Even Lupe said it was a surprise.
I’ll hand out tokens to all my friends so they got no excuse not to take the ride downtown, okay?
It was the best I could do on my own. Just ask Tyrone.
You dipped into the muddy waters of the Harlem River and shouted “taste and see” that we Black folk be good at fanning hope and stoking the fires of dreams deferred.
Assuming I made it to his class without any trouble. But I’ve got to make it, and I’ve got to go to college. I’m lucky Mr. Ward leaves brushes and watercolor paper for me to use, though I ain’t gonna tell him that. Devon I look up from my lunch tray and catch Tanisha’s eye while she stands in the cafeteria line. ", Click on my boobs if you are interested (. Open Mike: Cocoon By Judianne Alexander Her cocoon is see-through. He hardly speaks, and he never hangs with any of the brothers I know. I would be. He can never get Raul to rewrite a lick of homework or anything else.
Why does she put up with him? So what’s the point? Bronx Masquerade—one part poetry, one part prose, all parts awesome. I know I’m beautiful there. Still, you never know. Why is it a weekend visit to your local Mickey D’s may be deadly? As an added bonus for readers, not only do we get to hear each student's life story in prose form, we also get to read the poems they write.
He couldn’t wait to get back to his precious mountains! Then, when you’re finished, you just disappear into the dark and sit down, and you’re back to being your own self. Maybe we can all be alone together. I hope she didn’t hear me talking to the mirror. That’s my game. Diondra I spent way too long yakking with Tanisha over lunch. Especially Mike.
I ain’t interested.” Mike picks up his tray and moves to another table, shaking his head. Well, thanks. He’s part of the reason I don’t mind people looking at my drawings anymore. Considered all together, this paints a pretty complete portrait of the whole group, along with an in-depth exploration of the power of poetry.
But it’s not you they like. Leslie Lucas I’m starting to feel like I know Janelle, at least a little. Neither does Janelle.
That’s when we see it, a buoy called friendship bobbling up between us and we swim toward it for all we are worth and we meet there, somewhere in the middle. She shrunk right back down, though. When I’m older. If Raynard gets here early, he’ll help. Angel spit up on my shirt right when I was headed out the door. She took one look at my outfit and told me she was jealous. So I give up. b b ¼ ¼ ¼ ¼ ¼ ÿÿÿÿ Ğ Ğ Ğ 8 t | Ğ Ÿ. I’ve studied all those scripts and comic books. Baby powder. Four. I love the preacher-man, but I think he may be giving these brothers too much credit. I broke up with Marco and I was a mess. Maybe she’s thinkin’ about the guy in that poem. And don’t even talk to him about checking his spelling He’ll launch into a tirade on you in a minute.
“Preacher got it goin’ on.” My name is Sterling Samson, but everyone calls me Preacher. The way Rosa loves Christina. He started hitting on Tanisha, as usual. They were shaking in their boots, but it was all good. No. Raynard sees me, but it’s not like he’s going to tell anybody. Didn't he come to me for advice on how to decorate the classroom? “I just started this one,” I tell him. How to sew. Open Mic FridaysCaught the poetry bug?
You have a very pretty face. She’s proud of her African self, and I’m down with that. No worries; we'll let Nikki Grimes convince you. View All Titles. As for Berto, he’s got no use for nobody’s kids, even Mami’s. Literary Devices. Raul was right. I will paint my cousins, turning the sidewalk into a dance floor when salsa or la bamba spills from the third-floor window. I took a few bites of my sandwich, wrapped up the rest, and tossed it in my book case for later. I won’t bother needing anyone like that again. Start studying Bronx Masquerade Character Conflicts. Mrs. Janelle Hope. ¨ ˜ ˜ ® ® ® ‰ ‰ ‰ . Her other side - her bully side she gets from her mom. Jerk. Other Resources. Besides, I tell him, if he drops out and gets a J.O.B., he won’t have any time to work on his songs. Maybe it’s time I quit sneaking in and out of the library like some thief. . Raul Ramirez-Confident, Puerto Rican, dreams for a big future. Anyway, I figure if she’s into the idea, everybody else should be down with it.
I am college-bound and nothing is going to keep me from it. either they’re trying to draw me into an infantile game of The Dozens so we can trade insults left and right, or they’re slapping porno pictures inside my locker hoping to set me off. Open Mike: Message to a Friend By Gloria Martinez That girl in the mirror, daughter of San Jan made of sunshine and sugarcane, looks like me. “That’s just it, Mom.
Typical Porscha.
So what if she’s a little plump? Never even thought about it. I don’t want to marry him, but he’s cute. Or maybe she’s just happy to be out of the house. So it’s just me now, with Mami and her husband, Berto.
One. “Okay. It’s Miss Big Mouth Fifth Avenue in another one of her original getups. She walks straight up to me and says, “You deserve better, girlfriend. I don’t know what to do. He knows I’d never forgive him, and then where would he be? Rosa is o beautiful. Man, I would love to get in some guys from Bronx Science, or one of them other special schools, and turn them into toast at a poetry slam. Looks like Mr. Goody Two-shoes got a mess to clean up,” he said, laughing. That’s what I get for opening my big mouth and telling him how I feel. “See there,” Mom would say. Still, his trying doesn’t bother me, he’s so up front about it. But you like your boxes So keep them. Can I bring it in to read?” Teach cocked his head to the side, like he was hearing something nobody else did. I grind my teeth and lower my voice. Ask anybody.” I just shrugged and gave him my “No hablo ingles” look, like I didn’t’ get what he was talking about.
Her life took a new spin. He is a good writer though. Now get out!” He actually looked like he was studying on staying, so I stepped out into the hall and screamed at the top of my lungs, “I said get out!” Fearing trouble, he left. Gravity.
“But I still expect to see an essay from you. “My mom died, all right? Anyway, Itaht’s what friends are for. Anyway, when I hang around after school and any of the guys ask me: “Yo, Devon, where you going?” I tell them I’m heading for the gym to meet Coach and work on my lay-up. He handed me back the report, shaking his head. The difference is, she’s got no talent in that direction. Last week, Lupe asked if I could hang out with her after school and I just about laughed in her face. Bronx Masquerade Summary At a high school in the Bronx, students in Mr. Ward's English class are learning all about the Harlem Renaissance.When Mr. Ward assigns them an essay to write, Wesley, one of the kids in class, has the bright idea to write a poem instead—it's what they're studying, after all. “Yeah!” he said. All he does is belch beer and scream at her to bring him and his buddies more while they sit around playing dominos or watching fights on TV. Now, what happened?” I told her aobut Marco, and how I left him, and how he didn’t even seem to care that muc, and how I was all aone now. Privacy Policy. Why, Papi? At least when you turn the light on upstairs, somebody’s at home. Anyway, he stood there for the longest. The minute she sees me, she demands to know the name of the guy who gave me my shiner, like she’s gonna send her brothers after him or something. They heard about the poetry and they been coming to check it out. Author InterviewWant to know about Grimes's life and writing? I intend to become a science teacher, not a preacher, but I don’t mind being called one. Maybe I could bring one of them to school with me. “You don’t know what he does, Lupe,” she always says. “Money is the alpha and omega. For somebody who has talent, she spends an awful lot of energy hiding it. . “Good idea.” I picked up my pad and wrote Z. Hurston at the top.
Sheila is a bit over the top with this sister act, as if she’s trying to make up for being white, but she means well. Soon. “I know we read Their Eyes Were Watching God in class, but she wrote a bunch of other stuff too.” “You’re right,” I said. And he left on his own, Lupe. I’m handsome, after all. Learn.
“Fine,” says Diondra. He’s not too wild about my art. Bronx Masquerade Character Conflicts. Look, if you wanted to be left alone, why the hell did you invade my space?” By space, I thought she meant neighborhood. Mami has Berto, Tito has his carnales on the streets, Christina has Chooch and Rosa.
Freedom WritersSadly, no one has made a movie featuring the kids from Mr. Ward's class, but this 2007 movie starring Hilary Swank features some of the same themes—inner-city kids write stories, bridge gaps, and learn stuff about themselves. She could read her stuff, and I could play DJ.
I’ve been drawing pictures all my life. I wish I could bring her to school.
“Less than nothin’,” said a third. “Get off me, man!” he said, trying to pull away. But I don’t, so forget it. And forget about sleep. “You ever read Baraka?” No answer. Raul Ramirez, painter-poet. I turn to cut my eyes at him and find Judianne staring at me again. He tries to act like he’s not even interested in school, like there’s no point in studying hard, or dreaming about tomorrow, or bothering to graduate. 5�h Z¤ h Z¤ hFqA 6�h Z¤ h Z¤ 6�H* h Z¤ h Z¤ 6�h Z¤ hwr 5� h Z¤ 5�h Z¤ h Z¤ 5�h Z¤ hwX hC&Ï.