And now a few words from my high school freshmen . . .

The Struggle
By Paige

I remember hearing sirens
Outside my window
Feeling scared and ashamed of where I
Come from
I remember seeing the crackheads
On the corners, the prostitutes just
Down the street
I remember the foul smell when I got
On the bus and sat next to a homeless woman
I remember the taste in my mouth
From all the times I complained and I
Still had more than she did
I remember the struggle

I remember the times going without
My mom and step-dad fighting over money
I remember the lonely Thanksgiving
When it was just us
The family fighting
I remember the struggle

I remember all of the times my mom
Saying don’t do this or watch out for that
I remember the lectures every time
I had a boyfriend
Don’t get pregnant/ go to college
I remember the struggle

I remember my cousin moving to Vegas
To run from the police
I remember him calling late at night
Saying he loved us and missed us
His words were like angels whispering
All I needed to keep me going
I remember my mom crying every
Christmas when he didn’t come home
I remember even more how she cried
When he died
I remember the struggle

* * *

Almond Rocca
By Nela

Got a box of Almond Rocca
Supposed to sell it for the school
While president Bush sits on his ass
Not knowing what to do

Well, I guess you could say
He’s taken over half the world
While my dad sits at home
Slashing his legs with razor blades

My mom, I don’t think she even knows
Who or where she is
She takes life as it goes
I take life as it is

* * *

The Chair
By Alex

It wears a fresh coat of varnish,
Rays of light glistening
Like the sun off the calm and still waters.
It says nothing,
But wields people for eternity.
It eats nothing,
Just rocks steadily and reliably.
It has no living,
But to comfort its owner,
Rocking,
Rocking.
It dreams about lungs
To fill with cold air,
A heart
To pump warm blood through its body,
Legs to run and not rock,
And a brain
So it could dream about life,
Life not as a chair

* * *

Twins
By Ling Zhen

I was born in the People’s Republic of China
I later found a reflecting image of myself
Twins! Twins! It was the news!
I went to heaven and asked God, “Why me?”
I was the angel
My twin was the devil
I sailed across the horror Pacific Ocean with my family
To Washington
We walked through the timbers and the mountains
Then flew on the wings of an Eagle to Oregon
Ever so green, Oregon
We’re here! We’re here! We’re finally here!