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 fairly young in this picture
Not sure the exact age but it doesn’t matter
I was in florida, it was summer time i’m sure
We went to Chuck E Cheese
All I cared about was eating pizza and getting on rides
We went to Disney World like a week before this so I still in a good mood
My aunt made scrapbooks, so she took a lot of pictures this day
I got alot of tickets and candy
I had a feeling of joy inside of me the whole day
I messed up my hair, I got my shirt wet, I looked a mess
But when your having fun theres nothing you can do but enjoy life
So I got on a bunch of rides, took alot of pictures, and ate a bunch of pizza
We went home, I got in the bed with my big cousin and we watched disney movies
After a night of movies and pranks I went to sleep
Woke up the next day, had more fun
The cycle went on until summer was over
I cried as I boarded my flight home
I never liked to leave family when I visit them
Still to this day I get sad and might shed a tear
When you love someone you don’t want to leave them
Because you never know if you’ll see them again
Response to Rita Dove's "Fifth Grade Autobiography"
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"