Young Poet Spotlight

My Neighborhood



In my neighborhood there are people

Of all kinds of races,

All of them passing by with those

Mean looking faces.

Most of them are joining in some

Kind of gang,

Thinking that the corner store is

The type of place to hang.

Hanging on the corner feeling

Everything's cool,

Most of them are drop outs

And some attend school.

A lot of boys who don't attend

School are selling drugs,

Sitting on the water hydrants looking

Like low life thugs.

Sometimes I wonder what will happen

When kids today grow up,

Living in the neighborhood having

Very little luck.



By Ronetta Walker, 17



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Feeling Different



Sitting in front of school

Looking around at all the faces

Some Black, Asian and Hispanic

Everyone with their culture

No Blacks with Asians

No Asians with Hispanics

No Hispanics with Blacks Everyone seperated.



Sitting wondering what's going on

Deciding to walk over to each group

Talking to the Black students feeling

Like I fit in, but was ignored.

Talking to the Asian students, I was

Feeling like if I was being stared at.

Talking to the Hispanics feeling

Like I was just invisible.



Was it that I was dressed weird?

Was it that they thought I just wanted to fit in?

Every bit of these experiences made me

Feel like I was different.



By Ronetta Walker, 17



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Me



I am a seventeen year old Black Girl

My skin is brown and smooth

Born in Oakland California

I go to Oakland High

The first high school in Oakland.



I live where the people are into

Doing and dealing drugs

Grew up around it all my life

In my house and on the streets.



I am moving into a whole different world

Where education comes first

Trying to live the life my parents never lived.



I am a Black Girl today, tomorrow and forever

And this will never change.



By Ronetta Walker, 17



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Stereotypes



Girl, he is good in basketball

Oh yeah, that man is Black.

Boy, she is good in soccer

Oh yeah, that woman is Mexican.

Girl, he is good at Math

Oh yeah, he must be Chinese.

Boy, she is good in English

Oh yeah, she must be White.



Oh, let the heavens open up and thrust enlightenment upon us

For too many of us must be brain-dead!!!



By Ronetta Walker, 17