in this moment

the (w)orld

is so much with me that i wanna
s c r e a m

sometimes
i do.

the atrocities and reciprocities
the f*+king media whirlpool spins it all
  sideways

and my mind  

e x p l o d e s .

i just hold onto what i know and what i say to kids today
"you're fine. you're okay."
but they know that i know that
they are at war.

every single time they go to school
they might get shot.
they might get killed.
they might not go home and play XBox or basketball
because someone they know/don't know has a different idea.

i demand they still believe.

believe you me
that they can make the world better.
that they are why the world is better.
that settling for a life that is half will never be full
and full is being able to take risks
dream big
and not wear their heart behind bullet proof glass

but i know i ask a lot.

here is where i begin
again
"you are fine. you are okay."
and i mean it to infinity and beyond
and i know
i know i can't make it better
  the bullying
  the bulls*it name calling
the mom that can't hear or the father that
can't see.
i can't remove them
from the sometime/all-the-time wasteland
that they feel

i . want . to . make ... life different

so i walk in that room
with Group Home kids
 teen moms
 LGBTQ youth
or suburban middle class rejects
and i don't pull out cue cards
or preach some wickety-wack sermon
(i leave that to the "experts")
i am
this : here.
right now.
here.

and i say, "i believe in you. let's make it better now.
in this moment. your words. your v o i c E!"

we find our way.

"and in that moment, i swear we (are) infinite"

CLICK TO HEAR AUTHOR READ POEM

freewrite/poem thing by
e.E. Charlton-Trujillo

* final line: The Perks Of Being A Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky