The Free Mind
By DS
You can lock a body
Count days,
Name me by a number
But a mind that dreams,
Can’t be caged
A free mind moves
Where walls can’t hold.
It stretches through steel,
Turning long nights into open sky.
Pain tried to teach me hate
Regret tried to lead
But growth came quietly,
In pages, in words
In choosing to rise.
Even in these cells,
The mind expands.
Even unheard,
It speaks.
Through Free Minds Connect*
Our bodies stay,
But our minds take flight,
Books open doors.
Photos walk us through the streets of D.C.,
The murals, the city life
Reminding us
We still belong
They give us vision now,
And tools for release
Housing, work, education, guidance,
Resources for standing strong
When the gates swing open.
Freedom is not a door.
Freedom is a TRUTH you carry inside.
And when release comes
the free mind steps first
already knowing the way.
Remember this
The mind was never meant to be locked
The mind was always free.
*This poem refers to the Free Minds Connect, our bimonthly publication that features creative writing, book discussions, reentry resources, DC photos, and more.
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