1. 02/02/2017


Dear Mr Baca,


    I am writing to you because I want to know about your story and how you got through the pain of prison.


My name is James hills, I am thirteen years old, I go to a school in south London called London Nautical School also near where I live. I came across your poem when our teacher, Mr O'Brien, gave us your poem. I was inspired about your life and how you were so determined to learn to read and write in a hard challenging environment.Personally I think I need to follow your footsteps and be more determined to try to accomplish my dream wherever I maybe.


Reading your poem, I have numerous questions which came to my mind. Frist, I was confused on your childhood life and the start of being arrested and what lead to the you going into prison. In class we have learned about your life but sadly not too much in detail. What made you run away from the orphange?If you didn't run away would you career be better now today? Lastly, why was you arrested? Did you find the guards oppressive towards you or a person who were close to in the prison?


I know that being arrested is a very hard and challenging life of someone's life, you were also put through isolation which makes you go crazy as you only see the guards every now and then. How did you find the courage and determination to write and learn English? At some point you must have wanted to give up what made you to continue your dream?


Before being isolated, you must have seen a lot of bad people and some who were victims of injustice. Did you see anyone who inspired you to be the person you were or today? I also know that prison or any kind of excluding place gives you a lot of time to recap on your past, giving you thought of reflection on a moment of your life which may you regret Was there anything bad that you regret doing? And what is it?


Reading your poem, I get the feeling that you studied English a lot through the gramma and thought which you apply to all your work. I would like to know what, who why you are so obsessed with English? Was this your dream job when you were little or was there an other activity? We know that English is your strong point and passion but was there anything else you liked to besides English?


Living on from prison, you have worked on books and poetry. But you would have had no one to turn to for help. So where did you go? Who took you in? After prison many people go back to the thing that put them there. So what didn't make you go back on the street and do what you do before prison? In class we have focused on a main topic, being an outsider. Have you ever been treated as a outisder in any situation and what is it? I asked that question because I can relate to being a outisder in one of your poem's, who know's me but me.


My favourite poem is 'who knows me but me, because it explains how hard being in prison or being an outsider really is from your experience. We can also learn from this poem that you can always find out who you are but you just have to dig a little bit deeper. Finally we can also know from your poem that not all natural things are needed to live a good life also knowing that know one can take your soul away from you but only the small things around it. I have one finally question what is your most embarrassing moment of your life?


James Hills