You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles
YUMPU automatically turns print PDFs into web optimized ePapers that Google loves.
<strong>The</strong><strong>Beat</strong><strong>Within</strong>.org<br />
Page 4<br />
Pieces of the week<br />
Pieces of the Week<br />
Volume 16.38/39<br />
High Off Memories<br />
Thinking back to those good old days<br />
Those days when I was free<br />
No one else but me<br />
A couple of friends and family<br />
That was all I needed to be happy<br />
When my days were fun and never crappy<br />
I could spread my wings and<br />
Fly so high<br />
So high, I swear<br />
I just seen the moon pass by<br />
I soared over cliffs<br />
And soared over mountains<br />
But now those days are gone<br />
And I find myself countin’<br />
Marking the days off the calendar<br />
One by one<br />
Looking forward towards those days<br />
When I can walk happily under the sun<br />
-Arnold, Santa Clara<br />
From the <strong>Beat</strong>: Great piece! Your positive attitude is an inspiration to<br />
many who read <strong>The</strong> <strong>Beat</strong>. Way to go and please keep your attitude<br />
elevated.<br />
I Love My Sister<br />
When my little sister was born, I was happy. I wanted a baby sister.<br />
She was so small and cute. I was so happy, like, real happy. She<br />
was the one I like to carry, even though I was small, too. I like to<br />
squeeze her cheeks, play with her little hands. To this day, I still<br />
adore my little sister. She’s ten years old now, and she’s still little.<br />
She’s the princess of the house and I understand why, because she’s<br />
the youngest from my family.<br />
Every time I call home, I get to speak to her for a minute, but<br />
that minute is real special to me, and once we both done saying a<br />
couple words, her last words are, “I love you,” and I say it back, “I<br />
love you, too, little sister. Take care. Bye.”<br />
After that, my life is back to feelin’ pain and struggle to get<br />
through the days. I can’t want to call home again.<br />
-Young Promise, Marin<br />
From <strong>The</strong> <strong>Beat</strong>: You have a tender heart. How do you influence your<br />
sister? If she looks up to you, thinks whatever you do is righteous,<br />
strives to be like you, will she mess up, follow you into juvy? If there’s<br />
even a chance, how can you prevent it?<br />
My Vida<br />
<strong>The</strong> happiest moment in my life was when I was in the San Leandro<br />
Hospital. I was happy to be alive because just an hour ago I was lying<br />
on the floor in a puddle of blood.<br />
I had been walking to my friend’s house when I heard someone<br />
yell something. As I looked up I saw a gun barrel pointed in my face.<br />
As I dived toward a car I heard several gun shots sounding like fire<br />
crackers. It was crazy hearing “zing” as bullets passed by my head<br />
barely missing me.<br />
While I was on the ground all I could think of was my life and<br />
all the good and bad times I’ve had and if I was going to live or die.<br />
Death is always on my mind but I never imagined I would get<br />
shot right around the corner from my house. I’ve gotten shot at but<br />
I never had been shot before so I was stunned when it happened. It<br />
didn’t really hurt much, I always thought it would burn or sting but<br />
I really didn’t feel it.<br />
-William, Alameda<br />
From <strong>The</strong> <strong>Beat</strong>: William. First, let us say that we are very glad that you<br />
miraculously came out of this terrible situation alive. Second- what a<br />
gifted writer you are! You describe this scenario with such detail, that<br />
we can practically see you diving to the ground. Now that your life has<br />
been saved, and your talent is being nurtured, what are your plans for<br />
the future ahead?<br />
Free To Do What I Wanted<br />
<strong>The</strong> time I when I was happy was when I was free to do almost<br />
whatever I wanted. I saw my family and friends. I walked the streets<br />
and I was in my house playing games with my family.<br />
I loved walking outside and seeing my friends, cars, and stores.<br />
I miss the stop signs and street lights. I miss kissing my girlfriend<br />
and looking at the stars. I miss sleeping on my pillow, my bathroom,<br />
and my money. I miss my backyard, the grass, looking at the moon,<br />
being on my roof.<br />
- Haisunni, Alameda<br />
From <strong>The</strong> <strong>Beat</strong>: This is a lovely piece of writing. Do you appreciate all<br />
those things enough when you have them to stop yourself from doing<br />
anything that would take you away again?<br />
Refuse To Break<br />
Still in the halls, trying to maintain, but it ain’t been easy. All I keep<br />
gettin’ is bad news after bad news. I went to court to find out that<br />
I’m not goin’ nowhere no time soon, but I came in and didn’t pick<br />
up a new charge.<br />
On top of that, my real cousin just got killed while he was with<br />
his moms. I’m thinking, like, “Damn, I’m walkin’ around the unit,<br />
tryin’ to keep my head up, but it seem like everything designed to<br />
break me. But I refuse to break or bend, slip or stumble, or fold or<br />
crumble. I feel helpless, though, behind these walls.”<br />
I got a young ninja out there, howlin’ like he got him a chicken<br />
with his head cut off and his family fallin’ apart, and I’m nowhere in<br />
sight to keep my young homie and my cousin out of trouble. But I’ll<br />
continue to keep my head up. <strong>The</strong>y can’t hold me down forever.<br />
-Hytz, San Francisco<br />
From <strong>The</strong> <strong>Beat</strong>: Is sometimes the worst part of being in juvy that you<br />
can’t help your friends and family when they need you the most? Can<br />
you keep your strong attitude when you’re out, tempted to mess up?<br />
<strong>The</strong> young ones need you home.<br />
Nightmares<br />
I don’t feel like picking a topic to write on and I don’t feel like writing<br />
down one of my poems and reading it out like I usually do. I just feel<br />
like chillin’ <strong>Beat</strong>. Is that coo’ with yah <strong>Beat</strong>? I just got things on my<br />
mind. And I don’t feel like talking or sharing my feelings. I just want<br />
to relax. Never mind, I’m a speak some poetry tonight.<br />
If only, if only they knew my struggles<br />
<strong>The</strong>n they would understand why I hustle<br />
<strong>The</strong>y would understand why a youngsta like me in the streets<br />
Can’t they understand that I just wanna live the dreams?<br />
My life is filled with pain and misery.<br />
Can someone help me please?<br />
I’m tired of bagging’ up this coke and weed<br />
Just so I an get a little dough off of them fiends,<br />
sixteen and got my mind set on the green<br />
Another product of the streets<br />
I don’t want to lose, but what choice is there<br />
When I fall victim to poverty, money on my mind<br />
So I pay no attention to the screams,<br />
As long as I got mines and as long as I get my cheese.<br />
I look in the mirror and I can’t believe<br />
That this stupid person going crazy over money can’t be me,<br />
But what can I do but face reality?<br />
Damn sometimes I wish that this was just a bad dream,<br />
And that someone would wake me up,<br />
But shhh, I was never asleep.<br />
-Tommy, Alameda<br />
From <strong>The</strong> <strong>Beat</strong>: Another powerful poem, and we kept that little opening<br />
you wrote because for some artists, the power goes both ways. A true<br />
poet sometimes can’t stop keep himself from writing even when he<br />
thinks he doesn’t feel like. Keep up with that True Poet inside you,<br />
Tommy, he will be a guide for you and for others.
Change language