© 2024 Public Radio Tulsa
800 South Tucker Drive
Tulsa, OK 74104
(918) 631-2577

A listener-supported service of The University of Tulsa
classical 88.7 | public radio 89.5
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

A crowd-sourced poem inspired by Public Radio Tulsa

Inspired by NPR's crowd-sourced poetry, the students at Tulsa Honor Academy wrote a poem reflecting on hopes and dreams for the school year.

Hope

Hope to inspire

I will inspire scholars to love learning this year,
I will be kind, help out my peers,
Do something good for the people who have helped me,
Practice resilience, persistence, integrity, existence.

Hope to dream

I want to be the best at video games,
Get better at soccer and playing the bass,
Get that truck I want before the school year ends,
Drive myself sane, never break, but bend.

Hope for learning

I hope my tutors can help me get my grades up,
I want to get my credits, graduate, matriculate,
Learn intentionally, help scholars with their individual goals,
Make learning fun, get my assignments done,

I want to learn how to save, how to be brave,
Take pride in being “nerdy” and ignore all the trolls.

Hope to be seen

I hope school and the community can get safer,
What I see is people falling apart, losing heart,
Not in their right minds, lost in the maze,
Sometimes I want to go home and sleep for 365 days,
I need to slow down, take care of myself,
Make myself happier, mind my health,
Remember to ask questions, especially the ones that may not have easy answers,
Pay attention, speak up, if I have to – yell,
And be the one who believes in my full potential.

Hope for tomorrow

Let me never say “I’m bored.” It is not a boring world.
Do activities that keep me motivated,
Be joyful and happy to be alive and aware and young,
Write stories, read books, draw, paint, and dance to music I love.

Hope for today

Let’s stay off our phones and look out at the world; it is so much bigger than our phones,
I want to stress less, be blessed through mess,
Spend more time in nature to keep me calm and refreshed,
Stay energized, not lazy, work hard, but allow myself to rest.

Hope for family

I want to have better relationships with friends, make amends,
Play volleyball with my brother, hug and kiss my mother,
Be grateful for everyone who shapes my life and even sacrifices for me to stay in this fight,
Appreciate them before they’re gone,
Care for those who suffer. And everyone suffers.

Hope to find my way

There is nothing I can’t do when I put my mind to it, even when it’s hard. I can do hard things.
I can ask for help.
I don’t know what the future holds,
I’m worried and excited and scared - will I reach my goals?
This year, I will listen to my emotions, choose joy, constructively use my rage,
Make my parents/boyfriend/mom/dad/girlfriend/teachers and tutors proud,
So they can stand in the crowd,
And watch me walk the stage.


Compiled by: Christian Threadgill
Written by: Students at Tulsa Honor Academy