Why I Don't Like Poetry

“I hated poetry. … I want to read a poem by someone who looks like me.”
Miguel Loredo, Native American poet

I want to read a poem by someone who looks like me;
I want to look at their picture and see my skin shaded with life.
I want the poet to be standing - talking to other people;
Them listening to this poet’s words that will be my words,
hearing stories of the poet’s life that will be my life.
I want to know that even if I do not find the words,
someone did. My family’s life, my people’s life will live on
my momma and her chili, her mother and her poi.

 I want other people to know them
Learn the lessons their hard lives taught them
I want to know when our children look
at old photographs that I am there, in this poet
who gave me life, that gave you life,
I want someone in school one day to hear
what life was like for Uncle to herd sheep in Ireland,
For Father’s grandparents to run silently through streets in Salzburg.
I want to one day open a book and read how my best friend
stood up to the burly boys at the corner store.
 If we don’t find the words, don’t write, the words, I want someone to write them.