Poems

"Hole in My Life"
These poems were written by young men in our book groups in response to Hole in My Life by Jack Gantos. While reading this story, the young men talked and wrote about how one determines the difference between good and bad decisions, and how knowing one’s self-worth is the only catalyst for long-lasting change.

True Measure (an excerpt)
I want to be measured by
all the unseen accomplishments that only I know.
Really, I don't want to be measured.
I want to be a part of the unexpected,
to which measurements of any kind are too small.

  — Jorge Rosas, age 18

The Real Me
I don't want to be measured by
people who take things the wrong way.
Like when someone is walking past me,
I don't want to be measured like I am a bad person.
I want to be measured as a good person.
I want to be measured by people who can understand me and my life,
and can see what I'm going through every day on the streets.

  — Corey Anderson, Age 17

I Know I Will Make It
I heard that I would never make it
I saw my friend laying on the ground in front of me dead
I thought at the time that I wasn't going to make it
I believed I could survive and become somebody
I wanted to change the way I lived and change society
I am a changed person who's back in school
I think that it's hard for the lower-level class to survive, or become successful
I need to get out of the 'hood
I try to pray every night, hoping that I make it
I feel that in my own way, this is not the life I've chosen
I forgive myself when I hurt people
I will be someone who makes it
I choose to stay in school
I dream about seeing my family every day
I hope to become a better person
I know I will make it and bring my family out of the 'hood
I will change my lifestyle and my community

  — Sean William, age 18

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