Mural painting of old man by De La Vega in Harlem, NYC, photo by Alyce Wilson

Poems from Peter Vetrano's Class
Benjamin Franklin H.S., Los Angeles

GUERRA POR VENIR
by David Dominguez and Yajaira Mendoza

High risk
People breaking people
Forever
Just enough assault weapons
War to come.


ESE DOMINGO

by Leslie Cano

One Sunday morning
He said to me...
I am the king you're my princess.
I am the potter you're the clay.
I am the painter you're my masterpiece.
I am the musician you are the instrument.
I am the creator you are my creation.
You are mine and I am yours.


CORAZON ROTO

by Kristen Perez

My eyes filled with sadness
My lonely heart
Broken by you
Under the brainwashing nightmares
How I long for you
Truth is...
I'm still in love with you.


QUEBRADO

by Ofelia Cortes

A tentative involvement
Romantic reconnaissance
Intentions broken
Crumbs of trust
Spilled.


DECISION OF THE PAST

By Mauricio Cruz

Have you looked back in your past?
If you had the power to change it,
Would you change it?
I wouldn't
Because if I did
I wouldn't be here.


CORRIENDO EN EL FUEGO

By Marco Lopez

Remaining runners,
Roasted over coals,
The fire makes the
Destination.


DOLOR

By Ricardo Cortes

The time passes at the same time
Pain forgiveness is my only painkiller
But is so hard to find cure for
Your pain.


IMAGINACION DE ELECTRICIDAD

By Leonard Velezquez

The thunders' electronic metaphor
A hero's weak interference
The sound of imagination.


DREAM JOB

By Edrick Dario

An image on
The desk
Blew away
In our fall
Everyone
Stays as
Our dreams
Come and fall.


ALAS DE MARIPOSAS

By Marilyn Palma and Felipe Perez

My education
My memories
Butterfly wings
Like a fresh breeze.


MASSACRE

By Beatriz Munoz and Rosysela Flores

The whole thing she imagined
A crumbled soul
Nothing she left, but mystery.


PROTECCION

By Brandie Mendoza

Honey and lemon
The memories in paradise
Under protection of butterfly wings.


HOLOR DE COCINA

By Angie Cruz

From the kitchen window
Smell of potatoes, cookies, canned pears,
Pots of spaghetti
Worried
Stomach may disagree.


MI PARTE DEL SOL

By Angie Cruz

Like a house hold pet
Place in the sun
The good old days.


CUENTO DE ADAS

By Justine Suarez and Herman Arciniega

Over my head
God hears
My fairy tale
Sparkling
In concrete.

Statement from Peter Vetrano

I am trying to teach my students to appreciate the beauty of poetry and how they can create their own beauty in this art form... My students are in 10th and 11th grade, and most have been published in various venues.

I teach them not to analyze their poems and to let their audiences do the analyzing.I really try to follow Tennyson's line in his "Charge of the Light Brigade": "Theirs is not to reason why... theirs is but to do and die."