Pongo Poetry Project's mission is to engage youth in writing poetry to inspire healing and growth. For over 20 years, Pongo has mentored poetry with youth at the Clark Children & Family Justice Center (CCFJC), King County's juvenile detention facility.
Many CCFJC residents are Youth of Color who have endured traumatic experiences in the form of abuse, neglect, and exposure to violence. These incidents have been caused and exacerbated by community disinvestment, systemic racism, and other forms of institutional oppression. In collaboration with CCFJC staff, Pongo poetry writing offers CCFJC youth a vehicle for self-discovery and creative expression that inspires recovery and healing.
Through this special bimonthly column in partnership with the South Seattle Emerald, Pongo invites readers to bear witness to the pain, resilience, and creative capacity of youth whose voices and perspectives are too often relegated to the periphery. To partner with Pongo in inspiring healing and relief among youth coping with mental and emotional turmoil, join the Pongo Poetry Circle today.
by a young person, age 16
If my fist could speak,
it would tell you how I'm feeling at that moment
It could tell you what's up
Or it could tell you I'm mad
If my feet could speak, they would recall
walking down downtown Seattle
with my little brothers
Smoking
The city around me
People
Cars
Stores
Chillin'
Listening to rap music
If my eyes could speak,
they would tell you about their color
Green
Or hazel
They change
Combination of my mom and my dad's eyes
Same as my older brother
If my pounding heart could speak, it would say free me
Not trying to be locked up no more
I'm fine — but want to be free
Be with my family
Eat some good food
Carne asada tacos
Be with girls
If my hair could speak, it would explain that it's thick
From my Panamanian side
But it can be slicked back too
My hair cut is coming soon
when I get out
If my ears could speak, they would share
I know when somebody is bullshitting
I don't trust people
that are lying or snitching
I have a hunch when people say certain things
I go with my gut
There are people I do trust
My mom, my family, my brother
I trust them 'cause I love them
If my body could speak, you would see my tattoos
But that doesn't tell you my full story
Me and God are the only ones who know that
If my brain could deal with everything,
it would want to ask why'd I do half the shit I did
by a young person, age 17
Anger is like fire
Anger is like being another person
Anger is like being blacked out
Angry because of losing people close to me
Angry because of not being able to see my daughter
Angry because I'm locked up
Maybe anger won't always burn, but will calm down
Maybe there is a new day for me
when I will turn into somebody else.
Somebody not heartless. A better man.
Maybe getting over anger could change who I am,
like becoming successful,
being with my own family at home watching TV, just being there.
Group poem by mentors & youth at CFJC
Bring me all your happiness, anger and tears
Bring me your emotions — your tattered
rain-soaked worries, your cold, cramping fears
Bring me all your joy, pain, and wisdom
Bring me your hates — your skin crawling
chalkboard-scratching dislikes
Bring me your broken dreams
So that I can understand your life
and I will relate on your faults
So you are not alone in your world of hatred and greed
So that I can understand your pain
and understand the weight of who you are
I will hold your emotions — not as who you are,
not even as the many-facetted diamond of who you are,
but I will hold them as feathers — light leavings
of flight that I blow away
with a kiss
goodbye
Inspired by Langston Hughes, "The Dream Keeper"
📸 Featured Image: Original illustration by Alexa Strabuk 譚文曠 .
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Before you move on to the next story …
The South Seattle Emerald™ is brought to you by Rainmakers. Rainmakers give recurring gifts at any amount. With around 1,000 Rainmakers, the Emerald™ is truly community-driven local media. Help us keep BIPOC-led media free and accessible.
If just half of our readers signed up to give $6 a month, we wouldn’t have to fundraise for the rest of the year. Small amounts make a difference.
We cannot do this work without you. Become a Rainmaker today!