On Tuesday, April 16, the city of Alameda's Poet Laureate, Mary Rudge, and the Alameda Multicultural Community Center celebrated National Poetry Month with their 2013 Alameda Student Poetry Reading.  I was privileged to serve as one of the four judges for the high school entries. There were also middle school and elementary school poets submitting their best work and receiving awards. Our group had to work hard in making the right selections. For us, it was a wonderful, inspiring event. 

The students read their work for an enthusiastic crowd who heard some great poetry from these young authors. In our role as judges, we were also given time to present our work to the audience. I read "It's About the Joy That is Missing," to the kids, parents, teachers, and fellow poets who were present.

It’s About the Joy That is Missing

Listen and learn;

love in return.

Your position is clear

so have no fear.

Just be assured

when vision is blurred

what the spirits will say

is the best way to fight

for what’s right; stay guided

by God’s pilot light.

You might get roughed up;

things get tough but

trust the Spirit’s

word when you hear it.

This mocking futility,

these days of cruelty,

my own thoughts fool me;

no use having a GPS,

won’t help with this distress

-ful mess, and feeling dismay

there just ain’t no way.

Hey … Universe gonna hold me.

Embrace and enfold me,

I got a road map to the goal

close the gap up in my soul.

Take it from me, friends,

I believe, for you, for us, this route

can be trusted, it’s a must—

see, we’re stardust,

Creator’s belov-ed.