The Marathon Continues

abstract

​The poem "The Marathon Continues" is really an inspiring poem. This is a poem that I relate to and not only just for me, but for everybody who is from Los Angeles, California. We may not have the same stories or the same background, but what we do know is is that we're from the same city. Everybody has their own story and background, but my story is a girl growing up in South Central, California with parents who are Central American and grew up struggling. My form of art started when I was young. I knew I was really creative because I had all these ideas in my head that I wanted to create. I wouldn't focus on just one thing. I like to play around with different things, but really I didn't get serious until my teenage years. Writing poetry was a form of expression mainly because that was how I could express myself as a teenager. As I got older and mature, I began writing about life challenges as an adult. That's were my inspiration came to play and not only that, but being Afro Latina. I wanted to educate people and hopefully I can be able to educate more people who can relate.

Brittni Reyes

My name is Brittni Reyes and I am 20 years old. I am from Los Angeles, California. I am a returning student and majoring in Nursing. For most of my life, I've dedicated time in volunteering at healthcare facilities and participating in my cultural community. I intend to educate people on different ethnic and cultural backgrounds and provide resources for those who come from a Central American background. My poem was inspired by Samantha Smith and her brother Nipsey Hussle. It talks about the struggles and experiences that no matter how life gets -- we don't ever give up.

"...pain is the light, pain is insight, the body hurts but the spirit grows, the flesh is starving while wisdom overflows, I have a question only the lord knows, does life birth us twice?"

There is nothing to hide here, no way to pretend, we relate, we disagree, we disengage we are running into each other, we are the song that writes itself, the melody replays in the key of elevating life, we forget the words, we never forget the feeling, glory and divinity conduct our symphony, we are infinite affinity, wrapped in sacred epiphany, we are meant for we, we are flowing, we are growing, we are open like the Red Sea, we walk through with confident uncertainty, we kneel here we heal here we open our hearts to the heavens, we use our tears to cleanse our canvas, the fear floods us, the love is electric self-inflicted pain, we dance in the rain till the fear is drained,  pain is the light, pain is insight, the body hurts but the spirit grows, the flesh is starving while wisdom overflows, I have a question only the lord knows, does life birth us twice?

We are running a race, we are chasing our dreams, our legacy is continuing no matter if we're alive or not. Our spirit is here our physical bodies are no longer here, the flesh from our skin denigrate into thin air escaping our bodies traveling miles and miles away we keep running and running and running why? Because the marathon continues…...