On Monday June 2, the girls and I met and read more from Things I Have to Tell You. Mostly, the girls write about their own lives. On Monday, the Dream Keepers tried something new. They wrote poems from a persona or a character—someone other than themselves. I love what they did. See what you think!
Born at 13
by Maya Montgomery
Born at 13—prematurely.
Momma didn’t want me.
Daddy abusing me.
Boys looking over me.
Brother selling.
Girls teasing.
Born at 13.
Look at me.
I look just like you.
Can’t you see?
Same hair, same eyes, same lips.
Born at 13.
Go to the same school.
See you every day.
So don’t judge me.
Born at 13.
Just Another Girl!
by Natalie Branch
When I first saw you, I couldn’t stand you.
When you first saw me, you wanted to nail me.
Every day you would spit yo’ game.
Everyday I looked at you with shame.
But one day, you said the sweetest thing.
I stopped being mad and I stopped being mean.
You became my man, and I was yo’ girl.
You were the only thing that mattered in my world.
Then I met this girl
She said you spit the same game to her, too.
We both went to you in rage.
She forgave you. But I turned away.
I couldn’t believe what you did.
I couldn’t believe I was pregnant with yo’ kid.
Today I have a two-year-old son.
He’s my everything, my only one.
He doesn’t know you, and you don’t know him.
All he knows is God, family, and friends.
I’ll teach him to respect everyone, even those like you.
But you’ll never know him, and he will never know you.
The Consequences of Loving Me
by Deanna Branch
He said he loved me.
I only loved his money.
So I drew him to me.
Like a sunflower to a bee.
The consequences of loving me.
He thought he could tell me anything.
I would joke about his deepest secrets with my friends.
He got mad, but his anger ceased
When I threatened to set him free.
The consequences of loving me.
He thought is undying love
would change me.
He thought his passion
could mold me
and I’d be sprung.
But when he drew near me, I told him
His stench made me sneeze.
The consequences of loving me.
My lesson to you
Sugar and spice
Isn’t always so nice.
A conqueror can’t be conquered
I am never satisfied
And I am hard to please
That is why your love
will never be enough for me.
And we could never really be
The consequences of loving me.
Who’s Watching
by Elisha Branch
His eyes saw it all.
He saw his mother screaming and yelling, trying not to fall.
His mother—getting beat my a man 6 feet tall.
Protecting her head, curled up into a ball
Running from the man down the narrow hall
All along the way, slamming into every wall.
He was so young, but he still witnessed it all.
Her eyes saw it.
She was all alone in the dark closet.
Being very quiet so he wouldn’t hear her.
But she still knew that he was coming near her.
All of a sudden, he went for her sister.
She was quite sure what he was going to do
but only because he did it to her, too.
She was screaming
Watched him kiss her
and said have a good day
Although you might not care.
I want to let you to know she was there.
While you’re standing there and still talking
You’ll never know who’s watching.
Born at 13
by Maya Montgomery
Born at 13—prematurely.
Momma didn’t want me.
Daddy abusing me.
Boys looking over me.
Brother selling.
Girls teasing.
Born at 13.
Look at me.
I look just like you.
Can’t you see?
Same hair, same eyes, same lips.
Born at 13.
Go to the same school.
See you every day.
So don’t judge me.
Born at 13.
Just Another Girl!
by Natalie Branch
When I first saw you, I couldn’t stand you.
When you first saw me, you wanted to nail me.
Every day you would spit yo’ game.
Everyday I looked at you with shame.
But one day, you said the sweetest thing.
I stopped being mad and I stopped being mean.
You became my man, and I was yo’ girl.
You were the only thing that mattered in my world.
Then I met this girl
She said you spit the same game to her, too.
We both went to you in rage.
She forgave you. But I turned away.
I couldn’t believe what you did.
I couldn’t believe I was pregnant with yo’ kid.
Today I have a two-year-old son.
He’s my everything, my only one.
He doesn’t know you, and you don’t know him.
All he knows is God, family, and friends.
I’ll teach him to respect everyone, even those like you.
But you’ll never know him, and he will never know you.
The Consequences of Loving Me
by Deanna Branch
He said he loved me.
I only loved his money.
So I drew him to me.
Like a sunflower to a bee.
The consequences of loving me.
He thought he could tell me anything.
I would joke about his deepest secrets with my friends.
He got mad, but his anger ceased
When I threatened to set him free.
The consequences of loving me.
He thought is undying love
would change me.
He thought his passion
could mold me
and I’d be sprung.
But when he drew near me, I told him
His stench made me sneeze.
The consequences of loving me.
My lesson to you
Sugar and spice
Isn’t always so nice.
A conqueror can’t be conquered
I am never satisfied
And I am hard to please
That is why your love
will never be enough for me.
And we could never really be
The consequences of loving me.
Who’s Watching
by Elisha Branch
His eyes saw it all.
He saw his mother screaming and yelling, trying not to fall.
His mother—getting beat my a man 6 feet tall.
Protecting her head, curled up into a ball
Running from the man down the narrow hall
All along the way, slamming into every wall.
He was so young, but he still witnessed it all.
Her eyes saw it.
She was all alone in the dark closet.
Being very quiet so he wouldn’t hear her.
But she still knew that he was coming near her.
All of a sudden, he went for her sister.
She was quite sure what he was going to do
but only because he did it to her, too.
She was screaming
Watched him kiss her
and said have a good day
Although you might not care.
I want to let you to know she was there.
While you’re standing there and still talking
You’ll never know who’s watching.
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