Meet the Dream Keepers

I Write To Change

Last week I was delighted to attend the graduation of Dream Keeper Elisha Branch from the Academy of Learning and Leadership Middle School in Milwaukee. In the above photo, Elisha is giving her Salutatorian Address. I am so proud of her. Read on for Elisha's latest poem and writings from some of the other Dream Keepers. Our theme for the day was, "I Write to Change." 

I Write To Change

by Elisha Branch

I write to change the lives of others,

I write to influence my sisters and brothers.

I write to change for the sake of us,

I write because I want and because I must.

I write to say, let's make this a great day.

I write because I have a lot to say.

I write to day and preach my word.

I write because I have a voice that needs to be heard.

I write to protect equalness.

I write to fight for what is just.

I write to protect justice and peace.

I write to protect—to keep your mind at ease.

I Write to Say

by Natalie Branch

What is this world coming to

I feel nothing but anger when I turn on the news—

Murders, robberies, and child abuse.

And not much good is coming from our youth.

Yeah, sometimes they show the thing we do that's a little right.

But followed right behind is a story about someone killed last night.

I can't take much more of this violence—

raising children in a world like this doesn't make sense.

I want my son's life to be worthwhile.

I don't want him growing up with false idols.

Rapper, gang banger, or a basketball player—

None of those things sound good on or off paper.

I want him to know that you have to work hard for a brighter future—

A big house and riches aren't just going to be handed to you.

These are valuable lessons to learn.

Not just for him but for everyone.

So for all of God's children both young and old—

Work hard to brighten your future and help save our world.

One of our Dream Keepers, a ten-year-old girl, lost her baby cousin to SIDs. After she told me about his death, I asked her to write about it. These are her words about what happened.

We Miss You!

by Trayvece

Meekel. A two-month old baby. Dead.

Meekel died a day after a wedding.

On a Sunday morning at 9:15.

Little Meekel found dead on his stomach,

His face got smothered on the bed.

His mom woke up 

because she thought her niece and nephews were making noise,

so she could tell them to stop before they woke him up.

But it was the angels giving the baby a party.

His face was purple and red. 

His mom put her ear to his mouth and no breathing was heard.

She put her ear to his heart. Nothing.

She started to tap him so he cold wake up. Nothing.

We Miss You!

I Like Monkeys

by Ashawn, age 7

I am going to the zoo

to visit monkeys.

Monkeys climb trees.

They eat bananas.

They say, "Ooh-ooh. Ahh-ahh."

When I see my monkey,

I will be happy.

Then I will go see more monkeys.

Spring Dream Keeping

The Dream Keepers have had a busy spring. The high school Dream Keepers continue to work on advanced writing projects. Jacque Troy of the Milwaukee Chamber Theatre visited us and presented a four-session playwriting workshop. At least two of the high school students finished plays and submitted them to Milwaukee Chamber Theatre One-Act Playwriting Festival. This is quite an achievement! 

The younger Dream Keepers group continues to grow. We attract a wide group of children each week—especially boys—who are interested in writing. Here are a few of the pieces the young people have created in the past two months.

I AM

by Robert

I am black and I'm proud.

I don't care what I am

Long as God's kind work together.

To be continued ...

ALL I WANT

by Trayvece

All I want is a dad who will

be there for me. Who would love me.

Who wouldn't forget my birthday.

And ask me is it a bad hair day.

Who would call me his little angel

sent from above and

tuck me into bed.

That's all I want.

I AM

by Kenneth

I am a tall giraffe walking the street.

I am a drum hitting to the beat.

When I'm tired, I go to sleep;

I hear the birds go tweet, tweet, tweet.

Summer is like ...

by Ashley, age 9

Summer is like a big ball of fun.

Sleep is a peace.

The moon is like a big night light.

Night is magic.

Day is drowsy.

Water is like a fountain of joy.

Time is priceless; you can't get enough.

Summer is like ...

by Kyle

Summer is like fire.

Sleep is like a break.

Time is like a slide when you can't stop.

Summer is ...

by Xavier

Summer is love. Spring

brings emotion. The heart 

beats back and forth to the

sounds of hummingbirds 

in the summer heat.

Urban Haiku

by Faith, age 9

Fight at school

Two boys punching each other

In the face. Big bump.

March Madness

On Monday, the Dream Keepers had their own version of March Madness. The young people experienced difficulty concentrating. Still, in the midst of the giggles, a few words were set to paper. Enjoy!

Our newest Dream Keeper writer an I AM poem to introduce herself to you.

I AM

by Sydney Byrd

I am light skin

 5'9

 happy

 forgive-ful.

I am aware

 delighted

 passionate

 proud.

I am a writer

 a basketball player

 a friend

 a daughter.

I am Sydney Byrd.

Dream Keeper Ruthie Matthew wrote about going to see the musical CATS with her family and friends.

CATS!
by Ruthie Matthews, II

Lights appear on stage
As the dancers all appear
The crowd is restless

The music begins
And the first act is in play
The cats prance around

The various cats
Tell us about the main cats
Such as Barnabee.

Once we know the cats
The intermission begins
After the first act.

Fifteen minutes past
Everyone sits down at last
And the lights go out.

The cats come onstage
And the second act begins
As everyone claps.

After every song
The crowd offers up applause
Thanking the actors.

The second act ends
Ending the musical
Everyone liked it.

I grab all my things
And left with all of my friends
We were satisfied.

CATS was amazing
And the performance was nice
We all enjoyed it.

We went to my house
And we drank tea and coffee
Before they went home.

Writing With Pictures

Last Monday, the Dream Keepers were delighted to welcome guest speaker Keri Gerlach, Director of Marketing at Clement Manor, Inc. in Milwaukee. Keri is both a photographer and a writer. She brought beautiful framed photos and invited the young people to use them for inspiration. What fun we had!

The first group of writings comes from a photo of a tree's gnarled roots in spring, just before the earth has come back to life.

Around The Tree

by Lamar Hobson

I walk around a tree like three

times. It looks like darkness and

big as this tree is, I think if I touch him,

he going to eat me.

Everyone Has Roots

by Olivia Bell

Some people are like leaves, unstable, always moving with the wind. The season changes, they wither and die. They take and give shade under the harshness of the sun, but rarely do they stay all year long. In your time of need, the wind has taken them, and they will not return upon your calling.

Others are like branches on a tree. Little do they move with the wind or rain, but if you need a place to rest your head, they may break under your weight, and leave you hanging high and dry.

Some, very few, are the roots that help that tree live. When you find some roots, hold onto them. When the wind blows, they'll help anchor you to the ground. Don't let go.

Beneath the Big Tree

by Elisha Branch

Beneath the big tree is where I like to be

Where I hide and no one can see.

Beneath the big tree is where I run and flee

to be alone with no one just me.

I go to the tree and be and I don't know, sometimes I'll sleep

Beneath the big tree is just like me

I can tell it anything and my secrets will keep.

I go to the tree to think about what I could be

and look at myself and see what no one else sees

There is not place like the big tree

I can't go anywhere else because anywhere else doesn't want me.

One day I decided to leave the big tree 

And I saw boys and girls and they were all unhappy.

There was no protection and the world scared me

And just as she told me, I ran back to be with my friend beneath the big tree.

Roots

by Natalie Branch

As I gazed at the picture of this miraculous tree's roots, I couldn't help but feel overwhelmed. This simple picture contained such detail without so much as making a sound. I remember thinking as I gazed at this picture, that roots are the foundation of life. Everyone wants to know where their genetic makeup comes from, and it all comes from their roots. No one comes about as they wish, for we all have an ancestor to blame or to thank for your traits. It's because of our roots that we have the blue eyes that we love or the hairy backs that we hate. But if it wasn't for roots we wouldn't be here today. From your roots you have grown into a full grown tree. Life comes from the roots through the tree right to the new leaves. Your roots go on forever, and not many know how far. Just live your life the best you can and pass your old and new roots to the next born star.

The next two pieces of writing were inspired by a picture of an island near Door County, Wisconsin. The island looked dark and gloomy under a heavily clouded sky.

Mystery Island

by Ashley Kinnard

It was a stormy night on mystery island. No one knew what it was really called because the myths said, "If anyone tried to find out the real name, they would be cursed forever. Also, their family members would be cursed." So this is why no one comes to mystery island.. But I am on mystery island because it is a good vacation area—not many people. Also, there is another myth that Black Beard left three wishes in his treasure chest of with all sorts of goods. So I have dug for two years. I hope Black Beard's ghost gives me the wishes. Finally, I hit something in the ground! A treasure chest! I am the luckiest girl in the world!

The Storm

by Kenneth W.

When I first saw the picture, it shocked me. Look how the clouds are and how dark they are. It's like it changes color. It seems a storm is coming. A big rain storm is coming. When the clouds get like that it means that something is going to happen. It might rain or snow or you might have a tornado. I wouldn't want to be there in it, because I don't want anything to happen to me.

Learning Together

Tonight we had a small group of Dream Keepers writing and connecting. The younger students wrote acrostic poems. The high school students used headlines from popular magazines to write poems.  Natalie took a headline about Jessica Simpson to write her poem, She's Proud of Her Body. Before our hour was over, the High School students were delighted by a surprise visitor—Wisconsin State Senator Lena Taylor. State Senator Taylor encouraged the young people to work hard and send her their poems!

Both groups of students made it their mission to teach me about words and music. No matter which way you slice it, there's a lot of learning going on at Dream Keepers! If you know any young people who might be interested in writing, please send them to Atkinson Library on Monday nights.

Enjoy the poems,

Rochelle

She's Proud of Her Body

by Natalie Branch

She was used to society controlling her image.

They didn't care what she wanted or how she was feeling.

They knew what the buyers wanted to see.

They didn't know where the frustration would lead.

They did what they thought was best for her.

And so did she—by creating the new and improved her.

She's slightly larger and isn't the same.

Eye candy, but she couldn't be more fine and dandy.

She loves herself and isn't intimidated by anybody,

She is truly proud of her body.

Birthday

by Ashley

Birthday

Reputation

Ice Cream

Too much

Honey Cakes

Ding Dongs

Ashley

Too Sweet

Pinata

All the sweets in the world

Raining Sweets

Too Loud

Yes! My present!

Pig Pen

by Lamar

P The pig is too fat.

I  I know they eat a lot.

G Gate gets crushed

P When Pigs fight each other

E Earthqquake

No food, no home, no pig pen.

Visions and Dreams

The Dream Keepers has been on break since mid-December. We come back together on Monday to write and vision our next year of writing together. I'll be sure to let you know what we come up with! Until then, I wanted to share with you some of the poems and essays the Dream Keepers wrote in December. This work was written in response to essays we read in The Freedom Writers Diary. As you read the poems and essays, remember that most of these are not personal declarations but creative works. The students are using their imagination to create characters and situations. But we start with an essay from one of the students about our new president, Barack Obama.

Our President

by Gregory Byrd

Wow, finally a black president. I really do hope Mr. Obama makes a change in the society. The economy really needs work. I know that's President Obama's first job. I really worry people won't even listen to President Obama. I mean, like, the important stuff he is saying. Some people won't do their part. They did half by voting but it is not done yet. 

Global warming—that's also a big priority. You have to protect the earth. 

Violence. It is so sad—how people have no conscience. They do anything that comes to mind. The violence in American needs to go down. Also, in other countries. 

Drugs, I don't understand why there are drugs in America. If I was president, I would do something to make sure that no drugs get smuggled into America. 

I was listening to some music that really made me stop and think. The person said and I quote, "What the fu** would you bring my neighbor to jail, because the reason he live next door to me, ain't the reason why I live next door to him." That really made me stop and think. The topic he was talking about was drugs. He was talking about the jails are filled with drug dealers, but the streets are filled with sex offenders, rapists, serial killers, etc. He also said, "Meaning, he didn't rap his way to get to my neighborhood. He sold crack cocaine to get to my neighborhood. You move him out, bring him to jail for life. Then you move in a sex offenders and give me one of those papers." I really hope the President can fix that. Because we don't need rapists and people like that on streets where there are little children walking around. I don't get it, when they put a sex offender back on the street. That makes me really mad. 

Get Your Life Together

by Deanna Branch

You lie

You steal

And then you pass judgment on me.

Get your life together!

You make my mom cry

You make her stress

And then you hell her your "what's best."

Get your life together.

You drink

You cuss

You start arguments and fights

And then you try to make it right.

Get your life together!

You got a fake GED

You didn't go to college

So please stop tryin' to spit knowledge

Get your life together!

My mom says she loves you

You say you love her

So if you want to make it work

You have to

Get your life together!

The Hood

by Aliza Mendoza

We have different ways

to show who we are.

Tattoos, clothes, colors

even the glock I got strapped.

If you want respect

you got to go get it.

If one of us is in trouble

then it's all of us on the line.

We protect our own.

From injustice that people push on us.

You hear our sorrow

on the streets.

The screaming and crying.

We can't escape it,

even if we try.

They tell us to deal with 

this pain.

And we do

By protecting our own.

School won't help you.

It only slows you down.

Gotta make those stacks

to feed momma's kids.

We are remembered

When we protect our own.

As I run

I can hear my heart beat

"I can't get caught."

Can't risk losing time.

I spin around 

and squeezed my finger

on that cold 9 mm

Being in the game

It didn't phase me.

One cop went down, 

seeing his blood

paint the cement.

I ain't no killer.

Just tryin'

to protect my own.

You're Good If ...

by Elisha Branch

You're good if you're straight and 

you're bad if you're gay.

Why does it always have to be that way?

I don't care if I die or live another day.

Why does it have to be that way?

Children in detention center not seeing the light of day--

Why does it always have to be that way?

Parents yelling at children and not caring what they say.

Why does it always have to be that way?

Kids with nowhere to go so they just stay on the street and stray.

Why does it always have to be that way?

Gifted and talented brains sitting there waiting to decay.

Why does it always have to be that way.

So I'm just sitting there waiting on someone to say.

Why does it always have to be that way?

When our main problem is a failure to realize at the end of the day

That it doesn't always have to be that way.

Workers

by Aliza Mendoza

We wipe away

the sweat from our brow.

Concentrate

to the max.

The ache in our backs

matters not,

Only the check

we soon receive.

Day after day

night after night

everything seems the same.

Our work is tough

the pay is never fair

and we are the ones

who build this nation.

You give us breaks

and sometimes raises.

But for what?

To keep our mouths shut

about what you do.

You watch us with cameras

to record everything we do.

If something goes wrong.

It's not one of us.

Is it worth it?

Of course!

To feed our families

and keep us alive.

Don't worry, we won't talk

Just don't forget, without us

you're nothing.