2. A Definitive (Poetry)

-Twenty Four-

Spark In The Dark:

'I'm not throwin' away my shot'

Sittin' in the dark with the burden of an aching heart

Making sparks out of coal, dirty hands and dirty soul

Fighting for a name that means something to come out of my mouth

Fighting for a chance to make something out of the name of my house

Labelled as a nothing, trouble maker from birth

And for the first time I'm putting me first

No more comparing tales of misfortune misery

Clawing at a chance for my name to mean something, mean me

Whatever that may mean I want it to be

Diamond in the ruff, unafraid of coming from the mutts

No name last names in blue collar hallways

Hard working quiet dying family, you'll know my name

Daughter of a factory worker and his cleaning wife

Destined for a low level, uniformed life

Of struggle and scraping by to make the last penny last

But I promise if you blink you'll miss it because it'll be fast

'I am not throwin away my shot'

For a life of more than this, a life that will be forgot

You'll know my name, shout it from the rooftops

Even if that means only making me proud

Tired of being troubled and quiet, I'll be loud

Compared to the privileged kids with the rich families

I can't complain, it's not like I ever went hungry but I've known strugglin'

Picked last in class, picked last in a life moving too fast

Slipped through the cracks of a dirty mouth

Scarred fingers and knobbly knees, a shaking house

'I'm not throwin' away my shot'

Not this time, young, aching and hungry

Yearning for the chance my parents never got

For the pride, for the food on my table, for the money

Sittin' in the dark with the burden of an aching heart

Making sparks out of coal, dirty hands and dirty soul

Come from nothing but nothing is not where I will go

A family of coal mine workers, of people the world doesn't know

Of army men and nursing women making their country proud

Of cleaning hands and grinding work that makes this world turn round

I'm not throwin' away my shot

I will make them proud of a name the world forgot.

You will know my damn name

And it's Martin, Jessica, this is for the immigrants, my parents parents

Maybe something else, maybe a claim to fame

The hiding lineage of a silent voice

I will be the generation that gets a choice.

'I am not throwin' away my shot'. 

~J.K.M.