"Please Don't Shoot I Want To Grow Up," is the overwhelming sentiment and the slogan that is seen by thousands as they enter corner stores and gas stations in the inner city. But it is also the title of a poem in and up-and-coming book of poetry entitled "I Ain't Gonna Rhyme' written by Chicagoan Doreen Ambrose-Van Lee.
"Please Don't Shoot I Want To Grow Up," is the overwhelming sentiment of millions of Chicago youth. As parents, guardians, radio stations, city officials police and old school rappers clamor together to devise creative solutions to quell the violence Ambrose-Van Lee recreates the torment of losing a child to violence.
In the opening lines of her poem "Please Don't Shoot I Want To Grow Up', Ambrose-Van Lee asks the age old question, "Can you please aim your weapon at the entity that you are really dissatisfied with?
And spare the world the heartache of another life gone one of God's precious gifts?
Ambrose-Van Lee mother of 3, military veteran, graduate of Southern Illinois at Edwardsville
is the author of an autobiography, "Diary Of A Midwestern Gettogurl and a book of poetry "Raised In Da Sun" Ambrose-Van Lee grew up in the housing project of Cabrini Green and incorporates many of her experiences with gun violence into her poems. 'Cooley High in Reverse 'and 'Inner City Tale' are poems about the plight of surviving loved ones to press on. This same violence prompted her to write an article entitled 'Growing Up In Cabrini Green', a two part series which was featured in the Chicago Defender in the fall of 1994.
'I remember one summer in the early 80's, hearing shots and seeing people scattering across the black top outside our apt building at 365 W. Oak St. About a half hour later it was like a shock wave throughout the building it was confirmed that a former classmate had been shot and killed. This young man was popular, handsome, and intelligent. He graduated from Richard E. Byrd Elementary and was in his first semester at Hyde Park Academy. His death was devastating. Hundreds attended his funeral. I will never forget him for as long as I live. But not too long after his murder there was another teen killed with a baseball bat."
Ambrose-Van Lee dedicates her up-and-coming book, "I Ain't Gonna Rhyme" to the parents and loved ones of those who lost their lives to violence.
I really hope that the early curfews and the surge in after school programs help to quell this recent wave of violence against our youth. One life saved is worth a millions words.
To view more of Ambrose-Van Lee's poetry and short stories please visit http://www.cabrinigreen.webs.com.
"Please Don't Shoot I Want To Grow Up," is the overwhelming sentiment of millions of Chicago youth. As parents, guardians, radio stations, city officials police and old school rappers clamor together to devise creative solutions to quell the violence Ambrose-Van Lee recreates the torment of losing a child to violence.
In the opening lines of her poem "Please Don't Shoot I Want To Grow Up', Ambrose-Van Lee asks the age old question, "Can you please aim your weapon at the entity that you are really dissatisfied with?
And spare the world the heartache of another life gone one of God's precious gifts?
Ambrose-Van Lee mother of 3, military veteran, graduate of Southern Illinois at Edwardsville
is the author of an autobiography, "Diary Of A Midwestern Gettogurl and a book of poetry "Raised In Da Sun" Ambrose-Van Lee grew up in the housing project of Cabrini Green and incorporates many of her experiences with gun violence into her poems. 'Cooley High in Reverse 'and 'Inner City Tale' are poems about the plight of surviving loved ones to press on. This same violence prompted her to write an article entitled 'Growing Up In Cabrini Green', a two part series which was featured in the Chicago Defender in the fall of 1994.
'I remember one summer in the early 80's, hearing shots and seeing people scattering across the black top outside our apt building at 365 W. Oak St. About a half hour later it was like a shock wave throughout the building it was confirmed that a former classmate had been shot and killed. This young man was popular, handsome, and intelligent. He graduated from Richard E. Byrd Elementary and was in his first semester at Hyde Park Academy. His death was devastating. Hundreds attended his funeral. I will never forget him for as long as I live. But not too long after his murder there was another teen killed with a baseball bat."
Ambrose-Van Lee dedicates her up-and-coming book, "I Ain't Gonna Rhyme" to the parents and loved ones of those who lost their lives to violence.
I really hope that the early curfews and the surge in after school programs help to quell this recent wave of violence against our youth. One life saved is worth a millions words.
To view more of Ambrose-Van Lee's poetry and short stories please visit http://www.cabrinigreen.webs.com.
