The following are some assignments I was given during a poetry class at my cancer center. I really enjoyed the class and thought I would share some with you!
Poem Assignment number one:
Word prompts: fish, hill, difficult, program, north.
Word prompts: fish, hill, difficult, program, north.
Now that I need you the most
By Jennifer Martinez
Fishing for love
For peace and for kindness
Aching for compassion
During these difficult times
For peace and for kindness
Aching for compassion
During these difficult times
Climbing this hill
With this rock on my shoulders
Hating the people
Who haven’t been kind
With this rock on my shoulders
Hating the people
Who haven’t been kind
In your womb I was safe…
I felt warm, I was happy.
In your arms, at your chest,
I felt loved and at peace.
I felt warm, I was happy.
In your arms, at your chest,
I felt loved and at peace.
But now that I need you
the most I grow weary
From walking alone…
While your love you do keep.
the most I grow weary
From walking alone…
While your love you do keep.
North is now south
My compass is spinning.
Don’t know which way to go,
I can’t see through my tears.
My compass is spinning.
Don’t know which way to go,
I can’t see through my tears.
I don’t want to follow
your program any longer.
Being choked by your sadness
and drowned by your fears.
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your program any longer.
Being choked by your sadness
and drowned by your fears.
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Poem Assignment number two: magazine clipping.
Picture of girl with sword locked in a cage.
Picture of girl with sword locked in a cage.
No Armor
By Jennifer Martinez
Caged by my feelings.
Locked down by my past.
Angered by my present.
It’s going by so fast.
Locked down by my past.
Angered by my present.
It’s going by so fast.
In the dark I do hide.
But I’m trying to fight.
To stand in the sun.
And bathe in God’s light.
But I’m trying to fight.
To stand in the sun.
And bathe in God’s light.
Tormented by loneliness.
It’s hard to accept:
It’s hard to accept:
THEY DIDN’T WALK WITH ME DURING EACH PAINFUL STEP.
Your fear, you say,
kept you from being there with me.
You couldn’t handle the truth
of what was happening to me.
kept you from being there with me.
You couldn’t handle the truth
of what was happening to me.
Liar, I say.
Because I had to stay.
And fight with no armor
While you ran away.
Because I had to stay.
And fight with no armor
While you ran away.
With no sword in my hand.
And God by my side.
And God by my side.
I stood in my fear
With no choice but to fight.
With no choice but to fight.
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The following are the lyrics to a song that I wrote a few years ago:
Good enough for me
By Jennifer Grace Martinez
Staying up nights with the baby
Cleaning house when I can
When I look into my baby’s eyes
I know exactly who I am.
Cleaning house when I can
When I look into my baby’s eyes
I know exactly who I am.
I’m not special.
But she loves me.
And to her I’m everything.
This is who I am,
And who I wanna be.
But she loves me.
And to her I’m everything.
This is who I am,
And who I wanna be.
Chorus:
I may never win that award.
I may never be on TV.
Or buy that house
for you and mom by the beach.
I don’t know if anything I do
Will ever be good enough for you.
But I’m good enough for me.
I may never win that award.
I may never be on TV.
Or buy that house
for you and mom by the beach.
I don’t know if anything I do
Will ever be good enough for you.
But I’m good enough for me.
I may not know the latest fashions.
My house ain’t always clean.
I got some meat on my bones.
I wear my heart on my sleeve.
My house ain’t always clean.
I got some meat on my bones.
I wear my heart on my sleeve.
I’m not special, but don’t judge me.
‘Cause you don’t like what you see.
This is who I am and who I want to be.
‘Cause you don’t like what you see.
This is who I am and who I want to be.
Chorus:
I may never win that award.
I may never be on TV.
Or buy that house for you and dad by the beach.
I don’t know if anything I do
Will ever be good enough for you.
But I’m good enough for me.
I may never win that award.
I may never be on TV.
Or buy that house for you and dad by the beach.
I don’t know if anything I do
Will ever be good enough for you.
But I’m good enough for me.
Bridge:
I don’t want to hear anymore!
See something you don’t like, just ignore! Seems like you’re impossible to please… Just let me be… Me.
I don’t want to hear anymore!
See something you don’t like, just ignore! Seems like you’re impossible to please… Just let me be… Me.
If I have to keep my distance,
for my sanity I might.
I just want a family
And I don’t wanna fight.
for my sanity I might.
I just want a family
And I don’t wanna fight.
I’m not special, I’m just your daughter. And I shouldn’t have to choose… Between loving me.
And loving you.
And loving you.
Chorus:
I may never win that award.
I may never be on TV.
Or buy that house for you and mom by the beach.
I don’t know if anything I do
Will ever be good enough for you.
But I’m good enough for me.
I may never win that award.
I may never be on TV.
Or buy that house for you and mom by the beach.
I don’t know if anything I do
Will ever be good enough for you.
But I’m good enough for me.
But I’m good enough for me.
But I’m good enough for me.
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These are the lyrics to the song I wrote while on Chemotherapy:
I’m asking you to love me
By Jennifer Grace Martinez
Click here to watch me sing the song!
Trying to figure out why my life is going this way…
Why when I got sick so many people turned away
from me.
It hurts!
Why can’t they see?
Why when I got sick so many people turned away
from me.
It hurts!
Why can’t they see?
Chorus:
Suffering is hard without having to do it alone!
Suffering is hard without having to do it alone!
Like no one cares in this world if I live or I’m gone…
I’m asking you to love me!
I’m asking you to love me!
Love One another as you love yourself is what He said…
Feed the hungry, clothe the needy, that is what I read.
I’m asking you to love me.
Feed the hungry, clothe the needy, that is what I read.
I’m asking you to love me.
What you do for the least of us you do for the Lord…
Prayers are helpful but He’s asking us to live the Word.
He’s asking you to love me!
Prayers are helpful but He’s asking us to live the Word.
He’s asking you to love me!
Chorus:
Suffering is hard without having to do it alone!
Like no one cares in this world if I live or I’m gone…
I’m asking you to love me!
Suffering is hard without having to do it alone!
Like no one cares in this world if I live or I’m gone…
I’m asking you to love me!
Bridge:
All I’m asking…
Is for a friendly smile…
An, “I know you’re hurtin’. Can I come over while? “
All I’m asking…
Is for a friendly smile…
An, “I know you’re hurtin’. Can I come over while? “
“I’m sorry you’re lonely.
I’m here for you!
Is there anything
that I can do for you?”
I’m here for you!
Is there anything
that I can do for you?”
I’m asking you to love me.
I’m begging you to love me.
I’m asking you to love me!
Jennifer Grace Martinez 