No more big gatherings and

 going on trips.

 Before the masks.

 Before the six feet distance.

 Before the sickness.

 Before the passing away of millions of people.

 Before having to quarantine for two weeks.

 No more in person school and eating out.

 Before e-learning.

 Before take-out only.

 Before the world changed so drastically there wasn’t so much chaos,

 so much hurt, and so much boredom.

 Before the world changed so drastically everything wasn’t perfect,

 but everything was good.

 Before Covid-19.

Response to Ada Limón's "Before"

It was picture day in kinder.

The brush running smoothly through my hair

the tight braids hurting my head.

The relief of the finished product felt so good.

My red shirt and light blue jeans set on my bed

ready to get put on. The car starting and my heart racing

I was scared to take my picture. Waiting not to far from the front of the line

the big flash after every picture taken scared me. Me up next

they told me to sit up straight and fold my hands

and to press them against my cheek.

Counting down from 3….2…..1…. Trying so hard not to blink.

The big flash was really bright, but I didn’t blink. Thank god.

Response to Rita Dove's "Fifth Grade Autobiography"

Life was as it should’ve been

busy, calm, and at times stressful.

As the new year arrived

it changed everyone’s daily lives.

Before the new year began.

Before the country on fire.

Before the international conflicts.

Before the virus.

Now we stay away

from people we know, to keep

them and us safe.

Locked away with not

much to do, but new

hobbies rise and you

discover new things

in which you never knew

joy would brew.

Response to Ada Limón's "Before"

Before staying indoors,

Before the mask,

Before the attacks,

and Before the sad.

It was being able to go to the park

to get on the swings and have fun,

Just being out and about in the sun.

To hang out with friends

and the fun never really ends.

It was going out to eat

and being able to go to sleep.

I miss the old days

in so many ways.

Before the worry,

and before the shock,

before the coughing and the sneezing,

and before the wheezing.

It was sad but true

I hope the future has something new.

Let’s just wait until it all comes true.

Response to Ada Limón's "Before"

Before the laugh

Before the joke

Before the giggle

we spoke

Before you spoke

Before you rhymed

you used your hands

Before you wrote

Before you thought

Before you guessed

Before you crawled

Before you made a mistake

Before you said your first words

you were a baby.

Response to Limón's "Before"

I was nice before

people started to take advantage

of the person I was before.

before I had to step up

to tell them about themselves.

before it could lead to something

else.before someone gets hurt

before I was nice.

Response to Ada Limón's "Before"

I was young, happy, and gullible

       Loved the camera — 

Loved showing my teeth

All white and pearly

Liked body pictures more

How it got my height, 4’0

Didn’t care what time of day

Morning, evening, night

I still love the camera

       How it captures my brown eyes;

     And bright face.

Response to Rita Dove's "Fifth Grade Autobiography"

Now that we don't get whipped and beat

Now that the feathers of jim crow fill out streets

Now that we constantly have to hide

Now that we get gun down for walking by

Now that all we do is lie

Now that we are just a chalk outline

Can we finally march to our own drum

Can we finally pick up our brothers and sons

Can we finally have our queens know their worth

Can we finally make this mess work

Response to Ada Limón's "Before"

There is always time to think before you do anything..

before you harm someone, think

before you decide to do something, think

before you decide hurt that persons feelings, think

before you judge, think

before you even speak just take some time to think

before you give up… just think

thinking before can pay off in so many ways .

Response to Ada Limóns "Before"

I was five at school for picture day

my cousin birthday was that day

so the teachers had bought everyone cupcakes

everything was good till we went to the playground

to play for a while

everyone was having fun till one

of my friends pushed me

off the swings

I had a ugly scar on my leg

the worse day of my fifth grade year

Maybe it happened so fast I couldn’t see.

Maybe it was like that time, I fell off a tree.

Maybe I was free like a bird,

but then was trapped, and tears was all I heard.

Maybe it’s just me

but I wish this was a dream.

Maybe it felt more like a nightmare

and that’s quite rare.

Maybe I felt tired

Maybe I felt lost

Maybe I felt depressed

Maybe I felt angry

Maybe all these feeling were locked away

Maybe that’s why my mind felt betrayed

Maybe it felt so unreal, my brain couldn’t take it

Maybe that’s why, I couldn’t escape it

Maybe it’s time to reveal how I truly feel

Maybe I’m happy

Maybe I’m sad

Who knows, it’s all a trap

Before covid, everything was as normal as putting water in a cup or tieing a shoe.

Before sophomore year i was taking a bigger and better thing for my life.

Before freshman year i didn’t know if i could really make it.

Before graduating i had the best years of my life with my friends.

Before the beginning of 7th grade, i had the worst thought in my head that i would hate to it bring back.

Before 7th grade i switched schools and had a lot of friends going to the same school.

Before 6th grade i separated from the best teachers ever.

Before i cared, i probably should have taken everything more seriously.

Response to Ada Limón's "Before"