Told
I am too young to make decisions, yet too old to act like a child,
I am told to speak my mind but nobody listens,
I am told to be myself but dragged down for being different,
Why are we pressured into making decisions when we are so inexperienced?
I want to be young, with no worries.
I want to be whoever I want to be, not what people tell me I should be.
We are afraid to make mistakes but how else are we meant to grow.
Told to “just do your best” but when it’s not good enough we are put into labels
Stupid
Dumb
Slow
So I will do my best, and I’ll be proud of it.
I am proud of myself.
Tara Flynn
‘Ideology of Starving’
‘Ideology of starving’ splattered in blood red over the grave of a man who rejected the past,
An MP is accused of ‘populist politics’ because he rejects the present,
What does this mean for the future?
Because now it seems whoever speaks against poverty is evil,
But I believe it’s evil to inherit millions while others are merely skin and bone,
Lying on a cold, wet ground.
The people who are responsible go unnoticed,
Because of the facade that masks their soul,
For the soul is where the true distortion lies.
Clara Duncan
One Say
One day I’m gonna make it big
And not have to worry about how I can sort out my next cig.
One day all the blood, sweat and tears will be worth it
Because I’ll be fit, not in the joy and every weekend getting lit.
The temptations, the violence and the overall mentality
The drugs, the dirty money and the police brutality.
These things are normality
But not for me because at 30 I’ll be set for life financially.
The impulse to cycle around in your new clothes selling rock with your flock,
But I refuse to give in because one day I’ll be paid millions to have a knock.
The boys ask me why I’m abandoning the life of the underworld
I know they don’t understand my desire to be champion of the world
From smoking weed at thirteen
To being completely clean
Finally I’ve deserted the Ballymun scene.
The good-looking girls and all the boys have been left behind
To pursue my dream of being a successful fighting mastermind.
I’ll never forget the memories made
But for sure I won’t regret that I hadn’t stayed
In Ballymun where dreams are crushed
And lives are rushed.
Anon
In a Stress
Students in a stress little do they know its a bless
Blessed by being able to get up in the morning to get dressed
Walking to school even though they think you’re a fool
Trying your best to prove them wrong
No one knows your story your being so strong
The stuff no one knows about in the back of your mind
Blind to the words “you can talk to me if you want”
“I’m grand” is what everyone replies
Blocking all that out with no doubt
Overthinking is the worst don’t let it control you
Talk to someone if they ask if you okay
Don’t let this weight hang on your shoulders,
Like it’s a couple of boulders
Talk to someone, it might just help,
What a few words can do can be powerful
Remember what you believe is your mind,
Only don’t let anyone tell you a load of pony.
Ciara Lenehan
Cancer
Cancer in kids
Look at all the pain
They can range from 6 weeks to 18 years old
No matter what age cancer controls.
In hospitals is
A scary place when all you hear
Is cancer means death
Kemo makes you lose your hair
All you can hear cries of despair
Anon
Homelessness
Hopeless and sleepless
Lying in doors
Cold nights alone
Sleeping on floors
Defenceless and vulnerable
Living in fear
Of violence and abuse
Drowning in beer
Órna Daly
Weary
It getting kind of weary when I close my eyes
There is streetlights and an AA meeting in my mind
There’s a man at the door and he’s telling me lies
He tells me he’s always gonna be here
Until the end of time
He smells like Dutch Gold
He’s high as a kite and for some reason he can’t see the brake light
He’s asking for money but everything I have he’s already sold
It has been a few days I haven’t heard from him
I miss him, I love him
Days becomes weeks and weeks become months
Its getting kind of grim
Its three am now and he’s back at the door
But talking to him is becoming a chore
How can you leave and expect everything to be okay
You look like a stray and here you simple can not stay
Today is my last goodbye and I know I cant cry
I know you aren’t really a bad-guy
But aunt may says
That’s where dirty dogs lye
Chloe Ambrose
Every Day
Every day is a journey of a thousand steps
That always with a single step
First is the hardest step of many
When you complete the first one
The domino effect starts
Then everything for the journey falls into place
Everyone’s journey is different is special in its own way
Max Ó Nualláin
Insecure
Dear teenagers, this is the best few years of your life.
Or so they say. Is this it? Am I doomed to a life of this crap,
Not feeling as if I’m pretty, thin or smart enough.
Teenage years are bloody rough,
For anyone who doesn’t have a waist trainer, a meal plan and a filter.
Always looking for approval and that’s a killer.
Don’t let them know you hurt or cry alone,
That those Instagram posts that you see on your phone,
Effect how you see yourself.
This a time where you’re judged on appearance.
No matter if you’re rich or poor look your best.
It doesn’t matter if you want to rip your heart out of your chest.
Just know this, you are doing your great by still being here,
Because, my dear that’s true strength.
It’s okay to be insecure but don’t let it make you live in fear.
Because you are beautiful….endlessly.
Eimear Carroll
Commit
I’d like to commit
I’d like to commit,
To things like poetry, art, writing, all that stuff.
I would like to think,
That I could create some things,
That would create a link
Between me and everything that sings.
To pull my hair back,
Spread my wings,
And destroy some ideas,
In the hopes of being called a king.
Anon
Under the Lights
Under the lights in Dailymount Park
We have our flares and our red sparks
We scream and we scream
Bohs are the dream
Abigail Brady
War Raged On
As bullets rampaged the sky from each side of the battlefield
I once called a home the war raged on,
He said this and she said that,
The ammunition growing ever more destructive,
“Who’s side are you on?”, they’d roared,
As the war raged on, ever more unproductive,
“Your mothers cheating”,
“Your fathers has been beaten”,
As the replacement arrived,
My father was deprived,
Abroad he flew, however,
The war raged on…
Thomas Flanagan
Untitled
I’m sick of all this crap
Its driving me insane
All the effort I’m making
Its hurting my brain
I’ve been babysitting for weeks now
Putting up with an annoying kid
Trying not to punch him
Trying to keep my lid
I’ve been saving all that money
Not going out with my friends
Cleaning up the whole house
Staying in on the weekends
But it should all be worth it
I finally have enough
I’m proper minted
Now time to get my stuff
I make my way to Smyths
Half an hour on the bus
A sixteen year old man in there
Always creates a fuss
Straight to the lego isle
I spot the perfect set
I pull it from the self
It was a super jet
All my work has paid off
It’s finally time to play
I could never have imagined
This unfortunate delay
I was so close to finishing
The end was in sight
But there was a piece missing
I was filled with spite
So now I’m sick of all this crap
I’ve been drove insane
All the effort I made
It hurts my brain
James Foran
School
I hate school
It’s boring
I’m made sit on a stool
I fall asleep and start snoring
Its a waste of time
It should be a crime
Daryl Byrne
Darkness
I reach over and flick the switch to turn the light off
The darkness slowly creeps in
And I’m left in complete darkness
I close my eyes shut quickly
Scared of what I might see lurking in the corners of my room
I clutch tightly onto my blanket
That protects me from the evil that live in the dark
Aoife Tully
In School
In school
Slagging someone
They heard me
They’re coming over
They say:
Shut your aerospace, display case, hiding place,
Master race, outer space, pencil case, relay race,
Parking space, just in case, rocket base, steeplechase,
Hyperspace, fireplace, living space, bicycle race,
Watering place, user interface, relational database,
Interstellar space, memory trace, upper case, coup de grace,
Breathing space, orthoclase, ankle brace, plagioclase,
Attach case, streptokinase, open fireplace, polymerase face.
They think they won the argument because they were louder.
Sam O’Rourke
All Around Me
All around me, it’s all so hectic,
How can this wonderful world be so neglected
By its inhabitants, who use it,
Who batter and bruise it.
Who abuse it till its light fizzles out.
If the world had a voice, it would scream and shout,
And tell us to cop on and cut it out.
Tell us to spread the word and make aware.
Bring the knowledge to the people that don’t care.
Because they are naive and don’t understand,
The world they could save if they just lent a hand.
Anon
Untitled
My body is perfect,
The way I see it,
I love every aspect,
I look like I’m really fit.
I play football,
And go to the gym,
But I can’t get a bird at all.
Colm McDaniel
Where
This is where all the girls who act the same become one,
This is where they call you names and laugh in your face
This is where confidence is crushed and insecurities are formed
This is the one place you hate to go because you know it won’t stop.
At home it’s different, its worse,
The girls that’s call you names are going out with drug dealers
And their treated as drugs being used when their wanted.
The alcohol that’s drank is to numb the pain that’s caused
By the abuse they face.
Erin Duffy
Sometimes
Sometimes it’s raising your voice,
Sometimes it’s making some noise,
You’ve got to tell the adults they were wrong,
You have a smile on your face,
But when you can’t see they the light,
When there’s no hope inside,
You’ve got to just,
Keep on moving on,
Numbers, percentages, letters, it doesn’t matter,
Albert Einstein once said: “Everybody’s a genius
But if you judge a fish on its ability to climb a tree,
It will live its whole life believing that it is stupid.”
Ashleigh Carroll
We Come From
We come from the computer room with white brick walls
To the half opened curtains and the half full bottles of water
Broken computers and chatty students
Laughter because we arent poets
Emma Murphy
We Are
We are sitting in class bored out of our minds
We are listening to teachers talking nonsense we’ll never even use
We are struggling with homework or exams
We are stressed, worried or maybe even depressed
We are struggling to juggle homework a social life and a hobbie
We are given out to if we’re behind with work
We are told to get over it, its normal
We are
Anon
Friend or Foe
Friend or foe
Out or inside
Revenge or respect
Give or receive
Include or exclude
Visit or avoid
Idolize or look down at
Never shut up or always talking
Good time or bad times
But all good friendships involve forgiveness
Séimí Casey
School Life
This school is a kip, It constantly makes us feel like crap.
The school system and education is all backwards,
When they should be teaching us things that will move us forwards in life.
The whole point of school is to prepare yourself for the real world.
When teachers put us down if we’re failing a subject
You won’t use ever again after your school life is over.
The teachers need to realise we’re young and try our best,
But were NOT all the same we won’t be ever.
“These are the best days of your life”
Is what the school keeps telling us and “enjoy your time here!”.
How are we supposed to enjoy our time in school?
When you’re constantly stressed out of your head,
Trying to keep up to the school or classes standards?
Subjects like history what do we need that for?
We should be learning about taxes, how to afford to live,
But no you’re forced to be on top
And go do pointless homework and class work all for what?
To achieve what the school wants from you for their benefit.
No matter how upset, stressed and depressed you get,
You have to be up too “school standards”
This is the reason so many young teenagers drop out of school,
Its too stressful for us trying our best
When were told it’s just not good enough.
Nicole Rock
I Won
Like in school people aren’t treated fair
Insecure but people don’t seem to care
For all the people who told me I’m done
Energy and strength proves that I won
Ben Murphy
Being Underwater
Day on the beach
The waves whisper to me
Calling me to the soft sand
The water sweeps over my feet
Surrounding where I stand.
Cian Tyrrell
Untitled
We are from Ballymun
We love the mun fun run
To Supervalu and the axis dinners
I love my area
The concrete jungle
This is what I call home
Chloe and Bobbi
Starring
Staring at the brick walls
All day everyday
Always listening to what they tell you to do and what they say
Sometimes I wonder why they get paid
Cian Tyrrell
School
School is a place
Countless sleepless nights
Hanging by my lace
Over the sites
In the end
It’ll all be fine
Seán Ó Braonáín