published in 1967. It was written by Piri Thomas, he was a man of African descent living in Spanish

Harlem. It relates how he was lost even within his own family and his identity through drugs, street

fighting, and armed robbery, nearly becoming yet another statistic by the age of twenty two.

In this book it tells all about the persons life. It tells how he has suffered through his life time,

and what he has been through. He has been through alot, he has gone from his hometown in Harlem to

Suburbia, Down South, Prison and the New York Town.

It all started out being a child and he had done a few things that made his father hit him. He has

been saying that "Poppa wont hit me again". He lived in a town called Harlem. He was down by Park

Avenue and Harlem Park Avenue, it was a scary place. Especially the dirty stone trestle of the New

York Central that was right down the middle of the avenue making long, sloomy tunnels at each street

corner. He feared "death". The reason he feared death was when he once had a bully that lived by the

gutter who was more dangerous than they knew him to be.

streets you avoid and get angry at. He is disgusted with all, at the same time. He hates white people but,

home. I think that his point that he is trying to make is that to show his family and every one else that he

Some common words found in the essay are:
Puerto Rican, Comstock Prison, Piri Piri, Puerto Rico, Island Poppa, Bad As*, Island Rocky, York Central, Sing Prison, Spanish Harlem, puerto rican, park avenue, feared death, isn't gona, street life, piri's life, harlem park avenue, harlem park, piri found,
Approximate Word count = 1989
Approximate Pages = 8 (250 words per page double spaced)