JULY 2020 ILLINOIS TENTH CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT DEMOCRATS NEWSLETTER POETRY EDITION Tenth News Special Edition 10th ANNUAL POETRY and PROSE COMPETITION AND AWARDS CEREMONY Literary Edition Volume X Our 2020 Poetry + Prose Competition Winners First Prize, Poetry First Prize, Prose Anali Mendoza, Zion Benton Township High School, Alex Molina, Waukegan High School, Grade 12, Grade 11, “Inheritance” “I Did it All for You” Second Prize, Poetry Second Prize, Prose Anya Stefany, Waukegan High School, Grade 12, Aja Myers, Zion Benton Township High School, “Two roads and the MRI.” Grade 11, “The Successor” Third Prize, Poetry Third Prize, Prose Kaleb Soderberg, Zion Benton Township High Toluwanimi Akinlade, Zion Benton Township High School, Grade 10, “Life 3:17” School, Grade 11, “Warmth” Honorable Mention, Poetry Honorable Mention, Prose Kamaria Cambridge, North Chicago High School, Anahi Infante, Cristo Rey St. Martin College Prep Grade 9, “Insane” School, Grade 10, “Intertwined” Honorable Mention, Poetry Honorable Mention, Prose Katrina Padilla, Cristo Rey St. Martin College Prep Silvano Guerrero, Waukegan High School, Grade 10, School, Grade 10, “Fruitless Sin” “The Snails Decision” Honorable Mention, Poetry Honorable Mention, Prose Jennifer Mendoza, Waukegan High School, Grade 12, Dre Batie, North Chicago High School, Grade 12, “Time of Day” “New Desires” 22 Table of Contents Winners .................................................2 Awards Night a Virtual Success .............................4 “Inheritance” by Anali Mendoza .............................5 “Two roads and the MRI” by Anya Stefany ....................6 “Life 3:17” by Kaleb Soderberg ...............................7 “Insane” by Kamaria Cambridge .............................9 “Fruitless Sin” by Katrina Padilla ............................10 “Time of Day” by Jennifer Mendoza .........................11 “I Did it All for You” by Alex Molina ......................... 12 “The Successor” by Aja Myers .............................. 16 “Warmth” by Toluwanimi Akinlade ..........................18 “Intertwined” by Anahi Infante .............................20 “The Snails Decision” by Silvano Guerrero ....................25 “New Desires” by Dre Batie ................................26 Judges .................................................27 Winners’ Photos .........................................28 Zoom-Pics ..............................................29 Zoom-Chats .............................................32 3 Poetry and Prose Contest Awards Night a Virtual Success By Carolyn Cerf I welcome hearing what you have to say so I can Dedicated local Dems and literature lovers raise your voices in Springfield.” gathered, albeit virtually, to honor young writers Congressman Schneider also addressed the young and their self-expression at Tenth Dems’ 10th writers, expressing his genuine excitement about Annual Poetry and Prose Awards Night on hearing again from these talented young people. Wednesday, June 17th. As Tenth Dems Vice- He quoted the last lines of “Invictus,” by William Chair Barbara Altman stated, “As Democrats, we Ernest Henley, famously cited by Nelson Mandela believe that we’re all in this together. We believe as having helped him persevere through his time that politics is about more than just elections. in prison. Responding to the theme, CHOICES, It’s about making our community and world a Rep. Schneider quoted “...I am the master of my better place, and what better way to do that than fate; I am the captain of my soul, ” which he said to try to make the world a better place for young gives him comfort amidst the tumultuous world people?” of politics and which he also called an empowering The prompt for this year’s contest was message for these young artists. CHOICES, which produced a variety of poems Marc Jones, a Waukegan Park District Board and stories about life’s choices large and small. Member and the Board’s immediate past Every young writer who participated received president, once again hosted the evening. He a certificate commending their participation, introduced each of the young writers who read, and prizewinners in poetry and prose, whose and even without the proximity of a live event anonymous works were judged by panels of local managed to convey warmth and encouragement published poets, received generous cash awards to each of them. in the form of gift cards. Not only did every one of the prizewinning The evening began with brief, but warm remarks student writers read their winning entries, but from State Rep. Joyce Mason (D-51st), whose several other participants presented their poems district includes Zion and parts of Waukegan, and and stories, including several of those whose 10th District Congressman Brad Schneider, who work earned honorable mention. The judges, who were introduced by Tenth Dems Co-Chair Eric were present to congratulate the authors of the Herman. Mason told the students, “ The art and works they’d cited for awards, remarked how work that you are doing is so incredibly important. exceptionally difficult it was this year to make We need your voice. Democracy relies on it, and those choices. 4 Inheritance My veins fuel red. My fists curl up. My screams fill the room. I inherited your anger. The way my eyes shine when the sun hits them just right. The way my skin tans during the summertime. I inherited your color. I’m struggling, and there’s no one to support me. But I don’t need help from anybody. I inherited your stubbornness. The world thinks I’m not good enough. I should cower beneath them. I stand my ground. I inherited your strength. My pronunciations makes it difficult for people to understand me. I inherited your dialect. I surround myself with friends and family. My heart warms when I’m near them. I inherited your love. I fill their heads with lies, but I’m so good at lying that they believe me anyway. I inherited your dishonesty. I can’t change who I am, but I can change the way I think. I inherited your anger, your stubbornness, your dialect, and your dishonesty. But I also inherited your color, your strength, and your love. I love the person I am, it just took time for me to change the way I felt. Anali Mendoza, Zion Benton Township High School, NOTE: Earned honorable mention in 8th Annual Tenth Dems Poetry & Prose Contest in 2018 5 Two roads and the MRI. “Two roads diverged in a wood, and I - I took the road less traveled by”... * That was the road that I was unraveled by. The journey was harder and it made me cry. When I think on it, by and by, and I think on my choices one and all, did I really have a choice at all? What is free will? The brain can be changed by a pill. “Two roads diverged and I”... saw that my brain was different on the MRI. And IF my brain was not different on the MRI, Would I have taken the road less traveled by? Anya Stefany, Waukegan High School, * excerpt of “The Road Not Taken” by Robert Frost Continued on next page 6 Life 3:17 Intro Starting off with life My mom stabbed me in the back with a knifewarmth It was ET TU BRUTE When she pushed my father away I missed my father Too bad I had no lawyer But instead, I was stuck in the foyer Listening to something about God that I didn’t understand But it was my mother I couldn’t stand I can’t keep throwing my heart into no man’s land Waiting for it to explode Or maybe even implode ` Until God gave me the code. Verse 2 Success was made My father’s house is where I finally laid. I thought I had it made Until it started to fade He got laid He made his girl take care Of me but I couldn’t compare The tare Maybe a flare In my heart That was one part That destroyed my heart Verse 3 Back in my house with my mom’s house Was feeling pretty angry And frankly Amber Was feeling like an ember Annoyed by burn But I started to earn Continued on next page 7 So I went to turn To tear To the feet of God Into others’s hearts I was in a pod It’s like we’re playing darts Maybe frood Its like were playing with parts Then it came to me From a car When my mom decided to flee Or that junky bar Like god said I had to turn the cheek Verse 4 I fell to the feet of God Then god gave me a family He gave me a nod That couldn’t have been better He showed me He forgave me for my debtors Who I was supposed to be Trying to hold in emotions And now I see Filling up oceans The code he gave I try to keep my devotions Was a name But sometimes I just go through the motion And the NAME WAS 3:17 I met people that show they care Kaleb Soderberg, Zion Benton Township High School But I wouldn’t dare 8 Insane I often find myself in the rain, choking on fog, and gagging on pain. waiting for my time to come. I’m stuck in a corner, wondering why I’m here. I could be free, but I’m stuck feeling nothing but fear, waiting for my time to come. Breathing in used breath, and all my regrets. Is it time for my death or to end all frets? Waiting for my time to come. I often find myself looking through this tiny window Wondering why I did what I did, but I know. Waiting for my time to come. I’ve been scratching these walls for quite some time With no bail. I have no money. Not even a dime. Waiting for my time to come. It isn’t right.. Having to go through this every night. Waiting for my time to come. I often find myself staining my skin, chains made of brass. “Just keep your head high,” mama said, let time pass.