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Fresh air Lyrics by Jacqueline Woodson

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When I get back to Brooklyn, Maria isn't there.
She's gone upstate, staying with a family,
her mother tells me, that has a pool. Then her mother
puts a plate of food in front of me, tells me
how much she knows I love her rice and chicken.
When Maria returns she is tanned and wearing
a new short set. Everything about her seems different.
I stayed with white people , she tells me. Rich white people.
The air upstate is different. It doesn't smell like anything!
She hands me a piece of bubble gum with BUBBLE Yum
in bright letters.
This is what they chew up there.
The town was called Schenectady.
All the rest of the summer Maria and I buy only
Bubble Yum, blow
bubbles while I make her tell me story after
story about the white family in Schenectady.
They kept saying I was poor and trying to give me stuff,
Maria says. I had to keep telling them it's not poor
where we live.
Next summer, I say. You should just come down south.
It's different there.
And Maria promises she will.
On the sidewalk we draw hopscotch games that we
play using chipped pieces of slate, chalk
Maria & Jackie Best friends Forever wherever
there is smooth stone.
Write it so many times that it's hard to walk
on our side
of the street without looking down
and seeing us there.
Credits
Jacqueline Woodson

Jacqueline Woodson

About “Fresh air” by Jacqueline Woodson

Read the complete lyrics to "Fresh air" by Jacqueline Woodson. On Lyrks you can follow along with the full text, explore the artist's discography, and discover related songs. The track is often categorized under Non-Music, Literature.

"Fresh air" is performed by Jacqueline Woodson. This page provides the full lyric text for fans who want to sing along, study the songwriting, or compare versions across releases. Lyrks organizes lyrics by artist and song slug so you can bookmark and share a stable URL. Music lyrics help listeners connect with emotion, narrative, and rhythm in a track. Whether you are learning English, researching a favorite chorus, or preparing for karaoke, having accurate line breaks and section labels (verse, chorus, bridge) makes the experience easier. We link to the official artist profile on Lyrks where available, including biography snippets, top songs, and chart placements when we have that data. If you enjoy "Fresh air", explore more songs by Jacqueline Woodson using the links below. Chart and trending pages on Lyrks highlight what listeners are searching for this week. For copyright or correction requests, see our DMCA and contact pages.

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Frequently asked questions

"Fresh air" is credited to Jacqueline Woodson. Songwriting credits may include additional writers listed on the release; check the credits section on this page for linked collaborators.

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