Level 6
Bio-Poem
by Rosa Martinez
Rosa,
Strong in everything:
that is my word because I’ve been alone since my mom died when I was little girl, eight years old; that made me
strong; at that time nobody had an idea how that little girl felt, but I didn’t have a choice; only God knows what he was doing or planned
for me.
Romantic of course, even though, before I fell in love, I used to say to myself, “I love cats, I hate kids,” and then I fell in love six
years ago, and everything changed.
Studious because in my memory my mom says, “you have to study if you want a nice future, you have to study,” and because I like to
defend my dreams.
Friendly with people who like to have a conversation about music, or other interesting topics, or who like to share some experiences in
their lives, weird things, or strange things about our cultures, maybe the traditional food, clothing, animals etc.
Mother of Ashley, my little daughter, my four-year old princess, who loves to dance to Latin music with me, even though most of the
time she is at Barbara Chamber’s Children Center, a nice international place for her, where all the kids enjoy playing and learning together
and growing up.
Lover of Bachata, salsa, hip hop, electronic, and other music, with lyrics, that I can dance to.
Lover of cooking, ever since I was fifteen years old, because it throws the stress away when I am trying to make the best tastes
on each plate of what I am cooking.
Lover of playing with dolls with my daughter and going out to the theater with her to see children’s movies.
Who feels so happy sometimes when the sun is shining and the weather is good, whose feelings are like my Mom’s, weird, but true to
what my mother said, that our emotions depend on the season, or the weather; that our powers depend on the sun, because people feel
down when it is raining or cloudy, but love the spring and the summer, which make me feel so strong.
Who needs to work hard, otherwise how can she earn money, and otherwise how can she survive and stay in this hard life?
Who needs hugs and loves the hugs that she gets every morning and every night from my little princess, Ashley, or at any time, hugs
that make me feel so high with my daughter’s love.
Who fears any kinds of worms, rats, frogs because in my childhood, where I grew up, the kids like to joke with those horrible animals,
animals that remind me of what I felt that day when I was little girl: for me those animals are ugly, nasty and horrible even to think about
when I am in any place without lights.
Who would like to go back to my neighborhood and see my brother again, my brother who is in El Salvador, who is far away from the
United States, and whom I miss a lot because we grew up together, whose most special memory for me is when we exchanged our toys
together, and didn’t have any choice, and he had to play with my dolls, and I had to play with his boring cars.
Resident of Irving St. NW, Washington, D.C.
Martinez
Teacher: Ladd, EVE
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