Middle Schools

MIDDLE SCHOOLS

CALL TO ACTION

The story of America

Is a story of persistence

Thriving through any and all obstacles

Fighting the long game

Never giving up

Never giving in

Yes, suffering is in the deck

Pain is in the cards

But so is hope

For we have been in more danger before

For we could have died decades ago

But our flame is still lit

Flickering, never extinguished

Stumbling, not crashing

Conceding, but not surrendering

True failure is not in one loss

But in not trying again

In letting ourselves being defined by one defeat

I know that in the upcoming months

Many will be swallowed

By inner, encroaching darkness

But I won't be

I take this setback as a call to action

When many weep inside

My fire will burn brighter

For I take this setback as a call to action

To remember what our ancestors fought for

To uphold our morals and values

This setback is a call to action

To remember who we are and where we come from

To let us decide who we want to be

And I will choose to fight

To let everyone know who I am, where I come from

I know who I want to be

Someone who will not be pushed around

This poem is my call to action

For those who want to hear my words:

Keep your flame burning

I hope to be a call to action

Noa Afonso

Hunter College High School, 7th Grade

UNTITLED

What do we need as a city, a country—a world?

New York needs teamwork

Communities must come together

to talk to see what we have in common

make a boycott for immigration reform

Families I love are scared

They are staying close to home

They have no papers

Hard working—LOVING citizens

This is a dumb policy

What will you do to help make the change

Julian Hernandez

Ella Baker School, 7th Grade

KNOW YOUR NAME

At night, when looking at the

starry sky—when finishing a book,

or gazing at a completed project—

I want to have your name.

When the credits roll on a movie,

when I think about my friendships,

even while writing this poem,

I search for you.

I need you.

I want you.

I crave your name.

As a society, we all do.

That’s what we're taught—

in school, at work, at home.

Validation. Validation. Validation.

We're restricted from education.

We cannot critically think

without some form of VALIDATION.

We crave it as a society.

But we are no more than workers—

following,

never leading.

Funny, isn’t it?

Elsa Kalbaj

Ella Baker School, 7th Grade

POLITICS

One day the politicians will

think and think

and they will see

The people will

wait and wait…

and they will

be free

The problems

will go away

The children can

go outside and play

We will realize

what they've done wrong

Work to fix it until it's gone.

Charles McNally

Ella Baker School, 7th Grade

UNTITLED

When you look

around our world

what do you see?

Some people might

see the truth and

some might only

ever see the lies.

But me,

I see both

the beauty

and the destruction.

Our world isn't just

black and white.

We shouldn’t only

see it that way

.

Ariana Plaza

Ella Baker School, 7th Grade

I WANT YOU TO SEE ME

I want you to see me,

the brown eyes filled with love.

I want you to see this girl with dyed hair,

each color drowning old thoughts,

replacing them with new, hopeful ones.

I want you to see my jewelry—

each gold and silver chain,

each charm crafted with care and memory,

catching light, glimmering with stories.

I want you to see my struggles—

my anxiety, swinging like a lumberjack,

chopping down my dreams,

each blow pushing them farther out of reach

until they slip away.

I want you to see me wearing my culture

like a cape, gleaming in the sun.

I want to wear my pride with a smile and say:

This is me.

Zaylee Fung

Ella Baker School, 8th Grade

MY NEIGHBORHOOD

My neighborhood makes me feel part of a community.

I can hear kids having fun in the summer inside the park.

I can smell families having barbecues outside.

I can see the birds waking up for their singing.

I can feel myself slowly waking up to the sight of the sun's rays.

Blessing Atise

Boys Prep Bronx, 8th Grade

BURNSIDE AVENUE

On Burnside Avenue I see the beautiful

Blue sky and the white clouds.

I hear the birds chirping outside

everytime I wake up.

I smell the nice aroma in the

air from the restaurants where I

live.

I feel the nature all around

me and it's nice breeze

and flowers.

Adrian Broadie

Boys Prep Bronx, 8th Grade

MELROSE AVE

On Melrose Ave, I eat infamous deli items

I see people arguing, and eating sandwiches

I hear dogs barking, and cars honking

I smell the delicious smell of bakery bread

From a couple of blocks away

I touch things around me

This place is a beautiful place.

Adrian Leocadio

Boys Prep Bronx, 8th Grade

TORRY AVE

On the streets of Torry Ave I hear the basket

ball bouncing on the court. I feel the cold breeze

hitting from the water. I smell the burger and fries

coming from the store. I touch the warmness of the hot

coco and I see the holiday decorations on the houses.

Josiah Johnson

Boys Prep Bronx, 8th Grade

GRAND CONCOURSE

This place could be a mix

Of good and bad things.

I could see graffiti on the walls

And hear kids crying in the malls.

I could taste all the local

McDonald’s all over the place.

I can feel the freezing winds,

Or the blistering hot sun.

I grab my uniform and go to school,

Whether it's sunny, stormy, or windy.

Sometimes it could be bad

And sometimes it could be good.

Like how I see the people around me.

I can hear the birds sing loudly,

And feel the air breeze mildly.

I can taste the chicken wings,

Or smelling the corn on the cob.

Grand Concourse could be thrilling or frightening

Like a rollercoaster that could be scary or exciting.

Knox-Lyeon Bediako-Poku

Boys Prep Bronx, 8th Grade

1212 GRAND CONCOURSE

On Grand Concourse I see people

getting stabbed and kill each other

I touch the beautiful flower.

I smell the freshly baked bread.

I hear the people fighting in the street

and I taste the amazing pizza.

Ahmed Swileh

Boys Prep Bronx, 8th Grade