Poem 4: Pawloma's Hoodie
Pawloma, young and fierce, with a worn-out ball,
Hears whispers follow, stands up tall.
"They said I'm trouble, just 'cause I wear this hood,
They moved their lunches, misunderstood."
A piece of fabric, soft and gray,
Becomes a mask they cast away
Her laughter, dreams, her gentle heart,
Judging her before she even starts.
But in that hoodie, she finds her might,
A shield against the judging light.
She walks with cats who see her true,
Beyond the cloth, beyond the view.
Parody Song 4: Undercover Alley
(Parody of "Undercover Angel" by Alan O'Day)
Last night I had a crazy dream, yeah,
A stranger came and joined the team.
She held a book, with curious eyes,
Beneath the barrio's orange skies.
She looked at us, we looked at her,
A silent moment, no sudden stir.
Chorus:
Undercover alley, wearing shadows and grime,
Undercover alley, surviving through time.
Undercover alley, where the stories run deep,
Secrets that the cracked-up concrete keeps.
Felicia said, "Reese, you can afford to pay,
Attention to the ones they push away.
We don't bite, we don't cause a fright,
Just five minutes, to shed some light."
The Cats they watched, with guarded gaze,
Through all the judging, shadowed haze.
Chorus:
Undercover alley, wearing shadows and grime,
Undercover alley, surviving through time.
Undercover alley, where the stories run deep,
Secrets that the cracked-up concrete keeps.
We're not the monsters that the news has shown,
Our true intentions, hardly known.
Just people hoping to be heard and seen,
Beyond the whispers, so mean and lean.