All the poetry below was submitted by Seattle area teens in response to a call for poetry run by The Seattle Public Library this past March. Some poets were selected to read their work at appearances of poet, author, and activist Luis Rodgriguez.
Poetry in Spanish:
Mis Metas by Maria
Tick, tock, tick, tock. Estoy sentada en mi cama, mirando por la ventana y siento como el tiempo pasa, poco a poco. Me doy cuenta que mi futuro se
En ese momento mi madre entra, a mi cuarto y me pregunta "¿en que piensas? Estas muy inquieta"
"estoy pensando en mi futuro " le conteste. Entonces ella se sento al lado de mi y dijo " te escucho." Empeze a contarle mis metas para el futuro. Yo tengo cuatro metas, pero no puedo cumplir ;as cuatro al mismo tiempo yo le dije a ella. Una de mis metas es ser interprete, porque hablo español u ingles. Tambien me gustaria estudiar para ser una maestro, diseñadora de ropa y cantante porque me gusta dibujar. Mi madre me dijo " Mirame a los ojos y escucha lo que te voy a decir." " Si esos son tus sueños, yo te voy apoyar en todo pero quiero que siempre recuerdes que si confias en ti misma y aprovechas todas las oportunidades que tienes ahorita, lo vas alograr."
Gracias a mi madre yo estoy hacienda lo imposible para poder cumplir mis metas. Lo impossible se quedo atras y lo possible va en mi corazón, porque yo se que si puedo.
No lograre las cuatro pero estoy segura que si lograre una.
Mi contrabucíon en la sociedad
Vida para los latinos o hispanos desde que empieza es muy dificil. Nosotros debemos tartar lo doble o triple que la demas de la gente. Yo pore so quiero ayudar a todos los hispanos a cumplir sus sueños. Ya quiero que la gente que este trabajando y ayudando a todo el pais y la economia a ser legales y que no sean descriminados. Mi familia y la gente hispana que yo conosco desean un dia ser legales en este paiz hay mucha gente que no habisto a su familia por mas de10 años por que estan esperando una amistia. Yo quiero ayudar ese sueño hacerse realidad. El perfecto el perfecto ejemplo son mis padres. Ellos lleban toda su vida trabajando para los estados unidos ellos pagan taxes igual que toda la gente pero ello no tienen los benefisios de un Ciudadano Americano. Mis padres trabajan casi todos los dias. Yo quiero que todos los juene bean que es muy importante terminar la escuela y que un rato de diversion nomas les va durar ese rato. Y si salen de la escuela ban a tener que trabajar muy durro. Y la diversion se ba terminar. Este es uno de las cosa que yo quiero contrubuir con la sociendad hispana.
Un future lleno de metas by Liz
Una meta, una palabra tan pequeña pero con un significado dispuesto a cambiar un futuro, mi futuro. Unos ven una meta con dos rumbos dos caminos distintos para mi son ilusiones, sueños, y competencia con migo misma tanto como levantarme en las mañanas par air al a escuela o pensar que esa ida a la escuela me ayudara a lograr mis metas, mi cuento.
De adas nay obstaculos, mi meta es ser psicologa ara niños pero ..:NAMESPACE PREFIX = ST1 />como en tengo que vencer obstaculos como apernder a ser el nerbe de mi cuento, vencer el miedo a madurar y a tener mas retos que lograr. Siempre proponerme y converserme que si se puede.
Poetry in English:
1
WHEN LIFE'Z COMPLICATED, by Gabiel
I was one day at home next day it
felt like Rome. Gone from home
no place to run man this isn't fun.
It's like a bird in a cage with lots of
Rage. Like ice melting into water by the
Heat of anger. After ice melts it goes
To steam that's when I go to sleep and
Have dreams. Dreams of life like a seed into
a tree.
2
by Stephanie
My purpose
I go through life as an inquisitive being.
The truth is something I'm always seeking
Trying to answer unanswered questions
Counseling people giving suggestions
Leaving a path for those confused
So knowledge and truth can be infused.
Follow my path and you will learn
See from my point of view now it's your turn
Leaving my mark on people around me
3
by Vincent
Heart Beat
The aid to my beat…
The wheels that churn my feet,
And when I stop to think…
It blinds my mind to the beat.
Driver to my life…
The only one to blame,
For the struggles and the victory.
NO ONE CAN CONTAIN MY BEAT!!
And if you stop and try
You will only become a note…
IN MY PURPOSE!
Nitch
Purpose makes your nitch
Because every one has a place to
Fit.
It's your safe place to hide
When even the world is not on your side.
Because the world does not always agree
With the purpose of those who differ.
But they will find that purpose intertwines,
To show you the place
You will encounter your fate.
Then you will see that purpose has pulled
Its weight.
4
by Kate
Who I am
My Purpose emerges from the blank page,
From the collective emotion
My Privilege hollers from my mother's womb
And
My father's butterflies
My Prevail came from Arctic circle solitude,
Public school bull,
Stage Presence,
Music pumped loud
My Perchance is love
-Lucky, huh?
My Persona echoes Lauren Bacall's voice,
Reaches towards Eve's tree,
Drives past old haunts,
Resonates water ripples
My possibilities are like anyone else's
What I make of them
My poetry is the same poem reincarnated over and over again
My pencil leads my purpose;
To write
To slam
To oh yeah
To collage
To doodle irreverently in the margin
To fix it last minute
TO CREATE
To capture a moment
To resuscitate something beautiful
To find purpose
5
Icy Jones
by Icy
My name is Icy
I play basketball
I beat all of y'all
Y'all nothing to me
I will play for the NBA
No matter what you say
I shoot for the stars
I'm gonna drive a hot car
Anthony Carmella is my hero
He jumps as high as everybody else
And he feeds the homeless too
I play basketball every day
Rain or shine
And I go and get mine
6
My purpose?
by Yatorsha
My purpose in life is to become a writer.
I have nice handwriting.
Some people love my handwriting.
I got it from my mom.
They say that I can become a good hand writer.
They also say that I can teach other people how to
Write.
In order to proceed I need to study hard, stay focused,
Stay in school.
Go to college.
I have a lot of dreams.
Follow your dreams it will lead to happiness.
7
Baby mama
by Gregory
Baby momma, baby momma I'm stressed with you.
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">
I'm to the point were I wont mess with you.
Baby momma baby momma I'm tired at you.
I'm to the point were I want to fire you.
The worst thing I can do is to hire you. I'm trying why
You want to be my driving me crazy. Why u wanna be
My baby lady. Without u around I'm nowhere be found.
I'm confused to hear a sound without u im miserable I'm
Thinking why u wont play with me it's to hard to see love
was meant for u and me.
I LOVE U
< O:P>
8
Purpose essay
by Lawrence
My purpose in life is to change the world for the better. whether it's on a large scale or to the smallest degree. I want the world to change just a little. I feel that's my purpose in life. I'm influenced by a lot of things some good, some bad. When my mother and father tell me that I can do anything and to follow my heart and when other people tell me what I do is just a choice. I'm a drummer and I feel like if I go to college and graduate, I could start a career in helping people. Music is my life and when I learn how to play a song I get so happy. One because I can play something new and two someone taught me, and that's what I want to do learn everything I can and go back and teach the upcoming generation that they can do anything if they put their minds to it. Whether it's music or everyday life situations, I'm inspired by Tupac Shakur who once said, "I'm not saying I'm gonna change the world but I guarantee you that I will spark the brain that will change the world." My name is Lawrence Stubbs and my purpose is to change the world for the better.
9
by Christina
So much in life it's hard to move on with a blink of an eye my years past by thinking of what might happen to me I move on to become what I always want. To become something that's worth it and living. But can't imagine myself doing that. Things I do see is me living la Vida of a dealer and gang-banging doing no good to me and disrespecting the family who is always supporting and protecting each other. Never in my life will I do such a thing to put people I love most in dangerous situations. When I see the homies doing those kinds of stuff I hush and stay silence to not speak out the things I think of. My life is full of problems but I will stay as quiet to see what my life comes to be like. I'm willing to risk it all I have or nothing at all. I'm willing to live la Vida loca till the end or become a successful writer, therapist, and counselor living a life that I'm determined to vivir for my entire vida. Which I'm willing to do my successful life.
It's the life I'm Choosing
To live Por Vida.
10
"Purpose"
by Catelyn
My purpose is to be great,
To create,
To relate
To whomever I meet,
To do the best I can,
Either on sea or land,
To have pride in who I am.
To have faith
In what I can achieve,
To do the best,
But never forgetting the rest.
This is just how I feel,
You may not be appealed
By this, but no one can grab me by my wrist,
And tell me to do that or this.
I grab life by the horns,
You only live life once,
This kinda sounds like a rap,
But I'm just trying to make a difference in someone's life,
Maybe fill in a gap.
The reason I am here is because of my beautiful mother and my hardworking father.
They have given me a lot of purposes in life,
One of them is this:
To love,
To protect,
Teach,
Maybe even preach,
My six-year-old baby sister.
I think she is my main purpose.
To protect her, hold her in my arms when she is hurt,
Maker her laugh when she is down,
Teach her how to fight,
Maybe how to live a little of her life,
To be strong,
Whenever things go wrong,
To stick up for another,
Brother,
Sister,
Miss,
Or mister,
To be good to all of mother nature's life,
And to respect all.
She is my world,
My baby,
She is the reason I keep on living.
I say
Roses are red,
and violets are blue,
if she dies,
I die too.
My inspiration is my father,
He tells me to swing hard whenever he drops me off at school.
I can relate to that,
Because whenever I'm up to bat,
My>
And when I hear him,
I swing my hardest,
And when I make contact the ball goes the farthest.
So my dad says swing hard because
When you are the batter,
You have to think:
"I am half bat,"
"I am half ball,"
And the only way you can be one is when you make contact,
If you make contact then,
You forget about the bat,
You are the ball now,
Soaring high and traveling as far as possible.
Dad's relating to me as the hit ball,
Saying go far in academics,
My crime fighting name is Supa C,
And my purpose is to protect and save the world of crime villainy.
There is a saying that hoes like this:
Keep your friends close,
But>
Fee, fie, foe, fum
Here I come,
And when I've come and gone,
That saying will not be,
Everyone will be free,
Because peace will be brought to me.
11
Concerns of Tomorrow Equals What You Do Today
by Jasmine
As your concerns of tomorrow
Is the time you waste today
My purpose is to be a positive influence
Every night, morning, or day
As I've walked around state to state
One thing has never changed
The way that I view what I'll do
My purpose has not yet swayed
To help you become someone
To experience culture shocks
Why must I change?
As you look at the media
the paparazzi your so called friends
have followed the media changed who they are just to fit
after they told me I wouldn't' make it
I would be nothing
You never said those words but
You stood by the crowd
Now look at you
Following peer pressure
I tried to warn you but now where is the crowd
You rely under the ground
While they told me I would be nothing
Look where I am
I got a job I go to school
And you still nowhere to be found
You ask how I did it and what did I do
I simply reply
As my concerns of tomorrow
Was the way I worked harder,
For everyday to accomplish my dreams.
13
"Purpose"
by LaTesa
Purpose to me is what your mind thinks you are on earth for.
There is no purpose until someone or something
Influences a person.
If I am born to the world my purpose is to live, while my mothers purpose could have been something else before I was born, but since I am here her purpose is to take care of me. And when I get older my mother will probably influence me to go to school and get an education, which is why I think my purpose is to get through school and have a good life. But if it wasn't for my mothers strong influence I might not have the state of mind that I have today. It's crazy how we are designed to look up to those bigger then us. I wonder how the world would be if it was the other way around. This world would be chaos, because when a baby is born they can't walk, talk, or even keep their own head up because a baby is not used to the new surroundings and how to function a body. So what is the purpose of life, to me the purpose of life is to live then be influenced by the generation before its time. When you are born you have no purpose you are influenced to have one.
14
What is my Purpose
by Maggie
My worlds closed in
No one understands my heart
I feel as if I'm lost
And torn and ripped apart
They think they understand me
They think it's just a phase
But no one really understands my pain theses last few days
I try to fake a smile
Over time it's all the same
My stomach torn to pieces
My heart fooled by this game
I feel like I'm not good enough
My mind so full of hate
Maybe it was meant this way
Maybe depression is my fate
I glaze upon my everyday
Wishing it wasn't this way
When will my world stop spinning
Will it stop if I quit sinning
Or will I continue to commit this sin
Because if depression were a contest,
I would win
Continuing to think about my purpose
Is this is how I truly feel,
Living a life that isn't mine,
This is something that isn't real.
15
by Heather
I have a purpose,
And to be heard,
I will repeat every word
Hear my voice,
While I speak,
And I'll write it if they should seek,
My inhibition
Is what I know,
But I'll always learn and grow,
In my family
This art does run,
And I am not the only one
With this passion
Aided by ink
My glass is half full and I will drink,
My purpose is this,
A simple feat:
I will write the world complete.
16
I'll Be There
by Blair
I'll be there when lightning strikes
with all your screaming voices
shouting out for help
with not that many choices.
I'll be there when sparks hit home
all your things inside.
I'll save all your belongings
with one leap and one stride.
On a boat, sail the ocean
so happy you wil be
until waves crash on deck
and there you will see me.
I'll be there when the earth is rumbling.
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">Your family oh so scared
no matter what life brings me to
I'll always be prepared.
The reason I wrote this poem
My purpose do you ask
I love helping people
it's such a simple task.
17
by Jasmine
My purpose in life is to adopt a child,
a beautiful something I can call my own,
and give it all the love I was never shown.
An individual who will love no matter what,
who will take you as you are,
not swing shut the door behind him.
The one who gives everything but wants nothing in return,
one who will not fall apart as you turn.
One who is strong,
one
The one I love will love so dearly,
the one who will understand the harm
in life and hold his heart out knowing
there's a chance it will be treated unfairly.
Because love in this world is hard to find,
but you'll never have it if you don't take
a risk of some kind.
My child will understand this,
because in life cruelty has become
part of many others' purpose.
18
Twists and Turns in My Life
by Terrance
Life for me is very hard.
Without a father I couldn't go the longest yard.
My mother took care of me when I was young.
Dad ran out on me to leave me hung.
I can't believe they buried her it makes me want to cry.
But clothes and memories take the tear from my eye.
Waking into her room reminds me of her smell.
But remembering her just makes me want to yell.
I don't get that upset because I know she went to heaven and not hell.
Her goal for me in life was to go to the NFL.
I'm not gonna mess up and go to jail.
She wanted me to have good grades and do good in school.
So I'm gonna start doing that and not act the fool.
I miss her hugs and kisses
they came like the weather.
She's the only mother I'll kiss the best mother ever.
19
Bull Durham Credo Poem
by Monica
I believe in the purpose of life,
the importance of failure,
the importance of success,
the effect of hard word,
the strength in what you love
admire, achieve, create.
But the fact that all dreams cannot come true.
I believe in the friendship that keeps us all
I believe in the love that ties people together
I believe in the truth and respect of others
Sweetness, gratitude, attachment
And I believe in the fact that tomorrow
should always be a day to remember.
20
My Purpose Before and After
by Sarah
I used to say once you're born you're just waiting to die
And everyday in between is just a waste of some time
I used to walk in the darkness with no real purpose in life
Never blinded just never really cared about life
In time was convinced that I was far from the truth
Now even when times are hard
I hold out my arms, to hold people
I've figured I would like to help people, people with pain I can fix.
Helping people end their bores
Always wanting to help
Never wanting to hear moans
21
by Jessica
As free as a bird,
Speaking my mind,
Not turning my back
And trying to hide.
For every day is a new day,
People have said.
Trying my word and trying to learn,
Not being alone and stuck in my bed.
Experience new things,
Want to travel the world.
As a monkey, from vine to vine it flingts
And a lion feraled.
To hear every voice,
And mine be heard.
For everyone has a choice
With politics we are lured.
The only speech I need are,
Writing these words.
Powerful words go very far,
And I'm flying up high with other birds.
22
by Paul
My life purpose is to be a great writer. Well I can. First I get a medium size house and adopt a baby boy. A blonde hair boy and I want to be a great father. And I want to be a writer for that been a writer since I started High School. I writing stories about my favorite character Naruto because he has a life as an orphan and there is mystery in it. I want to write stories to teach lessons to children about life for those who don't have families. Like Abraham Lincoln said all men are treated [sic] equal and all the people who help people show we are all the same we share this world with everyone. That is what I want to be a messenger to children to teach them about some people who need a home but don't have one and maybe they'll help people too.
23
Purpose
by Jayson
Life is purpose's meaning,
From cruelty to death I am fleeing.
I wish to help those in need,
To run a fundraiser and to feed.
The donations might be low but I'm still going to try,
My confidence has reached to the sky.
Help others and I'll get in return,
Advice on my concern.
It's time to work so citizens heed,
I can't do this alone, help is what I need.
God asks us to help the poor,
To the lands of care, we help open the door.
We lend to the poor our strength and might,
And God will guide us with his light.
All in all, our world is yin,
Let the spreading of our hope now begin.
24
Closet Left in Ashes
by Erik
There is a path that I trek that is so heavily set with misconceptions
The things I do have such a vast ocean of interpretations
Is this Love a smuggled drug a drug due to my folly?
Or is this love a statue strong proud eternal and jolly?
Is there something wrong with my desire; should I pay?
Love is love so they say
Should we be shot for being gay?
Would you kill a flower blooming in December while a bud in May?
Love is love, we will stay this way and you have no say
No say in how we dress talk walk even in the open
We shouldn't be afraid of being gay we shouldn't feel like we're choking
So kill me now if you have a problem and keep that memory as a token
A token for all the people like me in the open with nothing left unspoken
So kill me now if there's a problem and throw me in a pit
I'm not to be made into a fake I'm not to be discrete I don't care for it.
25</B>
That is My Purpose
by Kendall
To be human
To have culture
to be me
That is my purpose
In life we are
chosen to be something
to have a purpose in life
To be an artist
a teacher
a man or a woman
But it's up to us when
we get there
To be a student
Of Washington,
a contributor to
my community.
To be a female
with a life full
of excitement and triumphs
with defeat and tragedy
that is my purpose
To live that
I am an American
To live that
I am free
In a lifetime of
law and war
To live that
I am human
I have culture
and I am me
That is my purpose
26
My Purpose in Life
by Amy
My purpose in life…it's a big thing to think about. I have to ask myself, at 15 years old, what do I want out of my life? Right now, I think