Message from Mrs. Nelson-Kauffman:
"The topic is modern day slavery. I would make the poems no longer than one page because a SASS committee will select the best ones to be displayed and voted on by those attending the Abolitionist Fair. The longer ones tend to get ignored. They can use any poetic format they want, from an “I am” poem to a Shakespearean sonnet. (OK the latter probably would not win)."
Resources:
I am poem Format
Free the slaves
Essay: Taking advantage of desperation
http://www.pbs.org/wnet/wideangle/episodes/dying-to-leave/essay-profiting-from-disparity-and-desperation/1230/
Human Trafficking Worldwide:
http://www.pbs.org/wnet/wideangle/episodes/dying-to-leave/photo-essay-confronting-the-problem-of-human-smuggling/1242/
Human Trafficking WorldWide:
http://www.pbs.org/wnet/wideangle/episodes/dying-to-leave/human-trafficking-worldwide/introduction/1231/
31 comments:
Right under your nose
And you thought it was over
Slaverys' still here
Right under your nose
And you thought it was over
Slaverys' still here
Sold for a dollar
Swiped from his village
Sold for a dollar from a no good mother
To the wealth market of survival
Tobe is 12 his face rattles with fear
He is bound for ever….. Chained
Beaten up, raped in small rooms
His soul broken…. Promised the world and given nothing
His humanity unheard
His heart battered and bartered
He can no longer take the pain….
As tears stream down his face like a fast current
He takes his life …….
By Dontae JOnes
I Am
I am human smuggler
I wonder why they spend so much money
I hear helpless and scared people
I see frightened faces
I want to complete my mission
I am human smuggler
I pretend i know this will work
I feel nervous
I touch their passports
I worry about being arrested
I cry when not being successful
I am huamn smuggler
I understand this might not work
I say i can get you across
I dream money to support myself
I try to keep straight faces
I hope to become very rich
I am human smuggler
by chris williams
Slavery is the enemy.
I wake every day, not knowing if I will survive.
Every step that I take hurts.
I work every day. I do not get paid.
I was brought here against my will, illegally. I was promised a land of freedom, a land of happiness, of money. They were not true.
Every day is worse.
Every day I'm being beat.
Every day I'm raped.
There is no freedom. There is no God.
Slavery is the enemy.
I am A Human Trafficker
I wonder how the people I work for feels
I hear yelling screaming and harsh words
I see bruises on my body and dirt on my feet
I want to be free and to see my family again
I am a human trafficker
I pretend that one day I will get the freedom I want and be myself again
I feel hard hands and feet agents my back every time I do something wrong
I touch my face and hope the marks go away
I worry that no one will EVER come for me
I cry myself to sleep Every night
I am a Human trafficker because of what I been through
I understand that I may be doing this for a reason
I say I’m sorry I didn’t mean to when I don’t do what I’m told
I dream I will smell the fresh scent of air again
I try to stay strong for my family
I hope you read this and can come save me
I am a human trafficker
I Am
I am a sole who cares
I wonder why cant the world get along
I hear god speaking
I see my sneakers walking
I want great life
I am a sole who cares
I pretend that my life will end
I feel like magic
I touch the the game winning ball
I worry about m situation
I cry when I think about slaves
I am a sole who cares
I understand that slavery happends everywhere
I say that slavery should stop
I dream everybody gets along
I try to be a better person
I hope that slavery can stop
I am a sole who cares
I Am
I am a sole who cares
I wonder why cant the world get along
I hear god speaking
I see my sneakers walking
I want great life
I am a sole who cares
I pretend that my life will end
I feel like magic
I touch the the game winning ball
I worry about m situation
I cry when I think about slaves
I am a sole who cares
I understand that slavery happends everywhere
I say that slavery should stop
I dream everybody gets along
I try to be a better person
I hope that slavery can stop
I am a sole who cares
Seven months since I've been sold,
Laughs and smiles are for times of old,
Always beaten, worked to the bone,
Very tired, I want to go home,
Eight months now, since I've been sold,
Reading and writing are for times of old,
You can help, please send me home
~Kelly Higgins
Right in your backyard.
Down the street, on the left.
The girl you've known all your life,
Trafficked.
She had such potential,
Such class, brains, beauty.
She could have helped the world,
Sold.
She doesnt look so good,
Shaking, trembling, screaming.
Who'd thought id be her,
Addicted.
You thought it didnt happen here,
this is the United States.
Theres stuff to make her better right?
Infected.
Four years later,
Four issues later,
Who'd have thought she'd be
Dead.
I Am
I am human traficking
I wonder if people die because of this problem
I hear that people try to cross the US line
I see many people try but cant make it
I want a law to stop this from happening
I am human trafficking
I pretend to at like i care that people come across the US line
I feel that people should have wings and fly over the US line
I touch I have touched the US line before
I worry I worry that way to many people will come to the US
I cry when I think about people in slavery
I am human trafficking
I understand people want a better lif in America
I say But things would change if they would change their lifes
I dream I dream of a line all around America
I try to help the people but its just t many
I hope things would get better in the future
I am Human trafficking
I am I am scared and cautious
I wonder I woner if i made the right decicsion
I hear I hear screams
I see I see my family
I want I want a better life for them
I am I am scared and cautious
I pretend I pretend it didn't happen
I feel I feel that I made the wrong decision
I touch I touched the hand of God
I worry I worry that I could be sent back
I cry I cry that my wife and daughter died
I am I am scared and cautious
I understand I understand that it is all my fault
I say I say that I could have done something
I dream I dream I will be with them soon
I try I try to save my family
I hope I hope that one day that there will be peace
I am I am scared and cautious
Yusef Lai-Walters
I Am
I am a smuggler
I wonder why people can't cross borders freely
I hear people begging me to help them cross borders
I see people dieing because of my failed attempts to help them
I want to help people
I am a smuggler
I pretend that smuggling is legal
I feel bad that I must break the law to help others
I touch my feet and rub them for I have been walking for so long
I worry about getting caught by the police
I cry when I see dead faces
I am a smuggler
I understand that what i am doing is wrong
I say I will quit one day
I dream of life in jail
I try to help people get to America
I hope these people have better lives once they reach their destinations
I am a smuggler
By: Dre B.
I Am
I am a human trafficker
I wonder how do the kids feel
I hear cries and sorrow
I see snot and hard work
I want many servants
I am a human trafficker
I pretend traffick for money
I feel happy about my work
I touch money and scared people
I worry that i may get caught
I cry when i see the kids cry
I am a human trafficker
I understand what i do is wrong
I say i will stop one day
I dream about going to college
I try to accomplish my dreams
I hope they will be free
I am a human trafficker
I Am
I am a human trafficker
I wonder how do the kids feel
I hear cries and sorrow
I see snot and hard work
I want many servants
I am a human trafficker
I pretend traffick for money
I feel happy about my work
I touch money and scared people
I worry that i may get caught
I cry when i see the kids cry
I am a human trafficker
I understand what i do is wrong
I say i will stop one day
I dream about going to college
I try to accomplish my dreams
I hope they will be free
I am a human trafficker
I Am
I am a human trafficker
I wonder how do the kids feel
I hear cries and sorrow
I see snot and hard work
I want many servants
I am a human trafficker
I pretend traffick for money
I feel happy about my work
I touch money and scared people
I worry that i may get caught
I cry when i see the kids cry
I am a human trafficker
I understand what i do is wrong
I say i will stop one day
I dream about going to college
I try to accomplish my dreams
I hope they will be free
I am a human trafficker
by jovaughn
I Am
I am a human trafficker
I wonder how do the kids feel
I hear cries and sorrow
I see snot and hard work
I want many servants
I am a human trafficker
I pretend traffick for money
I feel happy about my work
I touch money and scared people
I worry that i may get caught
I cry when i see the kids cry
I am a human trafficker
I understand what i do is wrong
I say i will stop one day
I dream about going to college
I try to accomplish my dreams
I hope they will be free
I am a human trafficker
J. Alphonse
Bought me for an lifetime,
Rent me for an hour,
Beat me like your strong,
But i know you're just a coward.
I ask for help from heaven
I beg your God and mine.
To break my platnium chains.
And bring me back to better times.
When will This be over?
When will i be free?
This isnt the 1800's
Why God? Why me?
Save me like i'm worth,
Free me like a cop.
Take me from this prison,
Make my torment stop.
Human Trafficking
human smuggling both different
but both alike at the same time. People are brought here by their own choice but used and forced to do cruel things to themselves (Human Smuggling). I'm a Human Smuggler waiting to achieve my duty, my understanding of the transport between here and the border. people spend their money to fufill a mission to get a person smuggled over the border. but why spend your money if every time you get caught trying. Human Trafficking, People brought here by force and forced to do uncollaborate things they are from to do Labor and sell themselves for money this needs to stop.
Long ago I was happy
Long ago I was glad
I wish I knew I was lucky
That my life wasn't so bad
Now I am a slave,forever bound and shackled
Now I wish for the life I once had
Freedom is what i crave
Freedom is not being smuggled
Freedom is not being trafficked
Freedom is not being forced to work
Freedom is not being beat
Freedom is not being raped everyday
Freedom is not being pain
Freedom is not being helpless
Freedom is not having death threats on your family
Freedom is not having a gun to your head
Freedom i so far away
Freedom is everything i don't have
I Am
I am Beatin and Bruised
I wonder when this will end
I hear shots and sirens
I see others just like me
I want to see my family again
I am Beatin and Bruised
I pretend everything is okay and i will be home soon
I feel confused, why me.
I touch my face and i cry
I worry about my sister if shes okay
I cry thinking about what might have happened to her
I am Beatin and Bruised
I understand i might die
I say i will get through this
I dream my parents will come and save me
I try to leave but i just cant
I hope i almost finished paying my debt
I am Beatin and Bruised
I am Human Trafficked
I wonder If Im Going To Live
I hear Blood & Tears
I see Closed Walls
I want Food & Freedom
I am Slaved
I pretend Im Okay
I feel Dirty
I touch Others
I worry If Peope Will Help Me
I cry Myself To Sleep
I am Lost
I understand Im Young
I say Whats Wrong But Whats Right
I dream Big
I try To Escape
I hope To Get Helped
I am Human Trafficked
I Am
I am poor and desperate
I wonder how rich you can get in america
I hear cash flow and things
I see beyond your wildest dreams
I want a job,food, and a better life
I am poor and desperate
I pretend to own an expensive car and to have a big house
I feel pathetic and a hunger for a new life
I touch the cup of dreams the healing wounds of property
I worry we will get tricked or burned on the way there
I cry that i have leave my family
I am poor and desperate
I understand its wrong and illegal
I say if you have the opportunity go for it
I dream that i will make it despite the odds
I try keep strong and not to look back
I hope we have a better life and a new future
I am poor and desperate
I Am
I am a human ; treated as if im nothing.
I wonder about my life after today; if there is one.
I hear people screaming that are experiencing a life almost like mine.
I see the fear in the light brown eyes of the people feeling my pain. The tears that stream down the faces forming an everlasting stream
I want to be treated as if i am an actual person, although i know it is impossible
I am a human ; treated as if im nothing.
I pretend to block out all of the feelings and thoughts that stream through my mind. The thoughts of me having the courage to run away but knowing it will never happen.
I feel the countless abuse lifted upon me day by day
I touch the freedom but cant quite get there
I worry about the day that i will call my last
I cry at night when i recall the endless abuse and misery
I am a human ; treaded as if im nothing
I understand what it is like to be free because i know how it feels not to be
I say to myself that one day ill be free
I dream that one day i will be free
I try to run away but the fear eats me up.
I hope to escape from this horrific life
I am a human; treated as if im nothing
Something happened,
I guess on the way,
I was supposed to earn money,
Here for my family
I was once a human,
Now I’m trafficked,
I don’t want to be here,
I wish I could pass it,
This is not my vision
Of how I would’ve lasted
I’m not a human anymore,
I’m a slave,
My life goes by like a haze...
Going across the ocean, getting trafficked around the world
Along with a whole bunch of little boys and girls
We never even know if we will starve or die
Sometimes i have to suck up my tears even if i want to cry
There are times when i look up to the sky and ask "why me"?
Because there are many other places i would rather be
But instead i sit here, getting bought and picked
But this is the life i pay, being human trafficked
I am a prostitute
I wonder what i would be like if i was free
I hear the America was to be the land of opportunity
I see the world from TRUE eyes
I want to get a better life
I am a prostitute
I pretend that everything is fine
I feel ashamed of what i have to do
I touch my skin & shake
I worry that i wont see the day of light again
I cry because i know im so much more
I am a prostitute
I understand that i can be arrested for what im doing
I say that i need to get away
I dream that i will be free
I try to obey my rules but its hard
I hope that someone will save me from this place
I am a prostitute
Human trafficking getting shipped around the world
Along with a whole bunch of other boys and girls
Its hard not knowing if you can live or die
But all i can do is just st here and cry
I can't be too loud or then i'll get beat
All i want is too have decent shoes on my feet
Sometimes i look up and ask "God why me"
When there are many other places i would rather be
I feel like im not even human getting bought and picked
But this is the life, getting human trafficked
I am ruled by fear with no hope of a future..
I wonder if the rulers every consider letting of out of this misery..
I hear screams and crys..
I see hundreds of people of dying slowly along the journey..
I want a restart on MY life..
I am ruled by fear with no hope of the future,
I pretend to be strong when im really over the edge..
I feel sand and hurt..
I touch my tears to wipe them away..
I worry about my family and friends i left behind..
I cry when i think about whats happening with me..
I am ruled by fear with no hope of a future..
I understand im putting my life on the line..
I say everyone should be free..
I dream about living the American Dream..
I try to keep a positive attitude when i know im in danger..
I hope i could have a normal, secured life one day..
I am ruled by fear with no hope of a future.
- Lindsay Ann..
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