Bronx Masquerade

The room is silent after Sheila reads her poem. Tyrone is not convinced Sheila truly understands what she’s saying or why she wants to change her name—he thinks she wants to change races, and he wonders if she feels guilty because her family is privileged.

Tyrone also mentions that Mr. Ward is videotaping Open Mike Fridays and is thinking of using the tapes to teach the students next year.

Steve notes that Sheila has identity issues, but he doesn’t. He knows who he is and what he wants out of life: He loves Broadway and wants to be a set designer. However, his father recently declared that they are moving out of the city to Westchester, the suburbs. His parents don’t approve of his plan or the fact that he has an earring.

Steve’s father once dreamed of becoming a musician, but that did not last. He fears his dreams won’t either. When he confesses this to Raul, he responds, “If a dream is in your heart, you never lose it” (109). This strengthens Steve’s resolve, and he decides to study hard so he can get into NYU.

Steve appreciates Open Mike Fridays. He understands why nearly every student in school wants to be in Mr. Ward’s class. He believes teens get too much “negative press” and is excited that a reporter from a local newspaper is going to visit their class. He ends the chapter determined to remain true to himself and his dreams, whether he and his family move or not.

In Steve’s poem, “Doubtless,” he shares that his dreams bring him joy. Although at one point he wanted to keep them to himself, he couldn’t hide his joy. He notes that others may try to “plant the seed of doubt” (112), but in the end, it’s best to be you.

Tyrone applauds Steve’s work but notes that they can’t hang out because “[he] don’t have no white boys in [his] crew” (128). He also shares that the poet Pedro Pietri visited the class and enjoyed Steve’s poem. The reporter from the newspaper was also there, and Tyrone is excited for a positive story about their neighborhood. He hopes he gets in the paper and that his name is spelled right.

Raynard, Sterling’s cousin, starts with the adage, “Finish what you start” (114). His mother had him when she was a teenager and still graduated high school, and she encourages him to always finish what he starts.

Despite some challenges, he’s remained in school. He shares his love of music, and he wishes his assignments came in that form since he has dyslexia—when he does homework, the “words swirling around the page [give him] a headache” (114). He wants to be a to be a saxophone player.

Knowing Pedro Pietri was coming to class, Raynard memorized his poem and alternated reading with playing the saxophone. He thought about only playing music but was determined to see it through, saying “[there’s] been too much skipping this year” (115). Mr. Ward skips over him when it’s time to read in class because Raynard told him about his dyslexia, though Raynard understands that most of his classmates think he is unintelligent as a result.

He was afraid of telling the class about his diagnosis, but he recently did and has felt better. Nonetheless, he was nervous about his first Open Mike Friday. With encouragement from his classmates, he got up to share his first poem.

Raynard’s poem, “Dyslexia,” discusses what it is like for him to have dyslexia. He uses hypothetical questions to speculate about why he has this condition. He shares anecdotes about getting out of reading or asking a stranger to read a sign for him, admitting that at times, he feels like a “freak.”

Tyrone is surprised once again by the Open Mike Friday. Raynard’s poem surprised him, but Steve surprised him even more. Tyrone and Wesley got up to do a collaborative poem, and Steve jumped up to join them. Tyrone bristled, but Sterling and Wesley argued to give him a chance. Steve did a good job, and Tyrone admits, “That white boy can flow” (119).

“News at Five” is a collaborative poem between Tyrone, Wesley, and Steve. In it, they question how the media portrays teens—particularly Black teens—as petty criminals. Despite these negative depictions, they will continue to be themselves. They share that before they know it, they’ll be adults and the ones writing the news. They decide to “create ourselves a whole new crew” (121) and break down barriers between them. Their refrain is “I am here to stay” (120-21).

Wesley catches Sheila trying to walk like Porscha and asks her about it. She shares that being “dark and ethnic” is “in,” and she doesn’t fit in (123). She explains that she’s just trying to fit in and not be so different. He responds that everyone is “different inside” and it’s best to “be yourself” (123)—she can have Black and Latinx friends without trying to act like she’s not white. He mentions that while the school has few white students, she’ll have benefits in the outside world because she is white.

He shares with Sheila that, at least in Mr. Ward’s class, all it takes is sharing poetry on Open Mike Fridays to be respected and heard.

In response to Wesley’s advice and her own reflection, Sheila shares, “Private Puzzle.” In the poem, she uses the metaphor of a puzzle to discuss identity, noting that “no two pieces are alike” (142). Despite understanding this, she shares how difficult it can be to find one’s place.

Tyrone comments that Sheila has shared a poem two weeks in a row and is glad “she ain’t talking that Africana mess no more” (128). Because of that, he and other classmates, like Judianne, may give Sheila a chance.