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.
About this poem
Published in Speaking Peace: Poems for Salem. Part of The Salem Peace Mosaic project in 2014.
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"Why I Don't Like Poetry" Poetry.com. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 13 Jun 2024. <https://www.poetry.com/poem/109927/why-i-don't-like-poetry>.
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