Boston Scores
Audre Lorde said “Poetry is not a luxury. It is a vital necessity of our existence.” At Boston Scores, we see poetry not only as a tool for self-expression, but also for change-making and bringing people together. For 26 years, our young writers have upheld this sacred and vital tradition.
Boston Scores helps urban youth build essential life skills and character through soccer and team-based enrichment programs. We envision a world where all youth feel a sense of belonging and achieve their full potential. Since its incorporation in 1999, Boston Scores has grown to become one of the largest afterschool providers for the Boston Public School System. Poetry has always been at the heart of our identity and is the second cornerstone of our program besides soccer. Boston Scores calls our students poet-athletes to celebrate students who speak their personal truth, commit to a holistic well-being, and serve as an agents of change.
During the Fall season our schools perform at our Annual Poetry Slam in the Historic Strand Theater. At the Slam, two students from each school are nominated for the Poets Banquet. The coaches nominate students based on leadership, creativity, and an interest in writing. During the winter, these students receive one-on-one support to write, memorize, and perform an original poem for an audience of mentor-coaches, family, community members, and supporters. We invite local poets to judge and select Boston Scores “Poet of the Year.” This year’s Poet of the Year is Gustavo M. from the Mario Umana Academy in East Boston. He was selected because at such a young age he has found his voice as a writer and excellently performs stories about the day-to-day experiences he sees in his community. This special issue will include the poetry of all the students who participated in the Poets Banquet this year. We hope you read, reflect, and enjoy!
The theme of this past year’s Slam was “Empathy,” so I’ll leave you with the wise words of the Otis students who won the overall best performance. Their poem is a reminder of the wisdom children have to share about how to make the world a better place for everyone, and the power of empathy and poetry in action.
Kimberly A.
Be You
You can be yourself.
Be in control of yourself
I know you can stand up for yourself.
You are brave and strong!
You can be who you are…
James C. and Jack H.
The James Otis Story
I walked in to the James Otis
There were so many things that I noticed
I saw paintings on the walls
And the classrooms felt so tall…
Francisco C.
Where I’m From
I am from Spain with mom and dad in a small house
Poor because they had no work
Born in 2012 in Spain but grew up in Madrid
I am from my best friend Emilo…
Mia L.
A letter to the President
Why make things worse
When they are already bad?
I thought America was a place of
Freedom and Liberty.
Isn’t that what the Statue of Liberty is all about?…
Gustavo M.
La negligencia/ Negligence
Un niño llorando en su cuarto, falta de atención.
Le habla a sus padres en cualquier situación.
Los padres le dicen estoy ocupado, cuéntame en otra ocasión.
Sin saber cuánto daño le harían a su corazón,
como un ataque de un oso con mucha agresión…
Dariel P.
Nature
Nature is one of the best things in life that you can think of
Although the dust might make me snotty
Because all it takes is a single deep breath
And you will feel the air through your body…
Yarielis P.
A day in my life
I get to school and the teachers check our homework we did the night before.
We share how we feel. “Calm and tired,” I say.
Reviewing the schedule gets me focused on the day…
Genesis P.
Pensé que nadie me quería
Pensé que mis primos no me querían.
Sus miradas ardían,
sus enojos me herían.
Todos los días peleamos
a veces no querían.
Discutían por todo!…
Christian V.
Flowers Bring Peace
Flowers as white as snow
Red as the blood pumping through my body
Blue as a crystal blue sky
Flowers like my family, bring me peace
Part of the United States
Part El Salvador…
Mia B.
My Identity Poem
My name is Mia B.
I am a daughter and a sister.
My family is really big, I have 5 sisters and 3 brothers.
I wonder if my older siblings see me, how I see my younger siblings…
Declan C.
Two Wrong Feet
I was born with two wrong feet.
Braces, casts, surgeries, pain,
learning how to walk again and again.
For years, I watched kids my age play…
Katherine G.
Fire in Your Soul
What Makes You Keep Going?
Even When All Hope is Lost
When Everything seems Upside Down
And Shooken Around…
James L.
The Birthday Surprise
Tuesdays
Ordinary day for most
But not for me…
This year Tuesday
was February, 4th and that
Was my birthday…
Eliana O.
A poem for grandma
Dear Grandma,
Hi! I haven’t seen you in a while,
I miss the brightness of your joy and the comfort of your lipstick stained smile.
I miss the way the chlorine in the pool reflected the warm Florida sun.
It sparkled like topaz, which made long days fun…
Michaela P.
Stumble
Dancing is
many things.
its graceful,
its hardworking,
its plies and tendus and jetes.
It’s twirling to your heart’s content…
Sophía I.
The small happy days
We all have happy and sad days,
If you feel sad and small.
I can assure you extra little things can change your day.
You wake up from a very beautiful dream, you feel your back like a tying knot…
Diego V.
You Can Achieve
The ways you can’t run
The places you wished to be
Trying to reach the finish line
Always coming in last but with a little bit of optimism…
The world can be yours!…
Samuel W.
Dinosaur Poem
Dinosaurs, dinosaurs there are many on every continent
A new all star team will make them really confident
Combine dinos with soccer what have you got
A whole new team built like a robot
The fierce and fast Erasaurus team
With bright blue jerseys all in a gleam…