Dance Steps: A Sonnet
This attempt of a Shakespearean sonnet was started in the Poetic Forms workshop at Girls Write Now, in which I was challenged to follow the rules. I was inspired by the freedom with which those rules were rejected by our fearless mentees.
Surely men made up the poetic forms
Sonnet, sestina, villanelle, cinquain
Like boys and drinking games in college dorms
How ’bout: Five tercets and then a quatrain
Repeat this word, third stanza, second line
How low can you go, can you go down low?
So I chafe and resist those rules assigned
Who counts the syllables? And also: no.
It’s not the words with which I so quarrel
But arbitrary, patriarchal rules
The art confounds me. Wherefore the laurels
Would women create such confining tools?
You and I, let’s create our new bounty
Let’s write lines as if no one is counting
Lawless. Unburdened. Free.
MEDELIN CUEVAS
YEARS AS MENTEE: 3
GRADE: Senior
HIGH SCHOOL: H.E.R.O. High School
BORN: Bronx, NY
LIVES: Bronx, NY
PUBLICATIONS AND RECOGNITIONS: Scholastic Art & Writing Awards: Silver Key
MENTEE’S ANECDOTE: When I first met Rakia, I knew that she was the perfect fit for being my mentor. She is smart, talented, and genuine when it comes to my writing and other life events. When I told her about NYU, she was ecstatic! It is great to share your biggest dream with someone who watched you grow, and Rakia has been the greatest mentor for me.
RAKIA CLARK
YEARS AS MENTOR: 2
OCCUPATION: Senior Editor, Beacon Press
BORN: Atlantic City, NJ
LIVES: New York, NY
MENTOR’S ANECDOTE: I remember when Maddy showed up to our weekly session more excited and bubbly than usual. She had just received her first admissions letter to college—NYU, of all places. I was so proud of her, I could barely stand it. I have seen Maddy work incredibly hard to make herself a great candidate for college, all while balancing a busy home life. More acceptance letters quickly followed, but that first one was the sweetest.
A Letter to My Unborn Daughter
For me, Generation F stands for freedom, fearless, and faithful. Going through high school, I never thought I was “free enough” to do certain things. This piece holds a sentimental value to me because I cover things I want my future daughter to know and to take away.
Dear Daughter,
I was not the type of girl who hung around with girls. Like, girls who played with Barbie dolls all day long or pretended to be princesses. I was not the girl who was into skirts and Twinkle Toe shoes as a kid. Your uncle was too big of an influence on me for that sort of thing. Instead, he and I played first-person shooter video games on the computer, and I was wide receiver to his quarterback when we played football. You could say l colored outside the lines.
Baby girl, when you come into this world, you will be going through a lot of bumps and cracks and learn a lot of fascinating things. You will learn what you like, set your biggest dreams, take your first steps, and learn how the world works and who you are as a person. I hope you see the world in the most blissful way any child would see it: blue skies, sunny rays of sunshine beaming on your beautiful skin, and happy moments.
However, life will not be all gumdrops and rainbows. You are going to experience people who do not want to see you prosper. You will encounter evil serpents called bullies who will tease you for characteristics that you should cherish, like your big imagination and your beautiful curls, and the butterfly birthmark that you share with me, your tia and your abuelita.
You are what Alicia Keys describes as “A girl on fire” or “a superwoman,” which means a woman with potential and high hopes—a woman who has a high level of charisma, competence, and optimism. With these talents, I hope you think like a revolutionist who seeks to change the world for the better and make a positive difference. Baby girl, shine! Shine like Celia Cruz, Sonia Sotomayor, Michelle Obama, Ilia Calderon, Angela Davis, and even me, tu madre. Whatever you experience, more than likely, when I was younger, I experienced it, too. Bullies doubted me and my talents. But you know what your mami did? I still kept on shining.
When I was growing up, I was pretty lost knowing what I wanted to do when I grew up. I didn’t know how to get a boyfriend, and I was pretty antisocial until high school, where I met a few good people. When I befriended them, they became a part of my support system and life. They were my friends not only because they did support me, but because they taught me how to enjoy life and gave me wonderful experiences to cherish. I learned then that, with friends, it is about quality, not quantity.
My advice for you, mi hija, is that it is okay to ask for help. When I was at my lowest points, I talked to a guidance counselor at school. When there was a problem and I wanted someone to just hear me out, I went to my mom or my best friends. There’s nothing weak about assistance. It does not mean you are a failure. It just means that you are juggling so much and it is starting to go out of hand. Additionally, there will be tests that will stress you out. You might get a score you are not satisfied with. It does not mean you are dumb. It just means you have trouble understanding something. So figure out a way to understand. Never let anyone or anything determine how much potential you have. That number you get on your test will not reflect how much effort and hard work you have done.
So always remember the fire that is inside of you. It is there for a reason. Add more fuel to it and do not let anyone put it out. You are going to do big things, baby girl, and if you ever feel hopeless or you feel that you can not take the pressure anymore, Mami is here to support you.
With love,
Your
