[Poetry] Do You Remember?

Do You Remember?

Do you remember when I first held you?

Do you remember me crying too?

Do you remember you taking your first step?

Do you remember the scrapbook I kept?

Do you remember your first blankie?

Do you remember your first birthday party?

Do you remember me taking you to Disneyland?

Do you remember the beach and the sand?

Do you remember your first day at pre-school?

Do you remember the lunches I packed for you?

Do you remember me picking you up every day?

Do you remember how I would kiss your booboo’s pain away?

Do you remember how mom was never there?

Do you remember that mom never really cared?

Do you remember mom being on all those drugs?

Do you remember mom bringing in all those thugs?

Do you remember what those men did to me?

Do you remember mom spending all the rent money?

Do you remember all the bruises I used to have?

Do you remember all those men mom made us call “dad”?

Do you remember them taking us to foster care?

Do you remember mom losing all of her hair?

Do you remember all those things breaking?

Do you remember us in the corner shaking?

Do you remember the day our mom died?

Do you remember me on my knees begging God why as I cried?

Do you remember all the good times we had?

Or do you remember how the good never outweighed the bad?

—Markayla, Los Angeles

 

These poem is from The Beat Within, whose mission is to provide incarcerated youth with consistent opportunity to share their ideas and life experiences in a safe space that encourages literacy, self-expression, some critical thinking skills, and healthy, supportive relationships with adults and their community. For more info, visit www.TheBeatWithin.org.