I’m Looking Through You
033/365
I’m looking through you, where did you go
I thought I knew you, what did I know
You don’t look different, but you have changed
I’m looking through you, you’re not the same
Your lips are moving, I cannot hear
Your voice is soothing, but the words aren’t clear
You don’t sound differnt, I’ve learned the game.
I’m looking through you, you’re not the same
Why, tell me why, did you not treat me right?
Love has a nasty habit of disappearing overnight.
You’re thinking of me, the same old way
You were above me, but not today
The only difference is you’re down there
I’m looking through you, and you’re no where.
Why, tell me why, did you not treat me right?
Love has a nasty habit of disappearing overnight.
I’m looking through you, where did you go
I thought I knew you, what did I know
You don’t look different, but you have changed
I’m looking through you, you’re not the same
spent my afternoon at the juvenile detention center here in tucson. was sitting in on a writing/poetry teaching, thanks to the wonderfully compassionate Madeline Kiser. this is a typical room, well, actually most do not have windows. talk about raw and real..it doesn’t get anymore real than this. the kids who attended the class were eight girls and two boys, with about that many monitors present at all times. i have never been exposed to incarceration or jail…it was enlightening to say the least! todays topic was on the “void” within. how karmic is that! a Buddhist gets invited to sit in on incarcerated youth expressing emptiness! the kids are NOT dumb..actually quite bright, some victims of abuse from family/friends, most addicts, struggling to make sense of what this life holds for them. truth is they live in a world of no win and i mean not just in their minds they are surrounded by negativity and violence and pressure. victims of our society and parents who betray and abandon them. one boy spoke of being in a gang and doing terrible things..wanting to get out but if he did then the other gangs would kill him because there was no one watching his back! girls filling their void with heroin because they have no voice, nothing to encourage a change and no one to turn to. again..i ask, how do we live in denial in our society to what is going on!? how do we help? how do we break this cycle of suffering? i intellectually understand the natural law of cause/effect (karma) but how do we as mere conventional minds make a difference on our youth today…to create causes where they will not choose negative actions? ALL i ask today is for you to open your heart and minds before judging anyone and ask yourself…how can i help.
AND this facility is the only one in the country that houses a “library” for its incarcerated youth, however due to cut backs they are in need of donations!
this is taken from one of their writings:
I’m fifteen years old. I’ve been through so much in life. I don’t know how to explain it! I’m locked up for all the dumb choices I’ve made, but I wish I never made them. When I was young I never had a dad around. My dad was locked up for eleven years. He passed away when i was twelve years old. My mom remarried when i was six. He was a drug addict. He introduced me to drugs. At the age of nine I started doing drugs. I disobeyed my mom. Now I have to be in CPS, but it’s only temporary. I hope you can give me advice. I love my family and miss them. Please help me out. Can you give me advice?
this program and excerpt exists thru “Inside/Out”. all published works are anonymous from this project and can be found through the Tucson Public Libraries. thank you Madeline for caring….
this was taken in their library, a mural painted by the kids…
