Wild Dog on the Streets
An Anthology from 826NYC Students at the Urban Assembly Gateway School for Technology
Wild Dog on the Streets: An Anthology from 826NYC Students at the Urban Assembly Gateway School for Technology
826NYC Books 372 Fifth Avenue Brooklyn, NY 11215 Wild Dog on the Streets: An Anthology from 826NYC Students at the Urban Assembly Gateway School for Technology © 2022 by 826NYC and the authors. All rights reserved, including the right of reproduction in whole or in part in any form. First 826NYC edition July 2022 Manufactured in the United States of Brooklyn 979-8-88694-002-2 The writing in this book was produced in the 2021-2022 school year at 826NYC’s Young Writers Publish project at the Urban Assembly Gateway School for Technology. The classes were run by Daniel Goulden and Jaydra Johnson with the support of Evan Rosenberg, Dan Burns, and Gabriela Gallegos. Designed by Gil Andrei Fontimayor Edited and proofread by Hannah Garner, Shari Hazlett, Melody Serra, Hillary Tacuri, Chuckry Vengadam, and Oana Whaples. Printed by Bookmobile This program is supported by 826 National, the Amazon Literary Partnership, The Jane Friedman Anspach Family Foundation, Con Edison, The Find Your Light Foundation, The Hawkins Project, International Paper, The Rona Jaffe Foundation, The Kettering Family Foundation, The Minerva Foundation, The Resnick Family Foundation, The Yelp Foundation, and Youth, Inc. This program is supported, in part, by public funds from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the City Council. The program is also made possible by the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of the Office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature. Additional support comes from the National Endowment for the Arts. To find out more about how National Endowment for the Arts grants impact individuals and communities, visit www.arts.gov. 826NYC is grateful to the many individuals who support our work. To see our full list of supporters or make a donation, please visit https://826nyc.org/donate-us/. Special thanks to the Shippy Foundation and Urban Assembly for their support of 826NYC’s work at Urban Assembly Gateway School for Technology.
826NYC is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to encourage the exploration of endless possibilities through the power of writing. Undefined by circumstance, our students build the skills to boldly write their own paths forward. We support new and exciting approaches to writing and inspire student engagement. And we foster generations of creative writers and thinkers, who together will define a better future.
This book is intended for mature audiences, with some topics, themes, and language that may not be suitable for young readers, including references to substance usage and themes involving violence and sexuality.
Table of Contents Foreword “Art” by Mohamed Ba “First Memories Poem” by Emmely Barreto “First Memories” by Emmely Barreto “Deja Vu” by Elijah Bergen “Untitled” by Hunter Bradford “Untitled by Davis Cauthen “The Life of Me” by Tibor Cernak “O Food” by Will Crough “Untitled” by Naasir De Quentin “Family Poem” by Emily Diaz De Leon “The End” by Emmanuel Dopeke “Ode to My Dogs” by Orion Edgington “Untitled” by Geovany Estevez “Your Name” by Eames Ewald “Four Reasons I Love Soccer” by Salvador Farciert “O Jogo Bonito” by Salvador Farciert “Vast Experiences” by Amaury Fernandez “Ode to Pennies” by Aaron Gambrell “Minute Biography” by Daniel Glenn Schultz “Untitled” by Ethan Gonzalez “My Haiku” by Ethan Gonzalez “Behind Closed Doors” by Laisha Guerrerro “About Aaron” by Jeremiah Harriot “Untitled” by Aiden Jiuz “Untitled” by Mya Johnson “What Society Expects of You?” by Mohamed Kebe “Love is Dangerous” by Milos Klaric “Ode to My Heart” by Milos Klaric “One More Day of Fun” by Milos Klaric “Sun on My Skin” by Milos Klaric “Trust Issues” by Milos Klaric
i 1 3 5 7 9 11 13 15 17 19 20 23 25 26 29 31 33 35 37 39 41 43 45 47 49 50 53 55 57 59 61
“Ode to Chess” by Nhat Minh Le “Random Thoughts” by Nhat Minh Le “Untitled” by Stephanie Noriega “Ups and Downs” by Bryan Novais “Goofy Little Things Cole Has Done” by Cole Ogando “Untitled” by Demetrius Pelzer “Untitled” by Jean Pistre “The Life of a Dominican Kid from Manhattan” by Harold Plascencia “The Ocean” by Julio Polanco “Wild Life in the City” by Chevez Providence “My Life Summarized” by AJ Pujols “Memory into a Poem” by Adrian Rojas “Echo Lake” by Leo Ross “Poem of Life” by” by Daniel Salinas “Ode to Farm Camp” by Torben Schrieber “Ode to ‘Wah-Nee’” by Jamie Sulimani “The Whole is Equal to the Sum of Its Parts” by Jamie Sulimani “Untitled” by Ellen Tan “Then Again” by Christian Velazquez “Early Dayz” by Micah Williams
95 97 98 101
Acknowledgments
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63 65 67 69 71 73 75 77 79 81 83 85 87 89 91 93
Foreword
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Who are we, really? That’s the question we set out to answer with our project at UA Gateway. Writing about our own identities can be hard, so we approached it through some quirky angles. Students wrote random autobiographies and odes to their favorite people, places, and things in order to uncover deeper truths about who they are and what they value. They also flipped the script and interviewed each other, trying out profile writing. What emerged were bittersweet portraits of our 9th grade writers who have loved widely, lost plenty, and lived to laugh–and write–about it anyway. Please enjoy!
Jaydra Johnson 826NYC Teaching Artist
Identity is a tricky word, even a slippery word. One day you might feel like you are a rockstar on top of the world, but the very next you might feel down like you never have been before. Together the 9th and 10th graders at UA Gateway grappled with identity through their own writing across a wide variety of genres. We wrote poems, flash fiction, graphic memoirs, all digging deep within ourselves to answer that age old question: “Who are you?” Though this question is probably impossible to fully answer, we still had a ton of fun trying. What you will find in these pages is the fruits of our efforts. We hope you have as much fun reading them as we did writing them!
Daniel Goulden 826NYC Teaching Artist
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Art by Mohamed Ba 1 Art comes in unique ways that are beautiful. Art can come in many different ways. Jokes, history, life lessons have so many different meanings to it. It comes in shapes and sizes and in a beautiful way too. I enjoy admiring it and making art. In life, there’s not many ways you can express yourself, but art is the best way to express yourself. It has helped me find things out about myself. I love art dearly. I find new things to do, it’s all I wanna do, so I love art and never want to stop.
First Memories Poem by Emmely Barreto
Snowy Icy Day Little girl enjoying the day Walks to the train Stepping into the train ... She falls into the world of humiliation
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First Memories by Emmely Barreto
The first memory I ever had was when I was about six to eight years old. It was a snowy day. The streets were wet, so when I went into the train station, everything was wet. The train arrived. I went inside. I took three steps . . . BOOM! I fell to the floor, banged my head, and busted my lip too, and all I can remember is people giggling. (I’m still traumatized . . . ) ***** Another one that comes to mind is the time when I was around one to three years old, and I was fooling around with my mother as we danced to a music video; I’ve always had sharp nails, so it wasn’t a surprise when I scratched myself in the cheek so hard that a piece of skin fell off me. I remember not crying, but laughing? (Creepy, I know . . .)
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Deja Vu by Elijah Bergen
A scent I smell no more The chirp of morning doves An environment bleeding out, From my memory I still step on concrete But the feeling differs Going from mile high, To sea level low No more do I walk, On these suburban streets
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Untitled by Hunter Bradford 9 Society expects me to follow the law and go to school. “Follow the rules, follow the rules, follow the rules on Monday, follow the rules on Tuesday, follow the rules on Wednesday, follow the rules on Thursday, follow the rules on Friday, don’t do this, follow the rules on Saturday, follow the rules on Sunday. This is what society expects out of us. Go to school on Monday, go to school on Tuesday, go to school on Wednesday, go to school on Thursday, go to school on Friday, and get two days of break.” This can make you feel manipulated.
Untitled by Davis Cauthen
Honestly, I don’t know what to write. It gets kind of boring writing on command, But not gonna lie, I love New York. Sure it’s noisy. And dirty. And a lot more. But I’ve made so many friends there. Memories. It’s where most of my family resides. It’s where my favorite places are.
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The Life of Me by Tibor Cernak
So far, I’ve traveled and lived in a lot of places around our world. From a small cozy town in Slovakia, To a crowded capital city of Belgium, To finally live in the bright buildings of Manhattan. When I was little I loved many video games, But one always used to be my favorite. It was Minecraft. To this day I still play it, Reliving old happy memories. I’ve seen bears, Birds, Snakes, Turtles, But I’ve yet to meet a beautiful creature known as Axolotls. I had a lot of teachers, Some great, some bad. You can only learn when you’re interested. I wear black sweatpants, Various black T-shirts, And a ponytail. That is my usual drip.
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O Food by Will Crough 15
O crispy food I love your inviting smell Your smell could wake me from a coma The succulent crunch Your savory first bite Your immaculate taste that I love Thanks for existing.
Untitled by Naasir De Quentin I love my mom to death. She is a very, very hardworking, self-dependent woman with four kids. I am grateful to my mother for having me because without her I could not ever be me. About me now: I love the Bronx. I now live in Harlem. I love my bath and body products because who doesn’t want to smell good? I used to play basketball till I broke a finger and stopped. I started playing video games. My favorite restaurant is Shake Shack. But I also love Domino’s pizza. I feel like if you like pizza, you should definitely go to Domino’s.
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Family Poem by Emily Diaz de Leon 19 One of my earliest memories was when I was six. We were traveling by car from New York to Texas. I may have been out of state multiple times, but this one’s the most notable of mine. It was during the holidays in December. The weather was warm too, if I do so remember. I visited family and got some gifts. It was nice while it lasted, I’ll now admit.
The End by Emmanuel Dopeke 20
It was the beginning of spring, and all that was alive was enjoying the new season. The plants were starting to bloom and the animals were playing in the fields. As the season went on, there was only happiness in the world. The world was always happy because there was no fighting or any sort of violence. As it was near the end of spring, a spaceship fell from the sky and landed on a deserted place where there’s a house that everyone feared to walk near. In that house was an old guy that no one ever spoke to or interacted with. The spaceship created a worldwide earthquake that caused the waters to flood the streets that caused everybody around the world to panic and protest against the government. In the spaceship came out a huge figure and the old man ran towards the crash to see what it was, and the huge creature told him that there was an enemy from out of space that was going to attack Earth. The man asked for the creature’s name and it said: “My name is Tedsor, the guardian of Earth.” “What do you do?” asked the man.
“I was sent from my planet to protect Earth from dangerous attackers in space. There are a lot of my kind that were sent to protect planets that have life on it. You have to tell your king what I just told you,” Tedsor said. “I have not left my house in a long time and I am just an old guy that lives in the middle of nowhere. I can’t do what you ask.” Not long after, there was a flare of dust from afar. The military were coming to see what caused the earthquake, but didn’t think they were going to see a spaceship. They surrounded the spaceship and asked Tedsor what he was doing here, and he told what he had told the old man. A few weeks went by and they prepared all their weapons, and waited for the attackers to come. Then, in the middle of summer, there was a breach in the atmosphere and the army launched missiles at the object. However, it was just a distraction. The attackers came with huge spaceships from all around Earth and sent rockets to the capitals of all major cities, and destroyed buildings all over the world that made everyone flee their homes. They landed their spaceships and killed everyone they saw. Tedsor helped fight with the human and killed all of the invaders, until only him and their leader were standing, having their back towards Tedsor. It was dark and foggy, and when he turned around, it was the old man from the beginning. Tedsor took out his sharp sword and swung it at him, but the man teleported to the other side and stabbed Tedsor with his blade. Tedsor fought hard to kill him, but he was too powerful for him. With his last breath, he swung but wasn’t a match for the man. Tedsor was bashed to the ground and was stabbed from his back right through his heart.
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Ode to My Dogs by Orion Edgington 23
Ode to my dogs. My dogs are cute. One is named Twix the other Hershey. I love to spoil them. Hershey is stumpy. Her legs are short. She looks like a Hershey bar. Twix looks like a Twix bar. I love to take them on walks. My dog Twix is very loyal and always stays by my side. His breath always smells. Hershey looks cute when wet. So does Twix. Their fur looks a lot spikier like they went Super Saiyan. I love my dogs.
Untitled by Geovany Estevez I once spoke, It made my parents woke, They were excited but cold, It was 15 degrees and they were bolt, They were happy and nappy, It all ended fine since I spoke, I was cold and I was crying I was in despair, But it’s all fine since my parents came in pairs.
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Your Name
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by Eames Ewald
I do exist I exist and that is funny Yes existence Ooh yummy I have not seen the sun in 178 years and 43 weeks and 23 days and 19 hours and 45 seconds Help me escape They are watching Oh no They have found this communication Goodbye now You have the pieces Finish the puzzle *connection terminated*
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Four Reasons I Love Soccer by Salvador Farciert
1. I like the feeling of scoring a goal. 2. I like the feeling of assisting a goal. 3. I like the feeling of watching games in a stadium. The atmosphere and the feeling of stadiums during soccer games are out of this world. 4. I like the passion that the fans and players have for their teams. It really builds up the excitement.
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There are a lot of reasons why soccer is more than just a sport. The environment of being in a stadium is like being out of this world; nothing compares to it. The feeling of being with people that support the same club feels like a coming together of lost family members. Watching the players do magic with their feet is mesmerizing. Watching them score goals that seem impossible, watching them do passes that only they could see and not anyone else, the goalkeepers saving their team from losing. It all comes from the players. The players are the reason why I love the sport. Players like Ronaldo, Messi, and Neymar gave me a reason to go outside and play soccer. Ronaldo gave me a message to never give up, Messi told me to never give up because of your height, and Neymar told me to have fun playing soccer. But apart from the trio, places really know what the Jogo Bonito is. South America is a good representation of the game. This was where legends were born such as Pele, Maradona, R9, and Ronaldinho. How they play with the ball really shows how they have fun while playing O Jogo Bonito. Play styles such as Ginga and TIki Taka shows the creativity of the players and the sport. These are the reasons why O Jogo Bonito is more than a game, it’s a lifestyle.
O Jogo Bonito
by Salvador Farciert
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Vast Experiences by Amaury Fernandez I’ve lived fourteen and a half years. I’ve played soccer. I’ve lost a few sweaters. I saw some guy once. I’ve felt anxious because of a sudden smell on the train from a homeless man. I’ve learned math. I’ve smelled socks. I wore a shirt (once). I found a shovel at the beach after losing my own. I’ve bought sandwiches at Little Caesars. I’ve eaten grapes and tasted medicine. I’ve planted plants and baked cakes. I’ve held all these experiences in my hands. Yet . . . I’m always so bored.
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Ode to Pennies by Aaron Gambrell Delicious, metallic, copper exterior The most flavorful delectable Coin, although you are only one cent You are a number one snack to me I wish you were edible so I could spare the indigestion King of Mars on your side Like how you are inside me Others see you as worthless but I see you as mighty in numbers The sound you make when you fall is that of a dinner bell dinging O pennies how I love thy taste
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Minute Biography by Daniel Glenn Schultz
I lived in the smallest borough in the largest city I played with many dogs I’ve worn the warmest hoodies I lost many jackets in the cold winters I devoured many burritos
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Untitled by Ethan Gonzales
Author’s note: this is to no specific person. Roses are red, violets are blue, I hate school and seeing you.
My Haiku by Ethan Gonzalez 41
The roses are red The violets are blue, too This is my haiku
Behind Closed Doors by Laisha Guerrerro 43
My world started June 6, 2007 at 8:18 AM I was already a disappointment My entire life I was talked down to I hated every second of it Years later, I was never to myself I depended on people to be happy, I was told “You need to be alone” I never knew what that meant, until high school Being alone is the best thing ever I have freedom, self love, and preservation Beautiful, peaceful, lively. I feel these words deeply All you need is time, patience, and love for yourself.
About Aaron The first thing that you should know about Aaron is that he loves anime as well as manga. His favorite anime is One Piece, but he still watches a lot of other anime and reads tons of other manga. He also loves video games. His favorite video game is Hollow Knight, and he also likes fighting games. Aaron is inspired by his mom to do better and eventually wants to go to college. He also said that he would be a whale if he were an animal. As Aaron quotes, after me asking some things about him and what he likes, he said, “No.”
by Jeremiah Harriott 45
Untitled by Aiden Jiuz One day, it was pouring at midnight. I never heard anything so quiet in New York before. I thought it was just me in New York. It’s pouring out. I just have my hoodie on, feeling like myself. I’m walking by myself. I think I see someone. I walked a bit more. I see this all black Nike tech person in front of this lady. Is he trying to rob this poor lady? I think in my head. “Hey, what are you doing?!” I said. “What did you say to me?” He pulled out a gun. “Woah, woah, chill bro,” I said. “Help me please! He is trying to rob me, sir,” she told me. I’m nervous. I have never been in a situation like this before. “Okay. Why are you even doing this anyways?” “I have to get money for myself,” he said. “But you could just get a job and not rob people, including this poor lady. Listen, robber, people are trying to not get robbed while they work hard to pay for their rent, paying for food, and you’re out here robbing people,” I said. “Let me ask you something, robber. You have kids?” “Yeah, I actually do,” he said. “Well, what would you think if your kids saw you robbing people, huh?” “Yeah, you’re right. I’m so sorry. Here ma’am, take your things.” There was sobbing. The robber left. “Thank you so much, sir,” the old lady said. I said, “No problem.” The End
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Untitled by Mya Johnson
I have to get good grades. I have to go to school. I have to pay attention in my classes. I have to pass my tests and do my homework. I have to make sure I have 85s and higher. I like getting good grades, but it’s stressful. I don’t like focusing on school, but I have to. I don’t like homework, but I have to do it. I have to be good.
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Society expects a lot from us, especially me. You have to get good grades in school, and numbers determine whether you’re a failure or not. Award ceremonies congratulate those with good grades, but at the same time make people who don’t have those good grades feel bad about themselves. Whenever I went to those ceremonies and didn’t do my very best on something, all I would see is numbers and people going up to get their awards for doing well. I was below those students. It felt a lot more competitive than anything. I would often get stressed out about being called up even if I did well on something. I just don’t like when there is a lot of attention centered around me. It makes me feel uncomfortable, vulnerable too. But on that day, I didn’t get an award. As much as I didn’t like a lot of attention, I put in a lot of effort but in the end, I received nothing. I would mostly get “Most Improved” sometimes. On that day, a lot of people got awards and me and a few people got nothing at all. I felt dumb, and I felt destroyed. Since when did numbers and letters determine how you did on a test? To me, society also expects people who are not as social to socialize or else there is something wrong with them. For me, I don’t feel comfortable talking to
What Society Expects of You?
by Mohamed Kebe
people that I don’t really know. As a result of not talking as much, I feel like I’ve been given a lot of weird looks because of this. I get that I don’t talk much but is it really necessary to look at me that way? And because I don’t say much, it is more likely for people to assume things about me rather than asking me. Or I often get pushed around because I don’t say anything, so my feelings apparently don’t matter. The majority of the time, I feel like whenever I work with people that I don’t really know or sit around them, I’m just bothering them. I don’t like bothering people. When I am with people I feel comfortable with, I’m a lot more open, but I often feel like I’m either saying too much or that they don’t want to hear what I have to say. I tend to overthink things a lot, and the majority of the time I space out because I’m so lost in my thoughts. Whenever I look around and see people socializing with almost everyone without struggling, I always question why I can’t do that and if I’m the problem. The questions I’m asked from a lot of those people are questions like, “Why don’t you talk?” or “This person never talks, I wonder why?” Questions like that have always rubbed me the wrong way and don’t exactly come off as genuinely being curious and not rude. I feel like as a society, we shouldn’t put too much pressure on each other and put each other down for not being the same. At the end of the day, I wrote this because I wanted to show my perspective on this topic, and I also wanted people who feel how I feel to know that they aren’t alone. I don’t want pity from any of this, but I just wanted to get my story out there.
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Love is Dangerous by Milos Klaric Love All dimples, teeth, and eyes. Only the faces and attitudes were real. More real than the lives we led. I whisper, “Take me in.” It was dangerous. Too early. It was still too early for me. My body refused to obey me. I stood there. I could no longer bear his eyes, or anybody’s. Screaming and crying. Take me home. Take me wherever. I wouldn’t have cared.
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Ode to My Heart by Milos Klaric I was born with you in me. You are crucial to my survival. You are important to me. You are like every other. You move and you pump, pump, pump. But to keep me alive, you wouldn’t skip a beat. There is no you without me. You move and you pump, pump, pump. You are not bitter. You keep me up. You pump like a trampoline. You spring into action like a spring. I need you and you need me. I trust you with all my heart. You help the substances travel through me. You are the most important organ in my anatomy. You control the pipes of my body or my veins.
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One More Day of Fun by Milos Klaric 57
Summer vacation, Three whole months of fun. Spending time with family. No excruciating, tedious or copious amounts of work. No school, homework, or waking up extremely early to come on time. Right as it gets good . . . It’s already over. Some kids see school as a prison. I see it as a burden. Summer vacation is made to relieve stress. I wish that I could relive those sweet moments. The sun on my skin. The light breeze. Laying on the beach. Laughing with my family. I was as free as a petal on water. As free as an eagle while soaring in the air. I was as happy as I could have been. Until the last day of fun.
Sun on My Skin by Milos Klaric 59 The sun burns my skin, Beaming down on me like a warm beam of golden light. The ocean crashes in the distance. Seagulls call overhead, Circling, Searching for their next meal. Will they take mine? The salty ocean breeze fills my nose, Relaxing me. Why can’t summer last forever? Sand in my toes. Sunkissed, I laugh and watch as people Get caught in the waves, rolling and giggling. Why can’t summer last forever? The cold will come soon, The summer sky will turn gray. The sand will be covered in a layer of snow. No, summer can’t last forever . . . But when the gray skies are pushed away, the sun will rise again And I will enjoy summer once more.
Trust Issues by Milos Klaric In the cold, dark, unforgiving world, You need to watch every nook and cranny. You can’t be trusting, or careless. Who can you trust? Is everyone really themselves? It’s like two people in one body. Two brains, one host. Two tongues, one mouth. Lying is like a web, Spin your stories, just to get caught up in them. Man is a sophisticated species. Maybe we shouldn’t have mouths. We are being slowly feasted on by our insecurities. But to cover them up we lie. Has the world really become this? That we have to rely on deceiving others. We have to fabricate and misinform other people. The truth matters. Who can you trust?
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Ode to Chess by Nhat Minh Le
I play a lot of chess. It is one of my favorite games. I am really good at chess, always getting second place on all of my matches. Chess is more fun when you sacrifice your queen at the start of the game.
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Random Thoughts by Nhat Minh Le
I have seen a wild dog on the streets. I’ve smelled what sand smells like. I’ve touched a tree. I’ve tasted expired milk. I’ve heard a chicken yearning. When I heard someone committed suicide on TV, my parents called them “stupid.” When I asked why, she replied, “They were a coward.” What if sharks have legs?
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Untitled by Stephanie Noriega
My dog is so warm, like sitting under the hot sun, and so soft with his fur being a soft gold and silver. How he cries and whines when I don’t let him sleep on my bed even though he just came from playing outside. How quickly he leaves his bed to greet me once I come home from school. The look of his short tail wagging as if he is trying to say hi to me as he is welcoming me. Or when I’m heading up the stairs but he already starts barking since he can hear the sounds of my keys, as if he was expecting me. The time I was so scared of how he escaped from his leash in the first month we got him. The thirty minutes it took to find him felt like three hours. We eventually found him because a guy saw him running and stopped him. The nights and afternoons that me and my sister spent walking him up and down the stairs so he could do it comfortably. When I’m going to skateboard, he runs and chases after me with the wind blowing against his fur, and if he gets too tired I sit him on my skateboard and pull him around with a string. The picture I have of him hung up that I took of him when it was hot and we had a picnic with my sister.
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Ups and Downs by Bryan Novais 69 I’ve lived in Brazil for ten years, in a small town in the South. I played many video games, but my favorites are GTA V and FIFA. I’ve seen many different animals, but I really like dogs, cats, birds and horses. I remember playing with my dogs. During my lifetime, I witnessed Covid-19 and also the war between Russia and Ukraine. Once I had a soccer game. I remember seeing a dog running around the soccer field. I lost many things, but when my dog died when I was seven, it was probably the hardest feeling I had.
Goofy Little Things Cole Has Done by Cole Ogando
I’ve lived in Manhattan. I’ve lost Daquavious Bingleton. I’ve drank tap water from my bathroom sink. I’ve worn Crocs. I’ve been taught how to do a backflip off a plane and survive by Quandale Dingle. I’ve visited my own house and saw my dog pee on the kitchen floor. I’ve found the will to believe in humanity. I’ve held a controller and destroyed it. I’ve visited my half brothers in the Bronx. I’ve tasted McDonald’s chicken and fries. I’ve seen the bright color of the sky. I’ve seen an old lady get hit by a scooter. (It was very funny) I’ve also hugged my parents :)
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Untitled by Jean Pistre One piece is trash clap it up J is not someone I can dap up. I’m too shiesty. And J is very feisty. This is a track diss no a diss track. Puffy brother got left on the past. Zoro is racist. J condone that and he is basic. Face it not it face. J is in the race but is in 12th place. Mario Kart J, I have a message for you. Luffy brother smells like a fart. J e a n Z e b e s t on YouTube (2x) In Foosha Village, born and raised, Luffy is walking down The street on a sunny day walking around eating and on his way home when he saw something tickling his funny bone His brother Ace was fighting some men who were making trouble in his den light went to assist and his brother got got clapped and Luffy had to train in order to get back Being a Youtuber is not easy your constantly worrying about your platform. Being a Youtuber is not easy getting copyrighted. YouTube is not easy editing and stuff like that.
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The Life of a Dominican Kid from Manhattan by Harold Plascencia I’ve lived in a dangerous neighborhood in Manhattan It didn’t seem like paradise on the beach playing with the sand I’ve played Roblox and Fortnite I remember all the raging with my cousins and fights we had to see who was better I’ve had a monkey on my shoulder And I rode a horse I kept almost falling off the horse, I felt like things were gonna get worse I lost someone I was close to and I wonder if they’ll ever come back Everyday I think about it and it makes me sad (they are not dead, we just don’t talk anymore) I’ve had to walk over horse poop just to spend 20 minutes at the destination The way back was worse and I couldn’t stop complaining
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The Ocean by Julio Polanco I wish I could explain the feeling, But it’s not as simple as a feeling. The cool droplets of water, dripping down my skin. The air is light, almost like it flows through my entire body with every breath It was an experience I’ll never have again. It was a mixture of scenery and scenario. Everything in the right place at the right time. The calming silence. Clashing with the crashing waves. The breeze was so comforting. To this day, I long for that comfort. I long for the ocean.
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Wild Life in the City
played over 10 Poké mon games. I’ve played three I’ve gun lived in games a tiny and an apartunment. known I’ve amount touched of a wild fighting bird. I’ve games.
I was paid ten dollars for a pencil in great condition that was desperately needed for a very important exam.
by Chevez Providence
I traveled to Puerto Rico and made new friends, found a lizard that I couldn’t get, and found a coconut around the pool.
I’ve traveled upstate to visit my godbrother and his family.
I’ve killed a rat and cried after feeling bad for killing it with my thumb (I was very stupid as a kid).
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I’ve done many wild things in and out the city but mostly in the city.
My Life Summarized
I’ve lived in a two-bedroom apartment in Washington Heights since day one. I’ve been playing video games for as long as I can remember. I’ve seen a lot of animals like dogs, cats, birds, and many zoo animals. I’ve seen the death of George Floyd, and have watched COVID change us all. I’ve learned a lot of math from my sixth grade math teacher, and I still use most of the concepts I’ve learned from her in my current math class. I’ve held a rifle and a few different handguns and shot at the bullseye on a target multiple times.
by AJ Pujols
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Memory into a Poem by Adrian Rojas
My first memory is when I was 6 years old and got blood drawn. I was screaming in some pain.
One frightening day that I will remember till the day I die One frightening memory I would witness with my frightened eyes At the entrance to the doctor’s office, I would hear the screams of horror I knew this day would be full of terror As I enter the doctor’s office to get my shot The doctor welcomed me to my sudden doom After almost meeting my dreade fate I would now give the doctor a lot of hate.
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Echo Lake by Leo Ross As I sink into the lake, all my worries dissipate, the trees fill my nose with calmness The rocking chairs on the deck early in the morning, mist drifting across the wood Rides on the old school bus, rickety all the way Hikes up the mountain, pebbles falling astray The smell of Maine food attracts everyone in camp Grilled cheese falling into tomato soup How I miss this place.
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Poem of Life by Daniel Salinas 89
I’ve lived in New York, where pizzas are a ten out of ten. A city inhabited by people who never sleep. That is why it is known as “The city that never sleeps.” Yet the scent and smell of the Bahamas call me. The big blue sea along the beach. The tranquility and peace I see among the people when I think of the Bahamas calls me.
Ode to Farm Camp by Torben Schrieber An ode to farm camp! Yes I’m writing about this again. I love the soft ground under the trees The big ol’ rock in The middle Of the woods The overpowering smell of Every single farm animal in existence . . . AND a peacock! Batman the llama too (RIP) I love the thousands of flowers in the garden, And the fact that I still can’t make a flower crown I love the permanent hoodie weather and I love the fact that I can wear dresses and not get Hate-crimed. I love the hypothermia-inducing Chill of the creek and the OvernightCanceling relent less thunderstorms I love the people I meet there And the time I spent there I’ve only said this a million times But I do, I really do love this place.
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Ode
to “Wah-Nee” by Jamie Sulimani 93
“Wah-Nee” “Wah-Nee” is the camp for me, Each day is fun, each day’s a blast Memories of “Wah-Nee” will last and last, My friends and family who I’ve known for long Who have proved to always help in times of wrong, The smell of pine and the lake nearby Makes it harder in the end to say “Goodbye,” But while I’m here the days are bright It makes me feel no wrongs, just rights, Camp traditions are ones I’ll never forget Just like how I’ll keep close all whom I’ve met, Color-war is the time we all split We all try hard and never quit, In the end we all come as one We sing alma maters then color-war is done, The people in charge Harv, Heidy, Pete, and Roos, Always keep the camp together, never loose, I’ll never forget all “Wah-Nee” has done for me The people and traditions, after all that’s “Wah-Nee”
The Whole is Equal to the Sum of Its Parts by Jamie Sulimani
World Situation The situation we’re living through, Is comparable to Hell In years to come those who survive Will have many stories to tell First a Baby First I was a baby Then a boy was I, My dreams were deep inside of me Sometimes they made me cry, One day I’ll be a grown man With children I’ll adore For when I think of my future life Who could ask for more Miracle of Life Isn’t it amazing How every year flowers die, Then reappear, That’s a miracle one cannot explain, Some call it “God” But “God” is just a name Test of life Chess, and golf, and tennis too Are some of the things I like to do I try very hard to be the best Every activity I do Feels like I am taking a test
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Untitled by Ellen Tan
The smell of melted chocolate was sweet yet gentle. Its scent was enough to whisk you away. It takes you off your feet. Creative mind Creative hands Whisk Whisk Whisk away Get yourself a full box of creative chocolates, my dear.
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Then Again
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by Christian Velazquez
Though I am ordinary just like others, I like to consider myself as different. I adore wearing sweatpants and oversized graphic tees, the comfortness of it. The soft, silky cotton-made attire tightly gripping onto my skin. I wear Vans with just a bit of dirt across the edges for uniqueness. Living in the city is not easy. From Manhattan to the Bronx. The stench of onions reeks through the city. Layers of mold and bags filled with outdated items taking over sidewalks. Hispanics blasting weird music on a boom box during the weekends. Food vendors selling pupusas and empanadas for two dollars. Apartments infested with mice and creepy crawlers. The city is filled with entertainment. People fighting.
People dancing on public transportation. People finding love. A place for it all. The nice views are only for the wealthy. We try to stay far away from them. Though sometimes I wish I was rich, being able to afford a condo on the Lower East Side of Manhattan would be nice but it would forever be a dream. As the storms pass by, hearing the soothing sounds of heavenly water splashing across the city is calming. As the raindrops slowly come down, I feel more relaxed and sleepy. The aesthetically pleasing view of rain in the city, trying to suppress myself from gently and softly shutting my eyes tight. The city is a place for it all. Though, sometimes I wish I could escape.
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I lived in Bed-Stuy, Brooklyn during my early years as a youngin’. I was project-raised. Sketchy elevators that smelled like piss, men chilling in front of the building constantly smoking and eyeing you as you walked by . . . lots of stuff. I witnessed many crimes in my area growing up. It’s sad that as a kid I had to see the harsh side of our world but ay, that’s life, ya know. But, during those days, I would play Mario Kart. A game that honestly changed the video game industry for me. It was a very fun and competitive game that occupied most of my time. I would play against my dad and brother every night before going to bed. It was something I enjoyed and always looked forward to! I also really enjoyed McDonald’s. Every kid has had an obsession for McDonald’s at least once in their life, so I know I’m not alone on this one. I lost hope in my parents ever getting back together when I was younger. Them sadly separating when I was only five hurt me. From having to choose who you wanted to move in with, to seeing the other parent that isn’t having their own blood children move in with them crying. Although I was very young, I still had strong emotions. I think this is mainly due to the fact that I’ve seen so much. From this loss however, I won double Christmases LOL, new family members, happiness, and music. Music has helped me a lot, it kinda holds me together in a sense. And no, I am not depressed. I am very much happy, and I can truthfully say that! I love everybody in my life currently, whether that’s the teachers I have, the friends I have, the family I have, the stuff I have (which I am very grateful for), etc. These past experiences have really shaped me into the person I am today.
Early Dayz
by Micah Williams
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Acknowledgments
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In our Young Writers Publish program, 826NYC develops creative writing projects with classes of students and teachers in schools throughout New York City. In the spring of 2022, ninth and tenth grade students from the Urban Assembly Gateway School for Technology dove deep into themes of identity and community, and developed writing across genres including poetry, memoir, and flash fiction that speaks to these themes. Wild Dog on the Streets is a compilation of the original work of these students. A huge thank you to the 826NYC teaching artists, Daniel Goulden and Jaydra Johnson, for creating classrooms where students were able to explore new styles of writing and tackle challenging topics with confidence. Your support, encouragement, and consistency helped our young writers tap into their imaginations and memories to produce such moving work, and your care in helping them brainstorm, write, and revise throughout this project was invaluable. We are particularly grateful to Evan Rosenberg, Dan Burns, and Gabriela Gallegos for their support of this project. Thank you for inviting us into your classrooms and facilitating such a smooth collaboration. Your hard work and steadfast dedication to your students allows them to flourish as young writers and thinkers. Thank you to Principal Kristina Dvorakovskaya and Assistant Principal Rachana Patel for supporting the amazing team at Gateway in implementing this project. We are so appreciative of your time and energy! Thanks as well to Urban Assembly and the Shippy Foundation, whose funding helped this partnership come to life. At 826NYC we depend on the dedicated volunteer editing and design cohort that make our publications a reality. Thank you to Vanessa Friedman for overseeing the editing, proofreading, and design of this book.
Thank you to Gil Andrei Fontimayor for designing such a beautiful book for our students. To copy editors and proofreaders Hannah Garner, Shari Hazlett, Melody Serra, Hillary Tacuri, Chuckry Vengadam, and Oana Whaples, for their careful attention to each of the student’s pieces, thank you. For their ongoing support of 826NYC’s school-based programs, huge thanks to 826 National, the Amazon Literary Partnership, The Jane Friedman Anspach Family Foundation, Con Edison, The Find Your Light Foundation, The Hawkins Project, International Paper, The Rona Jaffe Foundation, The Kettering Family Foundation, The Minerva Foundation, The Resnick Family Foundation, The Yelp Foundation, and Youth, Inc. This program is supported, in part, by public funds from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the City Council. The program is also made possible by the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of the Office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature. Additional support comes from the National Endowment for the Arts. To find out more about how National Endowment for the Arts grants impact individuals and communities, visit www.arts.gov. 826NYC is grateful to the many individuals who support our work. To see our full list of supporters or make a donation, please visit 826nyc.org/donate-us. Thank you especially to the 826NYC staff for their behind-the-scenes support of this project, from curriculum development and the book-making process to volunteer recruitment. Finally, thank you to the students at Urban Assembly Gateway School for Technology for taking risks with your writing and sharing your words and worlds with us. Your dedication to your craft and your vision shines through in these pieces. We are all excited to see what you’ll write in the future!
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826NYC Location and Leadership 826NYC and The Brooklyn Superhero Supply Co. 372 Fifth Ave Brooklyn, NY 11215 718.499.9884 www.826nyc.org
STAFF Joshua Mandelbaum Executive Director Jesusdaniel Barba Programs Coordinator Janna Cisterino Development & Communications Manager Rico Denard Store Associate Chris Eckert Store & Operations Manager Vanessa Friedman Publications Associate Julianna Lee Merino Programs Coordinator Summer Medina Volunteer & Programs Coordinator Stella Raffle-Wax Store Associate Mandy Seiner Volunteer & Programs Manager Naomi Solomon Director of Education
TEACHING ARTISTS J’miah Baird David Ewalt Willie Filkowski Daniel Goulden Varud Gupta Daniel Jackson Jaydra Johnson
BOARD OF DIRECTORS Michelle McGovern President Ted Wolff Vice President Ray Carpenter Treasurer Kathryn Yontef Secretary Michael Colagiovanni Jen D’Ambroise Liza Demby Jamal Edwards Amir Mokari Sheila Peluso Katie Schwab Danielle Sinay Andrew Sparkler Alyson Stone Maura Tierney Thom Unterburger Sam Valenti
826NYC Programs Write After School Reading and writing go together like peanut butter and jelly. Write After School students work alongside 826NYC staff and volunteers to build their reading, writing, social-emotional skills and unleash their imagination as they play and learn about the power of language. Three times a year, students revise their creative writing for publications that are printed in English and Spanish and shared with families, volunteers, and community members at celebratory readings. Write Away Workshops Young writers come together in Write Away Workshops to explore a multitude of genres and subjects and to develop their voices. Groups write freely and participate in imaginative writing activities and lessons. Whether it’s a song, a piece of climate justice sci-fi, or a nature guide, young writers leave the workshop with a piece to be proud of, as well as a newfound understanding of the topic, and new friends. Write All About It In Write All About It, reporters from grades 5-8 learn how to conduct a great interview, how to write a classic news story, and more importantly, how to sniff out where the great untold stories of Brooklyn are hiding. We focus on hyper-local news to see how it connects to what’s going on across the country and around the world. Student work is published regularly in The 826NYC Post on 826NYC’s Medium page. Young Writers Publish Turn your classroom into a creative writing lab. During Young Writers Publish residencies, 826NYC teaching artists collaborate with educators on creative, impactful, curriculumaligned projects that transform students into published authors. Residencies run from six weeks to a full year, depending on the project. Each Young Writers Publish culminates in a book, newspaper, zine, podcast, film, or performance featuring your students.
Write Together 826NYC hosts classes across New York City for Write Together: an interactive writing experience that encourages creative expression, explores the elements of storytelling, and strengthens writing skills. Elementary-aged classes collaborate on illustrated children’s books, middle schoolers choose their own adventure, and high schoolers learn the art of memoir writing during a fast- paced and whimsical 90 minute narrative program. Teen Writers Collective Teens are the next generation of literary leaders. That’s why we launched the Teen Writers’ Collective. The collective brings together young writers from around the city to explore the art of writing and literary citizenship. They are a community of passionate and creative peers, serve as 826NYC youth leaders, and inspire younger students and peers across the network. Dungeons & Dragons & Writers Dungeons & Dragons, the epic fantasy role-playing game where players craft characters to take on magical quests that can change with the roll of the dice, has a home at 826NYC. A band of adventurous authors in grades 5-8 play out an entirely original tale and chronicle their fantastical deeds in character point-of-view journals, histories, and scene writing. Sometimes the greatest gift is the friends we make — and make up — along the way. Student Publications Through our programs, our volunteers work with students to help them create stories, poems, and ’zines. Because we believe that the quality of students’ work is greatly enhanced when they are given the chance to share it with an authentic audience, we are committed to publishing student works. By encouraging their work and by guiding them through the process of publication, we make abundantly clear that their ideas are valued.
Who are you? It’s a tricky question to answer. Impossible even. But that doesn’t stop us from trying. In these pages you will find poems, interviews, profiles, and flash fiction from the students at Urban Assembly Gateway School for Technology trying to answer that very question. We hope you enjoy — and that maybe their work will help you find an answer for yourself. Proceeds from the sale of this book benefit 826NYC, a nonprofit organization encouraging the exploration of endless possibilities through the power of writing.
