Young workers' honest poems hit home. (paper article.)
Desmond Jenkins, 15 said he woke up every morning for work in the embrace of racism. On his way to work at the department of youth services, he passed Meriden superior court, where he heard the building calling him. Hoping he would visit one day to face charges.
When he stops by the store, the cashier, in a hurry to get him out, gives him to much change. People ask him if he earned the money in his pocket. He tells them yes and rushes off to work.
Jenkins said this was what he faced on his way to work this summer. He shared this experienced with his peers in the employment program in a poem called "I am going to work."
Jenkins and other members of the use service youth program wrote a book of poetry titled "A collection of thoughts" as part of their employment with the program. The group dedicated the book to Denise Keating, director of department youth services.
Jesus Centeno, program supervisor asked the teenagers to be honest in their poetry, said Ortiz , Neftali 15. " He wanted us to realistic instead of roses and red and all that stuff, "Ortiz said
The finished book talked about love, family, street violence, young fears and hopes. In his poems life expectancy Ortiz wrote : "How old are you? 17, on the verge of not seeing my 18. \/why you ask? The hood I say." Ortiz said. He imagined him self as some one who was a part of the street and its violence.
"A lot of kids don't get to see their 18th birthday for different reasons." Ortiz said.
"After seven weeks of working together, the group got to know one another but reading the book showed them new sides of each other" said Wayne brown ,17, assistant program supervisor.
"I think everyone can relate to these poems because there relative." Brown said.
The youths, who belong to the writing and mural team of the summer employment program, attended discussions on topics such as cultural diversity, and teen issues such as relationships and teen pregnancy.
The youth service summer employment program is a seven week program offered by youth services.
In record journal.
Our main group who joined in on making this book were of course Desmond Jenkins, my self Jacky Cruz, our boss and friend Jesus Centeno, Jessica Abrahante, Rosa Rosado, Mark Adams, Kevin Schappert, our other boss Charissa Watts, Neftali Ortiz, Janet Rosado, Keisha McMillan, and Albert Dejesus.
Their was many more, but these were the ones on the book called A collection of thoughts.
A collection of thoughts.
Not all poems will I list. Only because this is for Desmond Jenkins. Who passed away on 11'11'11.
1996 written and dedicated to Denise Keating.
CZYTASZ
My book of poems.
Dla nastolatkówpoems i wrote during the years of my life. good boring bad sad. hurt happy. some of my kids, friend that passed away. Poems of death life love hate, jehovah god. anything that i can find that is mine or my childrens, family. some might not be good h...
