One Pen Spring 2018 by The Bronx Academy of Letters Writers in Residence Program

EN ON NEEPPEN OO N THE L I TERA RYMA GA ZINE O F B RONX ACA DEMY OF LETTERS S PRING 2 018 IS S UE XXIII

One Pen Staff 2017-2018 Writer in Residence/One Pen Editor: Karla Robinson Designer: Caits Meissner Front and Back Cover Art By: Devaun Longley Artist Portfolio (in order of appearance): Josue Sanchez, pg. 43 Raoul Robinson, pg. 44 Maha Mused, pg. 45 Salman Drame, pg. 46 Yanellie Perez, pg. 47 Photography Portfolio Cinthia Encarnacion, pgs. 85-88 Adam Ellias, pg. 89 Special thanks to Ms. Resnick, Ms. Perkins, and our principal, Brandon Cardet-Hernandez

Table of Contents 1….. Letter from the Editor, Karla Robinson 2….. Silk Dream, Shanieya Seda

4….. My Little Star, Imanie Davis 5….. 24-7; 365, Gabriella Heyward 6….. Devastated, Jasmine Soltren 8….. Parkland, This Will End, Christopher Liriano 10….. Shoot Me, Cinthia Encarnación 12….. New York, Destiny Eulin 14….. Madness, Leidy Marquez

16….. I Hate Chocolate, Dalina Luc

19….. Kids Who Live, Lauren Fardig-Diop 21….. Undocumented, Leidy Marquez 22….. Freedom?, Miguel Juarez Cortez 23….. Dream World, Aaron Pontier 24….. New Generation, Destiny Eulin 25….. Reminisce, Alondra Alvalle 27….. To My Black People, Shirley Blackshear

29….. Reprieve: A Testimony, Karla Robinson

31….. The Clock Keeps Ticking, Emmanuel Bravo 32….. I Want to be Me, Rana Ibrahim 33….. Do Not Disturb, Leidy Cruz 34….. My Youth, Christopher Liriano

35….. Dark Storming Night, Joselyn Herrera 37….. Many Heartbeats, Alondra Alvalle 39….. Spiritual Memoir, Collaborative Poem 40…. Teenage Equivalent of the Grim Reaper, Moe Sanders 45….. Art Portfolio 48….. Faceless, Joshua Lebron 49….. Double Chocolate, Emmanuel Bravo 50….. I’m Me, Taniya King

53….. Wrong Path, Jaylynn Hernandez 54….. Haunted, Marcos Fuentes

56….. Game Over, Alyssa Cordero 58….. Grief, Shanieya Seda 60….. Running from Fear, Kayla Espino 61….. Sometimes God is my Enemy, Steph Porfil 64….. The Disaster, Gabriella Heyward 66….. 1991 Sea Ray Bowrider, Lauren Fardig-Diop 67….. Grandmother, Genesis Santos 69….. My Life, Vanessa Bravo 70….. Exhausting Battles, Litzy Rojas 71….. Blind Abyss, Edwin Soto

73….. Rollercoaster, Jaylynn Hernandez 74….. The Truth, Aaron Pontier

75….. We are Not Made of Paper, Cinthia Encarnación 79….. Underrated Knowledge, Diego Romero 80….. Dear Parents and Students, Torrey Watson

81….. A Letter to My Parents, Kaia Clough 84….. Listen, Zanibu Foday

85….. Photography Portfolio 90….. Cherry Blossom, Joselyn Herrera

94….. Raised by America?, Rahshawn Claudio 95….. My Kind of Love, Ashala Jones

98….. Tired of You, Cinthia Encarnación 102…. The Hiddens of Depression, Jasjeet Kaur 105….. To Every Student that Trusts Me with Their Tears, Philip Lee 107….. Nightmare, Guillermo Ovalle

109….. Life and Death, Jeremy Alston 110….. Coldness, Emerie De La Cruz 111….. Indisposed Mind, Marcos Fuentes 112….. Devil Disguised, Alyssa Cordero 113….. Steel Man, Litzy Rojas 114….. Heroin, Moe Sanders

117….. A Boy’s Image, Aaron Pontier

118….. they told me observing was a good trait, Leah Pagan 120….. Doubts, Diego Romero

122….. Until Love Breaks, Mariah Barreto 123….. Never Ending, Joshua Lebron

125….. Is it My Fault You Changed?, Naturelle Medero

126….. Headache, Guillermo Ovalle 128….. Bloom, Edwin Soto

129….. Our Mystery, Leidy Marquez 131….. Creators, Litzy Rojas 133….. Sleepless, Miriam Gutierrez

134….. Thank You Daddy, Shirley Blackshear 136….. Angel, Vanessa Bravo

137….. Brick by Brick, Collaborative Poem 139…. We are Bronx Letters, Steph Porfil

Hello Beautiful People! I am thrilled to share the Spring 2018 edition of One Pen! This book holds gems from students in my P oetry as Activism and Poetry for the People: Feed the Poets classes, youth and adult artists in the middle and high school, and friends we’ve made along the way. Thank you for your courage, artistic vision and perseverance in a world pushing us towards silence and inaction. It’s almost halfway through 2018 and we’ve already loved and lost, mourned mass shootings, and participated in protests. As has always been true in the United States, the leaders of any successful movement for social change have been young people. Young people who think critically about where we are and have a bold vision for who we can become. The arts, and poetry in particular, has been at the forefront of every movement, from the Harlem Renaissance to the Civil Rights Movement to the Black Power Movement to now. The poetry contained in these pages is a tribute to the strong, vibrant creative community that thrives at Bronx Letters- its commitment to social justice, but more importantly its focus on love, community, and joy. This book is a testament to Black and Brown Excellence that has always been bred in the Bronx-- and always will. With love, joy and poetry, Ms Karla

Silk Dream Shanieya Seda Bring me all your dreams, Wrap them up in silk Send them my way Carry them with the palm of your hand While reaching for the sky Stretching your hands Further And further But yet not grasping Those big bright stars at the top This was the start of your long journey To love yourself And cherish your very being But be gentle As those stars can turn into comets That can come crashing down Into a red scorching flamed ball of Destruction Taking your aspirations and Crushing it Sending it aflame This long journey will not be easy But trust me you will find treasure When reaching for the sky Taking it and using it for your own Self worth Creating someone who you Value and love That possesses the ability to be strong And not be taken down. 2

Like that smooth Lustrous piece of silk Flowing through the rough winds To get a hold of you.

My Little Star Imanie Davis Do not be afraid to be yourself Be different Be inspirational Be bold Be courageous Do not let others tell you How great or amazing you are Remember you were born a star Don’t let them determine who you are Be your best and your power will show Be yourself and everyone will know How amazing, how smart, and how kind you are My little star Show you can change the world And you can make it great Oh I cannot wait, For my little star to shine

24-7; 365 Gabriella Heyward I want a poem for my usual 6:30 am weekdays My laid back 4:30 am weekends Or maybe 1 for the 365 days I want to give up each year Give me 1 poem for the times I want to shut the world out From influencing my thoughts Shut them out so they won't provoke All these conflicting emotions 2 for the goodbye I regret not saying To the love of my life During his last days 3 poems for the peaceful times throughout my life 4 for the happy times my family can never get back Give me 5 for all the good times I want 6 for all the times I ever felt lonely I want a poem for all my determination I want a poem for all my dreams

Devastated Jasmine Soltren I will not stay shut I will not do what's told As the new generation We do what we want ‘cause we bold We making the rules Take a hint We ain’t given out clues We takin’ over Like it or Not Stop thinking you’re better than us Because you’re a cop Enjoy the hierarchy now We ending you crooked cops Police sirens, Flashing lights, Our freedom is about to be taken away Get ready to fight Read us our Miranda Rights Yeah right It turns into fight or flight But you’re in fright So you don’t think You just shoot on sight In broad daylight And it hurts like frostbite We want justice for Tamir Rice The power is getting to your heads We’re here to stop that You come to our hoods looking for crime Like we the cheese And you the rat 6

We want to bring those innocent victims back While you sit back and relax You have families devastated Wondering why they were born black Once you get behind those badges Do you become blind? Police brutality A topic to read But can you see All the hurt & distress You put on minorities All I got to say is Beware We ain’t stopping till we see you scared Just know that No, We won’t stay shut We will not do what’s told We will not follow your commands We’re standing up and Being bold

Parkland, This Will End Christopher Liriano Posting pictures of yourself holding a gun So many complaints from neighbors But nothing was done Nicholas Cruz, you needed help from the jump Why cause all this damage? Use a bump on your rifle To help you spray down your prey Running Begging Bullet trails Walls with holes Lives that can never be replaced Sound of sorrow overwhelming the halls As the kids run And push each other to get out So they won't be the next body pulled out the school The error of a failed system Caused many lives to be lost For no reason at all The stand doesn't stop here The marching The walkouts The press conferences Emma, you’re the face of a change that will come Just stay strong The battle is lost But the war has just begun Get these weapons of war out the streets Because Emma Enough is enough The time of seeing kids bleed is done

For every drop shed is motivation To end the war on gun violence No background checks? If the people we've chosen can't protect us Then does this mean our democracy’s broken? First it was 26, now 19 And nothing was done about it Nothing was said But this needs to end How is it that a teenager can buy an Assault rifle to cause so much harm? 1,607 plus 1 mass shooting in America Since 2012 Sandy Hook 6,456 people wounded The number grows on you When you find out that China Hasn't had one mass shooting Now why is it that no developed country has had as Many mass shootings as the United States? The government sits on the agenda of an organization The National Rifle Association That cares nothing for human life While another one occurs The number increases For no reason Isn’t this screaming Yelling Crying Treason?

Shoot Me Cinthia Encarnación Written in memory of all the children who lost a voice during the massacre in Parkland, Florida February 14, 2018 You shot me looking into my eyes Take my dreams in your hands I serve you my hopes and my life On a silver tray It triggers my expectations Shoot my dreams Shoot my life Shoot my aspirations My desire to progress My desire to succeed Shoot the beating of my heart Shoot my feelings Shoot all my incomplete sentences Disperse me into nothingness Finish all my dreams With a capsule lost in wind Kill my smiles Kill my memories Kill my aspirations Especially kill my silence Because your voice The voice of the students That you killed Will persecute you forever Break the clock But you can never to stop time

Disparame Cinthia Encarnación Escrito en memoria de todos los estudiantes que ya no tendrán una voz a causa de esta masacre en Parkland, Florida February 14. Dispárame mirándome a los ojos. Toma mis sueños en tus manos Te sirvo mis esperanzas y mi vida en una bandeja de plata. Dispara mis expectativas. Dispárame a la conciencia. Dispara mis sueños Dispara a la vida. Dispara mis aspiraciones. mi deseo de progresar. mis ganas de tener éxito. Dispara a los latidos de mi corazón. Dispara mis sentimientos. Dispara todas mis frases incompletas. Dispersarme en la nada Termina todos mis sueños Con una cápsula pérdida en el viento. Mata mis sonrisas. Mata mis recuerdos. Mata mis aspiraciones Especialmente mata mis silencios Porque tus voces. La voz de los estudiantes Que matas,las familias que dañas. Te perseguirá para siempre Rompe el reloj. Pero nunca podrás detener el tiempo.

New York Destiny Eulin I have seen people get booked Because of the way they look Mugshots Fingerprints But if they had fair skin Would they end up in prison For just standing on the block They say “No Justice No Peace” But do they really understand it Do they understand that lots of parents Are losing their kids everyday Families are hurting I'm sorry to say But the criminal justice system Doesn’t understand Just because you say you feel sorry for what happened It’s still not gonna bring their child back They need to do something Or it’s gonna be too late to save a loved one I’ve seen people getting arrested in New York More than I’ve seen people Graduate and walk across the stage I don’t understand all the hate How could someone be so angry Because of somebody’s skin? I have known people that have been Killed for just walking in a store Accused of selling drugs Patted down like an criminal The criminal justice system has the word justice But are people really receiving it? Are people getting the peace they need 12

The peace they deserve

Madness Leidy Marquez You have most of the power 90% of it You still want the other 10% You’re greedy Equality feels like oppression when you’re Accustomed to privilege* You have the desire to destroy us The need to take our little power The want to be “our” people You kill our people You shoot your own people When we speak out You try and shush us You can’t You can do everything But will never be a part of us A part of our culture We won’t let you That’s your madness You will never be able to Cook our frijoles like we do Mash the plantains Like we do Never know what a maja platano is Neither how to use it Do your hair like we do Lay the curly edges Apply a handful of gel You’ll never be able to feel The stiffness of our hair in yours We won’t let you

That’s your madness Mad ‘cus your melanin not as bright Mad ‘cus white teeth look better on us Mad ‘cus we’re America’s future Mad ‘cus every day we get the opportunities You don’t want us to have Mad ‘cus we’re still here Standing on your GMO soil Fighting for our rights Mad ‘cus it’s not just you in colleges It’s also us We’re the sneakers on your feet Cotton on your back Denim on your bony legs The lavender aroma in your house You will never be able to do Anything like we do We do it full of love You do it holding grudges Not even be as nice as we are Because you have resentment And madness in your heart We are all slaves to White Supremacy Freedom is in our hands We keep letting it fall Every time you arrest one of us When you kill us when we’re just pulling out our license Just because we’re minority Living in a country of superiority One day though, we’ll throw it back Like a dodge ball That’ll hit your body Hurt your heart *A translation of a letter from the year 1766 that was later published in 1914 book by Anne Robert Jacques Turgot. 15

I Hate Chocolate Dalina Luc “Man, I hate chocolate!” he said Brown crayons chewed and broken African American barbie dolls? Never heard of them Words of hate spoken But being light skin bestowed her many tokens Melanin deems to be worthy Only if she bloomed with light shades You have nice hair for a dark skin girl My girl cannot be darker than me She has to be exotic enough for me to date Compliments from the ignorant Typical downgrade Hear things like “Black women are booming” Bombs bursting in air Booming Bright explosions banging in the soft wind Booming The big illuminating sun Booming Booming! Only for those who appear mixed Misconceptions of foreign Straight long hair Nice pink lips Tan skinned tones Spoon feeding our dark-skinned babies self-disgust I am finding it hard to digest No matter the recipe I cannot get this skin color off my chest How could we fight racism from others But neglect to fight the racism within ourselves?

An entire black community follows The rules of white beauty We're a bunch of modern slaves demanding freedom From our own blackness And yes, the light is good and the dark is bad Got so insecure that mornings I'd wake up Praying to be in the skin of another God grant me the gift To wake up from this Halloween nightmare And unzip me out of this black costume Dreams of shedding off this protective casing And emerging into a butterfly A light butterfly, a white butterfly But, every time I looked in the mirror I simply wasn't the right butterfly Mornings- wake up, face beat, caked up Whitening their features It's all a cover up Unaware that our melanin Is the foundation to our make-up Thick lips Broad nose Wide curvaceous hips Ever so present no matter the clothes The author The constructor The architect All birthed from holy melanin An entire globe adhered to a stigma Anything exhibiting dark qualities is not beautiful Yet that’s far from the truth We desire acceptance from society But it’s not within reach So we're forced to bleach our skin Quick, hurry up! Scrub 17

Scrub Scrub away Clean off the impurities before it stains Walking dirty sheets of laundry Our tribe name Your skin Your identity remains on the floor As you scrub Scrub Scrub A circuit of negativity has fueled this war A war that remains because no one has ever won Colorism Racism’s only son

Kids Who Live (with gratitude for Langston Hughes) Lauren Fardig-Diop I want you to be kids who live and disrupt the deferred dream, drought of morality. Can you please be the ones who persevere and show them why you matter? We should not have to prove your worth by straightening your hair asking you to “speak white” and excel in school. We should be able to say: “Nasir, find wings and go to the 4 corners of this wide sargasso world, find the moon on every continent, be the largest version of your greatness. Elaborate elegantly.” But instead: Don’t argue with police. You are a target. Your silence will not protect you. Hope for the best. Prepare for the worst. may there be black and brown kids 19

who live through this and prosper extensively. may you find new ways to survive.

Undocumented Leidy Marquez My friend’s families don’t have papers A hurricane is coming into my house The rain follows me everywhere I feel it even under a shower The hard droplets disturb my peace The winds uncomfortably blow on my face Tangling my lashes, corrupting my eyesight When I hear about ICE raids It’s like a tree hits my face Cracking my skull Altering my nerves Hard, dry, dirty branches stab my skin Sad thing is that the families who’ve looked out for me When everyone else was blind Aren’t going to be here Because Americans hate “Aliens” “Drug dealers” “Animals” No brown eyes Blue No nappy hair Just “good” hair Silky straight and smooth Trump’s America is Hitler’s Germany The difference is that there’s a paper Defining aliens Dividing humans and their families

Freedom? Miguel Juarez Cortez Are the days of freedom over? Are the days of freedom dead? Will the people just let it happen Without a word being said? What will it take to stir them From their sedentary days? Must they station troops in our homes Or just take them all away? Freedom has a price For which we must forever pay. I’d rather lose it dying Than see it chipped away. Many people hear this and start judging, It's not that they’re weird. It's their own freedom they fear What happened to the saying Love and peace can live in you For more than a decade

Dream World Aaron Pontier Imagine a world without pain A world without suffering Imagine a life without hunger Without anger Without hate Imagine a planet with no problems Imagine a universe without filthy air damaging our lungs Imagine a life where no one gets sick Imagine a world without corrupt leaders Hidden in the system we trust to keep us safe Imagine a world where race and skin color Didn’t define who you were in society Where a person’s ethnicity Didn’t affect what kinds of jobs they could get And if they could feed their families Imagine a way of life where families didn’t have to Worry about who or where their children were playing Imagine a world where the leaders in our country All work together To make sure everyone is healthy and happy Imagine a planet where everyone got along Nobody felt left out or alone As if they were in a dark box Closed out from the rest of the world Imagine a time in our lives where there were no worries Everyone was happy Now let’s turn that dream into reality

New Generation Destiny Eulin Respect isn’t respect anymore It’s a cover-up, making people believe it’s still around A copycat, manipulated in a way no one can understand The new generation thinks respect is Like a dad that never comes around The last time I saw respect was when I was a kid That was a long time ago Haven’t seen it in forever But when I did see it, it was in my living room Playing with my toys on my princess carpet I remember respect Used to go with me everywhere To school, to the store I notice the older I got the more it started to fade away Then one day *Poof* It was gone It’s sad The new generation doesn't know who respect is They were never introduced to it Not knowing respect is like being on a long road at night But not knowing how to drive The wheel going out of control Swerving left and right And you drive off the road into a ditch

Reminisce Alondra Alvalle This is a poem for all the people in the street Love and appreciate what you got Just try to get out the hood It’s bloody and trashy Your momma gave you a life She don’t wanna see you killed She don’t wanna see you in jail Waking up in a cell Waiting for some help Think about those times momma tried to help Wishing you would’ve listened Look back at the times Momma saw you against cop cars Handcuff marks on wrist Watch her beg telling the cops It wasn’t my son I promise you it wasn’t him Looking back at the times Momma watched cops bust open the door yelling Hands up Why? Why did you put your mom through this? I wish you can go back to your innocent days Days when you used to go to school Days when you used to be scared of the cops When you used to dream of being a firefighter Now you’re over life Now momma gave up on you Scared every time she sees a cop Reminiscing on all those hard times you put her through Do you really want to be a homeless person 25

Once you get out that jail? Do you? Momma doesn’t want you in the street She wants you to do better I think it’s worth it I want to see you do better I think you’re worth it So what you are going to do? This is a poem for you

To My Black People Shirley Blackshear Black people are capable of doing big things Having big dreams Thought we showed you already What more do you want from us? We making moves Doing what we gotta do We trying to keep our blood line flowing Trying to start a new trend Instead of the ones we are known for Having to see my black sisters pushing strollers Instead of driving cars Having my black brothers standing on the corner Instead of in school Having to hear my black friends talk about their Deadbeat fathers Having all my blacks, including me Living in the projects with no hot water Well I’m here to tell you Enough is enough I’m tired of having this label on me My people gonna end up on top That’s a promise Sometimes I think you hate to see us Running our own businesses Living lavish We all trying to live good So why can’t we come up together? We all brothers and sisters Why hate on each other? Can you answer that? HUH? No? 27

Ok cool- listen to this Us blacks, were born to shine Not out here doing crime Hold up, let me take my time Us blacks are Unstoppable Do you hear me? We are Powerful Beautiful We can’t be stopped

Reprieve: A Testimony Karla Robinson For the young womxn in the state-issued orange sweats Who gave me serious side-eye, 90 minutes at a time Every Monday and Wednesday, for 3 months Before askingWhy you always call us Beautiful? To whom I repliedBecause I think you’re beautiful. All children are beautiful. Who looked me up, Then down, Then up again, And replied in a less than complimentary toneYeah, you seem real genuine I write this poem for you. I call you beautiful, Not because of the way you look, But the way you look at me As I flip through my folders to find your writing Lips apart, Hands on hips, Shoulders near your ears Part excitement Part terror Part cocky I call you beautiful, Not because of what your body Can do, Has done, Will do, For others But for what your body 29

Can do for yourself The way your breath Transforms space into Sanctuary Or Satan’s lair I call you beautiful Not because of your Fresh flat iron, But because of the risk you take Every time To put pen to paper Etch ink into wood You choose to use your time Inside Wisely Spiral inward and Lose yourself for a moment Reclaim a space Designed for your demise I call you beautiful Because you are Full of beauty, And light, And choice, In this dark place

The Clock Keeps Ticking Emmanuel Bravo I am me Nobody Can change me I want to be the same me as I was before I should not give you explanations I love me If I could change one thing to become free It would be my poetry I could only care about me and only me

I Want to be Me Rana Ibrahim They tell me that I'm just a girl I can't be a scientist or an engineer or even a doctor They tell me I need to clean up your mess Because I am just a girl I want to be more I want to be more than just a maid Trying to reach your impossible expectations I want to be me Why do I have to expect you To treat me like an animal And just be okay with that? Why can't I have a good education just like you? I just want the same opportunities as you The chance to focus on books, not looks The chance to learn just like you Who said you are the boss of me? You are not the hero and I am not your sidekick I want to be the hero for once I am a girl That is one of my biggest achievements I don't want to be like you I want to be me

Do Not Disturb Leidy Cruz Do not disturb my flowers They do not need you to water them For the earth does an exceptional job Do not pick me out of a bunch My petals are uneven and My thorns will make you damn ever buying something Imperfect My only lodestar is the sunlight I don’t need your hands I don’t need your petty food Or your sugar coated words For I contain the sweetest substance inside of me Thou-shalt-not use me as a decor I will turn brown Leave me undisturbed and I will forever Flourish I was made to be wild and bright Peaceful and beautiful Your eyes wouldn’t understand how such a conspicuous Flower will be condemned to be touched by you Your deceiving touches are First gentle, but then The feeling from it is malignant I abhor Do Not Disturb My Flowers

My Youth Christopher Liriano Bred into a world where your past defines you Shout out to my ideal who stopped The blade from coursing through my vein The men and women who walked the streets Wondering Watching me through the glass Next to my father’s car seat Utilized lessons learned from childhood years Maybe mom had it all right, truly Leaving me with my father and his second wife Was the biggest mistake of her life I can still feel her next to me Guiding me from the dead Rest in peace to my 2nd Mommy You see nobody knows me Into this world of greed Courtesy means nothing if you still ain't free Jealousy owns the game for me I hope for better days Trouble comes from bullies naturally Making me tumble and fall Striking upon me every day in each way Life depends on the choices you make Pick what side you’re on The decisions you make upon What road to take

Dark Storming Night Joselyn Herrera I wish shooting stars had a way to make me soar Even if I’m laying down trying to forget Wishing that I will force myself to continue Life the way it is these days Tender Troubling Tricky Continue my journey Just soar Soar like birds flying to migrate Soar like dolphins jumping out of the water Soar like a falcon on a dark storming night Soar like no other bird will do I wish shooting stars had a way to make me smile With no regrets on what’s happening around me Wishing to help others As much as I love myself And forgive myself if I did something wrong All of this is making my head ache Why is it so hard to smile? Making my stomach ache I’m starting to hate it Why life is so hard? I’m on the train feeling pain Why don’t others appreciate who I am and what I do? It’s like I’m falling All my bones are shattering apart in a snap Like I’m trapped in a room when There is no way to escape

Una Noche Oscura de Asalto Joselyn Herrera Deseo que las estrellas fugaces tengan una forma de Hacerme Remontar Incluso si estoy acostada tratando de olvidar Deseando que me obligue a continuar la vida tal como Es hoy en día Tierno Preocupante Difícil Continuar mi viaje Solo vuela Volar como pájaros volando para emigrar Volar como los delfines saltando fuera del agua Volar como un halcón en una noche oscura de asalto Volar como ningún otro pájaro lo hará Deseo que las estrellas fugaces tengan una forma de Hacerme sonreír Sin remordimientos por lo que sucede a mi alrededor Deseo ayudar a los demás tanto como a mí mismo Y perdóname a mí mismo si hice algo mal Todo esto hace que me duela la cabeza ¿Por qué es tan difícil sonreír? Me duele el estómago Estoy empezando a odiarlo ¿Por qué la vida es tan difícil? Estoy en el tren sintiendo dolor ¿Por qué los demás no aprecian quién soy y lo que hago? Es como si estuviera cayendo Todos mis huesos se rompen en un chasquido Como si estuviera atrapado en una habitación cuando No hay forma de escapar

Many Heartbeats Alondra Alvalle Them Us We All together Left with a life A life to live A life to put together With many heartbeats Many days to live Many things to accomplish Them Us We All together Left with a family A family who can betray Stab you in the back Want you held down Like someone in a headlock Not able to breath But when they are in need of help They’re the first one to call, First one to knock on the door In need of you When in reality they want you to suffer Be tight on money No job Be self-conscious about your stomach Hanging low on top of your pants How ugly you look without makeup

But on the other side A family wishing you to do your best They don’t care about your stretch marks How ugly the pimples look on your face They want you to have a job Be financially stable So you can have a roof over your head Them Us We All together Have hope Hope to get back up Be brave Believe in yourself

Spiritual Memoir Collaborative Poem Truth is who we are as people Our poems are magic The magic of truth A force you cannot reckon with A force so majestic Beautiful like the oceans’ palm trees So powerful we break the boundaries of the universe Our voices sound like thunder and lightning As we preach the truth Banish the lies Our poems are drowning in pain Calling out our names Responding Rejoicing In our own unique thoughts While we stare at the sun Full of glory All the memories Our poems are the magic of truth

Teenage Equivalent of the Grim Reaper Moe Sanders I prepare for the worst Yes, this is true and it's not because I'm negative It's not because I am the teenage equivalent of the Grim Reaper It's because no one prepares you for the worst Everyone talks about the what-ifs And the happily-ever-afters But no one talks about the middle of the Disney movie Where everything is falling apart And no one prepares you for when Your whole life is like that I'm talking about what if Jasmine never met Aladdin? Would she be married to Jafar? What if Cinderella never went to the ball? Lost her slipper, would she have made it this far? What if Ariel never grew the feet And let Ursula drown her dreams In the same waters she deemed fit to be a prison? What if Snow White slept forever And we realize, that true love's kiss Can't save everything? Are we prepared for that? And in reality, what if you never get the guy? Or that guy turns out to be the bad guy With bruised hands instead of love? What if that school rejects you? What if Spellman rejects you? What if you don't ace that test? And what if your mom dies tomorrow? I prepare for the worst to escape the Disappointment 40

Heart break And failure Because if you don't prepare for these things Failure will beat you down until you’ve depleted Into the Earth on your hands and knees Disappointment will nibble at your conscience And feast on your heart Heartbreak will take its hand and squeeze your heart Grueling enough to make you feel it But gentle enough to keep you breathing Because pain demands to be felt And it will I prepare for the worst because I'm a realist I don't really believe in happily-ever-afters I've become a master in realizing Not everything works out Friends don't stay your friends And the guy doesn't really get you And your plan A usually turns into Plan B Which turns into C And before you know what you're at plan Z And I'm not negative I'm not the teenage equivalent of the Grim Reaper I just like to know all of my options And what I'm getting myself into I don't walk into a room unless I know who's in there How many people- is there a place for me to sit? I prepare for the worst because no one else does I'm sorry if I have to break your heart to teach you that And I can teach you that because I know what not preparing for the worst feels like I know what it feels like to walk into that room and There's nowhere for you to sit ‘Cause that chair doesn't have your name on it But let me ask you something- will it ever? I know how it feels to not get that guy 41

Because I was that girl and he was that guy And rejection was written Across my forehead in bright red I understand what it's like to not prepare for the worst Which is why I never want you to feel like that I love you too much So it's my job tear you down To build you back up It's my job to teach you how to prepare for the worst So you can become a master At this thing called Life

Faceless Joshua Lebron I wear a mask But which is true The mask Or my face? The mask The demon The angel The face Looking for emotions where they can't be found The demon Like drops of blood on my face Turning half my face crimson I can taste the madness Seeing myself in a Devilish smile It left a memory on my wrist The angel who helps put smiles on peoples’ faces One who saw hope in people Only one who will be tainted by thoughts Of what is really true Other side, a poisonous tongue While the face loses light In the many masks But everyone wears a mask I choose to make my own I show my true face to the audience Each mask a part of me Each mask asks questions I may never have answers

Double Chocolate Emmanuel Bravo When I was a baby I started running with a cookie in my left hand Turned on the TV and saw Spongebob Squarepants I fell asleep To dream about the cookie monster trying to eat me I didn't know where I would be Achieve to get a little higher Reach the cookies that are sitting still Waiting to get inside me I couldn't see how high up I'd been Because I was a little chubby I jumped Mom appears Sees me Then catches me Then puts me down her knees Mom said ou scared the hell out of me Y She spanked me 2 times I kept thinking to myself Will I ever become free?

I’m Me Taniya King I’m me That's who I want to be I’m sassy, but hey that's just me I'm different... WaitYou’re different too? But the difference is I don't think the same Like you probably want me to I’m very little, yet very tough I’m scared of things like snakes and slugs I’m black and love. It’s what makes me- Me I have an afro, I am now free My birthday is in October October’s very own My name is Taniya I am not unknown I want my voice to be heard I want my voice to be so loud That one day my momma will be proud I want to show you guys what I got Not me being a “hoodrat” or a “thot” My life is pretty good Even though I used to live in the hood I may be 12 But I want to tell this book that’s been untold That has been covered in gold I breathe, sleep, eat and slay 50

This is my chance to shine away I love to dance as you can see If you didn’t and you want to, You wouldn’t believe My mom used to tell me not everyone is your friend I used to sit back and laugh and not listen once again But now I realize I gotta be on my own Not care what people say and not think like I’m grown Remember I’m still just a kid But I could probably rap, sing and dance Better than you did Everybody probably saying I can’t But I know when I get older I’ll be sitting on a plane while y'all looking like ants This is me This is who I was raised to be And my voice is going to be heard Maybe not today or the next But it will be heard I will be the best Wrong Path Jaylynn Hernandez Little things can destroy your whole day Mistakes cause big chaos Make you walk the wrong path Little things affect people Make you want to give up on life You don't get that much love from your momma Have heartbreaks Feel weak Not having a lot of support There can be hard times Little things make people weak 51

When people are stressed Don't know what to do Not knowing that their choices Can lead to bad outcomes And then nobody will ever Hear their voice

Wrong Path Jaylynn Hernandez Little things can destroy your whole day Mistakes cause big chaos Make you walk the wrong path Little things affect people Make you want to give up on life You don't get that much love from your momma Have heartbreaks Feel weak Not having a lot of support There can be hard times Little things make people weak When people are stressed Don't know what to do Not knowing that their choices Can lead to bad outcomes And then nobody will ever Hear their voice

Haunted Marcos Fuentes I wish I could go back as a kid I would correct every little wrong I ever did I would try to be that golden child And never do anything foul I had a friend who was filled with somewhat courage Who got beat up by his dad so hard Had to go to an orphanage Poor kid, I felt bad so I tried to cheer him up But he died alone with his heart and soul broken Red water with open cuts Now he’s just a body bagged up And I’m hoping No one ever goes through this Turns out he was fed up With life He had no friends No family It was easier to give up Tough luck Now I never misbehave The worst part is that I feel I was the one who dug his grave Ignored him when he got on my nerves Even though he should have never been The one I curved I should’ve never even left him alone When he told me he had to go back to his home Two days later he was gone And I didn’t get to say goodbye He was probably the only reason I ever cried You’d think that knowing him for 5 years 54

I’d notice some signs But I let him down and that will forever be in my mind And still, the thought of his parents make me sick How other people don’t care about another life Because they think it’s toxic I don’t hate life I just find it obnoxious

Game Over Alyssa Cordero Life is surrounded by fear Rather than locking yourself In the closet and throwing Away the key You walk around in your safety blanket You hid under as a kid Looking to keep the evil away 1. We are born We are all so clueless Listening to our surroundings Studying the language And movements made by others Picking up on others words until we say our first And hear W elcome on the first day of school Going home with excitement Telling the family I made a new friend 2. 1 friend turns to 5 5 turns to 10 10 back down to 3 But you're hanging with the Wrong crew Taking the fall for people who Won't even trip for you So you become A solo artist Graduating school for more School to prepare for work 3. 56

Job searching Money gaining Rent paying All the way to age 65 Retirement Sit home Watching TV all day until 3… 2. ..1… 0 Life is over In a matter of seconds Live like it's your last You can't be afraid of losing Your life If you aren't making it the best So how will you live it?

Grief Shanieya Seda I am sorry I am sorry for leaving you Going years with only one minute conversations Here and there I am sorry for not visiting you Never seeing you on your good days When you were chatty and loud, Like a bird singing its’ happy tunes in the morning I am sorry for only being there for your last moments, Laying in bed Weak and barely talking Your small smirk as you looked at me Reminiscing about the times I was younger Trying to have longer conversations So they could last forever In my head I am sorry for leaving you I could see the pain in your eyes When you saw me cry My eyes watering while yours filled with sadness Saying T e Amo Abuela Over And Over again. So you could know that I truly did As you sat on your wheelchair Barely moving I knew your heart was unhappy I wish I could’ve been there I wish I would've known you more I wish I spent more time with you 58

I wish I didn’t leave you alone I am sorry I am sorry I am sorry

Running from Fear Kayla Espino Running away from life Running from the darkness That comes within the light Seeing the light at the end of the tunnel But the more you get close The more it keeps going Far Far away Running from fear Trying to escape it But you never can Because it’s always after you You try so hard to escape But it will always come back Until you face the fact That you will be stuck with it forever The fear of losing you

Sometimes God is my Enemy Steph Porfil Grandma you died I don't know if you can hear me But I’m damn near dying inside Can you hear these tears drop? Can you hear my heart stop? Can you see me on my knees Asking God for answers please Asking if he could let you talk to me But he ain’t give you the phone So here I am again Left all alone You gave me hope You gave me the wind when the window was closed So I don’t know why you thought you could leave You left me with cuts that ain’t never bleed Tell me why you stopped breathing Leaving me all alone to fight all my demons You left mama with tears You left her with a bag a fear You left her all alone Got us praying to god Knowing you ain’t coming back home One bang 2 bang 3 bang 4 Got me punching the wall Cause I can’t take it no more Why God took you away? You ain’t need to go to a better place You was the light When dark took all our family away 61

So come back, damn it Got me saying poems while you in the casket Got me lookin’ up to the sky Some people ask why They only see blue Well Grandma, I see you Who told you to give up? What made you think God needed you more than us? I wish your lungs ain’t close I wish God gave you one more breath Before you died slow I hated that call we got I ain’t believe it You broke my heart before any female had a reason I’m dead, but I’m still breathing I’m lost Find me I’m hurt Fix me I’m scared Save me I’m broken Fix me I’m sad Hug me I need you Come love me Grandma you died And left me with pain and hunger inside You took something from me when you left I hate the meaning of death If life had a reset, I swear I would press Cause Grandma you died And left me with no feelings inside Sometimes God is my only friend But sometimes he’s my enemy 62

Cause he took my only other friend Grandma, please come back I swear I need you more than ever I wish you could come back You fixed everything that ain’t last Grandma Amen

The Disaster Gabriella Heyward Being where I’m from You would think I would say how hard life was growing up Young girls can’t walk to the bodega Without the cat calls of filthy men Boys that I used to see around disappearing A momma of 3 sweet brown babies Struggles to keep her babies calm as she Hands primo her WIC check But really Everything was sunshine and rainbows The sun shining so bright You could feel it kissing and caressing your skin Darker and darker The rainbow came after all of life's storms It was always beautiful, filled with life and laughter Then came the earthquake Shook up everything Cancer opened up the ground underneath my feet As everything was falling down I cried as my sunshine was stolen from me My family My life My hopes My dreams Gone before my eyes My soul aching as my heart shattered into Infinite pieces Daddy gone Mommy left too I have brothers and I have sisters 64

I share DNA with I have my brothers and I have my sisters I share my heart with My soul is a tsunami That just won't stop Endless acid rain of pain That's why sometimes I don’t feel so hip to hop That’s why I don't care if I’m at the bottom or the top That’s why right now I can care less If my heart decided to stop Can you feel the waves of my pain? It brought a hurricane I'm gonna make it rain so you can understand this pain My frustration Daddy gone Life feels like a hallucination My feelings A ball of complication Stare into space everyday Contemplate Whether I should give up now or just keep playing

1991 Sea Ray Bowrider Lauren Fardig-Diop turquoise water of my childhood. clear like sunlit crystal, Petoskey stone scavengers in Michigan’s own Caribbean, speed boats traverse down 18 miles of shoreline. you used to take us tubing over the calm waters of our cove. turning the boat too fast so we would whip over the wake and roll into the drink. jumping off of the boat in the middle of the lake the water Mediterranean blue and frigid on Memorial Day, but in life, as well as lakes, you never missed a chance to jump in. this summer we will take you on one last, “mom speed”- slow pontoon ride over the choppy waves. I wonder who will drive the boat.

Grandmother Genesis Santos Grandma I miss you The way we had our talks, our fun, our nights The day you left took a part of me But still you are a part of me Oh my, I’ve been missing your smile The way you told me Just keep me proud I've been handling things on my own But I'll never go through this alone I'm over here suffocating for conversation Wishing you were here Wishing you were here drives me crazy But the way I've been feeling got me so lazy Not wanting to show my face Not wanting to show anyone my pain Because you always said Don't show people you’re hurt Put a smile and try to be proud Behind this smile you can see the broken heart The tears The pain the hurt I have because you left Just hold my hand Look in my eyes and see how much I’ve been through I may be only a teen but I have a lot to say My grandmother raised me up To the young woman I am today She kept me in her prayers as I keep her in mine She kept me close and I’m trying so hard not to cry while I write This feels like a big pill to swallow It hurts 67

I put my head down Put my foot down, but I won't ever let her down I'll keep fighting to the fullest, never look back Get my education like the young woman I am I'm sorry you left I'm sorry you had to go But never will I ever let you go I love you Trust and believe me, I do.

My Life Vanessa Bravo My life isn’t easy Everything isn’t how it was before Wish I could've stayed a child And not know what pain was That it felt like a knife going through my back Rising as I grow older Like a planted tree Like rain that falls Letting the rain water me Still standing although I’m falling Still smiling although I’m crying Still living although I am dying Finally finding love So pure and a blessing Someone who truly appreciates me Feeling happier than before Learning as I go What I did not know existed

Exhausting Battles Litzy Rojas You were the root of reasons I wasn’t defeated We were both fighting our love battles With two heartless warriors You were the reason my mind was at peace You are the reason I stayed smiling Like my lips were stitched up to stay wide You were the reason I was breathless With those long laughters we shared A time of horrendous and crazy experiences That we will hold onto until heaven You aren’t an acquaintance Nor a friend Nor a sister Your loyalty is inexplicable Even if they were torturing you You still wouldn’t say my secrets 7.442 billion people in this world And you are my own

Blind Abyss Edwin Soto My right eye saw the light My left eye saw darkness My left eye taking over Making both my eyes see black and grey These eyes making me see An ocean of distance with my mom These eyes blaming my grandma’s death For my mother’s absence These eyes turned people into question marks These eyes saw hatred for my dad I don't know why I started to write It was just depression Blind world Voices and faces were blocked out The feeling of not crying was printed all over my face The need for understanding was all over my heart And one Friday morning for a Writers’ Forum I was sitting in the back row of our auditorium I was on a soft wooden seat She had teeth white like piano keys Her words opened up a gateway to help me breathe It’s like her words reached out And slammed my soul back in my body She put a lock on it So that my visions Won't go dark again For the first time Poetry brought colors to my life No longer black and white And I had this urge, You know that urge71

Like walking by your Christmas tree Trying so hard not to open those gifts This urge made me want to take out my phone And start writing Images of things I never saw myself doing Came to life Right before my eyes I realize I'm not going to have everything And that's ok Birds will still chirp The cosmos will still talk Telling me it's okay to be vulnerable My poetry will heal so many souls My poetry is that rope you don't have to let go

Rollercoaster Jaylynn Hernandez Till this day I pick up my head up And think I’m the bad one When I walked through those doors I would get scared of going home Till this day I think you made me look stupid Want to give up on the good things Shoved me in the wrong direction And led me through hell Hell wasn't a great place to start off Not wanting to be in this world Making my mom see that I wasn't worth anything I would cry every night Thinking if I should die for making me not want To be successful no more All I wanted was to stay home and pray all night So God could hear me fight for my rights Till this day nobody could say that I didn't work hard enough to pull up my grades Since the day I left your building, I kept my head up Always happy For all the bad grades I used to get Always having a negative mindset It’s all past by me Hell made me realize Bad choices don't lead you Don’t take you anywhere

The Truth Aaron Pontier They say you need school to be successful Say school is the key to everything They say school will prepare you for the real world It doesn’t You learn the basics Then you learn extra You learn things you’ll never be asked ever again like How long does it take for the Earth To do a full 360 degree turn? Who was the 15th president? What happened in the battle of Jamestown? But how am I supposed to keep myself out of debt? How do I get a job to keep myself fed? Where will I find a place to live, to stay off the streets? How will I prevent credit card fraud, losing every penny? You learn the hard way Trial, error, failure is how you will learn You are your own key to success The truthIt’s something no one will tell you School is not the key School makes things harder than needed to be

We are Not Made of Paper Cinthia Encarnación We are more than a standardized test We are more than a classification A We are more than a 100 rating We are not made of paper We are fragile, sensitive Ingenious, creative Enthusiastic, reserved Extroverts and analysts We are like two snowflakes There will never be two the same We have our highs and our casualties We have our skills and weaknesses We have our ideas and opinions We have our fears and openness We are not a fabric cut to size Each voice deserves to be heard Each word deserves to be pronounced Each text deserves to be read Each system deserves a second chance to change This is not a whim This is not a comment This is not just my opinion These are facts with proof This is not temporary The needs of each student They are permanent This is a reform This is the beginning of A new society 75

It is the door of The new system

Nosotros no Estamos Hechos de Papel Cinthia Encarnación Somos más que una prueba estandarizada. Somos más que una clasificación A. Somos más que una calificación 100. No estamos hechos de papel. Somos frágiles, sensibles. Ingeniosos, creativos. Entusiastas,reservados. Extrovertidos y analistas. Somos como dos copos de nieve. Nunca habrán dos iguales. Tenemos nuestras altas y nuestras bajas. Tenemos nuestras destrezas y debilidades. Tenemos nuestras ideas y opiniones. Tenemos nuestros temores y franquezas. No somos una tela cortada a la medida. Cada voz merece ser escuchada. Cada palabra merece ser pronunciada. Cada texto merece ser leído. Cada sistema merece una segunda oportunidad para cambiar. Esto no es un capricho. Esto no es un comentario. Esto no es solo mi opinión. Estos son hechos con pruebas. Esto no es temporal Las necesidades de cada estudiante Son permanentes. Esto es una reforma. Esto es el inicio de Una nueva sociedad. 77

Es la puerta de El nuevo sistema.

Underrated Knowledge Diego Romero Poems are underrated unless they are Uniquely used to one’s advantage To comprehend the young Is way too hard to manage Understand life’s purpose Like my family speaking Spanish But I’m here to speak my mind Un-drive these thoughts that only survive inside A human’s entitled to a great state of mind Like a jungle which is mine below the sky Flipped around without being out of line Stand with my presence like wine and lime combined Overlooked like a tasteless rhyme Without my mouth stuttering to define Debate the effects Earn self respect Quit parents foundation Don’t become a grown man still lying in his carriage Curvin’ Somebody watch out Warn him Some are out here still learning While the rest are just earning Greatly of life’s disadvantages Healing, cause welfare isn’t the safest bandage

Dear Parents and Students Torrey Watson School is for people to get an education A diploma and to get accepted to college But from my eyes, I notice Many people doubt themselves And school is not for everyone We all know school can be annoying Like your child waking you up from a nap Crying its little lungs out Annoying like when a student reminds a teacher About homework when the day is almost over And makes you want to s l ap the back of their head So hard But you don’t Annoying like a sibling that keeps calling your name Over and over again, giving you a headache Like teachers telling you something more than once When you’re in a bad, tired mood And doing that great stare at the wall for five minutes… Stare at the floor for five minutes… Get in your chair... I told you five times already… This is the last final time I’m telling you before I get the dean… But we need to deal with the fact They’re helping us pass our classes Anything could be happening Arguments Or teachers getting disrespected No one knows what happens home And then we wake up in the morning And still come to school or work We need to try to not to be so hard on each other 80

A Letter to My Parents Kaia Clough A letter to my parents, Or should I say the pusher and the donor? For I am my own parent, supporter, caregiver Because for me 9 meant 18 And 10 was 19, 11, 20, 12, 21, 15, 22, 16, and 23. It was all on me. And no, I didn’t forget about 13 and 14, That’s just when someone didn’t give up on me. Adolescence snatched away when it was key. Past lovers agree, Said I didn’t know how to loveOnly knew how to survive. But how was I going to give something I was never taught to give? From the age 15 to now3 jobs, high school, doing for me. The world doesn’t stop because I was pushed out, Remember I never asked to be here. The attention you gave me wasn’t even minimum wage. What- because that cost too much? So to all that, I say Forget You But nonetheless Thank You. I have a support system I’m proud to call family. It’s funny they say blood is thicker than water, Mine ended up clotting and stopped my oxygen flow, Ended up almost killing me. But the water was willing to pick up your broken pieces Flow and nourish me, Guess that’s why it makes up 70% of me.

I’ve always been told to put my feelings aside, But how can I when they’re crawling outside? But what you hide in your heart is read in your eyes And my eyes gave it all away. I never had parents in which I could confide, To pat me on my back and say it will all be okay. I had to take my own hands to do so, Right hand to pat me on my back And the left to wipe my tears. And it’s been like that for years. So don’t ask why I give the cold shoulder. You were supposed to mold me. But I picked up everything I could And molded myself into a piece of art, Potential, beauty, strength are seen just from a glance. So just how easy it was for the disrespect and neglect To roll off your tongue, You can now roll just as easy Into the grave you dug for 17 years. What goes around comes around. Now, I’m coming around. Even on the not-so brightest days, A blessing is bound. What I went through does not determine who I will be. Brown alluring eyes reflect back to both of you, But the looks only make me a part of you. Personal characteristics set me apart from you. Strength I used to go on when I didn’t want to, Independence when I had no one to depend on, Self respect because I take no disrespect. Now, though I can never forget, I forgive you. Even after you abused my willingness To accept you back, I forgive you. 82

Even though you’re reluctant to my tears, I forgive you. Even though you were never there, I forgive you. No matter how much I cry out I hate you, Just know I forgive you. Signed. Sealed. And when you’re ready To listen and accept, Waiting to be delivered.

Listen Zanibu Foday Stop crying baby girl Pick up that crown Show them haters that you could do better, Show them how much you’re worth Make them bend down and show you who’s boss Crown dropping? Pick it up This world-- it’s too cold, Girl, you know you’re irreplaceable

Cherry Blossom Joselyn Herrera Her heart is as hard as a coconut Trying to crack open and let all the water run out Her heart was generous time after time Her heart will shine Shine like no ordinary sun Broken but still alive Soon to rise and flee To be free Free like the ocean with the beautiful waves Free like the cold sand in the morning Free like you’ve been swimming above the soaring sky Free like swans falling in love Her soul is strong as a thousand pound weights Trying to get fit But it struggles Yes her soul can tear apart and split away, but it will Always come back together to restart A fresh cool soul like a glass of lemonade on a sunny Afternoon Her soul is a cherry blossom Blooming like no other Pink not red Sprouting when the sun is bright Bright like a lightning bolt that strikes White pink flowers on the tree Cherry blossoms make me blow in the breeze Her face is emotional like mood swings Like the weather when it’s changing everyday Her face is cold Strict in some cases Cold when icy-snow hits your face 90

Her face can cool like autumn leaves So winter can come Her face is red Flames are shown in her eyes Her cheeks get red like when She played her first soccer game Lost but got furious The heart is the anger running through her veins Her fists are rocks She’s huffing and puffing like a smoky volcano erupting Look at her closely She’ll walk away Like the wind

Flor de Cereza Joselyn Herrera Su corazón es tan duro como el coco Tratando de abrirse y dejar que se agote todo el agua Su corazón fue generoso una y otra vez, Su corazón brillará Brillar Como ningún sol ordinario Roto pero vivo Pronto para levantarse, huir Y ser libre Libre como el océano con las hermosas olas Libre como la arena fría en la mañana Libre como si hubieras estado flotando Sobre el cielo en alza Libre como cisnes enamorados. Su alma es fuerte como pesas de mil libras Tratando de ponerse en forma pero lucha Sí, su alma puede separarse y alejarse, pero lo hará Siempre vuelven a estar juntos para un refrescante Reinicio Su alma como un vaso de limonada en una tarde Soleada Su alma es una flor de cereza Floreciendo como ningún otro Rosa no rojo Las flores de cereza me hacen brotar cuando el sol es brillante Como un rayo que golpea Flores blancas y rosadas en el árbol Las flores de cereza me hacen soplar con la Brisa Su rostro es emocional como cambios de humor Como el clima cuando está cambiando todos los días Su cara está fría Estricta en algunos casos 92

Fría cuando la nieve helada golpea su cara Su cara puede secarse como hojas de otoño para que llegue el invierno Su cara es roja Las llamas se muestran en sus ojos Sus mejillas se ponen rojas como cuando jugaba su primer partido de fútbol Perdió pero se puso furiosa El corazón es la ira que corre por sus venas Sus puños son rocas con fuerza como un volcán Humeante en erupción Mírala de cerca Ella se irá Al igual que el viento

Raised By America? No Thanks, I’m Puerto Rican Rahshawn Claudio Raised By America? No thanks, I’m Puerto Rican I was raised by the belt cracking on that back Sandal throwing at your head type of Puerto Ricans Arroz con gandules with a hint of Adobo eating Type of Puerto Ricans The arguing across the hall even though No one can hear you type of Puerto Ricans I was raised by all the fun parties and hangouts Drinking, and after fights break out Type of Puerto Ricans Grabbing weapons to threaten people Type of Puerto Ricans Non-alcoholic drinking type of Puerto Ricans I was raised by fresh fruit Grabbing up in tall trees Hot sand running and kicking type of Puerto Ricans

My Kind of Love By Ashala Jones Love was the greatest feeling, And I’m talking the cute love Where I would sit in the back of the bus And act like I was in a music video While listening to R&B songs. Love was scribbling your name On the answers of test questions Because everything about you was right. It was being told to get my head out of the clouds Because I was only fifteen And love was supposedly a foreign concept to me. Love was already knowing the first names of our kids Kayden, Kamren and Kyle And making sure their last names flowed with yours Because mine did so effortlessly. Love was knowing For a second you could be away from me But pushing that thought to the back of my brain. A thought like that, even uttered as a whisper, Would cause catastrophe. Love was like having too much on my plate But always adding you and having seconds Even if that meant breaking my fine china. It was putting our names into every love calculator And checking if our signs were compatible. I wish I would’ve paid attention Because apparently water and fire don’t mix. And I’m sorry if this love seems a little obsessive It’s just I needed assurance that you wouldn’t Leave like my father did, After he dug me a hole full of regret, Boxed me in with insecurity, And covered me up with shame.

No, I didn’t mean to look up at you with the Hopefulness of a daughter holding onto you, Because her father let go of her hand, Because the 100 dollars he sends a month Cannot amount to the cost it takes to Fix the crater sized hole in her heart. And the lies you tell her sit in her body Dormant like a disease waiting for an ounce of Confidence to appear, Only to attack it with everything it’s got. Love was having sore muscles From holding my hopes up. It was letting my success be significant for Facebook But never good enough to see you in person. My vision of you has been left untouched. You are still Superman except love is your kryptonite. Always having enough for every girlfriend But never having anything left But a drop for your children. And I would gladly take what was left over. I wonder if you ever thought about your daughter How she looks in the mirror and sees you. She also sees you in every boy she’s dated. Does your heart break When you remember that she cried for you When your carbon copy broke her heart? When you sit at dinner and eat your $20 appetizerDo you wonder how her mother will decide Whether your daughter will get shoes Or her hair done this month Since your $100 dollars can’t stretch for anything. To the boy I used to love, Your affection is like the Jordan’s you wore every day Fake and soulless. The feeling you once gave me is now gone 96

And what remains are the scribbles that form words in My journal that help share my truth. To the man I call Dad, I have written this poem over and over again, Never wanting to hurt your feelings, But never wanting to stop my healing. And although this poem won’t be Facebook worthy Of the comments that make you feel as if you’ve done Something to contribute to the person I am becoming, It is not wrong of me to write. It is wrong of you not to listen.

Tired Of You Cinthia Encarnación I’m tired of you. I’m sick of seeing your Face every morning. I’m disgusted by the heaviness I feel every time I hear your voice. I’m sick of sharing your very air. Sick of seeing your fake expressions. You are enjoying a salary that you don’t Deserve at my expense, you are only theater. You are more boisterous than the sound. I’m not asking you to die because for me You were never a living being. You are dead without desire. You are one with monotony. I’m asking you to dust or Lose yourself in nothingness. Disappear from my life and take Your unnecessary torments. I never thought I was Willing to plead for anything, But I beg you to leave me Alone and if you want to give Me a good present, give me your Absence because I don’t need Your presence. You were here to guide me But just knowing that I have to talk with you I feel lost 98

I think in red. It fills me with anger Every morning that your tired voice Will be heard oppressing my opinions.

Cansada de ti Cinthia Encarnación Estoy cansada de ti. Estoy harta de ver tu Cara cada mañana. Me enferma escuchar Tu pesada voz. Estoy asqueada de compartir tu mismo aire. Cansada de ver tus expresiones falsas. Estás disfrutando de un salario que no Mereces a costa mía, tu eres solo teatro. Eres más ruido que sonido. No te estoy pidiendo que mueras Porque para mí nunca fuiste un ser vivo. Estás muerto, sin deseos. Eres uno a la monotonía. Te estoy pidiendo que desaparezcas O te pierdas en la nada. Salte de mi vida y Lleva contigo tus tormentos innecesarios. Nunca pensé estar dispuesta A suplicar por nada. Pero te ruego que me dejes. Y si me quieres hacer Un buen regalo, regálame tu Ausencia porque no necesito Tu presencia. Estuviste aquí para guiarme Pero solo de saber que tengo que hablar contigo me siento perdida. 100

Pienso en rojo. Me lleno de rabia cada Mañana de saber que tendre Que escuchar el canson tono De tu voz oprimiendo mis opiniones.

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The Hiddens of Depression By Jasjeet Kaur I spend about 45 minutes everyday Looking at myself in the mirror And pinpointing everything wrong I’m staring at a demon that’s been eating me up Eating away all the positivity I have left in my life Leaving me full of negativity No longer being able to clearly See what path I should take I know people tell me “You’re beautiful” But all of these are lies When you are rejected by your own body Your mind plays these games And it's so funny Because you’re the one that's in control But you can never seem to win According to Webster, depression is “feelings of severe despondency and dejection.” Or in other words being hopeless, low spirited and sad What they forget to tell you is 1. When you hear about it you don't believe it Depression is all a myth Until you become homeless in your own body You are a burden to yourself 2. Where you once saw hope There is now a candle barely flickering in the darkness It becomes a fight with yourself Making sure the candle doesn’t blow out 3. You start to lose sight of everything Setting goals and dreams are no longer an option The only thing you focus on is not letting yourself win 102

You get to the point where you can no longer trust yourself 4. You no longer have friends Unless you consider anxiety and insomnia your friends Staying up at night questioning why why why Why me and not them? 5. It’s being able to create every excuse in the book Just so you don’t have to socialize My favorite being Mom said I can't go before I even ask her Or the classic Sorry I didn’t get your text, my battery died Staring at my phone 100% charged 6. It’s turning the TV to watch “This is the Voice” But all you hear are the voices in your head Your mind decides hey- this is the perfect time To think about all the things that could, Didn’t and can happen to you Falling asleep as soon as you get home So you can stay up at night When it’s complete silence and just cry Because you know If someone sees you and asks you what's wrong It makes everything 1,000 times worse 7. Your laughs and smiles become faker and faker Even you can’t tell when it’s real anymore Old broken up concrete filled with cracks all over Trying to mend itself back to its normal state 8. It’s learning to effort fully say I’m fine Over and over and over again 9. Its feeling pain when you eat 103

Sleep Breathe Or think Each story is different Not everyone will show the same signs Some will show tears streaming down their cheeks Others will disguise it in laughter The list can go on and on, But only you know the feeling of becoming homeless

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To Every Student that Trusts Me with Their Tears (an excerpt) Philip Lee You are enough. Today, tomorrow and yesterday are great days because You exist. Because the world needs the way you think, The way you love. You are roses growing from concrete, Your barren places will not stop your bloom. You are everything you need to be. Your freckles, and kinks and coils and Perfectly applied mascara allows you stand out in a World that is forcing you to blend in. You are brail, you are made to rise. Your voice is necessary, Never allow the silence to break you. Allow the tears you cry to amplify your greatness that is Within. On the days you don't feel like fighting, Remember that the most beautiful butterfly Was once in a cocoon. Know that you are defined by the your current actions, Not yesterday's mistakes. They were lessons in love, loyalty or the lack thereof. That ink blot on your canvas is the beginning of a Masterpiece crafted by the hands of experience. Allow the hard knocks to become protection For the soft spots of your heart. Allow it to heal not barricade. You deserve your crescent moon of a smile to shine. You deserve to know that your worth Is not material nor numerical. It is the rarest ruby, Designed to allow your reflection to be a reminder of The happiness that your Nana's sweet potato pie brings. 105

Your worth is measured in the amount of times that you Forgive yourself. In the amount of times you t ell the monsters to shut up.

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Nightmare Guillermo Ovalle Life is a nightmare A nightmare You just can’t forget A nightmare You would not wish on your worst enemy A nightmare That if you had the chance You would escape in a heartbeat A nightmare Where death is the most common way of escape A nightmare So bad When someone escapes It leads to another person’s Despair Misery Pain A nightmare Where we don’t stop working Till the day we die A nightmare where we Believe we can do anything we want Then get hit by reality Knocked down on the floor With nothing to do You try to get up Fail Bills Bills Bills You try to get a job Finally succeed Go to college 107

Excel But the stress builds up You forgot your doctor’s appointment Don’t have any stress pills You get on your knees to cry As you watch life go by

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Life and Death Jeremy Alston You might wonder when it is going to happen? Why is it going to happen? How can you stop it? But in reality, you know that you can’t You know that someday, some time It is going to happen and when it does You are not going to want it to All the great memories you had Are going to be washed away And you will wish you can take it all back Wish that you can start over From when you were a baby And wish that all the bad things never happened You wish that you could leave this planet knowing You did something good, something amazing Something that helped society as we know it But deep down inside you know When you leave this world you will have regrets Wish that all the things you did never happened I wish that you don’t leave That you stay on this earth forever You go to sleep knowing you might never wake up again And then it happens Up to heaven you go

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Coldness Emerie De La Cruz Ever wonder why people be acting very cold Well stuff happens in life that cannot be told That big wide smile on my face is a wish Because everything behind is just missing It is not that easy to find a remedy To grant all your wishes Sometimes you gotta grind hard To complete all your missions Everything outside of me is just happiness But everything inside of me is just sadness You cannot expect anyone to be perfect Because God made us all different The color on our skin Should not affect how we treat others We should treat them with kindness and respect So next time you judge someone Off of how they look Make sure you do not say anything That will leave them shook

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Indisposed Mind Marcos Fuentes I am so not prepared My life is not set God put me on a tough path to make me upset How do we even know God exists? All I ever felt was helplessness I think to myself that I’m ridiculous I’m just sick of this I only pretend to have hope That one day everything would turn out great Feel like my fate is sealed Death has set a date So many times I wanted to believe, but you’re not real I fell for the bait I don’t even know how I get by If I don’t believe, where do I go after I die? Don’t think that I’m sane All I think about is death There’s always concern in my breath And I even confuse the difference Between worst and best I question authority I don’t have priorities This burden I carry on me Like a backpack holds my secrets Slowly spilling And I’m trying to keep it secured

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Devil Disguised Alyssa Cordero I have seen the devil disguised In everything I've hoped for Love Care A shoulder to cry on Someone who gets me A personal bright light What I thought helped me smile Ended up tearing me apart Ripping out my eyes and hands Slowly No longer able to feel how I once felt See the world the same way Beautiful words were Just a hypnotic spell so I wouldn’t Know what's really going on I have seen venom put into other bodies Spread quicker than the words I'm proud of you More people walking down jail halls That will never be able to walk down the aisle Change is what we need This story we are reading Over And over Needs a sequel, where at the end The villains are no longer in the picture Where everyone is considered a hero

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Steel Man Litzy Rojas Finding a partner is hard Trusting someone to stay is scary Doing everything together To doing nothing at all Like two birds departing to their Own destination When before they were heading in the same direction My love was like a flying ball But you ain’t catch it Knowing love still spreading through veins Disappointed seeing someone you used to love The memories turning to regret Uncontrollable Anxiously Trying to make a drug to un-love Wasting all my time That man is too stubborn That prideful man doesn’t feel the need to care That man hates loyalty You were the reason I discovered the world’s imperfections I never expected this end Steel man

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Heroin Moe Sanders Here we are again In the same room and you’re tempting me To wrap that love coated rubber band Around my heart and shoot all of your nostalgia Into my bloodstream Cause you know It’s good for you I was your cure More than that really I knew you more than you knew yourself It was with me you felt at home But you, You were me disease And you found pleasure in killing me slowly You see the side effects of your love Are way stronger than you think The side effects of your Unattainable Unimaginable Suffocating Love Is something my heart can't seem to Wrap it’s ventricles around And they were tired of stretching for you You see Your love comes with delusions You have the happiness that sits in my face Smiles Laughs Tells me I'm beautiful That I’m worth waiting for But when I reach my hand out to touch you 114

It’s like you’re 4 miles away It comes with depression That sits in the basement of my heart And when you come Here it comes Creaking up the stairs, ready to open that door again Oh and here comes anger For when you decide to play hide and seek Your favorite act Now you see it Now you don't And I was tired of buying front row tickets Then here comes the fear That spreads like a virus from my heart Somehow finding its way to my throat And it's burning Now I can’t breath Now I can’t speak So now all I know how to do is smile And nod when you’re around me Is this how you want me? Are you aware that this is how you leave me? A shell of who I really am? Is it sad, that after all this I still reach my hand out for you? Is it bad that I go through all this Although I don't love you? Because after all How can you love someone when you know They're no good for you? Nostalgia in its cruelest form Makes me remember how my 115

Heart felt when you touched me How it felt when you appeared in front of me The way I felt with your eyes on me This is when the drugs cease To exist in my bloodstream And I crash back down to reality And I can finally breathe See Think Is when I realize How pure your intentions are It’s just your side effects that are deadly Or is that just the heroin talking?

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A Boy’s Image Aaron Pontier Just because I’m a boy Doesn’t mean I’m selfish Doesn’t mean I don’t listen to how your day was Or how you’re feeling And doesn’t mean I think I’m better It means I’m here to protect my loved ones And do something to improve the world Or at least the people’s lives around me Just because I’m a boy Doesn’t mean I only want sex And doesn’t mean it’s the first thing I’ll think about It does mean I want someone to call mine Someone to grow old with and raise my kids with Someone who loves me for me Just because I’m a boy Doesn’t mean I can’t cry Doesn’t mean I don’t have feelings And doesn’t mean I’m not responsible It does mean I care about what happens to everyone close to me and I want to be there as much as possible Just because I’m a boy Do you think I don’t want my own little family? Why can’t I just love someone For who they are and not their body? Am I supposed to be immature Just because I’m a boy?

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they told me observing was a good trait Leah Pagan it was almost like the stars urged me to notice you the way your hair bounced and tumbled in unpredictable ways and the way your laugh was like a plant soft and timid with the building strength to touch the sky and bring the sun to its knees and notice you i did my heart became utterly infatuated with you my problems dissipated into thin air all the love songs were about you you were the star of all my poems of all my upcoming poems and even then my words could not capture how exquisite you were they could not begin to capture how exquisite and intelligent and resilient and beautiful you are i have been postponing this poem scouring the dictionary my heart has made itself to be pouring it into the lines and you are more exceptional than the poetry shakespeare wrote at midnight next to the burning, dwindling candle and i made the mistake of calling you the night sky because i failed to realize how much more you were so much more for you were not the night sky, but the solar system full of wonder and magic and endless brilliance with never ending piles of stardust and blazing tails igniting everything with this indescribable beauty and i could swear that even the gods 118

would get on their knees to worship you because baby, you deserve it beyond any language could explain

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Doubts Diego Romero This phenomenal girl bloomed into a part of my heart Through my eyes no glasses needed to see She’s a true piece of art Although this distorted life with no smile Tears us apart We’re undefeated I am here and there No matter what Can you repeat it? The perfect duo right from the start My opinion Past Present Where do I start? Exchanging ones thoughts of life Debate what is and isn’t right Inside the system’s wrong state of mind Words wouldn’t define what I feel inside I am proud to say she’s all mine Heart Eyes Without looking twice Doubt everything but I still feel hope I don’t want to feel what I felt anymore Unfortunately for me Always wanted to succeed But never wanted to believe The word love With invisible quote on quote parentheses My great untold stories Unexpectedly Disregarding my part 120

She caged my heart She stays But I feel her wanna leave My love for her is similar to concrete

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Until Love Breaks Mariah Barreto Love is sweet Love is like candy It’s happy at first But the end turns worst You fight You fight It feels worthless But keep fighting because Most things are worth it You feel like it’s the end Because you don’t know where to begin You feel like it’s for real But the other person thinks It’s for the thrill You feel safe But you’re not in the right place You love And love Until that love Breaks

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Never Ending Joshua Lebron Haven't been here in a little while Doesn't make sense to me As I know I belong here As I lay here gazing At the stars Each star a secret Pulling heart strings That flutter I lay here fading My heart breaking Slipping through cracks I'm out of breath every time I'm so wrong With every lie I take in I've snatched my heart out Put it in your hands Beating Bleeding It doesn't beat the same anymore I close my mouth shut Because my words mean nothing at all While some days I drive my lungs into the ocean She finds a better lie Better guy Her heart beats fine Mine out of tune Into silence I’m lying on her pillow 123

I fall asleep now To stop lying to myself I teach my lungs to breath underwater While closing my hands and waiting for answer I see darkness She sees light My emotions fold My heart is searching for a reason to come home I won't let my heart grow old I go back to the start I see a better light I can live with myself New wings As this was a never ending dream

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Is it My Fault You Changed? Naturelle Medero I scribble over my own words Because of the tears that drop I don't know what to say I seen the sadness in your eyes I seen the tears that always covered up my lies I’ve wanted to say sorry, but you just kept screaming I notice what was left, wasn't mine If I was able to go back in time I wouldn’t waste my time As I held your hand I remember when you were mine But it’s kind of sad how the time has flown by As my brick wall was built I had pushed the love I had for everyone to the side My life put darkness in the sky The sadness grew bigger in your eyes Turned into a physical fight As you scream that I’m trying To be the victim in the crime I started to see that I'm the bad guy I was less focused with my actions and my reactions I became more focused on you One day I asked myself Is it my fault that you changed? As I try to write you a letter I scribble over my own words because of The tears that drop

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Headache Guillermo Ovalle Ashley You played a big part in my life So when the time came to say bye I felt like getting on my knees to cry I never got the chance To say how I feel The fact that I would go crazy over you Speechless when you talked to me How my first kiss was with another girl Not you How I loved you How nightmares were nothing compared to the light You shined above me How you walked by And I hoped you would recognize me Know I was there Know I even existed My head hurt For the first time I felt an emotion I thought I would never feel Heartbroken I wanted you to feel the same But we both know the moment never came I did not want to take the blame For all the pain I knew I was going to regret it Yet I stayed quiet Looked from afar At your beauty and excellence I felt like being beheaded Because I did not know where I was headed It felt like a never ending sail across a vast ocean 126

I like to boast about my past experiences But when I do All I do is think about you How I let you slip away from My grasp I cared for you I loved you And yet you never realized Now I will never get another chance Another minute Another second to spend with you

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Bloom Edwin Soto I don’t want her to be Another distant memory That I lock in the back of my mind I want her to Help me grow Into manhood I'm the seed She’s the water Her pollen is knowledge the wind carries And becomes the oxygen in my blood I want to see her blossom Not into just one flower But a million flowers I want her to be the flower That survives the winter That flower that learns How to let go of her dead petals I want her to sprout Through her shell And plant her Roots into world

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Our Mystery Leidy Marquez We leave them breathless With no apparent reason Something’s not clicking We need to find an answer Every time we walk by They stare deeply into our souls Our bodies make them have the urge To approach us It’s everything within us There are some of them Burning in a volcano of lust But someday they’ll come across a water woman When they’re tired of being burnt by the devil She’ll put out the fire Within their feelings She’ll kill the devil With her heavenly hands To quench the burnt thirst We’re the bed that comforts them Pillows hugging their heavy heads We’re the blankets that cover them To prevent cold dissatisfaction Our mind fascinates them all Our bodies make them fall to their knees They beg and beg to spend their lives with us It’s the thought of us That keeps the peace within them at night We’re the passport to the everlasting love story They want to read and visualize We’re diplomas you have to put in work to achieve Then brag to the whole world about 129

We’re all of that and much more We’re goddesses in a world inhabited by peasants And few gods

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Creators Litzy Rojas I love our moms ‫أﻧﺎ أﺣﺐ أﻣﻬﺎﺗﻦ‬ 我愛我們的媽媽 J'aime nos mamans Aku tresna marang ibu kita Amo a nuestras madres They wake up everyday They wake up to make breakfast They wake up for the children They wake up when they hear Babies crying Kids coughing Kids yelling Walking into the room saying 6:00 get ready for school The mothers that cook The mothers that clean The mothers that work They sure don’t have a time to rest Stressed Happy Nervous Overwhelmed Wearing an emotional vest Protecting them from breaking The young moms The older moms The tall moms The short moms The rich moms The poor moms 131

Each one different But their hearts are all the same Loving their children The pain of motherhood turns their hearts Black with worry Feeling their presence Transforms their hearts into coral An infinite happiness

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Sleepless Miriam Gutierrez You always told me That everything was going to be fine But it was obvious that nothing was fine You thought I was sleeping But I was just listening to how you cried You starved so I could eat well You did not sleep Because you wanted the best for me But you didn’t know what would be the best for me

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Thank You Daddy Shirley Blackshear I hate they make it seem like he’s the bad guy Saying this and that You’re a bad father But who are they to say anything? Yes, he has his own way of parenting Yes, he has his days Yes, he’s yelling too much But that’s my dad He’s only doing this so we can live good Have a better future then he ever did I don’t understand why they put so much on him Make it seem like he’s not a good parent Well, I’m here to tell you My father is the best father there is It took me some time to notice But I finally saw it Me and my lil’ sister were going through a lot He came and got us Saved us Helped us become the young ladies we are today This guy is really something else He’s his own person Sometimes I wish I had his bravery Yes, he can be a little too much But where would I be without him? I see my future clearly because of him I wish people will give him a chance It hurts my heart that people would hate on him For what? I guess they only see what they want to see Well, I see a person who loves all his children deeply 134

Even when they do wrong A person I can talk to A person that helped me through tough times A person that helps me become a better me People don’t give you the credit you truly deserve Daddy, I appreciate you so much I can’t wait until I can make you proud I love you more than anything

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Angel Vanessa Bravo Although you’re gone You’re still here Alive in my life Although you’re in a better place I remember you I wanted more memories with you I wanted you to watch who I’ve became Watch me smile Watch me cry I will always remember you The times you held me as a child A second father Without a doubt Great person Angel living in heaven It’s hard that you’re gone But every time I look up Into the sky I wish I could fly Fly very, very high Wish I could go with you For a day and come back Or just never come back Still my angel RIP and fly high

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Brick by Brick Collaborative Poem The magic of community We work together Together We are strong Like bricks coming together to make a house Community is the rhythm Of a heartbeat Like a smooth river Flowing downstream As we come together Feeling the passion of all of our hearts Our hearts can touch What our hands cannot Each other You, Me, We We aren’t separate We are one entity We are not just people We are humans Reaching for the stars Together We fix our scars Rainbows A better future A better tomorrow in the middle of the clouds Community is the village that raises the child We prevail by helping each other We don’t create families We create values We revolve around each other We belong together We are each our own galaxies 137

Coming together To make our own universe

Written by Poetry as Activism and Ms. Perkins 6th period class

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We Are Bronx Letters Steph Porfil We are Bronx kids born and raised We live in a world Where things aren’t always okay Where the neighborhoods ain’t so safe Where the population goes down day by day We got gangs ending kids lives early Taking kids looking for a happy home But really it's a crime zone We know our skin color matters But sometimes in the wrong way Cops shooting Talking about they care Reading our rights Talking ‘bout we got the right to remain silent How? When you causing so much violence? We are Bronx kids born and raised We know about those dark days Having no money, only pocket change We were a bunch of kids with false hope Alot of sound but not enough voice To make our own choice No one to pick us off the ground No one to make sure All our kings and queens have crowns We are Bronx kids born and raised We know about those dark days So maybe we need a home That won’t keep us so scared and left out So that’s why I say Bronx Letters is your home Is the phone when you’re all alone We won’t call the cops 139

But we’ll come here and let all our fears disappear When you’re too scared to call your mom And say you got in trouble Or trouble found you We are Bronx kids born and raised We know about them dark days And the paths that light the way At Bronx Letters I feel like a newborn child Straight out the womb Straight out that cocoon Cause we could fall into life so deep And this school could pull you right back up When you feel like the air is closing in and The Devil finally shared his sins We are Bronx kids born and raised We know about them dark days Bronx Letters is your home The home where we’re not alone This is a foundation Where we can resolve any situation With no hesitation Saving us from all temptations This is our kitchen where we gets to whippin’ Adding every lil’ spice so things can taste just right I’m talking about those peppers Maybe a little onion to make you cry And a lil’ jerk so you could feel it in your spine This is our living room where we could sit back and think Letting all bad days sink Feeling so safe that not one little thing Could make us get last place This school is like our bedroom where all our thoughts Fade into the clouds And education comes up like rebound We are Bronx kids born and raised 140

We know about them dark days This school is different we can’t compare This school is the gum inside my mother's purse This is everything I need This is a place where race isn’t only the case Where we could set aside our differences And find a loving space Where we won’t get charged cause of our face And we won’t get held accountable for our past days We are Bronx kids born and raised We are truly the chosen ones In Bronx Letters there’s nothing you can’t reach ‘Cause a man named David goes hard for the school He makes sure we stay in tune and never lose touch With everything we could lose A lady Ms. A comes through like a lady with the carpool She's there at every stop Making sure you pick up stones not rocks A woman named Ms. Karla Puts the work in like a mother and a father Another women named Ms MercadoShe’s a great soul She’s the reason I didn’t let go and fall 10 times below Another woman named Ms. Dash Helped me get on track It was like she fixed all my broken glass Things were unclear but she made them all reappear And Mr. Brandon He’s the power and the voice for the youth He’s the reason we let out all our truths You hear that knocking at the door? It’s our dreams It’s a reason to believe ‘Cause we are Bronx Letters I am Bronx Letters

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