Poems

"The Long Road"
Boys in book group read and discussed Bang! by Sharon G. Flake, a thoughtful book that investigates African American manhood, relationships between fathers and sons, and forgiveness as a family grieves the death of a child. In response to the prompt "The Long Road", boys wrote poems about their experiences growing up, including these two poems about fathers.

Man Up
I began when my father left me
and my family; I was 5 years old.
I traveled through my thoughts of
how could someone make a family
and not be man enough to care for their own?
I searched for answers to my own questions…
Why? Then realized I don’t need him.
I’ll learn by myself, on my own.
I moved towards the future and thank my Mom
for staying there with me, shoving Kool-Aid in my pockets
and stealing food to feed me.
I found the man inside a little boy. I didn’t need a father;
my mother’s love is one thing I did have though,
and she will always be appreciated for it.

  — Tony Salinas, Age 18

The Long Road
I began growing up without my Mom and
not knowing who my Father is. I traveled
through all the things I didn’t have. I searched
for the Mom and Dad I never had. I moved
towards why I should have to deal with it if they don’t?
He never came to look for me? I found the
love of a mother in another lady.

  — Elias R. Thomas, age 17