"True Notebooks" by Mark Salzman. A brief review.

I just got done reading "True Notebooks" by Mark Salzman.  A published writer stuck on a juvenile delinquent character in a book he is writing approaches a friend that teaches writing class at L.A's Central Juvenile Hall.  Mark Salzman finds himself coerced into doing a class there too.  This book gave us a look into a year or so of these classes and the writings that some of the kids put out there.  Some students wrote in the class and then were gone as they were transferred to the adult prisons. 

The writings of these children, for those tried as adults are still children, touch on love, guilt, anxiety, remorse, hatred and fear.  I was touched reading this book and wanted to know that these kids turned their lives around.  It's a true story, a work of non-fiction.  It doesn't become a happily ever after but it's a good read and  you'll laugh and cry through parts of it.

Here's a poem I came up with based on my responses to this book:

It's on the news again.

They've shot someone, took a life.

They carry weapons in pants

That defy gravity around hips.

The rap industry screams out horrors.

Of violence and oppression

Of guns and dyin'.

Of disrespectin' and such.

Kids are in Juvie awaiting lock up.

Charged with 187's, murders.

In the bigger prisons lessons taught

On how to do worse crimes on the Outs.

No rehabilitation, no pity.

No better treated than animals.

A kennel of barking dogs.

Afraid to love but loyal to homies.

Young boys missing momma

Leading life like the father.

In lockup for life.

I cry for you all, taught hatred so young.

No one to turn to, no mentor to copy.

You'll die alone one night in your cell.

An old man institutionalized.

A wasted life.