Mentalzine

Poetry from the Youth Voice Panel We The 33%, Wednesday 22nd March 2023

Contents 3–Storm in my Head 4—The loss of a friend

6—Untitled 8—My fave place 9—Selected Poems 10—Excitement is a beach

11—It’s okay to…

12—Mental health quotes from last years We The 33 LGBTQ+ event 14—Gallery

17—Motivational Quotes

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*Storm in my head* What is this This is a swirling storm I can't get up my friends gone crying a flood I can't stop.

Where have I gone where's all my happiness where has everything gone what's this all over me…

How do I get out if here Everything is so loud I can't see straight I can't walk straight I feel dizzy help someone finally someone to help.

No no didn't work Who made me get stuck in this cycle every night watching the clock tick and tick not tired help me somone what are these voices around my head don't eat it falling onto my knees crying yeah I need someone to revive me

By Izzy

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education is preparing us for what? suffering, torment, bullying, for what? maybe dead by 19 maybe given up past secondary look how our parents turned out, look at what you’re doing to us our society,

our hierarchy, do they even realise how scarred most are? the system is for those who are white straight mentally stable hardworking

motivated those who get those 100% grades, straight A’s, forced into an establishment for someone else denied of autonomy, denied of their minds and their experience but what about those who go unnoticed, how we are left neglected, rotting, depressed, uncatered for by society’s cold machine, left alone to freeze in the streets, or slit our wrists, or cry in our classrooms over algebra, 6

who are we to speak out?

anarchists? antifascists? deviants? but we can’t speak, we are just a part of the mechanics that keep the economy in check, they say they care,

but they’re biased, tories, working for their own benefit, not ours, not us, the future, the only ones who could possibly save this shitshow, not for long, not until we reverse the damage that has corrupted our nation, go on, tell me off for drawing in class when it’s the only thing stopping me from letting my arms bleed out right there at my desk, and ignore me while i go ahead and do it, tell me to stop gazing, daydreaming, escaping from reality when you know you can’t stand it either, everything you say is wrong but if i tell you it is then i’m rude, disrespectful if i don’t call you sir or miss, force me to pull out a blade, force me to deny myself of human rights, and its just something we should get on with, its just school, its supposed to ruin your life

By James Hernandez 7

By Chloe 8

Poems by Shayleigh 9

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By Adam

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Favourite Motivational Quotes Suggested by our Youth Voice Panel

“The past can hurt, you can either run from it or learn from it” “That’s right. Humans will do anything for their family. Even if it means shamelessly lying or turning into a devil or demon. If that’s vile, then fear our depraved acts and keel over”

“In high school I developed a habit of wandering”

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