Summary Of Evolution Of My Block By Jacob Saenz

For centuries now, gangs have been all over America, causing violence and ruining the youths opportunities. Children's lives can be ruined joining a gang leading into violence and substance abuse. From the earlier 20th Century, to now, gangs have been an issue in low income cities and neighborhoods. In Jacob Saenz’s poem, “Evolution of My Block”, written in 1982, Saenz describes to the readers how the gang life was in his neighborhood and on his block. Throughout the poem, he talks about the pressure of gangs and how they functioned. His poem speaks more than what is actually said and hides many of his thoughts through the words and rhymes. The poem conveys many messages and specific aspects which have to deal with culture and race. The narrator

The narrator mentions how he's telling a story from the past by saying, “As a teen, I could’ve beamed / the crown, walked in w/out / the beat down custom,”. The author is describing to the reader's how he is telling a story from his past as a teen. He mentions how he could of been in the gang but, choose not to, which wasn't normal at that time. The beat down custom is usually what is suppose to happen. He dodged the custom and choose to avoid the gang through the pressure of his cousin “who claimed Two-Six, / the set on the next block decked in black & beige.” (20-22). With all the influence on his block and from his cousin, he never gave in and never wanted any part of any gang. The narrator was strong enough to resist what everyone around him was doing. It's hard to try to not fit in when everyone around you is doing what your not. I can personally say I wouldn't have the power to do myself but would fall into the gang life due to my surroundings. If my cousin and everyone around me was joining a gang and was a norm at the time, I would also do so. The narrator stood up for what he thought was right and ignored the pressure. The narrator wasn't interested in what he described but, “preferred games to gangs, / books to crooks wearing hats crooked to the left or right” (23-25). Luckily the narrator wasn't interested in gangs but was in games and books. This not only

By rereading the poem several times, made me not only appreciate it, but understand it on a different level. Saenz did a great job at telling the story so that people can view it different ways. I enjoyed the poem because it clearly drew a picture in my mind of what he was talking about. At one point, I felt like I could see what he was talking about. I never acknowledged poems prior to this one because I felt that poems were too cheesy and corny. Instead of telling the story he made it a journey for the readers to get what he was saying. This poem shows how life was at the time and what people were surrounded with. Fortunately, many children are exposed to that today and are pushed in the right direction. All in all this poem was of the most interesting poems I've ever read and made me think harder than I ever would on any other