Change is All I Know
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
Change is all I know
I found myself with a state of mind
Leading towards a life of self-destruction
Searching deep within
I had to find a changing path towards positive production
Change is all I know
Gun towers, steel bars and razor wire
My attempts to change this view
Will never tire
Change for me must be complete
That means from the inside out
From my head to my feet
Change is all I know
I must change the way I think, feel and talk
If not, I’ll find myself in a cell
Or on a street outlined in chalk
Change is all I know
I am change, change is me
With change, I have the ability to be
The very best I can be
Change is all I know
Change will take me wherever I want to go
Change is all I know
Change will help me grow
*This poem was inspired by a suggestion from a Write Night guest on his last poem
3 Comments
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This is excellent. It hits hard, makes us stop and think.
I must change the way I think, feel and talk
If not, I’ll find myself in a cell
Or on a street outlined in chalk
Often when I read Free Minds poems, I think, this man does not realize his incredible potential and doesn’t understand that he already has all the skills and tools necessary to make a change in his life. I especially appreciate this poem because I don’t feel that sense of despair and instead recognize a “We shall overcome” mantra ringing throughout the lines. You know that you are now on the right path, and you should be proud of that! It’s not that you’re naive– you fully acknowledge that it is a long, difficult process, but I love both your clear-headedness (“I must change the way I think, feel and talk/If not, I’ll find myself in a cell/Or on a street outlined in chalk”) and intense determination (“My attempts to change this view/Will never tire/Change for me must be complete”). I look forward to reading future poems as you explore what it is like to undergo such a profound change.
TH,
Thank you for sharing your poem. The imagery you create and the critical self-awareness your poem exudes blew me away. Please keep writing. I want to read more!
Rachael