From The Loss of Tony | Teen Ink

From The Loss of Tony

January 16, 2016
By ClaireRC BRONZE, Oakland, California
ClaireRC BRONZE, Oakland, California
1 article 0 photos 0 comments

She wasn't your average lovey dovey girl, she didn't show much affection. No man could ever break her heart she said without a doubt, her father broke it the day he walked out, before any other man could. She stood, looked at her mom, and ask "why are you still drinking? Is it because you keep rethinking? Replaying the day he left us, if I could erase it from your mind, momma I promise I would."

     The only prominent man in her life, was her homie from the neighborhood, Tony. That all changed at age 17, when she was reading off a paper at his ceremony. Growing up in the hood was tough for the both of them. While she tried not to be another teenage mom statistic like her mother, he tried to not be tempted by the money, the money selling drugs brought. How could he not be tempted!? They make three time in a month what he makes in a year. So as she tells the world, how her best friend was taken, she drops a tear.

      Repeating, this isn't fair! We've been fighting for better our whole lives, and he just gets shot walking home?!?! It was dark! He was just playing ball! Then he gets shot! And I don't get a call. I have to hear about losing my best friend when I turn on the tv to watch the news! Now everyone is singing the blues, asking why, why would this happen? Staring at candles and his picture on the street, while she thinks about his dreams he never got to complete. He wanted to be in the NBA, he wanted to be like Curry. Now her future is blurry, what to do without her best friend, she can longer pretend, for the first time, her heart’s broke....from the loss of Tony.


The author's comments:

What inspired me the most to write this poem was the loss of someone I used to go to elementary school with. He was only a Freshmen and was shot walking home. He was an amazing football player and would've made it so far in life. I saw how his death shook the community and it  began to make me think of people whose lives have gotten cut short and they didn’t get to fulfil their dreams. After news of his death I couldn't stop repeating how it wasn't fair,  and I was in slight denial. Then awhile later my bestfriend told me about how his brother was shot, and how he didn't have high expectation to live a full life. This put the thought of losing my best friend, who i’ve know for years, in my head and how I would not be able to function if I were to lose him.


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