Recipient of the Month
Foundations for Education - Guatamala

Literature for Life Poetry

One of the many things that Jo Altilier, of Lit of Life, helps the girls with is to write poetry to express their emotions. The poetry is compilled into books and sold to help support Literature for Life. The following are from Women with Words (ISBN 0-9689328-2-7) and shown here with permission from Jo Atilier, but cannot be reproduced without her consent.

Literature for Life Mandate:
To encourage and conduct book circles peaceful and rewarding environments in which teen mothers come together to read, to discuss and to discover the joy of self-expression and the power of self-confidence. In this environment, they are encouraged to find their "voices" and to use them to help overcome personal adversity.

The Way Things Ought to Be

If I were in charge of the world,
I'd cancel anger to make it easier
Because anger solves nothing,
And also is contagious.
If I were in charge of the world,
There'd be equal rights for everyone.
Especially the poor, and
Maybe even less for the rich.
If I were in charge of the world,
You wouldn't have unhappiness,
You wouldn't have anger.
You wouldn't have jealousy.
Or greed.
You wouldn't even have hate.
If I were in charge of the world,
An apartment
Would be a castle,
All children would be fed.
And a person, who sometimes screws up,
And sometimes got frustrated,
Would still be allowed to be
In charge of the world.

-anonymous

I Am a Child

I am a tiny seed,
Small at first, but full of potential.
Unsure about my future, but given rainy days
And sunny days, as well as plenty of time and patience,
I can be something more.

I am a flower,
Delicate, lovely and blossoming more
With each new day.

I am a child,
Curious and full of energy and excited to learn new things.

I am an actress,
Full of emotions, different expressions
And always willin to perform.

- Erika

My Son, My Heart

I am bright, intelligent and caring.
I have conquered the world and more.
Althought my son and I still have more in store.
He is energetic, loving and my light.
Marcus manages to make my day bright.
I am me.
A person with so much to live for.......
I am happy at times
Although also I am angry, but take it in strides.
Marcus has changed my life for better or worse
'till life does part us.

- Michelle

Dear Jo

We all met you in a different place. You attracted us like bees to your ethic of learning and finding as well as expressing ourselves through words. We've learned from you, from each other and from ourselves. Each of us contributes a special point of view and together we make it happen.

We followed you. We follow you now, and because we believe in you we will follow you to where our paths may take us.

Love and Sincerity,

The Girls