Menlo College
Flowers drawn by Jessica Valenzuela
For Erik Bakke’s Art 121 assignment students used a proportional grid system to translate a photograph into a larger drawing–students drew a grid over a photograph and then a larger but proportional grid over a piece of blank paper and then redrew each section of the gridded photograph into the matching section of the grid on paper. In this way students learned how basic math can help them render a complex drawing.
Drawing by Precious Bell
“Nobody Told Me I Could Be Great”
By Frank Morton
Nobody told me I could be great
Nobody told me that I could be colder than the water freeze, sneeze out gold like there was King Midas in my sinuses
Hotter than California in your hottest heat wave, I don’t put out fire mixtapes I use the fires to warm up heat rocks, kill it and let the beat drop,
Think not, your favorite rapper’s mixtape will never drop, I caught it before it could hit the ground, I found the only one out here is me and I’m the only one walking around in this hallway of dreams
Dream me in color when you listen to rhymes, complementing your ear drums to the sound of my heart, making water fall from your eyes. See me not as legendary but the one you aspire to and then soar from, I’m sore from all the pain and
resentment, must be all the trauma my momma told me I shouldn’t get with, no guilt trip, to trip me up, I got perfect balance, balance me upon a small pin so I can stand for hours, not minutes but hours, and I mean yours and mine, my mind reaches out a hand to stretch to you. I hope that you take it. No longer riddled with concerns whether I’ll make it. My fair weather, doesn’t wear me down a bit, I cascade and fall from my high place, bountiful and beauteous, without a hitch, interwoven within the airs flow like a stitch, but never needed to needle in.
Frank Morton’s video of this piece: https://youtu.be/qd9h32TYSpY
“Swing Around”
by Solin Piearcy
Newly blue painted poles
holds a dangling seat
above the soft sand
underneath the trees.
The sky is closer than ever,
clouds just within reach,
the wind blows away troubles,
and the bright sun offers dreams.
Higher and higher
as high as it goes;
just for a split second
time froze.
Faded blue chipped poles
and the empty seat.
Chains creek and cry as it moves
rusted by its deceit.
Never higher than the pines
that left their leaves on the pale sand
Falling fast from the sky
to land hard on both hands.
No matter how high,
as high as it goes;
only for a split second
time froze.
“Smaller”
By Eden Cotter
She is tall.
She takes up space.
People see her beauty,
Yet she only sees herself for what she is not.
Someone breaks her heart and
She convinces herself
That becoming smaller
Must be the answer.
She believes if she
Becomes smaller
Others will be able to occupy all the space,
Then no one will leave.
She shrinks and
People comment.
She mistakes their
Worry for praise.
She begins to feel hopeless but
Being small feels like
Her only solace.
She holds on tightly
But her fingers are
Slipping off the ledge.
She lets go.
She discovers her worth.
She recovers.
“Time” – by Melissa Bohan
Per Melissa, “It’s about all the things people spend most their time doing and time is limited, so it’s an awareness for how to spend your time efficiently.”
“Will You”
By Alannah Rodriquez
Many people have always stayed for the good moments…
But never for the bad
They will stay for your ups
And never your downs
They’ll say they care…
But don’t accept your quirks
I am clumsy
I get moody
I worry a lot and mess things up…
And Yes, I’m weird
I’ve told you my faults first so…
Will you stay to hear the good?
I’m funny, and silly
If you treat me good, It’s guaranteed I’ll treat you better
I wonder… will you stick around?
“Alive”
By Alannah Rodriquez
Am I alive?
What does that mean?… to be alive?
…Is it that I am simply breathing
…Is it that the blood in my veins is warm and flowing?
Then why, sometimes, do I feel like a corpse? and on occasion cold and hollow?
Going through the daily motions, numb, and in a daze.
Looking for a remedy… some hope, connection, and some clarity.
…and maybe, some warmth for this chill that comes over me
Someone, anyone
Bring me back to life, again and again.
Frank Morton – “Nobody Told Me I Could Be Great”
Click to view.
“Nobody Told Me I Could Be Great”
By Frank Morton
Nobody told me I could be great
Nobody told me that I could be colder than the water freeze, sneeze out gold like there was King Midas in my sinuses
Hotter than California in your hottest heat wave, I don’t put out fire mixtapes I use the fires to warm up heat rocks, kill it and let the beat drop,
Think not, your favorite rapper’s mixtape will never drop, I caught it before it could hit the ground, I found the only one out here is me and I’m the only one walking around in this hallway of dreams
Dream me in color when you listen to rhymes, complementing your ear drums to the sound of my heart, making water fall from your eyes. See me not as legendary but the one you aspire to and then soar from, I’m sore from all the pain and
resentment, must be all the trauma my momma told me I shouldn’t get with, no guilt trip, to trip me up, I got perfect balance, balance me upon a small pin so I can stand for hours, not minutes but hours, and I mean yours and mine, my mind reaches out a hand to stretch to you. I hope that you take it. No longer riddled with concerns whether I’ll make it. My fair weather, doesn’t wear me down a bit, I cascade and fall from my high place, bountiful and beauteous, without a hitch, interwoven within the airs flow like a stitch, but never needed to needle in.
© 2023 Student Voices Forum
Theme by Anders Noren — Up ↑
Recent Comments