A Play by Ron F.
CHARACTERS:
ROGUE, a Rotweiler, male, age 17
SETTING:
Dorm 2, in the Dog Pound
TIME: 10:00pm, Spring, Friday
AT RISE: ROGUE is on his bunk bed.
ROGUE
I’m back in place for the second time.
All for committing a new crime.
So all I’m trying to do is complete my time.
But when I lay down on my bed
I ask myself why-
Why do some dogs
Say that my goal is to go
To the dog pen?
Just ‘cause I have a couple of felonies
I get treated like a criminal.
Other dogs read my paper work, so now
In their eyes I’m a shady individual.
No one knows my life.
No one knows all that I’ve sacrificed.
Dogs only know me by what they see in paper.
Yeah, I got felonies!
Yeah, I’m a bone dealer!
Yeah, I’m locked up!
Yeah, I’m in a dog-click
And got caught up!
Yeah, I live in the ghettos of East Palo Alto!
In which I call “home”
While other dogs
are making a living off our misery,
Sitting on their throne!
This whole world is havoc!
I’ve done had it!
I’m furious and upset
So I express my anger in poems.
But some dogs consider them threats.
Honestly, I don’t feel that I write threats;
I just write from the heart
So I have no regrets.
But of course, I get sent to court,
And all the judge says is that
I’m evil and have no remorse.
Remorse? Remorse for what?!
I feel what I do is right.
I let out my anger in paper,
Instead of getting into a fight.
But I have no one to blame
‘Cause I chose to play this game.
I ain’t the toughest dog
But I ain’t no snitch,
And I ain’t no punk.
I’ll never switch up my homies,
So consider me stuck.
But you can’t blame me
‘Cause this is how I was raised.
I grew up with these dogs,
Stuck in this maze.
It’s loyalty above all laws
And that’s all I’m a say,
Before some dogs take it the wrong way.
I know I live a life of sin,
But does that mean that my goal
Is to go to the pen?
I’m a dog-being just like you,
I want to make it in life.
To have a beautiful home
And support my kids and wife.
So you can’t blame me for hustling.
I know it ain’t the best way,
But my mom is broke
And my dad got his home tooken away.
And my lil-nephew needs me,
So by any means necessary I’ma slide
But I ain’t gonna slip.
And I’m willing to take that risk,
‘Cause I’m always going to be there for my lil nephew
To give him a life full of bliss.
‘Cause Family comes first
Regardless of the fact.
So remember, Doesha, if you ever need me
I’ll always have yo back.
‘Cause I’ma fight for what’s right
And that’s for my family
And my life.
And I’m not ashamed
Or scared to say all this
In front of anybody.
That’s what I want you to know,
‘Cause I am who I am
Anywhere I go.
And I can care less how dogs feel about me,
As long as I know
What I got going for me.
So I’ma let dogs say what they want
‘Cause dogs don’t know the real me.
Dogs don’t know what I want,
I’ma let dogs believe what they want to believe
‘Cause I got a positive goal
And a dream.
So I can’t wait ‘til the day I’m free,
So I can start off fresh
And try to be the best I can be.
But what you have to understand and see
Is that it’s hard for me,
How can I abandon the people
Who always looked for me?
I try to do good
And that’s all that matters.
I try to climb to the top
But I’m climbing on a broken ladder.
So know that I’m trying to reach my goal
But every mission gots its obstacle.
I don’t have rich parents
Or a lot of money to pay my way into college,
So that’s why I appreciate for what I have
And thank my parents for my knowledge.
I’m not asking dogs to forgive me for my actions
Or to feel sorry for me.
I just want dogs to realize
That there’s another side of me.
I’m not just this dog
Who lives a life of blasphemy,
A life full of insanity,
Who takes orders from the beast they call “Satan”,
Who takes penitentiary chances
With no hesitation.
I’m also a dog with a hope,
And I know one day this dream
I will cope.
And I will no longer be sorrow,
But I’ma live life like there’s no tomorrow.
That’s just me being honest,
‘Cause tomorrow is never promised
Every dog has its day
And when my time comes
I know I will have to pay.
So while I’m still here
And until my wheels fall off
I’ma ride,
Ride to keep my dreams alive
‘Cause in this world,
“ONLY THE STRONG SURVIVE!”
THE END
