I Sing
By DJ
There is no air under my wings
But I sing to the sky
Praying 5 times
And I never ask god why
I had friends and family
But time ended
There is no air under my wings
But I sing
I sing
I give a ring to a woman who was in need of a king
To me she was like a beautiful thing
Time ended it
And yet I sing
I sing
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The poets featured here 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. Messages 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.
DJ,
Thank you for your powerful poem. There is a very old song called “How Can I Keep from Singing?” Your poem reminds me of that. That song says, “In prison cell and dungeon vile, our thoughts to them are winging,
when friends by shame are undefiled, How can I keep from singing?” I hope you keep singing and keep writing poetry.
DJ,
This a beautiful poem! I can feel your passion and hope just by the words you write. Thank you for sharing! This was such a unique poem and I really enjoyed it. Please continue to write, be hopeful and full of love!
DJ: Your resilience is an inspiration. You’ve suffered terrible loss, but you still sing. This is a great reminder to me as I struggle with life’s ups and downs. Keep singing!
This is a beautiful piece. While reading it, I got a feeling of unwavering hope and a feeling of freedom. Although things came to an end, the singing continues showing the hope that prevails at the end of the day.
Dj, i loved this poem so much and it brought tears to my eyes. I can relate with your last couple lines, where you express how time ended what you had with a woman. I currently have someone very special to me incarcerated, and it feels as if his time is separating us, but remember to remain positive and know that what is for you will always come back. Again, loved this poem and your metaphors were amazing.
-Naana
Your poem brings hope for anyone who reads it under any circumstance. “I sing” is a beautiful way to say “I am still going, I am not giving up no matter what, or simply…”I am”. That is truly powerful. I really enjoyed your poem. Thank you for writing it.
DJ–
Your poem is truly moving and inspiring. It is sad to read about the things that you had that time ended, but it is so inspiring that you are still able to sing, no matter what. I believe that you will have air under your wings once again. Make sure to continue to write and share your voice. Thank you for your poem!
Hannah
wow, very powerful. I feel your despair and regret, and yet I see the hope.
DJ,
Wow, great poem. I love that while things might have ended in your life, your determination to go on did not. Keep on writing and expressing everything you feel and want.
DJ,
The hope and sense of creativity that you keep through hardship is clear to see. My hope is that you are able to maintain your hope and never stop singing!
I think everyone should learn to sing because with all of the negativity and pain going on in our world the power of music can always be used to brighten up someones life. Stay Strong and Keep Singing
Reading this was awesome. I like the way you were able to express some feelings towards this poem. It sounded so great. I could never write poems as good as you!
Dear DJ,
Wow! And yet you sing…I hear hope and faith in your poetry.
All my best, Jane
Dear DJ, thank you for this poem. It is quite extraordinary and moving. I am struck by the fact that you still sing, and I want to encourage that. Whether you know it or not, other people are also singing your song and hoping that you will feel the air beneath your wings again. Please keep writing this wonderful poetry.
Keep singing and keep writing poetry! I really admire your search to find something positive, and your words are moving and inspiring.
A wonderful poem about the resilience of the human spirit! And I just love the rhymes. “There is no air under my wings” is such a beautiful image and sets up the entire poem. Your courage is obvious. Keep writing! Best, Lynne
Nice Poem keep up the good work Enjoy reading!! Blessing to you
I really enjoyed reading your short poem. My interpretation is that even when you felt defeated and that there was nothing else left for you to give, you still remained hopeful. Your faith keeps you “singing,” even after one chapter of your life closes. I think this is an excellent poem of maintaining a smile on your face even when the good things come to an end because everything happens for a reason.
DJ, I feel like this poem is stuck in my head, like song lyrics! I sing…I sing. It’s really powerful. I think you have an incredible knack for making someone feel both sad and hopeful with your words…which is kind of like living life through your poems. It’s sad and it’s hopeful, at the same time. Thank you so much for sharing this with me. I’m going to be thinking “I sing…I sing!” all day now. 🙂
I like the underlying message you are trying to convey through this poem. I especially like the first line. Wings are meant to be free and flying around in the warm calming air, but having no wind underneath shows the pain and that trapped feeling. I also like how you are able to put emotion into how time ended what goals could’ve been accomplished. I like how the overall tone of the poem is not of regret but of hope. A hope that there is still time in the end. Overall I really enjoyed this poem.
Hi DJ,
As I was scrolling through the poems on this blog for the first time, your poem caught my eye. The image of you continuing to sing despite every hardship you’ve faced evokes an overwhelming sense of hope and resilience. Right now in our world, there is so much uncertainty, fear, sadness, grief. And yet, as you say, we must still sing. We must still cling on to some hope and joy. Thanks for sharing your words.
I think this poem can be interpreted in many ways and has a lot of meaning. It has such a beautiful and powerful message, encouraging the reader there is hope and giving up is not an option; in my opinion, the poem is about always looking for the bright side, no matter what, because life goes on anyway. You can spend it singing, moving past the dark stages of it and try being happy or being trapped in the shadows of the past. And also that you have the power over what you feel, and you are the one who chooses wether you feel hopeful or helpless.
I loved everything about the poem! Keep writing ?
Hey DJ,
I think you have a beautiful voice. This poem was so beautiful. It’s important, no matter what happens, to keep singing and share your voice. Thank you for sharing yours with mine.
Keep writing,
Syd
DJ, this poem is deafening in it’s quiet reflection. I can hear the words lift off the page as I read, much like the song you sing; the song that we all have the lungs and heart to project into the stratosphere. You have captured the essence of human spirit, unbroken, unwavering even through the toughest of times. External love from others will always be conditional – those conditions can be fidelity, trust, empathy even life itself. But the capacity for love lies within all of us, the individual inside, no-one else. This love is unconditional and boundless. Tap into this and you will never walk alone. Thank you for sharing.
Emily
DJ,
This poem screams the idea of “counting your blessings.” The way you portray how, though you feel you are at a low point in your life right now (hence, “no air under my wings”), the world is still your oyster and nothing will knock you all the way down. The hope you convey through these words is truly inspiring in a way that, though things may feel tough, there is always something to look back (or even ahead) on and be thankful for. Rather than “asking god why,” you choose to sing. I honestly believe this poem gets better and better the more times you read it as it not only tells one person’s story but it also gives the reader something to internalize themselves. This has two effects as it not only motivates the reader to “sing” themselves but it also emphasizes the notion to not take any of their own blessings for granted. The repetition of the phrase “I sing” despite the hardships in your life are awe-inspiring and give me a warm feeling that not many poems have ever given me.
Keep up the great work and never stop singing!
DJ, this is such a powerful poem and I even more appreciate your optimism. At times, all we can do is pray and keep our hopes up. And we will always get through our struggle.
DJ, your poem is so powerful and I appreciate even more the optimism you have in you. At times, all we can do is keep our hopes up and pray. Because no matter what, we always get through anything.
To me this poem is very powerful and representative of the person you have become. Despite being dealt the hand in which you were given, or having “no air under [your] wings,” you still continue to push forward with acknowledgement of the things that you may have lost. You continue to “sing,” looking forward rather than back, continuing in life rather than falling victim to possible past mistakes. I am not sure if “time” is a play on words, for it can mean both time itself as well as your sentence. If it is, this is definitely my favorite part of your piece; The introduction of time ending mirrors the idea that while time itself can change things, a jail sentence can bring a similar–or even heightened levels of–change. I feel that anyone can learn something from reading this poem: No matter the mistakes one may make, a great deal of accepting and forgiving oneself is to look forward rather than looking back–to look towards what they can do better the next time, rather than what they have failed to do in the past. Thank you for sharing this piece, DJ.
And DJ, I apologize if I wrongfully assumed the meaning of anything that you have written. My perspective is only from the outside, and it is in my hopes that my ideas related to those of your own. Stay strong and continue on your path to good.
With hopes to a better tomorrow -Tyler
Thank you for sharing such a powerful poem DJ, it reminds me a lot of Caged Bird and Still I rise by the late Maya Angelou. You should be commended for your resilience that inspire us all!
The concept of singing that you incorporate throughout this poem is powerful in both the literal and metaphorical sense. In my opinion, to sing is to be free. There is no better feeling than to unapologetically belt out a song with rhythms and lyrics that make your heart dance. However, another amazing aspect about music is that it is timeless. In your poem, you discuss friendships and relationship that ended throughout the course of your life, yet you were still able to sing. For me, this means that you were still able to move forward in life due to the consistency of singing, and its ability to heal a wounded heart. This is a universal message that many people can apply to their own lives. Everyone has felt the feeling of having no air under one’s wings- low, defeated, and despair- and having to find a reason to persevere. This poem perfectly speaks to that feeling, and offers encouragement to keep flighting the fight. For these reasons, I strongly enjoyed your poem and truly resonated with it. Great work.
DJ – I see that you put a lot of emotion within this one poem and it truly shows just how some may feel in your position. The poem really shows poetry in its greatest form and it is truly a blessing to be able to read your poetry. Keep it up and I can not wait to read more!
This poem is beautiful, thank you for showing us this sensitive side of yours.
It is truly amazing how despite tough losses, you remained strong and kept on singing.
You don’t mourn over your disappointments, you try to find a way out and that is inspiring to me!
Dear DJ,
Your poem is very emotional. I can feel the pain in your tone but also the hopefulness as well. Keep singing. Keep writing. Great poem.
This is really great. I truly admire strength and resilience. I can already tell that singing has done amazing things for you beyond just being an output. I hope you continue to express your emotions through your writing and your voice.
This is really well-written. Life is all about pushing through the hurt and making the best out of any situation. Out of all the poems here, I think this one is one of my favorites. It feels like this was written out of pure emotion.
DJ, I enjoyed reading your poem due to how real it seems compared to living in the real world. Your poem conveyed the message of having hope even when everything that is important to you is removed from your life. I like how your poem made me realize that in those times that is when hope is most necessary.
Hi DJ,
I really enjoyed reading this poem. To me “singing” represents persisting throughout life despite its never-ending difficulties. You are brave to keep singing and giving yourself to the world despite having no “air under your wings”, or motivation to do it anymore. I relate to this poem, because I think singing is a very daring act– people hear your entire voice, you can’t avoid the parts of yourself you are embarrassed or ashamed of. When I finally get the courage to sing, I always feel a release of something that has been pent up. Do you feel this way when you sing too? Thanks for sharing this, it inspired me to sing more.
I liked your poem a lot. It reminded of life and how difficult it can be to face hardships. At the same time your poem invoked a sense of hope and perseverance in the face of adversity and moving forward. Thanks for sharing DJ. Donovan
This poem shows proves that even when things are going against you, keep going. Even though there is no air under your wings, you still sing your praises. Even when things have ended, you sing. Sometimes that one little piece of normalcy can help us go through life. Being able to maintain a part of yourself even when torn down, shows how strong you are.
Love the use of rhyming! It was very catchy
Hi DJ,
Thank you for sharing your poem with us. You convey hope and determination to keep going even when times are tough. I can see that you are resilient. Repeating the line “I sing” reminds me of the saying “fall down 7 times, get up 8.” I hope you continue to write and I wish you all the best.
MR
DJ,
I love your spirit of persistence and hope. The words “time ended” are so heavy and full of emotion. But you keep your eyes up and keep moving forward. Thank you for reminding me that things in my life may come to an end, but my life can continue. Your writing is powerful and can inspire that hope in others. Thank you for sharing.
This poem speaks of perseverance and the need to keep going on even when life doesn’t always go as planned. This is a very relatable concept, and I thank you for bringing it to life. Keep it up!
Hi! I really love this poem. It shows how when times are tough, you can find other ways to shine light and promote positivity. I also love how personal it is. It is sometimes challenging to put our emotions on paper. It is also challenging to find that ounce of positivity sometimes and I think you did a great job
DJ, this poem truly highlights aspects of resiliency. I really enjoyed reading this poem and you are incredibly talented. I hope to be able to read more pieces by you in the future.
I hope you keep singing. Not long ago there was a woman whose king I thought I had become and would be once I gave her a ring. It ended before I could and she knew I wanted to. Not exactly the same thing but you’r poetry is touching and inspiring and implore you to sing!!! It’s hard to hear any time things are dark but things can always get better.
Dear DJ,
I really loved the themes of perseverance and hope in the poem that you wrote. Even though it is clear you have been through a lot of hardship in your life you are still practicing radical acceptance and trying to see the positives in every situation. This is evident when you talk about still singing despite all the bad experiences you have been through. Your positivity and hopefulness for the future is honestly a perspective that we should all try to emulate in our daily lives.
Thank you for sharing!
Best,
Christine T.
Thank you for this poem.
It really evoked emotion, both sadness and hope.
Great piece! Keep up the good work.
DJ,
I really like how optimistic this poem is! Even though time ends all things, you keep singing. It is inspiring! It reminds me of a quote from the movie The Outsiders “Nothing gold can stay”. I like how it takes my emotions back and forth from sad to hopeful. I like how you opened up to show yourself a little and what you’ve been through. Great read, keep up the good work!
Thanks,
Serina
DJ, I really enjoyed this poem and the message it brings about staying resilient and positive no matter what and to remember the reasons or why you’re doing the things you’re doing.
DJ,
This was a beautiful poem. It was very hopeful. No matter the hardships you have experienced, you will persevere and get through it all. Thank you for allowing others to read!
DJ, This was such a potent poem that delivered so much in the small amount of words written. Your poem gave me the perspective of someone who stays resilient despite hardships and their circumstances, thank you for that.
I love this positivity. This poem really feels like a hopeful optimistic writing.
I am a student in a community service course at Wayne State in Detroit whose goal is to engage with the community beyond the university. When I discovered Free Minds I was immediately thrilled to see the connections build around your writings and heart, and what you have to offer is a powerful and beautiful gift to the community. It was a true privilege getting the opportunity to read what is on your heart and mind, your desires and passions, thoughts, and struggles. You have so much to say, so much wisdom to give, and such deep experiences and desires to share with the community that people from all walks of life, backgrounds, beliefs, and ages can deeply connect with and affiliate with. Keep engaging with the community and making your voice heard. You bring healing, hope, and renewal of mind to many who have the privilege to share in your poetry. In regards to your poem, it exudes the perseverance and resilience you so clearly have. I can almost hear your voice through your writing, that is how powerful you are and how good it is. It feels as though you have weathered a lot in life and are still pushing through and continuing to sing and fight for whatever small glimpse of hope you can find in each day. Take life a day at a time. I want to encourage with something Martin Luther King said that I take with me, “Only when it is dark enough can you see the stars.” -“I Have been to the Mountaintop.” I would highly encourage you to read his I have been to the mountain top speech.
DJ,
I love how positive and bright this poem is! While in life everything is changing there is still much to be happy about.
What a powerful poem, DJ! In few words you have managed to convey profound feelings of love lost, and at once a sense of hope and resilience. Thank you for sharing your beautiful poem. Keep singing!
-Rachel
thanks for sharing. I adore how upbeat and cheery this poem is! Even if everything in life is changing, there are still many reasons to remain joyful.
DJ,
This poem is a beautiful depiction of your perseverence. Your repeated use of “But I sing” creates this feeling of unwavering hope, that despite harsh realities of life, you continue to carry yourself with some appreciation for the world around you. The last line, “Time ended it – and yet I sing” so perfectly ties together this idea of that timeless sense of hope. I really enjoyed reading this
Hi DJ,
I really enjoyed reading your poem. I loved the positivity and encouragement it gave me. The message of hope really shined through in your writing. I also like how you connected it to music and singing. Although you meant it in more of a metaphoric way, I still think music can be very hopeful and somewhat of a way out. It can help us express our emotions and feelings in a different form. Thank you for sharing this important message with your beautiful writing.
This poem is extremely moving. The way I see it, this poem is about time, and how the flow of time takes things from us, but we must keep going. I especially like the lines, “I give a ring to a woman who was in need of a king, to me she was like a beautiful thing, time ended it, and yet I sing”. I really like the rhyming and flow of these lines, as well as the imagery that comes along when reading them. This poem shows strong determination from the author to keep pushing, or singing, even when the good things come to an end. Great message!
I really like this poem. Your word choice was very powerful. It was very short and sweet. Keep the positive poems up!