1

Original Scholar Writing by Sarah-Faith M.

This summer, all Higher Achievement scholars became writers. Each scholar wrote one creative writing piece for their Achievement Center Magazine. Sarah-Faith, an 8th grade scholar at the Alexandria Achievement Center, penned the following poem on the Black Lives Matter movement, a topic many of our scholars have talked about over the past year. Sarah-Faith loves to write and perform her poetry, and even performed in front of 300 people at the 2016 Love Out Loud.

 

All Lives Won’t Matter Until Black Lives Do by Sarah-Faith M.

8th Grade Scholar, Alexandria Achievement Center

People getting shot and it just won’t stop

I’m from the DRC, but you don’t know me

Being Congolese isn’t as easy as it seems

It’s hard being me

That’s what you don’t see

I’m not light or dark

I’m in the middle also middle

How’s that for a riddle?

My life’s not a joke

But I feel like I’m in a yoke

People controlling me

Trying to tell me how to be

I’m smarter than I look

I know your lies

You say ‘Black Lives Matter’

Ain’t that a surprise?

People getting killed and still

“Black Lives Matter.”

Your beliefs are about as sturdy as cake batter

I’ve got power

And you better listen up

Cause as soon as I get that degree

I’ma show you cause

Education is the key for justification that isn’t there

I wanna leave a legacy, but you’re not helping me

All you’re doing now is making me angry

I’ve got God by my side

He’s my ride or die.

I have peace, but good people need power.

I also like Reese’s, but that don’t matter.

Now to sum this rap up and make it easy for you

All lives won’t matter until black lives do.

Read more original scholar work over the next few months, by following us on Facebook at @HigherAchieve.