Presenting the 2021 Winners of the
Pasadena City College
Richard Scott Handley Memorial Award in Creative Writing!
The Richard Scott Handley Award began in 1994 and acknowledges the most distinguished creative writing by PCC students published in Inscape during the academic year. Award winners receive a certificate and a cash prize at the annual Spring English Division Awards ceremony. Winners are selected by the Inscape staff and Creative Writing faculty members.
ALEXIS CORINE MCGOWAN -DIVERSITY POEM
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Writer Alexis Corine McGowan is a multiracial disabled person who is a loving individual. Alexis Corine McGowan spent her whole life writing, which all started with vampires. Alexis Corine McGowan would like to leave a legacy that makes her cat-children proud and would like to inspire generations that come after hers. Created by stardust and supported by the people , Alexis Corine McGowan tries to stay humble and to enjoy life’s prosperous galaxy. |
Diversity Poem
You down there was chosen for love and sent directly from heaven above
Stop stop for she is not welcomed here
Her eyes are plain brown nothing like blue or green
Her hair isn’t curly enough for me to dance through
Excuse me my eyes may be brown but they shine lovely too
For you see my mouth might be large but it is soft to touch
You down there was chosen for love and sent directly from heaven above
Stop stop for she is not welcomed here
Her skin so dark she definitely has been out too long in the sun
She has made herself ugly and beauty can’t be helped
Though she may be a woman her body is fit for a boy
She is flat where more meat should be
Now that she’s fat all of it hangs out
Ew ew stop talking about her immediately
She’s indeed a monster not even close to a soft little flower
For you see my skin may be dark but that’s only because I have been kissed by the sun
You down there was chosen for love and sent directly from heaven above
Stop stop for she is not welcomed here
She claims to not identify with the gender she was born
Dear Lord please forgive her she is part of some weird organization of this generation
She clearly is dearly messed up in the head
What is this "they" as if you are multiple people
Don’t be absurd we don’t agree
She acts as if she’s some righteous king
For you see I may not identify with the gender I was assigned but I know surely
God knows it’s not a crime for he made me just the way I am
It was culture that assigned gender to me
You just want to put me in a box well I’m not meant for that because
I am a cat I go as I please with no need of authority
You down there was chosen for love and sent directly from heaven above
Stop stop for she is not welcomed here
Can’t you see she is not meant to hang out with us
She is living under the poverty line barely surviving
It can’t be helped that her hair and makeup can’t be kept
Ugh enough with the dramatics for you are overreacting
I may be poor but I'm living proof that anything can trap the youth
For you see that’s the American reality
No poor me or woo me it’s just I have to work harder to live among thee
You down there was chosen for love and sent directly from heaven above
Stop stop for she is not welcomed here
Her mental health is alarming and she surely needs to be locked up
She must be compelled to even think
It could be spread genetically don’t you think
The horror for those poor children
Take out her uterus for she cannot be a mother
It will ruin the family honor
For you see it’s called a personality disorder and having it makes me stronger
Despite all the trouble I never lose myself
There may come a time when I can help someone else
Mmm why does she act so proud
You down there was chosen for love sent directly from heaven above
Stop stop for she is not welcomed
Psst did you know she used to be homeless
Dear God and she still hasn’t made it
To live like the rest of us that is
She truly is a stereotype people that look definitely choose a hard life
For you see life got in the way of my mother’s education
We become homeless through electing the people in this nation who you call presidents
Ugh now she’s blaming other people and not herself
Mother was sent to go and family tossed a simple no
For living in this country isn’t as easy as they make it sound
Complain all you want but you are free to leave
Don’t you understand the blood that runs through my veins
This is my home even if you can’t see it
You down there was chosen for love sent directly from heaven above
Stop stop for she is not welcomed here
She can barely walk straight much less run
She clearly was punished after all
She walks around in complete sin
And it was people like you who made me angry
Honking the horn as I slowly walked
Staring at me funny because I’m so young
Talking about me as I slowly pass by
You down there was chosen for love sent directly from heaven above
Stop stop for she is not welcomed here
She is a vegan when most of the world eats meat
Why is the poor girl hurting herself
Where does she get her protein
Who does she think she is helping because it clearly isn’t me
Don’t be silly I conserve water protect the soil save the animals and combat world hunger
I’m my own personal superhero for the entire planet
No thanks we choose to stay with our meat
You down there was chosen for love and sent directly from heaven above
Stop stop for she is not welcomed here
We can’t believe she has completely forgotten her grandmother is white
Where is the support with this beautiful nation that God has kindly blessed us with
Please check your facts for my grandmother is Native American and white
This country is blessed by many Gods and people from all sorts of creeds
You clearly have been brainwashed there is only one God for every nation
The beauty of this country is due to us not other people
Your eyes are clearly full of hatred
For the beauty of this country is our differences
The language we speak may be different but we can understand each other because our message is love
Please if love is the message where is the solidarity when one is done wrong
We are still working on it
Though it’s hard because people think the pie isn’t big enough for all of us but it is
In this country we must realize that together we can do anything but individually we fall apart
I believe my generation and the future can bring beautiful change
Your mother should have taught you that we all come differently
Get used to it for you’ll always see the world black and white not the inbetween that it is
The message we need to spread love
The world will always keep changing but as long as we love we will be alright
Ew ew stop
I’m sorry if I offended anyone I’m just living my place in this world
(Thank you)
You down there was chosen for love and sent directly from heaven above
Stop stop for she is not welcomed here
Her eyes are plain brown nothing like blue or green
Her hair isn’t curly enough for me to dance through
Excuse me my eyes may be brown but they shine lovely too
For you see my mouth might be large but it is soft to touch
You down there was chosen for love and sent directly from heaven above
Stop stop for she is not welcomed here
Her skin so dark she definitely has been out too long in the sun
She has made herself ugly and beauty can’t be helped
Though she may be a woman her body is fit for a boy
She is flat where more meat should be
Now that she’s fat all of it hangs out
Ew ew stop talking about her immediately
She’s indeed a monster not even close to a soft little flower
For you see my skin may be dark but that’s only because I have been kissed by the sun
You down there was chosen for love and sent directly from heaven above
Stop stop for she is not welcomed here
She claims to not identify with the gender she was born
Dear Lord please forgive her she is part of some weird organization of this generation
She clearly is dearly messed up in the head
What is this "they" as if you are multiple people
Don’t be absurd we don’t agree
She acts as if she’s some righteous king
For you see I may not identify with the gender I was assigned but I know surely
God knows it’s not a crime for he made me just the way I am
It was culture that assigned gender to me
You just want to put me in a box well I’m not meant for that because
I am a cat I go as I please with no need of authority
You down there was chosen for love and sent directly from heaven above
Stop stop for she is not welcomed here
Can’t you see she is not meant to hang out with us
She is living under the poverty line barely surviving
It can’t be helped that her hair and makeup can’t be kept
Ugh enough with the dramatics for you are overreacting
I may be poor but I'm living proof that anything can trap the youth
For you see that’s the American reality
No poor me or woo me it’s just I have to work harder to live among thee
You down there was chosen for love and sent directly from heaven above
Stop stop for she is not welcomed here
Her mental health is alarming and she surely needs to be locked up
She must be compelled to even think
It could be spread genetically don’t you think
The horror for those poor children
Take out her uterus for she cannot be a mother
It will ruin the family honor
For you see it’s called a personality disorder and having it makes me stronger
Despite all the trouble I never lose myself
There may come a time when I can help someone else
Mmm why does she act so proud
You down there was chosen for love sent directly from heaven above
Stop stop for she is not welcomed
Psst did you know she used to be homeless
Dear God and she still hasn’t made it
To live like the rest of us that is
She truly is a stereotype people that look definitely choose a hard life
For you see life got in the way of my mother’s education
We become homeless through electing the people in this nation who you call presidents
Ugh now she’s blaming other people and not herself
Mother was sent to go and family tossed a simple no
For living in this country isn’t as easy as they make it sound
Complain all you want but you are free to leave
Don’t you understand the blood that runs through my veins
This is my home even if you can’t see it
You down there was chosen for love sent directly from heaven above
Stop stop for she is not welcomed here
She can barely walk straight much less run
She clearly was punished after all
She walks around in complete sin
And it was people like you who made me angry
Honking the horn as I slowly walked
Staring at me funny because I’m so young
Talking about me as I slowly pass by
You down there was chosen for love sent directly from heaven above
Stop stop for she is not welcomed here
She is a vegan when most of the world eats meat
Why is the poor girl hurting herself
Where does she get her protein
Who does she think she is helping because it clearly isn’t me
Don’t be silly I conserve water protect the soil save the animals and combat world hunger
I’m my own personal superhero for the entire planet
No thanks we choose to stay with our meat
You down there was chosen for love and sent directly from heaven above
Stop stop for she is not welcomed here
We can’t believe she has completely forgotten her grandmother is white
Where is the support with this beautiful nation that God has kindly blessed us with
Please check your facts for my grandmother is Native American and white
This country is blessed by many Gods and people from all sorts of creeds
You clearly have been brainwashed there is only one God for every nation
The beauty of this country is due to us not other people
Your eyes are clearly full of hatred
For the beauty of this country is our differences
The language we speak may be different but we can understand each other because our message is love
Please if love is the message where is the solidarity when one is done wrong
We are still working on it
Though it’s hard because people think the pie isn’t big enough for all of us but it is
In this country we must realize that together we can do anything but individually we fall apart
I believe my generation and the future can bring beautiful change
Your mother should have taught you that we all come differently
Get used to it for you’ll always see the world black and white not the inbetween that it is
The message we need to spread love
The world will always keep changing but as long as we love we will be alright
Ew ew stop
I’m sorry if I offended anyone I’m just living my place in this world
(Thank you)
DALIDA MOSESI - GREEN SUMMER
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Dalida Mosesi, 19, is currently a Sophomore at Pasadena City College. As she slowly approaches the fulfillment of her Associate’s Degree, she hopes to transfer to New York University and further her education in English Literature and Politics. Dalida has an eclectic taste of interests, ranging from resolutely following a three-day long recipe, to sewing handbags for her small-business WonderGirls USA. Taking up Creative Writing never occurred to Dalida until she enrolled in English 5A: Introduction to Creative Writing with Professor Akilah Brown. Dalida now considers poetry as one of her sole creative outlets; it has allowed her to find a constant in her ever-turbulent life. At the end of the day, Dalida is a proud Armenian with hopes to one day be called "Congresswoman" or "Senator" where she hopes to ensure that the struggles of her country are made known on a worldwide scale. In the meantime, she holds herself to the standard that as long as she has a voice, she will use it to spread the word about issues addressing every group that has been subordinated by unequal systems of power.
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Green Summer
The smell of the freshly cut grass sends me into a mirage:
Flashbacks to our feet in mossy ponds,
Long drives beyond the pines,
And the stare of those emerald eyes that once looked into mine.
I sense your pistachio painted fingers graze against my cheek
And my hands in your cerulean sweater that I kept for a week.
Without you here all I see are seaweed skies
And sea foam tears that fill my eyes,
But then I remember the taste of your lime lies
And forget all about the green summer that you were mine.
The smell of the freshly cut grass sends me into a mirage:
Flashbacks to our feet in mossy ponds,
Long drives beyond the pines,
And the stare of those emerald eyes that once looked into mine.
I sense your pistachio painted fingers graze against my cheek
And my hands in your cerulean sweater that I kept for a week.
Without you here all I see are seaweed skies
And sea foam tears that fill my eyes,
But then I remember the taste of your lime lies
And forget all about the green summer that you were mine.
Katherine Wall - SAVE THE DATE
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Katherine Wall is a writer who wants to be a musician, a musician who wants to be a comedian, and a comedian who wants to be a writer. She grew up in south Louisiana where she studied English as an undergraduate, and now lives in Los Angeles where she enjoys attempting to make cool stuff, and even when that falls through - enjoys getting to be a part of the exciting community surrounding the attempt. Her band is called “Women Tied to Railroad Tracks,” and her comedic web series is @thespykidstwo.
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SAVE THE DATE
I cannot believe
You are driving to your own wedding
Without me
Braking in the gravel driveway
To scroll down to the right song
Before you leave
And drinking mostly-not-coffee
In a spaghetti strap dress
Flipping off the church we hated
Used to call it:
Fear and loathing
In our hometown, Jennings
And I cannot believe you waited
Seven years longer than
We used to sit in the grass and plan
And you got an arm of stick and poke tats
Learned to talk to more people than I can
And became parents
To your parents
When they reached for each other’s necks
In that yellow house from 1908
The same age as mine which I haven’t seen
Since I had that great day with you
Before I knew
I’d miss your wedding
It only took a global infectious disease
I cannot believe
You are driving to your own wedding
Without me
Braking in the gravel driveway
To scroll down to the right song
Before you leave
And drinking mostly-not-coffee
In a spaghetti strap dress
Flipping off the church we hated
Used to call it:
Fear and loathing
In our hometown, Jennings
And I cannot believe you waited
Seven years longer than
We used to sit in the grass and plan
And you got an arm of stick and poke tats
Learned to talk to more people than I can
And became parents
To your parents
When they reached for each other’s necks
In that yellow house from 1908
The same age as mine which I haven’t seen
Since I had that great day with you
Before I knew
I’d miss your wedding
It only took a global infectious disease
2021 Handley Finalists
We had a number of excellent pieces to consider for the 2021 Handley Award this year. The following students and alumni were short-listed as finalists for this award! You can find their work in the pages of Inscape Magazine!
Sean Ban - Poetry - Expectations - Published in the 2021 February Folio Online
Aurora Lyons - Poetry - Rain on my Heart - Published in the Spring 2021 Print Issue of Inscape Magazine
Amanda Luansing - Creative Non Fiction - Gentrification: Where does it start, Where does it end? - Published in Spring 2021