Manual High Poems: New America

New America

by Kevin Lopez

New America
By: Kevin Banales-Lopez

My grandma, a very hard worker
Lived in a city where there was a lot of danger
My grandma was only 20 when she got pregnant
8 months later giving birth to a beautiful baby girl who came from heaven
She grew up in a very strict home
Keepin’ the house clean so it can be crystal clean like snow
At the age 15 lost her mother
Lost because she didn’t have no one to love her,
Not even her own father.
Moved to the United States with her uncle,
Lived in a country where she got discriminated because of her color.
Every morning she woke up super early to walk to school
With the same shoes,
Her uncle never drove her to school because he was never in the mood.

She met a handsome man at the age of 19.
She finally felt free,
Then a year later came me.
Parents not getting along anymore,
There’s no more love to explore.
Then they separated and came the divorce.
At the age of 3 my dad left,
My mom working day and night to keep me fed.
Also working hard to pay the rent,
So I can have a place to rest.
She thinks everything is a big mess,
But she keeps fighting,
Working and working and not whining.

Now I’m 15
Soon to be 16
Still looking for the American Dream,
Working hard so I can help pay bills
And going to school at the same time.
All this working actually kills.
But we do it for our family and to prove people wrong.
We Latinos have fear
of being stripped from our homes.
We just don’t sit around and drink beer
Let’s just make that clear.
Latinos don’t steal,
Latinos truly work hard
for a future, a home, a life.
For a chance at their American Dream.

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