Red and Blue are the colors we built a country from, Red like the blood we spilled for freedom Blue like the clear skies we keep reaching for but also Red like the wounds of those we forced to plow our fields Blue like the tears we spilled watering our fields then Stars strewn across like the ones in our eyes as we looked past our mistakes to the sky-scraper silver heavens never down at the oppressed always up, always higher we are a country built on Red and Blue colors that unite and divide us all at once Democrat, Republican Liberal, Conservative focused on complicated policy and power politics that end in meaningless conflict Red and Blue colors which once linked us have become chain-links heavy, too heavy weighing us down that hill we need to climb we haven’t climbed it we can, but we won’t, not while our backs are weighed by prejudice by intolerance by hate still the colors we built from brim and burst with potential Red and Blue like an early-morning sky filled with scarlet clouds and splashes of azure beauty birthed from new beginnings now is the time to honor those we exploited heal those wounds we left open break the chains that hold us and start anew waving high a united flag of Red and Blue.
poem
Apples, a poem by Mason, 9
Apples A sweet fruit, round like a ball. Pieces split with a slice of a knife. Pushing and shoving, hands start to reach for the slices. Long after the apples are finished, a slice lies forgotten under the table. Entering the room is the family puppy, Sniffing, who munches the unseen slice.
I Can Change the World with Hope, a poem by Tanvi, 11
Tanvi Padala, 11 (Flower Mound, TX) I Can Change the World with Hope Tanvi Padala, 11 I’ve always dreamt of a place Where everyone would treat each other with grace And the planet and countries are managed with care But right now, I wonder if we are in despair We rank each other by our social hierarchy Personal choices aren’t significant in an oligarchy We value a person because of their wealth Our societies don’t esteem one another, we only consider ourselves Many don’t realize the importance of our planet or a penny Money and pollution are problems for many We squander our resources and disseminate CO2 Our future will be blue when our world has the flu The list goes on and on, it spans from Beijing to Baltimore Landfills, inequality, overfishing, and more and more But please don’t mope Because, in all of this, there is hope I can change the world Starting off by doing one simple act Whether it’s saying “Thank you,” or giving a compliment They all have a big impact I can change the world By being kind or sharing with others and giving nice cards But wherever my focus is hurled I know our planet’s solutions are a hopeful wildcard… I can change the world By leading my community to reduce, reuse, and recycle As I encourage the world, our hopes will unfurl We will fix our landfill cycles I can change the world with this poem Those who read it will smile Together we will dream of this planet we call home Which will be a happy place for every child
