1 The Key to Unlock Us The Sixth Anthology by Students of The Complete Works Edited by Christian Foley 2 © 2020 The Complete Works All Rights Reserved No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted by any form or by any means electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise without the prior written permission of the copyright owners. A catalogue record for this book is available for the British Library ISBN Edited by Christian Foley Designed and typeset by Christian Foley Cover image by Rabia Anisha 3 “Key is the key word to help unlock our inner selves” – Seteeva Rodriguez 4 Christian Foley, Poet in Residence Introduction from the Editor Books have the power to change the world. Our school has published five previously. The five introductions to those books, though different, have in some way, emphasised that key point. Books have power the change the world. Yet, this year is different. We have to ask, when the world changes all by itself, as it has in 2020, what is the role of the book? How do we reflect our new and transformed realities? The future has never been a place of certainty, yet now, the future appears to be behind a locked door; the view of it more obscure than ever. In the year of lockdown, it is easy to feel remote. Despite our dependence on wifi, it is easy to feel disconnected. More than ever, it became imperative to find a way to alleviate our isolation. Despite our physical and (social) distancing, as a school, how could we still find a sense of togetherness, even when alone? The answer to the question, as it often does, came from a student. Writing is the key to unlock us. Not just writing, but all self-expression. It is creativity that provides escapism, when we cannot escape; it is creativity that gives us freedom, when the house becomes, as one student put it: personal prison. Creativity was the key to open that door. It is this belief that forms the ethos of our school. 5 This belief was also the key to unlocking this book. It made me realise what the particular purpose of this work was. This year, it was the chance for our students to each tell their individual story, yet to feel part of something larger. The pandemic partially permeates this work, it is sometimes in the foreground, and addressed directly, as it is in Alfie Kirkham’s Covid piece. It is sometimes in the background, the indirect tormentor and inflictor of boredom, as it is in Anthony Sulal’s Insanity. In other cases, it is not mentioned at all. Our students have tackled the topics that are important to them, and these topics are wide-ranging. The keys in this book, open doors into different places. There are discussions of family life, advice on the dangers of the road and descriptions of what it’s like to be young person in 2020, London. But it’s not all rooted in the real world. There are ice cream raps, there are journeys to distant galaxies, there are short stories of future worlds, and vignettes of subtle memories. We all have different selves, that when unlocked by different keys, show different forms of expression. It is this difference, that our school, and this book celebrates. Even though this book was composed remotely, when the words are gathered together, they exist as one. Welcome to The Key to Unlock Us. 6 Phil Richards, Founder of The Complete Works Foreword Projects such as this one, give me faith in humanity! In the midst of all this locking away and social distancing we have still found creative ways to come together. We may not have had the freedom from the confines of our homes, but we still have our freedom of expression. This anthology, like many others before it, demonstrates the depth of intelligent enquiry and creative imagination which characterises students at The Complete Works. It is a testimony to their ability to achieve at the highest level. In the words of Nelson Mandela "Everyone can rise above their circumstances and achieve success if they are dedicated to and passionate about what they do." I hope you enjoy this collection of artistic endeavours as much as I have done and that it will inspire, motivate and entertain you during these challenging times. 7 Figure 1 Artwork by Art Fitzgerald McShane 8 The Key to Unlock Us Seteeva Rodriguez The key to unlock us the way out key is the key word to help unlock our inner selves unlock us from our personal prison us we, you - can help others release their inner selves. The key to unlock us. 9 Dear Reader Aidan O’ Connor The story of me. The first page was back in the day when I was born, 2001 in Homerton. But my story doesn’t technically begin there… I am the child of my mum. She is a miracle, in a long line of miracles. A strong woman, from a strong line of women. Homerton, is a place full of stories. And I don’t just mean the tower blocks, walk on its greyness and you see so much on these streets, some good, some bad. There are school kids with rucksacks, and drug addicts with crack pipes. There are police in vans, there are young boys on BMX’s pedalling towards trouble. There are breakfast cafes and council houses, the type of houses that are falling down. On some buildings, the architecture is state of the art, on some it as an estate with no art. Look at these Cul-De-Sacs. They are literally dead ends. The ends of the dead. There are boys with blades, there are football pitches with no grass, they call them cages. A cage is sort of designed to contain. Writing is the key to unlocking us. This a country, where they place the poor in poor places. Refugees who, if they are not turned away, come off boats, to live cargo-like in shipping freight housing. The people in power are corrupted by the power they hold. It is like wearing a glove, one that you cannot take off, that begins to direct the actions of the hand it encloses. Aidan 10 11 I am Thought Lily Woodlock Kachere Deep down in my stomach rumbles fear. Emotion-spreader. I am the invisible. The dark-farmer. Bubble-blower. I am the red in your eyes. The blue in your dreams. Black-deep. Your yellow-clean. Scratching my throat is excitement. I am the gravity, the up-lifter. Watchful-eye. Peace-bringer. I’m thick and thin; your younger, your older. I run through your brains. I run through your veins. Blood-saver. Line-blurrer. I am your guardian and your demons A dark-saviour. A light-breaker. Truth and wisdom Knowledge-holding, I ground you. Ballooning - I feel you. Colour and imaginations. Power sits deep in my fingers. I am the different; the connection. I am thought. 12 Ocean Alfie Kirkham Thinking about my life, How am I supposed to make it right? I don’t know if the damage can be repaired Reminiscing why are we alive? Dreaming about things that aren’t actually real Love is a drug but even with trust I don’t get enough Used to have knives being thrown in my back Call me target practice, man its very scary Life when you know you’re not living right Demons in my mind Forcing me into painting pictures of dark nights not a Better life I can’t shake that feeling Yeah, I mean lifting, Drifting hieroglyphs on written walls Pause, so distraught Feel like I have been pulled apart How am I even going to start to explain How this became so tough, how we all have enough Of this ignorance is bliss but not for me Can you see that I’m a clone? Bury my head under the sun waiting for it To burn the clouds away to take its turn like Russian roulette I push away regret Except it’s a single player game 13 Waiting impatient trying to control and console my brain The trauma that you see in my eyes World steady filled with lies But like a Lion I have pride, All a man can do is try. Switching topics, I’ve got the courage I’ve got this I carry on, I keep going I never felt like this long ago Before I was a shy person, Now I’m standing at my show Letting you know, the potion of my mixed emotions. Keys lead us to freedom And birds are born with wings for a reason, That reason is motion I keep it moving, like the waves upon the ocean. 14 Poem for Father’s Day and World Conflicts Owen Darlow My love for you is bigger than the Milky-way (our Galaxy) we love you millions I love saying, ‘‘Mucho Gusto’ ‘Muy Bueno’ Father's day is great. No matter what happens, we love each other billions Every day you say take your tablets and I always do it so late. Leverage. ‘Leeway’ We’d go bowling and knock down more than one skittle. Or we’d go on an aeroplane and travel to Ireland. Vouch for each other always no matter how brittle or little Every place is good no matter in dirt with roses or beaches with sand. Eminem. Stormzy. All rich and famous. All stars.. All of us are unique, all equal.