Manual High Student Poems: The Dream

The Dream

by Benjamin Garcia

Students from Manual High School in Denver visited KGNU to record some of their poetry. These students have been writing, discussing, and reading about “The American Dream” in their 10th grade American Literature class. They’ve been inspired to write their own poetry on this theme. 

The Dream
By: Benjamin Garcia

You tell me I should just “pull myself up by my bootstraps”
You tell me the poor are just lazy
You tell me your privilege was earned
And that the police are here to serve and protect
You tell me education is equal
And segregation is over
You tell me racism is gone
And there is opportunity and equality
You tell me justice is blind
And that I am innocent until proven guilty

But I’ve been searching for the proof
Looking for evidence like a needle in a haystack
These myths simply perpetuate injustice

Instead,
I see inequality lives in schools while kids ditch class because they think it’s cool
I see Students wait by the door for the bell while honors students work so well
I see schools being threatened to be shut down
I see inequality in the law
I see unearned privileged
I see men of color being shot down by police officers
I see women being objectified in music videos

We live in a society full of poverty
We live inside of inequality
We live in a society that is entrenched in racism
We live in a society that brands us with stereotypes

We live in a society that says we could move up if we just work harder
Yet were still stuck here;
in an endless cycle of poverty.
Maybe George Carlin is right, that is
It is called the American DREAM because you have to be sleeping to believe it.

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