Jessica Leija

My first photography project this semester is a series of scanograms that tell a story or have a common theme. The story can be real, fictional, music lyrics, poems, etc. I have been brainstorming for a week and had not thought of a themed series that I was pleased with so I decided to go to my bookshelf in the office. On my bookshelf sits a book of poems and song lyrics I wrote during some tough years in my life. I haven't opened this book in over five years, but once reading through my work I decided that I am going to use one of my own pieces for this project. I have never let anyone ready my work, so this will be a new thing for me. It is a toss up between these two; let me know what you think:

Mysterious

You're mysterious.
What thoughts are flowing through your complicated mind?
What memories of your painful yesterday are you trying to leave behind?
How deep do your still and shallow waters run?
What noteworthy opportunities have you let rise and fall like the sun?
How many times has your soul grown lifeless and cold?
There is so much more to you then has been told.

But, I continue to gaze ahead hopelessly
That one day they see the real me...

The Marathon

I ran from my house
That cannot contain me
From the life I cannot keep

I ran from the noise
I ran from the silence
From the traffic on the streets

I ran through the forest,
I ran through the trees
I tried to leave my past behind me

I ran into the rain that matted my hair and soaked my shoes and skin

I hid my tears
I hid my face
I had become a disgrace

I was looking for myself
Looking for what God sees in me

I had no purpose
I had no reason

I ran past the church
I ran to the cemetary and prayed that God would take my life
Why should my life go on if I only bring others heartache and pain

I saw the crumbling tombstones
How sad and tragic
These people had lives and now they are just forgotten names

Why?

I don't want to go like that
I don't want to be lost and forgotten

So I began to run
I ran through the forest
I ran through the rain that soaked my shoes and skin
I ran past the church and got down and prayed

I ran to the lake, I ran to the sky
I ran from the noise and the silence of the traffic on the streets
I ran past my house, and never looked back

I am still running to this day;
But not from myself and my past...