Appropriate songs-poetry for DREAM Act students?

// March 5th, 2008 // Immigration

Ok, so there is a part of me that appreciates some literary genius once in a while. Where are the DREAMers that write poetry, lyrics, sing or just know their music in general?

Are there any particular pre-existing songs or poetry that reminds you of your situation? Of life as an immigrant? An undocumented student?

This could be a fun project. We could use some quotes as slogans and put some on banners.

I found this today (we are on the “waiting” / “stillness” theme for this month I think while I churn out enough material for my papers) :

I’VE BEEN WAITIN’ FOR TOMORROW (ALL OF MY LIFE)

I’m hiding in the corner
Of an overgrown garden
Covering my body in leaves
And trying not to breathe
All my childhood dreams
Are bursting at the seams
And dangling around my knees
I’ve been deformed by emotional scars
And the cancer of love has eaten out my heart
I’ve been stripped bare and nobody cares
And all the people I looked up to are no longer there

All desires have been denied
To put me in this state of mind
Another year over and what have I done
All my aspirations have shriveled in the sun
I’m crippled by guilt, blinded by science
I’ve been waitin’ for tomorrow all of my life

I’ve been filled with useless information
Spewed out by papers and radio stations
I’ve been hounded by fair-weather friends
Sowing the seeds for my discontent
Life is like a sewer and I’m trying to wade thru her
I threw in my money and made my wish
But sleeping boys catch no fish

All desires have been denied
To put me in this state of mind
Another year over and what have I done
All my aspirations have shriveled in the sun
I’m crippled by guilt, blinded by science
I’ve been waitin’ for tomorrow all of my life

All my childhood dreams are dangling around my knees
My mind has been polluted and my energy diluted
My mind has been polluted and my energy diluted
MY MIND HAS BEEN POLLUTED AND MY ENERGY DILUTED

Fugazi Waiting Room

I am a patient boy
I wait, I wait, I wait, I wait
My time is like water down a drain
Everybody’s moving,
Everybody’s moving,
Everybody’s moving, moving, moving, moving
Please don’t leave me to remain
In the waiting room
I don’t want the news
I cannot use it
I don’t want the news
I won’t live by it
Sitting outside of town
Everybody’s always down
Tell me why?
Because… they can’t get up
Ahhh… Come on and get up
Come on and get up
But I don’t sit idly by
Ahhh…
I’m planning a big surprise
I’m gonna fight for what I want to be
I won’t make the same mistakes
Because I know
Because I know how much time that wastes
And Function
Function is the key
To the the waiting room
I don’t want the news
I cannot use it
I don’t want the news
I won’t live by it
Sitting outside of town
Everybody’s always down
Tell me why?
Because… they can’t get up
Ahhh… Come on and get up
Up for the waiting room
Sitting in the waiting room
Ahhh…
Tell me why?
Because… they can’t get up

Heck, even art that reminds you of your experience?

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