by Nikki Grimes
I flip the pages of a book and slip inside
where crystal seas await and pirates hide.
I find a paradise where birds can talk,
where children fly and trees prefer to walk.
Sometimes I end up on a city street.
I recognize the brown-skin girl I meet.
She’s skinny, but she’s strong, and brave, and wise.
I smile because I see me in her eyes.
Copyright © 1997 Nikki Grimes. From the book It’s Raining Laughter. Dial Books for Young Readers. Reprinted by permission of the author.
New York Times bestselling author Nikki Grimes is the recipient of the 2006 NCTE Award for Excellence in Poetry for Children. Her distinguished works include ALA Notable book What is Goodbye?, Coretta Scott King Award winner Bronx Masquerade, the novels Jazmin’s Notebook, Dark Sons, and The Road to Paris (Coretta Scott King Author Honor Books). Creator of the popular Meet Danitra Brown, Ms. Grimes lives in Corona, California.