Mr. Africa Poetry Lounge!
Struggling
A smile upon myself face
Concealing the past from which I came
My rough childhood has molded me into what I am now
So speak upon it, I'm not ashamed
Many sleepless nights
From unbearable hunger pain
No gifts to look forward to
when a birthday or Christmas came
No father around, I evesdropped every night
Heard mother crying when the bills were overdue
Pay the lights or pay the water
Many months we could only have one of the two
On two occasions on the first of the month
Our things were put out on the street
One pair of shoes to last the whole year
or until the heals wore out and revealed or feet
Our idea of a new outfit
Were hand-me-downs from an older sibling
Playing basketball with a milkcrate nailed to a tree
was the only activity to occupy time in the projects we lived in...
We lived from meal to meal instead of check to check
During winter, by one electric heater me and the family would huddle
So cherish the life you're living now...
Because I'll never forget my struggle
Written by Crystal Holmes
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