Collin College: DigitalCommons@Collin

Artwork from the 2025 edition of Forces on display in the Art Gallery.https://digitalcommons.collin.edu/forcesexhibition2025/1025/thumbnail.jp

FORCES - 26

Artwork from the 2025 edition of Forces on display in the Art Gallery.https://digitalcommons.collin.edu/forcesexhibition2025/1036/thumbnail.jp

FORCES - 37

Charcoal - 2025 18”x24” Instructor Carter Scaggs: Drawing IIhttps://digitalcommons.collin.edu/studentinvitational2025/1011/thumbnail.jp

Madariaga, Pilar

Feathers

Archival Pigment Print - 2024 16”x20” Instructor Nathanael Rehlander: Illustrativehttps://digitalcommons.collin.edu/studentinvitational2025/1020/thumbnail.jp

Tran, Vy

Hydration

Spray Paint and Oil on Canvas - 2025 24”x48” Instructor Jennifer Seibert: Design IIIhttps://digitalcommons.collin.edu/studentinvitational2025/1041/thumbnail.jp

Stock, Tristan Alexander

Posty 2016

Graphite, Color Pencil,  9x12 Sketchbook Paper - 2025 9”x12” Instructor Carter Scaggs: Drawing IIhttps://digitalcommons.collin.edu/studentinvitational2025/1044/thumbnail.jp

Thao, Hannah

Research & Development Series Worldbuilding Concept Notes

Acrylic on Canvas - 2025 16”x12” Instructor Patrick Lewis: Art Appreciationhttps://digitalcommons.collin.edu/studentinvitational2025/1060/thumbnail.jp

Matthews, Caris

Why Can I Not See Myself 
in Your Eyes

Sol, June

Forces 
Volume 2025 Article 2 
5-16-2025 
Agradecido 
June Sol 
Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.collin.edu/forces 
Recommended Citation 
Sol, June (2025) "Agradecido," Forces: Vol. 2025, Article 2. 
Available at: https://digitalcommons.collin.edu/forces/vol2025/iss1/2 
This Poem is brought to you for free and open access by DigitalCommons@Collin. It has been accepted for 
inclusion in Forces by an authorized editor of DigitalCommons@Collin. For more information, please contact 
mtomlin@collin.edu. 
5 2
Agradecido
June Sol
te extraño, para que te miento. 
extraño hablando español contigo.
tú eres la única persona que me ha escuchado hablar así.
me acuerdo de todas nuestras aventuras, de todas las cosas bonitas que me decías, 
o que me hacías sentir.
si lloré.
alamejor se mira como que no me importo, pero fue todo lo contrario.
me dolió, porque tu empezaste a importarme mucho.
quería, y todavía, quiero lo mejor para ti.
veo que tu alma está luchando para sobrevivir. 
viéndote en desolación es algo muy difícil de recibir.
y viendo que agregas a tu sufrimiento es algo tan doloroso que ningún lenguaje podría describir.
yo era así como tu hace una vez. 
sé como piensas y tu forma de ser.
y si esa última línea te hace sentir de alguna forma, pues es porque te puedo leer. 
me tomo mucha disciplina de no tocar tus cortadas y heridas.
porque se que cuando alguien pisa mal, queremos lastimarlos mas que nos lastimaron a nosotros.
vi lo que construiste.
puede ser que a ti se te figuran como paredes, pero a mi se me hace más como una prisión. 
te quiero mucho.
te quiero dar todo mi corazón y más.
pero no te amo tanto como para entrar ahí contigo. 
por favor entiende que me debo de amar yo también.
grateful


Agradecido

Ake, Dina E.

Forces 
Volume 2025 Article 4 
5-16-2025 
Beasts of Steel 
Dina E. Ake 
Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.collin.edu/forces 
Recommended Citation 
Ake, Dina E. (2025) "Beasts of Steel," Forces: Vol. 2025, Article 4. 
Available at: https://digitalcommons.collin.edu/forces/vol2025/iss1/4 
This Poem is brought to you for free and open access by DigitalCommons@Collin. It has been accepted for 
inclusion in Forces by an authorized editor of DigitalCommons@Collin. For more information, please contact 
mtomlin@collin.edu. 
7
F O R C E S    I    2 O 2 5
Beasts of Steel 
Dina E. Ake
Ships are giant beasts of steel.
The steel wraps around its engine of a heart forming the steel rib cage. 
Its heat melts snow and boils the water inside of its hull.
As they push through the waves, their heart beats faster.
This conquering of the waves is a testament of what humans will do to control nature.
The bigger the ship the more it shows how humanity can control it and turn its will against itself. 
But even the greatest giants can be taken by a simple storm if not ready.
Hubris will always be the downfall of giants.
One mistake or lapse of judgment and you fall away to the ocean, down beneath the sea, 
where its heart can no longer beat.
Where humanity cannot conquer.
It is hubris to think that a ship is unsinkable or humanity is unkillable. 
It is laughable.
You can always beat the giant. 
Hubris will always be its downfall.
They fight against the waves and have won for so long, they think they can weather any storm, 
only to be taken away by the waters.
They have fired their guns so long and all the other ships have fallen to the waves.
They say they cannot be defeated but all it takes is one storm and they are lost to the waves. 
They sink into the depths to be forgotten like the rest of the “unsinkable” ships.
Only remembered for their failure and mistakes.
It will be laughed at by other ships, saying “to think they thought they were unsinkable,” 
all the while they think the same of themselves.
Hubris claims us all.
From the biggest giant to the smallest person.
You cannot beat your own pride when you cannot see it as the problem.  
Hubris hides that you even have pride.
They see themselves as perfect and unstoppable and their hubris blinds them that 
even the smallest ships can split the waves.
The giant splitting the wave doesn’t make it unique. 
The only thing that makes it unique is how hard it falls.
beasts


Beasts of Steel

Lorenzo, D.J.

Forces 
Volume 2025 Article 23 
5-16-2025 
Hey! What's Skitching? 
D.J. Lorenzo 
Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.collin.edu/forces 
Recommended Citation 
Lorenzo, D.J. (2025) "Hey! What's Skitching?," Forces: Vol. 2025, Article 23. 
Available at: https://digitalcommons.collin.edu/forces/vol2025/iss1/23 
This Poem is brought to you for free and open access by DigitalCommons@Collin. It has been accepted for 
inclusion in Forces by an authorized editor of DigitalCommons@Collin. For more information, please contact 
mtomlin@collin.edu. 
6 1
F O R C E S    I    2 O 2 5
Hey! What’s Skitching?
D. J. Lorenzo
Grey mush fills the early morning sky 
LaGuardia bound Boeing 727 Fly-By
Bitter Cold Stings the Nose 
Water Frozen in the Hose
Heading to Steinway Street … Astoria’s JHS 141
Going down 21st Ave., is where we have our Fun
Astoria, one of NY’s finest blue-collar Neighborhoods
JHS called Middle School … in Yall’s neck of these woods
Black Ice covers the Street
At the Corner, at the stoplight
 Is Where We Meet
Waiting for the Opportune Ride 
Behind parked Cars is where we hide
Run Up behind … as one comes to a stop
Duck-Down, rear bumper grab-on, Flippety-Flop
Unaware Driver is what is sought
Sliding Sneakers on the Ice, Don’t Get Caught
Carbon Monoxide inhalation, Euphoric Ride 
Hold on Tight! … Enjoy the Slide!
Nearing school, the heart is a Thumper 
Release, tuck and roll
Mittens still stuck to that Bumper
Happiest Place on Earth   I   
Brittany Cortez


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FORCES - 26

FORCES - 37

Feathers

Hydration

Posty 2016

Research & Development Series Worldbuilding Concept Notes

Why Can I Not See Myself in Your Eyes

Agradecido

Beasts of Steel

Hey! What\u27s Skitching?

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