I am
I am he who
As a child clung
To hope
I am he who
Knew sadness
As he who made me
Walked,     faded

I am he
He who walked through
The doors of
Public schools
To learn or
Better yet
Be force fed
The *******
That this system
Wanted me to ingest
In order to maintain
The status quo;
Another Rican
Up at the crack
Of dawn
Racing off to
Lackawana
Or even
Port Jersey Boulevard
Factory work extraordinaire
That's all they
Wanted me to know

I am
I am he
Who was never
Supposed to know
Anything other
Than the
Dingy white walls
Of a railroad
Apartment
In the brick building
That I grew up in

I am he
Who blazed
A trail of possibilities
So that my
Seed
Could fly higher
Than I

I am
A husband,
A father,
A son,
A brother,
A student
Of life
Who gives every
**** ounce
Of what makes
Me who I am
To those
I love
Only hoping
That long after
I am gone
They will
See
That I conquered
Every obstacle
That I smashed
Every stereotype
Just to prove-
I exist

I am
I am he
Who has laughed and
Has cried
He who has masked
The pain with a smile

I am he
Who keeps an
Open mind
Hoping one day
You will find
My soul
In every line
I have penned
With a tear in my eye

I am he
Who will never
Forget
From where he came;
He who will never
Cease to seek truth
At times I am weak
When I feel like
Letting go
I write and I speak
Because
I Am.......