Poetry Power: “Estoy aquí”

To continue with National Poetry Month, the Olympian shares this poem by sophomore Maggie Rodas titled “Estoy aquí”. She wrote the piece on a call with a friend. “We were talking about how many things presidents have actually done horribly, and [how] they continue. We talked about trying to be the next presidents but better. I was filled with anger, turning [that anger] into passion with poetry,” she said. “Seeing how many have died, [been] left behind, [and are] still are waiting for a better day to say ‘Yeah, I did that’ while drinking coffee with their family,” brought her to her inspiration: helping those people. “As we have people already using their voices, I am able to hear them, see them, [recognize] what they do, and try my best to be here — to spread awareness to those who don’t see us, who cant hear us. We are always going to be here. I want to be able to show to the world what power many of us hold, how we choose to use it in a kind way. ‘Con amour’, with love.” Rodas said.

Estoy aquí

Such a malevolent action

Explaining and explaining 

How I’m too scared to know so much of something

Because they are too many wrongs and too many rights

As my people get slaughtered everyday 

I was told to just walk past it and be kind

Too kind for these sick hate filled people 

Y qué pasa con todo los niños y madres 

Que están afuera de las puertas de estados unidos 

Qué pasa con los padres que trabaja por nada

dieciséis mil quinientos treinta y más personas afuera que quien vivir 

no podemos pasar nuestro propio territorio por que el hombre blanco dice no

pero dinero pasa todos los días 

Y no soy cubana pero estoy aquí escuchando de a tu

estoy aquí y hago todo lo que puedo con mi voz

I am here and I am trying to do all I can with my voice

For it is my weapon 

I chose to use in peace

To free those in need

So hear me as I break the curse

We all deserve the freedom we want

Not for some white guy to tell us we aren’t strong

Not for a group of people to tell us

We can’t enter our own country 

When we never even left

As they tried to replace it from us

When we gave them the opportunity of a lifetime

To love and learn.