when I think Grace wants a laugh,
or add a third echo in agreement with
whatever is being agreed upon.
I don’t really listen to what they say.
For the second half of lunch break,
I go to B24 and sit next to Daisy
and read in silence.
Daisy finishesThe Curious Incident
and beginsThe Fault in Our Stars.
I read one book,The Complete Collected
Poems of Maya Angelou, for the whole week
and the following week, too.
Taking my time.
Maya Angelou has written autobiographies;
Mum has them all but when I try to read
them I get jumbled up and lose my place.
When I read her poems I always know where
I am. This poem. This page.
I’m inspired by Maya Angelou,
so I try to write my first poem
in the back of my math book:
Maya Angelou
Maya Angelou’s words
are so clear. She writes about love
and standing up for yourself
in the face of inequality.
Even though
she’s American,
her words speak to me.
Her poetry is everything
