv Katori Ea.son
“Mine eyes blinded by sirens seeking solitude, scorchJor the truth
inyour words
yh, as the sun awakened I could only see the muses of my past
in your eyes
. \nd fearing the pains oJmy heart I .silenced my dream oJyou
Only to awaken to your face smiling upon me in clear r/cni; but
untouchable
Through ma/e and mystery I searched
From the shadows oj my mind to the light oJmy heart I dwelled
in longing
The longing to once more jeel your kiss
.^nJ the warmth of your body
5o now looking into the purity (jyour soul through your eyes
so mesmcri/.ing I ask
Is it you my love? Have I found vou?
I waited in wonder
And as our eyes met a distant feeling arose
Bewitching me as it did the day I first met love
And as she glanced at me I smiled for I knew shejeh the same
Bui her reply begged ro differ in disdain
In u moments lime she said
You believeyoujoundyour destiny
)c’f, / am just a familiar stranger that peaks the interests of the
weak hearted
One w ord from my lips can entrapyou into a ga?e cj unconceiv
able interest
So here you stand at the crossroads of wanting
Conflictions of the mind binding you to a stand still
II hy do voj/ seek in an hour what takes others a day to find?
Why is it you believe your heart.s desire is the nourishment held
within my soul?
Love is not found in a single rotation oJthe sun and moon
Though you may he a noble explorer my heart is a land
For which, only mv rrut* love can tread
My mind a novel of script
For which, only my true love can decipher
.\nd my soul a undiscovered fruit
For which, only my irue love can smell, touch, taste and be
fulfilled"
I Hold On To You
Bv Lamont Dozier
Like a parasite
I hold on 10 you
Like a promise ring
I hold on loyou
Like a Jirsi impression
1 hold on to vou
Like an engagement ring
I hold on to vou
Like a wedding hand
I hold on to vou
Like a tight kiss on the lips
I hold on ro vou
Like a prolonged stare
I hold on to you
Like a leash on u dog
I hold on ro you
Like ti clenched fist
I hold on to you
Like a pair oj handcij^fs
I hold on to rou
Like a neck brace
I hold on to vou
Like an unnerving yell
I hold on to you
Like an aivkivard silence
I hold on to vou
Like an inkling of regret
I to you
I holJ c
Like an old. faded picture
I hold on to you
Like the earth's i
I hold on to rou
/ hold on to rou
i- gravity
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