Wednesday – May 3
Tenement Museum
Walking tour of LES
Drawing in Tompkins Square Park
Nuyorican Poets Cafe and met and wrote with Claudia (CAP)
Walk to Chinatown
Dinner at Mott Street Eatery
Staten Island Ferry ride
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At the Tenement Museum, on our tour, there were so many unexplained things, Why were Dora the Palm reader’s flyers under the stairs? Who were the other tenants, the ones not on the records? All of Brattleboro, and the surrounding towns could have lived on that block, and it made me feel so small, and like, if I were in a different time and place, I would have been lost to the swarm. How many lives were lived, and forgotten on that block? Hundreds? Thousands? – Malik
The highlight of my day was probably lunch. It was so fun walking around the Lower East Side, and trying all types of food…CHURROS!!! I noticed a lot of street art. The majority of it was talking about the stereotypes of the Lower East Side, reclaiming it not as a place where poor people live, but as a neighborhood where many cultures are expressed through food, art, stores, and more. – Sophia
What really had an impact on me were the two strangers I met at [Tompkins Square] park, because they were almost complete opposites. The first woman was very enthusiastic, and loved to express herself, even if she would get off topic or just ramble on. It felt as if she went to the park just to put herself out there to strangers, and loved everyone in the community. Our other new friend was down to earth, and the air around him seemed to put a sense of ease and relaxation into everyone he talked to. – Aiden
At the Nuyroicn Poet’s Cafe, I thought, from the outside, it looked like somewhere I would normally label as “seedy” or “sketchy”, but when I went inside I realized that it truly was a beautiful, safe place. Just listening to my own peers express themselves really opened me up to them, and new ideas. – Max
I felt nervous leading up to my speech [on the Staten Island Ferry], but when I got started it all started to flow, and my nerves went away. I really tried to have everyone around hear what I was saying, so that they would think about it, and think about how a Middle School girl also has to think about these things. – Camden
I can’t even put into words the feelings I felt when I walked into the Nuyorican Poetry Cafe. I felt generations of poets. I felt their presence. I felt pulled into my paper by the feelings of love and support. I want to go back. – Kiley
Whispers
turn to echoes,
to cacophony.
Beyond me
we are not reflective
Yet
That is what we do,
undampened
unfettered
free
but not.
Held in place
by the world
blinded
by the illusion
of each other
– Clay
Resilience is a core theme in this Odyssey, and a core theme in the world. When you see a homeless person on the streets struggling and pushing through it, that’s resilience. – Lucas
Check out this video playlist of some fresh poetic stylings presented at the Nuyorican Poets Cafe