Promoting Healthy Youth

Using Haiku Poetry and Creative Expression


The event

On Saturday, October 13, 2007 Healthy Haiku went on the road to the sunny island of St. Croix of the US. Virgin Islands.  At the invitation of Ms. Barbara Jackson of the Virgin Islands Perinatal Organization and the Women's Collaborative, Dr. Imani Ma’at and husband Mr. Rahn Stevens held a phenomenal workshop for 15 of the islands brightest youth.  The 4 - hour workshop was graciously hosted by the Florence Williams Public Library of Christiansted.

What they said about the workshop

What did you like the most?

"The role play"

"getting to be in groups and meeting new people"

"role play scenarios"

"the information given on health issues."

Other Comments:

"The workshop was amazing!...I enjoyed every aspect"

"Please come back; you were perfect!"

"I'm really glad that my counselor chose me to come here.  It was a great experience. I learned a lot"

 

 

 

The poems that they wrote

Weed is more my speed

It's all I need to succeed.

and now I can't breathe

(By Bianca)

 

So isn't it wack

Whitney and Bobby smoked crack

What is up with that?

 

It was not a knife

It was drugs that took his life.

Now that wasn't right.

 

Please stop violence

Don't turn away from the truth

Blood!  Too many guns.

(by Ayanna  Warner)

 

He hits me today.

Says he loves me tomorrow

What a love. huh?

(by Dashka Miller)

 

Interpersonal Violence (non-haiku)

Staring at you, not believing what you did

Like a card game, you played me like a little bird.

I dropped to the floor from that one blow

Blood stopping, dripping, isn't able to flow.

Violence, so strong!

It took one time and I was.....Gone.

(by Ayanna Warner)

 

More poetry from the fabulous St.Croix Youth!

 

DELAYING SEX (non-haiku)

We're lying in the bed

We had sex..now in the clinic

Wating to hear Next?

 

It lasted an hour

So now it's over

You asked - "where's the condom?"

He said, "over there on the counter."

 

SUICIDE (Non-haiku)

Popped the pilles

made her sick

Mom got mad..hit her in the face.

Today she popped again.

Now her funeral is at 2pm.

(by Jatoya Josephat - all three poems)

 

OBESITY/NUTRITION

Cereal Killer

I am a cereal killer you know why?

because I eat cereal like every day, no lie!

I eat cereal with milk, jam, an even jelly.

I'm so good when its in my belly!

It taste so god - don't you know?

I like to eat it nice and slow.

Eating all the crunchy cereal - it taste so good!

I' eat all the cereal in the world if I could.

I'm a cereal killer - you know why?

Because I eat cereal like every day, no lie.

(by Ajeeb Prince, aka "Mouse")