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—from “Artists’ Statement”

I am Mexican Por Vida.
I have been called Chicana cuz
my skin is light.
I am Mexican Por Vida.
My words are the blood that ran through the veins of my dead mother.
I am Mexican Por Vida.
I have been called a sureño.
I am Mexican Por Vida.
My words are the blood that runs through the veins of my father.
I am Mexican Por Vida.
Where I come from is a vida loca.
I am Mexican Por Vida.
Mis palabras son de mis padres y llevan la sangre de mi Rasa en mi corazón.
I am Mexican Por Vida.
My words are nomads wading through the strong current of the Rio Grande.
I am Mexican Por Vida.

Stephanie, tenth grade, Del Valle High School

Flowers wilt when I walk by, boys flinch and say, “Get away, I don’t want to die!” Girls scream and run away because I am Death or Deathena. I was cursed to become the new grim reaper. I do sometimes execute the people whose time is up or whose hourglass sand has run out. I carry around a scythe and it’s big and heavy. I could chop someone into pieces but I can touch the flesh of a living thing, and it will collapse in death suddenly and without haste. I can always become normal, but because of my well-known stature and occupation of Grim Reaper, no one dares approach me.

I’ve been through this world many times. I’ve seen Zeus and his many perils, I’ve seen Athena and her good wit pull her through situations that I would never resolve myself. And I’ve been through all time sequences, first discoveries, terrible tragedies, and all other emotional scenes.

Times have changed and people should accept me and how dare people curse at the sound of my title. You will all pay someday.

India, sixth grade, Ojeda Middle School

You remind me of the pollen.
You camouflage with
the petals of a sunflower.

Each one of your lines
under a magnifying lens make
me wanna

be a person like you

Bryan, sixth grade, Dobie Middle School

It was all a dream to have more than I had.
It was all a dream to see leaves fall in the spring.
It was all a dream to cast spells on those who were rude.
It was all a dream to want what I didn’t need.
It was all a dream to be a kid and become older.
Today I say to you “It was all a dream.”
But if this is true am I a dream or a nightmare?

Amber, sixth grade, Del Valle Middle School