My name's Shakespeare. Shakespeare Winton Jackson. Yup, that's me. Seventeen years old now, living in Crested Butte, Montana, with my Aunt Pansy and Uncle Cleo. They raisin' me now, my family died. Died in that fuckin' bitch called Hurricane Katrina. They drownded. Lost my mamma, my daddy, little brother Shequarius (11), little sisters Sheena (9), Shenice (7), and ShaKonya (4). Still have nightmares even now, two years later.

I lived in N'Awlins, lived there all my life. Had lotsa friends, did lots of fun things, things like go to Mardi Gras, go to scads of festivals, play b-ball, baseball, rap to my favorite jammin' tunes on the radio, dance, hang out with my girl Keneesha, play with my pit bull "Killer" (he was more like a pussycat: very gentle; he wouldn't harm a hair on your head!). Would go to the Riverwalk or to the French Quarter just about every weekend, skip stones on the Mighty Mississipp', even make fun of the Cajun shrimpers whenever they'd talk.

Loved all that great Cajun crawfish, all that great Cajun food: jambalaya, shrimp done a million ways, gumbo, jambalaya, etouffee', cochon de lait, maque choux, dirty rice, rice and beans, andouille, boudin; loved dancing to Cajun music. I did a mean Cajun two-step.

Yeah, I loved everything N'Awlins had to offer. I thought I'd stay in N'Awlins all my life. Nope, thanks to Hurricane Katrina, I had to leave. Katrina took everything from me: my home, my life, worst of all, my family. 'Bout drownded too, until a firefighter plucked me from the muck-filled waters. Wasn't hurt, but did get some of that shitty crap into my lungs; had pneumonia, was in hospital for three weeks.

When I recovered, I got a call from my Aunt Penny in Montana, who had heard I'd survived. She offered to take me in, I accepted. No questions. Been in Montana since; love it! (Not the same as N'Awlins) Kids make fun of my Louisiana accent, say I'm using Hurricane Katrina as a crutch, to get attention, sympathy. I don't think so, but those goons fail to realize I lost my fuckin' family to that damn bitch.

Because of Katrina, I've had to start all over; still have nightmares. Because of Katrina, I'm far removed from my beloved N'Awlins, probably will never return again.

It breaks my heart.

Ain't been easy, but I'm tuff. I'll make it. Somehow. Just have to take it one slow step at a time, one day at a time.

Ain't heard the last from me, Shakespeare Jackson!