Poetry Slam

Tomorrow is the first ever Poetry Slam against Alliance House. Alliance House is a treatment program near here, run by the same agency as us. Many of your boys go on to Alliance House when they leave us. I was sitting next to the English teacher at a professional development day when we hatched this idea, and now it has come to fruition. I am so nervous! We are hosting it (since many of our boys can't travel), they are coming around 10, and we are slamming it poetry style. I am excited, Alliance House is bringing close to 10 guys, mostly our former residents, and we have close to 10 that are going for it. I made muffins and congo bars (the Congo bars were a specific request), they are bringing cookies and we are providing punch. I would never ask my boys to put themselves out there unless I was willing to also, so I wrote a poem to perform. I had written one called "Ode to the N word - dedicated to Hansel and all of my boys who try to get me to say it", but I just don't feel like it is done yet. So tonight I wrote a new one. I think it is pretty good, I know it will be well received by the kids. Here it is: (untitled)

You think you’re sly with your
SugarHoneyIcedTea
Like you invented it
Like we were never kids

Or ShutTheFrontDoor
Sure…..

You try to pull a fast one on us with your
Fff this and Fff that
Ya, we never pulled that one either

How about the ring finger bird?
Nope, not an original

You flash your gang signs
Then act surprised when caught
Like we don’t know what you are up to

On dogs we do.

We sigh when you curse us out
You’re not the first
You won’t be the last

We roll our eyes when you complain about
Not using colored pens
Not wearing certain brands
Are you really surprised?

You try to play the race card
Claim it’s all about race

It is

A race against time
To show you who you can be
To help you find your way
To prepare you

A race against the past
Helping you find your way out
Proving you are more
Proving you can

A race against every bad thing
Pulling you in every direction

And we keep coming in day after day

Ready to race

Ready to force it

Ready to steal points

Ready for you