“Who Do You Want To Be?” by Madyson Bassett

This week, the Beat continues posting work from writers in the Writers in Baltimore Schools (WBS) program. This work was created at WBS’ Young Writers’ Summer Studio, a six-day writing camp held each year in August. This year, the Beat’s Lisa Snowden-McCray and Brandon Soderberg worked with the students for two of those six days. Some of the work here and much more will be published in WBS’ Writers’ Studio anthology out soon. We began with a piece from WBS founder Patrice Hutton and so far we brought you poems by WBS writers Abigail Mokuba, Jahi Heath, Christian Pearson, Kenniah Woodson, A.H. Berry, Gerard Johnson, Kyra Smith, and Ernest Johns. Today, we have a poem by Madyson Bassett…

I want to be a bird 

Sitting on the branch of a tree.

Listening intently to what everyone says.

I want to be both the sunrise and sunset.

The ones you stay up for just to watch.

I want to have the same colour scheme as it.

I want to be the listener of thoughts.

I want to be a surprise,

So no one sees me coming.

I want to be the melody trapped in your mind.

Floating in the air as you hum the tune.

I want to be the movie 

That you stay up all night watching.

I want to be a book so I can be

Smart.

I wish to be a diamond. 

Shiny and new,

Something’s no ones ever touched.

Pure,

In a box,

With people guarding it.

Leaving it to be left alone,

Forever.