“beautiful small things”

Composer: Emily Cooley
Poet: Ryan Harris

I want to see the world
not by the whole
but by the all too beautiful small things

My overwhelming emotion
is that there is always hope.

“In a big magical world”

In a big magical world
Quiet secrets noisily fill thoughts in my head
Nowhere to go, nothing to be said

Deserts behold God’s majesty
Mother Earth reigns over skies swirled
In a big magical world

I’m here,
Inside my head
Nowhere to go, nothing to be said

Ebb and flow of tide
Creep upon beautiful sands pearled
In a big magical world

In the lonely and tired brain
No soaring sounds escape their deathbed
Nowhere to go, nothing to be said

On a perfect day
My words flow to your ears
Across a big magical world
Everywhere to go, everything to be said

Amplify Series
ADvisory COUNCIL

“March 2017: Lucky”

Composer: Joel Balzun
Poet: Luke Burke
Performers: Olivia Doig, soprano; Florence Mak, piano

Want my voice to work.
So sorry my body won’t cooperate.
I am trying my best
but my body won’t listen to my brain.

I think I have a lucky family
Because they have me as a son.

“I belong” 

Composer: Rosśa Crean
Text: Nina Szabo
Performers: Quinn Middleman, mezzo-soprano; Florence Mak, piano

I belong to my world
I belong to my space
I belong to my universe
of magic and charm
I am the boss
You are the judge
I am the queen
of my very unique time

“In the Dark Night”

Composer: Tariq Al-Sabir
Text: Michael Zepf
Performers: Nicholas Ward, baritone; Florence Mak, piano

In the dark night
When the moon was white 
My sorrow was out of sight 
The world was looking all right

COMPOSITION OF A CITY

“Healing Journey”
Music and words by students of North Lawndale College Prep

Decisions in the past got me feeling lost
The situations and the outcome got me roaming in my thoughts
Yea my head is spinning don’t know what to do
Mentally ill and messed up, just trying to push through
Depression has its toll on me, anxiety through the roof
It may not seem like it now but your path is not an end
God has sent you down this road just to see you shine
To watch you bloom, to turn you into a better person of yourself
Self love is key. Once its there you know you won’t need nobody
Live love laugh
On your healing journey

“Hope!”

Composer: Michelle Isaac
Poet: Benjamin Smidt
Performers: Nicholas Ward, baritone; Florence Mak, piano

Do you ever feel trapped with no way out? Only thoughts, and no vehicle to deliver those thoughts? That was my life, and I was trapped with no exit. This was the case until I was 12 years old. I wanted to talk so bad it piloted my every prayer. Hope comforted me, because I knew that one day God would answer my prayer. So, in 6th grade, a necessary connection was made and the rest is now the story titled ‘Hope!’

During my sixth grade year, I wasn’t able to do much of anything. I had no challenge, no friendships, and I deeply craved both of those things. I always just wanted to die, because I had no life- at least that was my perception at the time. At school, I worked on getting the basics. They had no clue that I already knew them, and I would get so frustrated and livid when I couldn’t show them the correct response. I so desired to learn, yet at that time my dream was off the table. I did have two good things going for me, though, my family and trust in God! I had a mustard seed of faith, and a hope that God would eventually send the sunshine. That was my comfort at the time.

In the second semester of 6th grade, everything started to become hopeful. In December, my parents had met a lady from a church nativity program named Kristen. I started working with her a few times a week. She had given me a ton of challenges. I was introduced to so many rich topics: pre-algebra, poetry, wars, and hard readings that actually made me think. It was so exciting for me, but also so terrifying and hard. During the first few months, my arms ached because I was pointing and using my arms, wrist, and fingers for long periods of time. My challenges during my RPM lessons were major during the time as concentration, sitting, thinking, and writing were all unpracticed things. Yet, I grew and all of that became another common practice in my life. I was also afraid that eventually I would fail. I didn’t know if I would ever have a voice, like I do now. Still, I worked. Soon I had choices, and then a word. I never knew how liberating one word would be, but I finally was able to express. That had never been plausible or attainable in my life. It was a big ordeal.

A couple of months later, one word turned into a sentence and that turned into paragraphs and essays. Conditions in my life began to change, because I was now heard. Life became beautiful. I could have friends, go to school, take finals, chat with my parents and cousins, have a sleepover with a friend, share at church and the list goes on and on. I was freed from the snares of hopelessness.

In all of this, I found part of my purpose- even though at times I still get too emotionally involved with what I lack ;). I have, though, learned much. I now treasure what I was taught by the Lord- beauty comes from overcoming pain and obstacles in life. You see, during that time of anguish and anger towards God, I hoped that one day God would eventually use it all and make a treasure from all the pain. He did just that, and since finding my voice, I am hopeful. That is how hope came to be.

“Dare to see the beauty”

Composer: Corinne Klein
Poet: Matthew McGrath
Performers: Michelle Ravitsky, soprano; Florence Mak, piano

Time has stopped towing my worried, weary heart. 
Taunted by the patterns in my mind.  
Wanting to think of forgotten times takes me far away. 
To a theatre of wishes, loving the fears away. 

Love is wanting to go towards the worrisome places in kind ways. 
Teaching me that loneliness is a state of mind. 
Teaching me to calm myself while leaving my fears behind. 

Watching love amid the scariness becomes my truth. 
Taking chances to make music instead of wasted tears. 
Daring to see the beauty in my life 
Has given me hope amid my fears. 

Planning for a meaningful life wages a war within. 
To all the warriors, my sisters and brothers  
Healing can begin.

“Have a Happy Mind”

Composer: Nico Gutierrez
Poet: Pablo Hernandez
Performers: Michelle Ravitsky, soprano; Florence Mak, piano

So many things,
Weak things,
Make me happy.
Feeling love in my heart,
Feeling hope in my heart,
Being funny,
Being understood,
Having mom,
Having family,
Knowing math,
Knowing hard words,
Learning to understand Spanish,
Learning everything I can think through.
Little things,
Fun things,
Make me happy.

“This is my Voice”

Composer: Joel Balzun
Poet: Ryan Harris
Performers: Olivia Doig and Michelle Ravitsky, soprano; Quinn Middleman, mezzo-soprano; Nicholas Ward, baritone; Florence Mak, piano

In our world’s reality, we see what it means to walk the streets with success. This successful road requires a voice and organized senses. Reality is changed with a new understanding of how autism might make that look different. This won’t stop the hard truth that with stillness hard to find we are beings too. Within this new reality a voice can be found without words flowing from the mouth. This anxious life won’t change the hardships that go with it. This new imperfect reality is worth the pain that senses provide to share the importance of this new reality. No right reality is worth living without a voice to be heard.