Pongo Poetry Project’s mission is to engage youth in writing poetry to inspire healing and growth. In the spring of 2022, Pongo began mentoring poetry with young people at the Echo Glen Children’s Center, a juvenile institution for youth serving criminal sentences. Studies of incarcerated youth indicate that up to 70% suffer from a mental health disorder and that many have experienced childhood trauma. The isolation, economic upheaval, and turmoil of the last two years have only exacerbated this issue. Youth at Echo Glen have endured significant mental and emotional challenges in the last two years, including increased rates of depression, anxiety, sleep issues, and behavioral challenges.

Pongo believes there is power in creative expression, and articulating one’s pain to an empathetic audience. Through this special monthly column in partnership with the South Seattle Emerald, Pongo invites readers to bear witness to the pain, resilience, and creative capacity of youth whose voices and perspectives are too often relegated to the periphery. To partner with Pongo in inspiring healing and relief in youth coping with mental and emotional turmoil, join its GiveBig campaign today.

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My Dad’s Words Meant Something

by a young person at the Echo Glen Children’s Center

Preparing for it
Making sure your grades are right
Making sure you keep your body trained
And Never giving up even when it’s hard

Because if I want to be an NBA Player
It’s going to take more than wanting to be
I have to actually try and become it
Because I know my parents will be proud of me
For taking a different path in life
And not ending up like my friends
That are in the juvenile system for half their life

My pops always told me to chase what I want
And not to chase what other people are telling me to get
Because everyone could be going left
But if I take the path that’s going right
I could end up becoming in a better place in the future

Be a leader not a follower

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Being Kind

by a young person at the Echo Glen Children’s Center

Honestly
Just being kind
I woke up I ate a fortune cookie
And it said, “kindness will return to you if you just be kind”

I remember when this kid didn’t know how
To do his homework
And I helped him
It reminded me of when I was just in his spot
It made me feel helped

My mom
Taught me how to ride a skateboard
It was awesome
And when she gets stressed out
I would help her clean the house
And it would help me too

Being kind is easy
Kindness is being motivated
If you’re motivated to be kind then
The outcome would be kind

My mom helps me stay motivated

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How I Feel

by a young person at the Echo Glen Children’s Center

I feel chilled out
Not too anxious
I woke up
Took a nice warm shower
So far, nothing’s really happened
To make my anxiety take over my body

When I feel anxious
I start to think of the worst-case scenarios
I think of a lot of bad thoughts
I get really aware of my surroundings
I kinda get scared

Talking about it makes me feel lighter
Like when a balloon gets filled with helium
And starts floating in the air
A lot of stress that I have is just gone
I’m free of things that have been holding me back,
That have been holding me back from people

Like when I’m at my friend’s house
And I feel anxious or stressed
A lot of times I had too much on mind
To go have fun
In times like those I would go in my own space
And listen to music to help my anxiety and stress go away

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📸 Featured Image: Illustration by 周杰意 Jieyi Zhou.

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