Teen Talk

January/February 2009

Who Am I to Say?
by Briana Ticole Simmons

Lately I haven’t been myself.
I have been living the life of someone else.
Dad’s in town, I’m glad to say.
But as we all know, he’s not here to stay.
I don’t understand why he keeps putting us through this,
running out our lives and jumping back in.
But who am I to say something about his
disappearing ways?
I don’t understand why mother lets him stay.
After all he puts her through– the lying, beating, and
cheating, she shouldn’t let love stand in her way.
But hey!
Who am I to say?

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Beyond the Girl
by Fatimah Bangura

On the outside you just see, how you think this girl may be.
She appears to be an average teen never trying to be mean.
Does anyone know how she feels?
She may never get away and heal?
Look behind the closed doors at how she ends up on the floors.
Being beaten, slapped, and smacked, she wishes her regular life was back.
Because her mother died last year, the days always end in tears.
Her guardian doesn’t care for her life, hurting more than once or twice.
This girl is scared for us to see what the closed door hides from you and me.

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