Choices

CHOICES

Teen Girl


I was just a little girl
I didn't know what was going on.
My Mom's boyfriend sneaked into my room
every night.
When I got older,
I started to realize what had happened
and what he was doing.

I told my Mom.
She said, "Shut up. Stop trying to make him leave me."
She kicked me out.
I was on my own.
She chose her boyfriend over her kid.
I feel sorry for the man who raped me.
In the end, he'll get his karma

I want to thank my brother for believing in me
when my Mom was never there for me.
Thank you Brother, for everything.

Written in the Truth and Lies Poetry and Literature Workshop, January 2012

My Name Is Powerless

Teen Girl

MY NAME IS POWERLESS

My name is Powerless

I live in a corner

In a broken house

My last name is Fear

My middle is Doubt

My parent is Addiction

My sister is Revenge

My brother is Fury,

They go to no end.

My eyes are empty

I have no heart or soul

Knowing me really takes a toll

You won’t be able to fight me

Once I’ve been around

Soon you meet the whole family

We’ll drive you in the ground

You’ll learn not to ask questions

Soon you’ll be like me

Powerless has no end

Good luck getting free.

Powerless

Teen Girl

POWERLESS

They think I’m Powerful

Because I do whatever I want

Because I tell everyone to screw off

Because I don’t listen to anyone

Because I run for months and I am never spotted

But, I am Power-Less

Because my friends are backstabbers

Because I can’t trust anyone

Because I was raped

Because I was jumped

Because my Mom doesn’t want me in her house

Because I cry everyday

Because I’m an addict

Because I miss my old, happy life.

In The Eyes of My Litttle Sister

Teen Boy

IN THE EYES OF MY LITTLE SISTER

In the eyes of my little sister

I am her big brother

I am like no other

She looks up to me

like one might look up to the midnight sky

So full of wonder

Trying to take everything in.

Always listening

Always watching

Her big brother

Who needs to set a good example

for what to do in life.

For she is always listening

She is always watching

She is always there

So full of wonder

I am always in the eyes of my little sister.

 Written in the YA Poetry/Memoir Workshop, June 2011

What They Don't Tell You

Teen Girl

WHAT THEY DON’T TELL YOU

I’m an “A” student.

I live in a family of ten.

I like to sing.

I’m a really good kid

I’m engaged at the age of sixteen

I love children

I play sports.

Written in the YA Poetry/Memoir Workshop, June 2011

Role Model

Teen Boy

ROLE MODEL

I’ve lived my life as a gangster

But now it’s time for me to say good-bye.

I don’t need this stuff in my life

I’m going to be a Dad.

I don’t want this stuff for my son’s life.

I don’t want him to end up like me.

I always tell my family that I’m going to stop

Stop doing Meth

Stop and get out

But I never do

I have a little brother that looks up to me.

I write him letters

It’s sad that I can’t see him

Because I’m locked up.

Written in the YA/Memoir Poetry Workshop, June 2011

The Monster Within.

Teen Boy

THE MONSTER WITHIN

There’s a monster within me

It’s anything but sane

It’s anything but tame

I hope me and it never become one and the same.

It’s full of an evil blind rage

Locked away, inside me

Like a wild bird in a cage

Just waiting for a chance to escape and fly free.

I hope me and it never become one and the same.

For the monster within will never
be completely tame.

Written in the YA/Memoir Poetry Workshop, June 2011