a day at a glance—
clutched in one fist
crumpled
inside a pocket
a clock unfolded
this flimsy bit of newsprint
curled up on a rattling seat
a sleep traveler
by the window
an hour slips through the cracks
Proof of payment lets us
Move in any direction
Until time indicated
–Annie Yu, age 20
From the WritersCorps book “My Name is a Book of Lives” at San Francisco Main Public Library
Love I don’t know how to reject you
When I’m sad you can always comfort me
When I’m happy you make me ecstatic
You stay anywhere
I can find you anytime
Sometimes, you make us lose our reason
I hate you and I appreciate you too
Love, you are candy
You are poison too
I always imagine I can control you, Love
I can control myself
However, that is just my illusion
– Tian Yang (Jessica) Chen, age 18
From the WritersCorps book “Paper Dreams” at International Studies Academy
I will send to my mother
a behaved daughter
that will always make her happy
so she doesn’t need to be mad anymore.
I will send to my stepfather
a money tree
that will always grow money
so he doesn’t need to work for anyone.
I will send to my two little sisters
a forever childhood
that will never end
so they don’t need to worry about anything.
– Elaine Pau, age 15
From the WritersCorps book “Paper Dreams” at International Studies Academy
Poem of the Month: December 2009
I love my eyes
I can see the sky and my girlfriend.
I can see my way to school
my eyes are black like my mom’s.
Thank my feet
with you I can play soccer
with my feet I can walk to the park
I can run with my feet.
–Saul Garcia, age 15
From the WritersCorps book “Mangos Have No Borders” at Mission High School
Poem of the Month: November 2009
I am lightning
I crackle and I boom
Look at me, look at me
I branch across the sky
Like a giant fiery try
I stalk across the musty earth
On legs of crackling flame
I flash beneath the clouds
Brighter than the sun
But when the sun returns
The clouds carry me
Grumbling away.
– Ramona Santana, age 13
From the anthology “Tell the World,” published by HarperCollins
Poem of the Month: October 2009
“Tell the World” is a collection of writing by WritersCorps students across the country. With a range of voices and diverse perspectives, “Tell the World” gives an honest glimpse into the lives of young people today. With a foreword by Sherman Alexie, two essays by WritersCorps teachers, and writing prompts, this book shows how poetry can allow us to tell the world who we are, where we’re from, what we love, and why we hope. See why the New York Times recommends “Tell the World.”
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