I, Yes I, chose to smile. It is today that I smile even though my past wants me to cry.
It screams “You should know my pain.” but instead I shrug it off and sigh.
We say that life is unfair,but instead we should ask where?
Where do I want to be and how should I get there.
Should I blame my past form my actions and the fear that I live by, or should I use it to take off and soar through the sky.
past the deceit and the lies
Through the “Oh God” and “Oh My’s”
Because we shouldn’t go on acting like the world is cruel to us and only us
That our life is purgatory and we live by a curse.
I willing to bet someone has it worst.

For me? Ah! It's a tale I usually keep to myself.
I grew up in a home not classified by kisses and hugs
but by the ordeal of an illness and drugs
My mother and father fought like any old couple do
day in and day out, I’m afraid it was true.

With my father with Diabetes and my mother on cocaine
a wandering five year old,not looking to place blame.
But we were often left by ourselves and looking for food on the shelves
“Oh tragic” one might say “Just Look!”
but because of that at least I can somewhat cook.

I was a lover of science and fascinated by it all
and the microscope I received had lockdown my call.
My diabetic father would give me his blood.
I observed and analyzed, I decided to be a scientist.

My father was placed in a coma
a span of a year
We rarely visited and it seemed like my mother didn’t care.
He was released later on and the fighting happened again,
When will it stop? Just when, oh just when?

Somewhere along the line DHS got involved and we were separated, my siblings and I.
All I had was my twin.
Soon after my father was stripped of his life
but where was the actions expected of his wife?
She cheated on him where was the love in sight?
I was too young to determine the right.

I moved with my aunt who made our lives better
but I rebelled and spited deep down to the letter.

I’m an African-American Male living in the inner-city
But I won’t ever let a stereotype be placed upon me
I won’t live by a statistic and be marked by a demonizing percentage
I will finish high school and it's headed off to college.
My goal is to impact 10,000 people positively, and if you’re with me, then lets set
a legacy.

Because I smile today as the Honduran kids taught me. That the world may be cruel but you can still show your teeth. You can laugh and have fun,and shape your path.
We will stretch our influence for miles
We,Yes We, We brighten the road with our smiles.