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Memory Poems

by Betty’s Group MARIAME TRAORE, MARIA LOPEZ, ADRIANNA FRONS, BETTY, May 29, 2009
(Manhattan - Aguilar)

MARIAME:
I remember when I was seven years old in the early 80’s, in the Ivory Coast, Africa. Around 4:00 o’clock, just before the sun went down, I was standing by the doorway in my house. I had no shirt on and no shoes, just shorts. I saw my father and brothers carrying a huge TV into the house. From that day on all the kids in the community came every night just before 7:30 P.M. to see a French cartoon called “Candi”. There was a little song that went with it. All the kids sat around and watched. I felt like I had such power because I could decide who would come to my house to watch TV.

MARIA:
I remember when I was eight years old. My mother made beautiful girl and boy dolls. She made clothes for the dolls. The colors were beautiful and the materials were satin and silk. Thinking about it now, it is weird to me that she was able to use such expensive materials, because we didn’t have enough money to buy food. One of our neighbors was a rich woman. She must have given her the fabric because she recognized my mother’s sewing skills and wanted to help her. My mother was crying from happiness. All my sisters, our friends and myself got beautiful dolls.

ADRIANA:
When I was nine years old, I remember I wanted a cabbage patch doll very badly. I went to the store. I wanted it a lot. My mom surprised me with it when I made my first communion. I was so surprised. I was speechless. I played with the doll. I slept with it.



BETTY:
When I was three years old, I remember being at a party with my grandparents and cousins. My mom stood me on top of a table and encouraged me to sing, “I’m a Little Teapot,” I used hand gestures and I was so embarrassed.

LENA:
I remember when I was about eight years. It was not long after I’d gotten home from school. My brother was sitting at the table. My mother was in the bedroom. My brother said, “Mom, can I make a P & J sandwich?” I said, “Mommy, can I make some toast?” She said, “Wait until I change my clothes.” I looked at my brother and I mouthed to him, “I can make my own toast”. He said, “Go ahead”. So I turned the oven on and I tried to light it with a match. The match kept going out. I put my head down in the broiler and the top of my hair, eyebrows and eyelashes caught on fire. I didn’t know I was on fire. I heard a crackling sound and smelled something burning. My brother was sitting there laughing. I didn’t believe him. I touched my head and ran to the back. My mom sent me to the sink. Every time I think about it I think how lucky I was. Now whenever I’m in the same house with my brother, he always asks me if I want to make some toast and he tells the story all over again.

ANDREA:
When I was sixteen years old, I had a best friend whose hair and eyebrows were both very black. I received a call from that friend. She was screaming. I asked her what was happening. She said she had tried to dye her hair and eyebrows blonde but they had come out green. She told me she had an interview the following day. Well, she got the job anyway.

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