Oho

Teen Boy

OHO

You are like no other dog

With your facial expressions so salt and pepper

Complete with eyebrows and a full beard

And when we kick it,

You evaporate all my fears

You are so brave

And fascinated with your surroundings

You will never let me down

Even if no one is home

I am never alone

Because you’re my best friend ever,

Oho.

 Published in Because I Wanted to Be Loved,  January 2009.

I Remember

Teen Boy

I REMEMBER

I remember

My home-boy on the pavement

Bleeding.

The paramedics checking him

He wasn’t breathing.

The shots rang out

He didn’t hit the deck

Stood there like a soldier

Took three slugs to the chest

I remember

His family crying

The cops asked me who did it

Said I didn’t know.

I was lying.

I remember

Growing up rough

Hearing babies crying

Everywhere I look

Another person dying.

Remembered

Teen Boy

REMEMBERED

When I die, how will people think of me with the life I lead now? Will they think I was smart or stupid for all the things I did? Will they think I was kind or mean for getting into fights? Will they think I was funny or were they just laughing at me for being dumb? Will I be missed or will I be forgotten? How will I be remembered? 

Published in Call It Courage, August 2006. 

I Always Wanted To Tell You

Teen Boy

I ALWAYS WANTED TO TELL YOU

Mom, I always wanted to tell you…

Simply I love you.

But I never had the guts

And I don’t know why

When I love you very much.

I always wanted to tell you

I appreciate what you do

I wanna do better

I need to be a go getter

And get the sobriety and good life

That I’ve always wanted.

Published in Please Brave Me, Dry These Tears, November 2009

I Am

Teen Girl

I AM

I am a blue diamond spiral.

I am a Cadillac Escalade Infinity and beyond.

I am Skittles from the rainbow.

I am a blue berry tree with emotional pain.

I am a microphone from California.

I am a bed where thugs cry.

I am a pit bull who buzzes around town.

Published in Call It Courage, August 2006.

Because I Wanted To Be Loved

Teen Girl

BECAUSE I WANTED TO BE LOVED

Because I wanted to be loved

I kept all your secrets.

Because I wanted to be loved

I always kept myself in pain.

Because I wanted to be loved

I let you put that needle in my arm.

Because I wanted to be loved

I let you smack me around.

Because I wanted to be loved

I let another one of you touch me

like you owned me.

Because I wanted to be loved

I quit doing drugs.

Because I wanted to be loved

I stood up for myself.

Because I wanted to be loved

I always ran back.

Because I wanted to be loved

I tried never to argue.

I’m sick of trying to be loved,

Go away

I love myself.

If I Could Change My Life

Teen Boy

IF I COULD CHANGE MY LIFE

When I was little, I was a good kid.

I remember playing with other kids

Just to pass the time

And listening to birds chime.

Now I’m seventeen, committing adult crimes

And if I could change my life

I’d go back to being a little kid

When I used to fly kites

And ride bikes

When I was little.