Edris Roman

Senior Edris Roman, the creative writer of the poem, “Brown Tape”

Welcome! Bienvenue! 

To the most wonderful tour,

of our falling-apart school.

Please keep all arms and legs 

inside the vehicle.

Our first stop is the wet paint

signs hanging on our walls.

Soon followed by the intoxicating

smells of this building of ours.

Coming up, the brown pathways.

Our so-called floors, covered with

brown tape, so they won’t fall apart.

Big blue fans that help us deal with

The smell, the abuse, we take part

in, sadly.

We try to speak but that brown tape 

seems to do more than cover the mess.

Covers our mouths, leaving us speechless.

Students, youth, it seems like they never 

listen to us, I wonder will they ever?

See this is not just a tour of 

our school or a rant about our

complaints. It is about voices

not being heard whether 

they speak of construction or justice.

It is about how youth is mistreated.

Like little not know it alls.

Like we weren’t the ones who 

created the #NeverAgain movement.

A moment of silence, please.

Like we aren’t the ones who are 

fighting for better gun control laws.

Like we aren’t the ones who are

listening to our Earth scream:

Climate change is real. Save me.

Like we aren’t the ones who are 

vocal about #FutureIsFemale

Or the

#MeToo movements.

You are a survivor.

This never-ending tour 

has come to a temporary stop.

Young activists, young feminists;

our time is now. Change won’t happen

until our voices are heard.

by: Edris Roman