Poems by our children: “City of One—young writers speak to the world”

Just wanted to share some of this poetry from this book “in title line” with you. Thought u’d appreciate like I do:

Sending

I’m sending a check to my mom so she can go to a
better college.
I’m sending a peace flag to Iraq.

I’m sending food and food stamps to the poor.
I’m sending my mom and dad home from work to rest
because they work too much.

I’m sending education to the world,
and homes to the poor.

I’m sending strength to the disabled,
and responsibility to the youth.

I’m sending light to the night.
I’m sending my neighborhood art
because it needs to be colorful.

And I’m sending my neighborhood peace.

-Peter Amaya, 12.

The Healing

With my healing hands I will cure
every disease in the world,
so people won’t have to worry.

With my healing hands I will erase
racism, prejudice, and sexism,
turn them into three more stars
in the sky.

-Susan Sandoval, 13

The Sweater

A sweater washed away by the rain
settled near a front porch
where an old woman lived.

When the sun rose
the woman came out and found the sweater
and took it inside.

She said to herself
that the sweater had sheltered other people
from the harsh weather of the past,
so she washed and fixed it

the sweater came from the wool
of a sheep.
It warmed the sheep, she thought, and people too,
and many journeys carried the sweater to her.
Now the old sweater was ready
for another journey.

-Jorge Pacheco, 13