If They Take My Life

By HF

If they take my life
It doesn’t mean that I die
For one to experience death
They must first be alive

Somewhere along our journey
In the midst of the days and nights
Someone has convinced us
That there is no difference between living and life

If I should cry a night
Does that make me weak?
And learn a depth of words
Does that make me deep?

If they take my life
Does it mean that I die?
Immortalized by my words
Through the spirit of their readers eye

If love lends wings
And I Believe I Can Fly
But you convinced me of impossibilities
Yet still I try

Where you see a butterfly
I see a cocoon
A caterpillar in the sky
A metamorphosis full bloom….

Tagged with , ,

4 Comments

  1. Susan Pitler on January 25, 2015 at 8:34 PM

    You write so beautifully. I was especially taken with “If They Take My Life” I work with high school students in D.C. and I have heard these feelings expressed so many times with words and through artwork. You expressed it with such clarity. When I read the lines about crying and weakness, it reminded me of a saying that I carry with me. It is “People don’t cry because they are weak…they cry because they have been strong too long.”
    Thank you for having the courage to express your feelings…it helps others to do the same.
    Susan

  2. Robin on February 2, 2015 at 1:04 AM

    Wow! Your line, “Someone has convinced us that there is no difference between living and life” gave me something to think about.
    I will pray for you, HF.

  3. Joshua on February 18, 2015 at 5:22 PM

    This is so true.

  4. Pablo on March 13, 2015 at 11:53 AM

    Reminds me that life isn’t just a beating heart but experienced, appreciated, and loved. And that since it’s possible for others or society to convince you that your life means nothing, we have to be mindful that we are someone because we are here. Thank you for sharing.

Leave a Comment





This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

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.