Grades 11–12
Memoir, NarrativeWritingI was never one for love and affection, in fact I never understood it. While growing up, my parents never really showed love and affection, even to this day. I never grew up hearing “I love you” and “sleep tight” or “have a good day,” instead it was always “don’t do anything foolish because you’re gonna get in trouble” or some type of scolding before I even did anything. I always tried to say “I love you” or “be safe” to them before they left for work or before I went to school to show some type of gratitude and love, but this morning while getting ready to leave I decided not to say it. It wasn’t that I was mad at them for not saying it back or ungrateful for anything they did, but I just felt like it, especially since I wasn’t gonna get a response other than “mhm” or “okay.”
“Anna, are you ready?” my aunt asked.
“Yes,” I replied as we walked out the front door.
When we arrived at school I just said “bye” instead of, “Bye, I love you.”
I had started to feel so bad, since this was the second time I didn’t say it. It had felt so weird for me not to say but I quickly forgot about it.
Days went by with me not saying it and it kinda became normal. It had bothered me for days, the part of me that still felt sad, as if my parents had never loved me. But they do love me. In fact they had been showing me the whole time, like on this Sunday afternoon when I had been doing homework while my aunt was cooking in the kitchen. She called me into the kitchen to get her something.
“Anna,” my aunt called me.
“Yes,” I replied.
“Come here,” she said.
As I left the living room table and made my way to her, she asked me to get something out the fridge for her. I forgot what it was. As I handed her what she asked for, I don’t remember her saying anything in return, but I was curious as to what she was making so I asked. She told me it was brown stew chicken with white rice and peas (I don’t like white rice and peas).
I asked how she learned and she said it was from my grandmother. I carefully asked her more questions knowing she would get tired of my curiosity. But she continued to answer my questions, telling me about our mixed culture and my grandmother. It wasn’t until I paused to muster up the courage to ask her why she never responded when I said “I love you” to her.
She stopped for a moment then asked me what I meant.
“You know when I say I love you to you and everyone else but you never say it back, you always say okay instead,” I clarified.
“Anna, growing up we never used to have that, my parents never really said that to us but we knew they did when they cooked or asked for assistance outside,” my aunt replied, eyes still focused on the pot in front of her.
“Enough questions now go back and finish your homework” she quickly said after.
“Okay,” I replied, heading back to the living room table.
As I sat back down at the living room table, I thought about what she said, trying to understand what she meant. I later did when she called me back for dinner, picking up a plate and big spoon ready to serve me my food. You could smell how good the food was, you already knew what it tasted like before eating it. Steam rose out of the pot as she lifted the lid to plate it. She asked how much rice I wanted and gave me the parts with the least amount of peas, then gave me two brown stew chicken legs. When she was done, she handed me the plate and told me to sit at the table. While I did I studied the food carefully, thinking about what she had said earlier. As soon as I took the first bite I understood exactly what she meant.
My aunt indeed loves me. From the time she asked me to get an ingredient, to the time she plated my food and handed it to me, to the first bite I took I felt all the love my aunt had for me in that moment and realized every conversation I had with her while cooking to every bite of food I ate that my aunt did love me. And that she was expressing this to me through her cooking and so was everyone else in my household, just as my grandmother did with them when they were growing up.
by Earl Williams Jr., The 826 Dallas Project
A powerful poetic piece about the experience of being Black in America.
by Sarah X., Grade 12, 826 Boston
A student shares how they've uplifted their community.
by Lukoiy V.R.G., Grade 12, Woodburn, OR
A poet speaks out as a voice for change and all those who cannot speak.
by Cristina, 826CHI
A student recounts separation with a beloved friend through a nostalgic lens.
by Kayla, 826 Boston
This poem offers a very-real answer to "What do you want to be when you grow up?"
by Leydi Di Villanueva, The 826 Dallas Project
This creative narrative imagines how the coronavirus views humanity during the pandemic.
by Corazón, 826 New Orleans
In this essay, a student threads their identity across cultures, histories, and places, engaging with legacies of violence and the movement of people.
by Jonas K., 826 National
A student explores the paradox of how technology is used amongst teenagers.
by Kailyn Espinosa, 826NYC
In this letter from the Essential Words lesson, a student shares how essential workers’ courage and compassion center her during these hectic times.
by Augustus Griffith Jr., 826 National
From the forthcoming anthology, Poets in Revolt!, this poem explores the aftermath and lasting impacts of school shootings.
Virginia Walker, age 18, 826 Boston
A student writes to a grandmother she never met.
by Izzy T., 826 Valencia
A student reflects on memories of home and what binds her special community together.
by Sharoya Bracey, 826NYC
In this memoir, the narrator recounts the struggle of being the bigger person in a very small space.
by Matthew Inoa, 826 NYC
In this letter from the Essential Words lesson, a student describes how essential workers are the pulse of New York, fueling the city’s hope.
by Salma Khalif, 826 MSP
A powerful poem that lifts up Black women.
by Sylvia C., 826 Valencia
A poet demonstrates their devotion to love.
by Julianna Cruz, 826 Dallas Project
This narrative piece contemplates the struggle of immigrants during the pandemic.
by Jizelle Villegas, Grade 12, 826 Dallas Project
The stunning and vulnerable poem processes feelings of loss, grief, and hope for the future.
by Terra C., Grades 10-11, 826NYC
A student recalls their journey on how they discovered their LGBTQIA+ identity.
by Quardasha Mitchell, The 826 Dallas Project
In this compelling poem, the author navigates her relationship with America as a young African-American woman.
by Lisbeth M.F., 826NYC
A story about how Marcus becomes Marcela.
by Karina Centeno, Grade 12, 826 Dallas Project
This poem takes an honest look at two sides of the writer's culture.
by Raheem, 826 New Orleans
A student compares themself to the place they live, New Orleans, as both evolve through great obstacles.
by Kaleo V.C., Age 17, 826 Valencia
A student looks back on their first day of kindergarten and how they've changed.
Kenya G., 17, 826LA
A poet relates her experience as a queer woman in the closet to a peacock in the zoo.
by Jesus Sanchez, The 826 Dallas Project
This creative short horror piece explores the mysteries and danger of a night in the woods.
by Kayla Wayne, Grade 11, 826NYC
In this poem, a student reflects on their first encounter with forced assimilation.
Rosman A., age 18, 826CHI
Smells swirl about a student walking around an ice cream shop.
by Jazlyn Moses, 826 National
One student explores their online persona and the lasting importance of conscientious social media practices.
Yamilet J., 826LA
A student reflects on the fear and wonder of becoming a mother.
by Rockelle Rodd, Grade 11, 826NYC
This poem uses analogies to describe all of the pieces of the writer's personal history.
by Ryker, 826michigan
Liner notes that showcase the meaning and musicality of the Jimmy Ruffin song “What Becomes of the Brokenhearted.”
by Arianna R., Grade 11, 826 Boston
A beautiful ode to home and self.
by Isaiah, 826 New Orleans
This student reveals the mysterious origin story of the king cake. Hint: it includes Big Freedia, DJ Chicken Wing, and a massive party.
by Jordan, 826 New Orleans
Crawfish, crayfish, or mudbugs. Whatever you call them, the writer of this poem doesn't like them.
by Maria, Grade 12, 826 Boston
In this public narrative, a student makes the case for creating community change by building youth centers in her neighborhood.
by Sarah X. Age 18, 826Boston
A rousing public narrative from an author coming to terms with their identity as a young Chinese American woman and what they represent: the community of Boston's Chinatown.
by Karla M., 826LA
A poem for lovers of love and the moon.
by Sergio M, 826 Valencia
This piece reminds us that a smile is not always what it seems.
by Albin C., Age 18, 826 Boston
A student recalls how he was able to take charge and turn his life around.
by Oriel, 826NYC
In this poem, an echoing question strikes a chord and reveals the tragic loss held within systemic injustice.
by Elsy M.E., Grade 11, 826 Valencia
A poet imagines a better and more harmonious world.
by Nhu N., Grade 12, 826 Boston
A young writer reconciles their sexuality with the beliefs of their community.
by Vanessa Ramon-Ibarra, 826DC
Living in the digital world can create unwanted attachments, as one student laments.
by Gisel J., 826LA
The power of public speaking shines through this student's memoir.
by Johnny Vasquez, 826 MSP
A family interview reveals a mother's painful past and shines a light on her persistence.
by Samuel Wang, Grade 10, 826NYC
A poem about the complexity of love exchanged during the holidays.
by Steysi Hailee, 826LA
A student reflects on a small moment and single sacrifice that transformed her outlook on giving.
by Maya M., Grade 11, Newburg, OR
A student reflects on the memories they made while backpacking.
by Michaiah Anderson, The 826 Dallas Project
In this poem, a student describes their family origins with an intimate point of view
by Melody Marcano, 826 Boston
In this poem, a student reflects on their roots and their desire to grow.
by Alexis G., Grade 11
In this narrative, the author uses vibrant language to explore their identity, in all its complexity, through different landscapes.
by Jennifer Alcocer, The 826 Dallas Project
This personal narrative addresses the struggles of students graduating high school during the pandemic.
by Joanne H, 826 Valencia
In this poem, a student’s experiences in two countries meld together as she seeks out her true home.
by Abby S., Grade 11, 826 Boston
An author reflects on their correspondence with their friend from the past.
by Numan Khan, age 16, 826 Boston
A bilingual "I am" poem filled with conviction and courage.
by Jeremy Hsiao, 826 National
From the forthcoming anthology, Poets in Revolt!, this poem reminds activists that "to change everything, we need everyone."
by Jesus C., Grade 12, 826LA
A poet identifies with a trapped ocelot at the zoo.
Henry F., Grade 12, 826CHI
A trans student reflects on their desire to be male.
by George S., Grade 11, 826 Boston
A writer implores people to get outside and touch grass because you never know what you might find!
by Keyshana, Grade 11, 826CHI
Black strength, beauty, and pride soar in this poem as a student discusses overcoming brutality and discrimination.
by Shayne Williams
Discover what one student experiences when they tuck their phone away for a whole day.
by Justis Porter, age 16, 826 Boston
A neighborhood ode filled with sights and sounds of the poet's street.
by Sian Laing
When Instagram becomes an unsightly battlefield.
by Riti Shrestha, 826NYC
In this poem, metaphor is used to describe who the narrator is.
by Terry Velasquez, Grade 12, The Bronx, NY
In this letter from the Essential Words lesson, a student shares gratitude for the dedication of nurses and gives “credit where credit is due.”
by Franny, 826CHI
A student spins through space and a treasure trove of memories in this poem.
by Timothy T., Age 17, 826 Valencia
A student tells the story of how his family has influenced his life.
Cate H, Grade 12, 826CHI
A poet sets the stage to showcase her reflections on being trans.
by Katya Torres, The 826 Dallas Project
This bilingual poem explores the harrowing story of a boy working while in school to save his mother.
by Bianca Morcho, 826 MSP
A personal essay that explores the different shades of the Black Lives Matter movement.
by Henry F., Grade 12, 826CHI
In this poem, a student reflects on identity.
by Soraya, 826NYC
This student’s powerful piece reveals the essence of racial injustice.
by Junaynah R., Grade 11, 826NYC
Full of exquisite imagery, this poem explores the idea of second chances.
by Camille, 826LA
A student finds her wings in unexpected places in this piece about the transition to college.
by Tammy Fong, 826NYC
A soccer-filled, feud-fueled memoir.
by Brandon R., 826LA
A student recounts the epic highs and lows of high school track and cross country.
by Alanis T., Age 17, 826 Boston
A student reflects on how her relationship's with her parents has influenced her life.
by Sally Phan, 826 Boston
A memoir that questions the idea of home and how it changes with time.
by Helen, Grade 12, 826 MSP
In this letter from the Essential Words lesson, a senior at South High School in Minneapolis offers words of support to healthcare workers across the country, including her own mom.
by Colin Y., Age 17, 826 Valencia
A student describes how volunteering saved him from his online prison.
by Tina N., Grade 12, 826 Boston
A student describes their shark like imaginary friend.
by Jahruwach Hamilton, 826NYC
In this rousing poem, a student asserts her strength and worth as a woman.
by Ryan, Grade 12, 826 Boston
In this public narrative, a student illustrates the hardships his uncle has faced to argue for a path to citizenship.
by Lucas Hu, 826 Boston
A poem about staying true to yourself during a challenging transition
bookmark
download
Share