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  • GET INVOLVED
    • Join Our Email List
    • Bring Free Minds to Your Group
    • On the Same Page: Write Night
    • Intern or Volunteer With Us
    • Give Poetry Feedback
    • Work With Us
  • DONATE
    • Donate Online
    • Other Ways to Donate
    • Employer Matching Gifts
    • Donate Books
    • New! Merch Store
  • About Us
    • Mission & Vision
    • Who We Are
    • In The Press
    • Supporters
    • National Projects
    • Resources For Educators
    • Resources For Incarcerated People
    • New! Merch Store
    • Contact Us
  • Our Work
    • Book Clubs and Writing Workshops
    • Reentry Services
    • On the Same Page
    • Books by Free Minds
    • Connect Magazine
    • Congressman John Lewis Fellowship
    • Thrive Under 25
    • Success Stories
  • News & Events
  • Poems
  • Contact Us

It’s Your Life

Poetry

It’s Your Life

By Free Minds Book Club | January 25, 2016 | 5

By AM It’s your life, live it to the fullest It’s your life, make your plans for it wisely It’s your life, think seriously about your future

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Chances

By Free Minds Book Club | January 21, 2016 | 3

By VM I’m a love machine But I don’t have a weak heart to break  

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Change is All I Know

By Free Minds Book Club | December 1, 2015 | 3

By TH At first I had some fears I’ll admit the concept seemed strange Unsure of myself after all these years I just knew somehow I had to change

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To You From Me (Your Dad)

By Free Minds Book Club | November 3, 2015 | 5

By BG As I proceed to succeed Relieved from all this grief What’s needed is for freedom to ring Continue as you are My shining star

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You’re Everything

By Free Minds Book Club | October 22, 2015 | 5

By DJ You’re my sweet tea You’re my caressing dream You’re my light A sunshine beam

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About the Poetry Blog

The poets featured on this page are currently incarcerated, and many of them are in federal prisons far from home. Your feedback is a valuable source of motivation and connection to the outside community. Post your comments, feedback, and encouragement in the space below the poem, and it will be passed on directly to the author. Comments may not appear immediately on the site, as our team processes them to mail to the poets.

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Upcoming Events

On the Same Page: Write Night

January 27, 2021, 7:00 – 8:30 PM

Read and respond to poetry by incarcerated writers! Registration is required; click here to RSVP.

Free Minds Book Club & Writing Workshop

Free Minds uses books, creative writing, and peer support to awaken incarcerated and formerly incarcerated youths and adults to their own potential. Through creative expression, job readiness training, and violence prevention outreach, these poets achieve their education and career goals, and become powerful voices for change in the community.

Winner of the 2015 Aspen Ideas Award from the Aspen Institute, the Justice Potter Stewart Award from the Council for Court Excellence, and the Library of Congress Best Practices in Literacy Award.

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Combined Federal Campaign (CFC) # 75998

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