#posting homework

You are lucky If one day before you die You hear something as magnificent As broken English Broken may not be the best word So when I say broken please don’t infer Broken glass, shards, pieces of a whole, Or broken hearts, or half-empty cups When I say broken, I am referring to oceans Oceans overflowing onto our shores With continuous waves breaking That is the broken to infer. Small steps of progress Still culminate in progress And yet here we are exchanging Broken English like damaged goods Boxes of conformity have not yet worked So I propose stepping out of Thursdays and Mondays And stepping in sync with the rhythm of broken English Simply listening, learning Broken, not like broken treaties Or broken promises, or broken bones Rather broken like broken chains Or broken free, or freedom of speech. So if you get the chance to hear broken English Cross it off your bucket list And take note of the rhythm Broken English, the ocean

Where I’m From A poem on the Affective Filter I’m from sweaty palms From rapid, racing heart beats I’m from panic, deafening panic From please don’t call on me I’m from walls, big, tall walls Built high, swaying like trees. I’m from it’s all fun & games Until it’s my turn to play I’m from yo no entiendo And no me entiendes I’m from low test scores And even lower self esteem I’m from I will not And You can’t make me I’m from mudslide days From melting into the floor I’m from translator duty From parent-teacher day panic I’m from failing first grade From they’ll make fun of me I’m from mind-blocking terrors And being school’s arch nemesis I’m from being duller than my pencil And confusion as my middle name I’m from teachers that are earthquakes Rumblings that cracked my foundation I’m from rubble redesigned From breaking my chains I’m from teachers who talked slowly And helped me make some friends From multicultural appreciation And shining light into my dark I’m from carpenter teachers Who specialize in rebuilds I’m from teachers who saw me Really, truly saw me I’m from deep, freedom breaths From soaring, actually soaring I’m from the joy of learning More and more and more