Some people see the potential in you
And some don't
Many who see it are jealous
And want to destroy it or steal it for themselves
Even though they can't have it
Because it's not meant for them

Some people have nothing financial or
Little material things to give you
But they got your back for real no matter what
They put their time, energy, respect and faith in you
Because they love you and see the greatness in you
Before you even knew you had self-worth
Or while you were at rock bottom

And some are just faking the funk
Pretending like they like/love you
They’ve been acting like something that they’re not for so long
That they no longer care about knowing who they really are
That fake smile never changes like the joker from Batman
Just leave those people alone and let that stuff be about them
      


I don't believe in a having a big homie
I Trust in a God, or a mentor
And I don’t care about proving
How black I am, how hood I am, or how tough I am
By sagging my pants, wearing a red or blue bandana on my head, hands, or in my back pocket
I don’t want to carry a gun, knife or
Talk trash when I know I can’t back up what I say, to protect myself
I know what it’s like to run away from your pain, guilt and loneliness
By covering it up with hate, ***, relationships, ****, hanging out gangbangers and having a bad attitude
That’s in my past and I hated that person
Now I’m about appreciating life and staying true to myself

A professor once said in my philosophy class
I don’t care if people think I am a good or bad person
Because people are always
Changing their opinions
Based on how they feel or what they’re going through

I once saw this quote in a movie
A Bronx Tale “There is nothing worse than wasted talent”
   Don’t waste your time on things that aren’t important to your life.

By Shannon Pollard
© Fall 2013

I used to feel ashamed to be put in the category of:
Illegal, immigrant, undocumented,
Or simply not a U.S Citizen

I’ve been oppressed and rejected from:
Jobs, schools and programs,
Because I’m not a red-blooded American

But through God I learned that I should
Be proud of who I am and what country I come from
And that makes me free

Because I still have choices
I still have options
As long as I try, I can smile
As long as I have God
My life is worthwhile
Because I’m His child

I can’t contain myself any more
I’m tired of being broke and poor
I’m going to get that full ride
Into a 4 year college
I’m going to get that steady job security with:
A steady paycheck, that’s re-locatable and it’s fun

I’m tired of lying, hiding, and scamming
To get into organizations, staffing agencies and jobs
That would help my life be healthier

I dislike the fact that you have to
Get married to get a green card
I hate using a fake social security number
Or tax ID on applications that ask for it
I don’t like making up excuses about
Why I don’t qualify for financial aid or unemployment

But I’m going to man up and keep moving forward
It doesn’t matter how much:
Pain, anxiety, frustration, bad attitudes,
Disappointment, confusion, heart break
Or put downs I get in life
I’ll keep fighting the good fight with all my heart
And I’m going to be honest even if hurts me

Because I still have choices
I still have options
As long as I try, I can smile
As long as I have my God,
My life is worthwhile
Because I am His child

By Shannon Pollard
© December 2012

IF ONLY YOU KNEW HOW MUCH I MISS YOU
SHOULDN'T HAVE DISSED YOU I WOULD TAKE IT ALL BACK
IF I COULD JUST KISS YOU ONE LAST TIME
SHOULD HAVE LOOKED AT THE SIGNS WAS SO BLIND.
HOOKED UP THESE RHYMES TO SAY HOW I FEEL
INVITE YOU INTO MY MIND
DO YOU KNOW HOW MANY TIMES A DAY I THINK ABOUT YOU?
HOW LONELY I AM WITHOUT YOU
MY EMOTIONS SWING FROM HAPPY TO SAD.
WISHING I WOULD BUMP INTO YOU
SO I CAN SEE YOUR STYLE AND SEE YOU SMILE ONCE MORE
SOMETIMES I DONT WANT TO HEAR YOUR NAME OR YOUR VOICE
SO I HAVE TO MAKE A CHOICE
I CHOOSE TO FORGET YOU EXIST.
EVEN THOUGH IM NOT ALL TOGETHER WITHOUT YOU
YOU CAN'T SEE HOW THIS PAIN IS MAKING ME HYSTERICAL
IT’S A SHAME
GUESS I PLAYED TO MUCH GAMES
YOU WENT FOR THE FAME.
LEFT A STAIN ON MY CHAMBERED WALLS
IT HIT STRAIGHT IN THE MIDDLE LIKE A DART
WE LOST OUR SPARK BUT I LEFT MY MARK
I WAS THE FIRST TO GET TO YOUR HEART
YOU ALWAYS REMEMBER YOUR FIRST AS YOUR LAST.
IT’S NOT EASY TO SHATTER LIKE GLASS
EVEN IF IT’S THE PAST
THESE FLASH BACKS GOT ME WISHING YOU WOULD COME BACK TO ME
LOVE CAN’T BE HIDDEN UNDER A COVER.
IT CAN ONLY MAKE YOU THOUGHER
CANT BE BOUGHT OR BE TAUGHT
YOU FIND IT ON YOUR OWN
YOU'LL KNOW IT WHEN YOU SEE BECAUSE YOU'LL FEEL IT
YOU CAN’T FIGHT IT SO YOU CAN ONLY ENJOY IT.
IF YOU KNEW HOW HARD IT IS TO LET YOU GO
WITHOUT LETTING YOU KNOW EXACTLY HOW I FEEL
EVERY TIME I TRY YOU MAKE ME WANT TO CRY
DIFFERENT TIMES YOU PASS BY I WANT TO DIE
WE CAN’T BE FRIENDS
BECAUSE MY REPRESSED FEELING IS STILL THERE.

Shannon pollard
January 1, 2007

Before I moved to New Mexico
I never thought that I deserved to be in college
Because In California I got bad grades, skipped classes,
Didn’t care about my life and played the victim in high school
Now I’m pursing an Associates and a Bachelor’s Degree
In Liberal art, education and creative writing

I wasn’t sure if I had what it takes to lean on God’s faith
To complete my classes and do well
In that secondary education knowledge
I but I passed my summer with a B+

In my life I’m known to be late for everything I attend
Yeah I was always on that black people time
Waking up at 4:00 am to get ready, eat
And also catch the bus to a summer class
That starts at 8:30am and ends 12:50pm
Every Friday for 3 months was difficult
But I learned to make sacrifices and
I never missed a day of class

I had a bad habit of being a procrastinating excuse maker
But I was tired of wasting time,
I hated proving people right about me
I was tired of my family treating me
Like I was a burden on them
And having haters trying to destroy my spirit
So I could do what they want me to do
So I pushed passed the negativity and I never fell behind

I’d never had a scholarship before
But my first year in Central New Mexico Community College
I received 2 scholarships and I’m going for another one

My mentor used to tell repeatedly
That anything in life that’s worthwhile takes hard work
So try, when it doesn’t work try again and
When you feel like giving up, try even harder
Because a man has no excuses, rich or poor

Now I know 100% that anything is possible with God
And a lot of effort on my part
So I won’t ever quit, I’ll stay motivated and hungry till I have nothing left
Because I’d rather die trying my best than live with regrets.

By Shannon Pollard
©Summer 2012

Distill water is healing.
The moons voice manipulates the ocean,
By reaching and pulling away from the sand
the suns smile equips us with Vitamin C
The Water cycle is a universal enigma.
She starts of as clouds quenching our planet with:
Oceans, lakes, rivers, and water puddles
she evaporates into mist of waves
Camouflaging her family recipe in the sky,
While cooks up new baby clouds
its starts all over again like the tadpole evolution
even though we all take water for granted sometimes,
She still supplies our needs.

By Shannon Pollard
©Summer 2012

Sometimes I can't sleep at night
Because of my dreams
Makes me come up with these crazy schemes
Anger and regrets creep into my dreams
Turns Into nightmares when I run away from my tears.
Everyone just whispers and stares
Can they smell my fear?
It hits me like a glare in my eyes
Can they see my demise?
Can they see I despise myself and I try to disguise myself?
Hiding behind attitude and suppressed pain puts a strain on me
Drains away my youthful energy.
But not all dreams are bad
Sometimes relax and look at the sky
I’m a bird soaring away as I look down at my problems
My eyes begins to illuminate when speculating the world
Know they're is something is far beyond self and human desires
More than the stars in the sky
Wondering how far can I go?
There are no boundaries
Just have to keep belly empty and head full of dreams
I am who I want to be
I define myself.
By Shannon Pollard
© 2006

IT’S COOL TO BE BLACK

I can use the word ***** even,
When I’m talking about a TV character
It is fun saying it’s because I’m black huh
And no matter what race they’re they start laughing
I like hearing the saying once you go black you never go back
Because it’s usually true

I like President Barack Obama because he goes
Against the grain of those negative black stereotypes
It’s tight how even though people hate on black folks
They listen to our music, copy the way we dress, talk,
Slang terms and the way we walk
They pay a lot of money to watch us play sports
I love how when people want get a good laugh out of life they:
Watch our movies, comedy shows, plays and poetry

I love walking up to my homeboys, home girls, family etc.
Saying: What’s up, giving daps, hi fives, making crazy handshakes,
And sometimes nodding your head as a sign of respect
I love being black because we are a beautiful race.