The Life That I Live

(poems go here) The Life That I Live. Section 1: Introduction The life that I live, Is like no one elses. Many people may think they know who I am. But, They are totally wrong. 5 Many know me as Mawee. And only the closest, Will know my full name. My name is, Mauricio Sai Martinez. 10 That’s only my name, And There is a lot to me. My name says only a few things about me, Like my ethnicity, And who people think I am. 15 My name is like 4 corners 4 corners of a 1000 piece puzzle. Who I am is the other 996 pieces. Pieces that you have to build upon each other, Trying to precisely fit one into another. 20 Trying to get one side, In order to get the other. How I look, And the color of my skin, And who I am as a person, 25 Is only a quarter of who I actually am. Let me tell you this quarter, The quarter that will only help you on the outer layer of the puzzle. I am Mexican American, Born in San Francisco, 30 January 23, 1995. I Am an Aquarius. 5’7, Brown skin, Black hair, 35 Black eyes. I am shy to new people, But totally opposite when you get to know me. This is only the outer layer of me, Because there is much more. 40 Section 2: Who I am is not easy to figure out, It’s not self explanatory like a one way route. I am many in one. And one in many. My soul is those of the dead, 45 And those alive. My blood is a mixture of great cultures. I am an Olmec civilizer, A great initiator, Part of the first civilization. 50 I am a Mayan identifier, A colossal founder, One of many discoverings. I am an Aztec emperor, An accomplished leader, 55 Masters of a massive measure of Mexico. I have had many gods and goddesses, Of the Sun, Rain, Fire, 60 Water, Earth, Love, War, Life and 65 Death. Gods whom I have sacrificed for, and been sacrificed for. But forever will I be remembered, Not to those that hate me, 70 But those who love me. A special day for me and everyone who has experienced death. Dia de Los Muertos. For I am honored on that day with many more. Honoring me for my death, 75 On the ninth month of my Aztec calendar. Keeping my skull as a trophy. Dedicated festival not to only those dead, But to the Aztec goddess, Mictecacihuatl of the underworld and afterlife. 80 As an Aztec I fought until death. I battled with all my power of my mind, body, and soul. Sweat dripping down my bloody face. Hurt, wounded, debilitated, And powerless against them. 85 The fall of our great empire. A great empire with not years, nor decades, but centuries of history. The Spanish conquistadors attacked us ferociously. There they were with their leader, Hernan Cortes, 90 Who was a devastating deadly devil. Only interested to conquer, civilize, and create a new Spain. They accomplished what they came for. As an Olmec, Mayan, and Aztec, I then lived and learned their ways to earn respect. 95 Their ways of civilization, A civilization that forced you to be like the rest, gripping you until you changed, And their religion of believing in one almighty, powerful creator of heaven and earth God. Then there was Juan Diego, Who visioned the lady of many, 100 Our Lady of Guadalupe. She was visioned on the 9th of December 1531, Top of a hill in Tepeyac. Young, beautiful, and the most praised lady of our culture. There she was, And here she still is. 105 Section 3: Melting Pot Land of the opportunity, Where everyone was trying to go, My Father Mauricio Martinez, Had taken risk, 110 For a better life. He was on the "other side" Easier life, Better life, And a life of opportunity. 115 It came to one day though. It was June The 24th exactly 1990. My father brave, and with so much courage, 120 Was willing to risk it all. All that he had gone through to get to this marvelous side. He had to risk it all, To bring to this side my mother, Gloria Martinez. 125 My mother as strong as a lion. Pregnant and with a child in her hand. She had to do all possible, Use all her strength, Physically and mentally challenged, 130 By the never ending view of mountains. The next 5 hours were the most terrifying, An experience never forgotten, A daunting night ahead of them, With many animals, 135 All trying to harm my mother, father, sister, and unborn sibling. Coyotes, Snakes, Scorpions, Spiders, 140 All evil animals, Trying to get any chance to do harm. My courageous father, Powerful mother, And my 3 year old sister, 145 Had to run at the correct time, That exact time was their run for opportunity. Running through a careless freeway, To the exact point where a car was awaiting them. They had made it, 150 Now with many chances of a better life. But they risked it all, Leaving back family, And leaving one life for another, Another life of a better chance. 155 Section 4: Current Reality The West of America was ours, We owned it and Lived on it. It was our Mexico All our land. 160 Until Manifest Destiny Created in the 1840s A creation of insanity. We were pushed out, By force 165 Because of a God. A god that told them to move westward. We had to have a war, In order to move forward. Fought in Texas April 24, 1846. 170 With a loss at the Alamo we had to give our lands. We fought our best, We just could not keep it in our hands. A leader, A role model, 175 A farmer, A Mexican-American, Protecting the lives and rights of Mexicans. Julio Cesar Chavez. Known for his great leadership, 180 And for being a civil rights activist. Man with a lot Pride in his ethnicity, Changing the minds of many. With only three words, He is remembered, 185 Si, Se Puede! SB 1070. Terrifying numbers and letters. 190 Letters and numbers that will deport my people, Discriminate them, And certainly show hatred against them. The most discriminating law This “Free Country” has made, 195 Since the discrimination of African Americans, Because being illegal was wrong And just a reason to take us out of this country, As if we were not humans 200 And have been here all along. Signed on April 23rd, 2010 July 29th, of that same year it had begun. A nightmare to all immigrants in Arizona. We could not do anything, 205 Just run away, flee, or hide. What can we say? Sorry for being an immigrant, And for wanting a better life On this opportunity side. 210 Section 5: Conclusion Hopes and dreams. Our race has many of them for the future. The bliss of life, We will have. We will succeed 215 And be accepted for who we are. Not be judged because of our Brown skin, Accents, Actions, 220 Past, Or race. Not be disliked for being Mexican. Just getting what we always have wanted Respect and 225 A better life. A chance at life to show others That we are not only farmers, But hard workers and Opportunity takers. 230 I will take that Olmec civilizer, Mayan identifier, Aztec emperor, Spanish conquistador, 235 Christian disciple, In me and Take myself a Mexican American, All ahead in life. With every inch of strength, 240 Blood, Sweat, And pride of my ancestors I will succeed my race. We will have that better life. 245 I will leave this better life, For generations to come. A life where Latinos, Mexicanos, 250 Will be looked at as equal as everyone else. I will take my raza to the top. I will carry them to the never ending happiness of life. I will use up all my power in my Mind, 255 Body, And soul. I will destroy these illusions and imaginations. We no longer will be called illegal. I will succeed all my past generations, 260 To a life that we always wanted of the Hopes and dreams of my people.