AALIYAH DANIELS
D’CHAE DUNN
WHERE I’M FROM
FUN WITH ACROSTICS
In the D.R. I wake up to Papí
making salami fried cheese-on-toast.
I wake up to Abuela yelling “Why,
María? Why are you so stupid?”
I wake up to the warm sun with Cheche
(my puppy) barking at me.
But it’s all different in Panama.
I wake up to Mamí singing in Spanish
“My Love, my Flower, my Rose.”
I hear María saying good morning
to her lover, Antonio.
I smell plantains that are mashed
into a creamy banana sandwich
Made by Zeeco.
Blueberries that are dirty
Rot in the ocean air.
Octopi eat the berries.
Next thing you know, they’re dead.
X-rays xray the octopi (and that shows it was pregnant).
7th GRADE
Then I hear the palmchat bird in the D.R.,
welcoming me as I run to Manny’s
and Jackson’s house, ready to play
until we hide from Alex, the mean bully,
Who’s mad because he’s not always welcome.
In Panama, I run barefoot to my panic room
to hide from Fenio. He always yells at Zecco
as she pleads for mercy. I hear him hit her.
She cries, I cry. But in Panama you hear Mamí-Ke.
She’s always pregnant and yelling at David.
She always says: “you stupid boy! Only $360.67!
That’s not going to feed us! That’s not going to clothe us!
You have four sisters and five brothers,
and two coming. David, think about it.
7th GRADE
CATHERINE RECINOS
8th GRADE
Caring for others
Always in
The community, and
Helping my family
Especially when the
Rage of our stress enters
Into our lives and—
Now I am
Especially tired.
So! Since you can’t work hard enough, you starve.”
She abuses him, leaves him to die, and she doesn’t care.
6 Train Volume II: 2013–2014 |
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