Woodland Hills High School Senior
AWARDED FOR POETRY
S
enior Creative Writing student Andre Hilliard was awarded “Best in
School” for his poem, “From Birth,” by the Carnegie Mellon University
Martin Luther King, Jr. Day Writing Awards. Andre attended the awards
ceremony at CMU with his Creative Writing teacher, Mr. John Danchisko, and
Andre was honored alongside high school and university writers from around
the region. Andre was presented with a plaque by CMU poetry professor Dr.
Jim Daniels to commemorate the occasion.
“From Birth” is reprinted with permission below:
From Birth
What is this white baby?
Birth from A caramel woman
Conceived by a male that has the complexion of Bark.
What is this, White?!
Color of freshly fallen snow, canvas for an artist.
What is this?
Created by night but came out bright like day.
God must of made him from spite, from my actions in life.
What is-
The meaning of him, drilled in a culture determined by his skin.
What!
But his head held high, high enough to see the heavens.
Cuddled up in my arms.
Warm from all danger.
In a colorless body, in a colorful world. But something did have color
The red beating of his heart.
The green in his grassy eyes!
The peachy pink his marshmallow cheeks!
“What is this white baby.” as I smiled.
Mr. John Danchisko, Andre Hilliard
Dr. Jim Daniels and Andre Hilliard
Andre Hilliard’s Family
30
WOODLAND HILLS