“Ode to Pitbulls,” by Jo Jo Contreras
September 27, 2019
Ode to Pitbulls
Given a bad name
Sweet as honeydew melon
So violent everyone says not even in the top five
Gone through more than imaginable
Pity the pitbull
Lonely star in the night sky
Everywhere I look there are pitbulls chained and muzzled
But what about the others
Abused like the trees we tear down
Left alone in the woods
No one cares
Help the pitbulls
Save the pitbulls
Give them love
Give them warmth
Used to take care of kids now diluted to dying in adoption centers
Everyone feels different about these beautiful dogs
They are like the fries at the bottom of the bag
Help the pitbulls
Save the pitbulls
Jo Jo Contreras wrote this poem while a 6th grader at Cascade K-8 Community School, with WITS Writer-in-Residence Sara Brickman. Performed at the Seattle Arts & Lectures Literary Arts Series event with Malcolm Gladwell at Benaroya Hall on September 23, 2019.