Page 24 - San Diego Woman Magazine POWER WOMEN ISSUE

INCREDIBLE KIDS OF SAN DIEGO

The Vista Innovation & Design Academy (VIDA) is a public magnet school serving
students in Grades 6-8 in Vista, Ca. At VIDA, we envision sending our students
into the world with the creative confidence to solve meaningful problems with
empathetic and innovative responses. They will be prepared with the skills,
mindsets, and dispositions necessary to successfully thrive in the future.

Lori Buckley is an 8th grade English and History teacher at Vista Innovation and
Design Academy in North County San Diego. Her students recently completed
a poetry unit in which they were asked to explore topics they felt personally
passionate about.

She’s fine Growth

By: Samantha Schwalbe By Jade Wrege

She wakes up with a grin, for detention! It’s my despondency you’ll uncover
ready for the day to begin. Be mindful of what you wear because My secrets will never be discovered
She searches in her closet you know boys, Most words stay captive beyond my lips
asking “What can be modest?” you know how they act, And up until now I’ve failed to admit
Not this or that, can’t chose one, talking and laughing behind your That I can become broken over
wears the one she wore yesterday back. something
and done. And cover those shoulders they are Just as simple as a kiss
She’s fine. distracting, offensive even. You knew that you’d hurt me
Silence! But it’s ok because now I am free
Down the stairs Don’t give me sass and get to class Willing myself to never again eat the fruit
feeling her family’s glares. you’re late! of a poisonous tree
Go change they say. She’s fine. Ruination keeps me hostage
Slugs up the steps, I struggle to breath through all the
slips on shorts and a shirt and heads What is she supposed to think? blockage
to school. Tears of fear fall blink after blink, My heart is heavy
There are all sorts of chatter, more the pink of frustration bleed through It holds me down
than a football game. her imperfect cheeks, I need to keep steady
Who’s to blame? Her shorts. the scars of jokes drain her of her self- And no I must not envy
Her shorts are too short. worth, You were the only thing I ever knew
As there are boys running around on the bruises of glares strip her away You held me together like glue
the freshly painted court, her self-motivation. But after you left I realized I never even
they care about the shorts. She is not fine. needed you
Boys are raised to the highest power You made me look like a fool
and what are girls? Seen as sour. She shouldn’t feel the glares, My feelings scattered about like a
She’s fine. the frustration, whirlpool
the jokes, How could one be so cruel
Office now! They shout. feel her self-love and pride being You never cared
She felt as if she was going to pass taken away from her. I was so unprepared that each night I lay
out She shouldn’t be seen as an object. in bed so scared
like she was free falling into the dark She shouldn’t have to worry about Scared that I wouldn’t be able to carry on
pit of guilt. her shorts having a three inch inseam if you weren’t on my side
And sorrow. Which seems to be our society. So I waited, and waited, and waited
Come back tomorrow We are not fine. Until I had to say my final Goodbye

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