Welcome to Poetically Yours. Poetically Yours showcases poems by Illinois poets. This week’s featured poet is Lori Beach-Grass.
Beach-Grass started a spoken word club called LIT UP. It began at West Middle School in Rockford but as the group grew, literally and figuratively, the meetups moved to Auburn High School. Beach-Grass was a teacher, but multiple sclerosis pushed her into retirement. This April, the squad visited the WNIJ studio for a special Facebook live and while there, they recorded a few poems. Beach-Grass left some words behind as well. Here’s her poem “Participation Points.”
Participation Points
Lori Beach-Grass
Be a participant, not a just spectator.
Be involved now and reap your benefits later.
Touch those lives, make them sit up and listen.
Your words need to light up the room, they need to glisten…
With the sound of things that are to come!
Make them visualize their futures but remember we’re they’re from.
Be a participant, not a spectator,
A life shaper, a coach, and an image creator.
Jump into those lives, start a solid change… for good
Let them know there is greatness beyond their own hood!
Because what these kids need is more than what they lack…
They need to know that you’ve got their back.
Always giving, always reaching, always pushing them toward gold..
They need a backbone made of steel and a firm hand to hold.
Be a participant, not just a spectator.
A human being is great, but a human DOING it is greater!
They hear, “Do as I say, not as I do…”
And these words stick in their minds like super glue.
Be careful when you say, “Listen to me.”
Because they do and they watch and they learn and they see...
That what comes out of your mouth and your actions match.
Go ahead, let your down your guard…
Attach.
