I Want to Come Home

I can’t wait to come home because jail is not a place for no one
But when you do dumb s*** this is where you come
I said I want to come home it‘s not a good feeling
In here people tell you when to go in your room and when to eat
I said I want to come home when I get my visit talking to on the phone to my mother that’s not a good feeling when you in jail

I said I want to come home
because I can’t see my mother
I said I want to come home
so I can get a job and do what I got to do

3 Comments

  1. shannonrampe on October 3, 2011 at 4:20 PM

    This is a really resonant and powerful use of repetition. I liked how you used that repetitive opening of every other line to establish a rhythm. It feels like a chant.

    I want to know what you feel about your mother – I think this poem could be even more powerful by evoking the details about what makes her YOUR mother, as opposed to just a mother.

    I’m really looking forward to reading more poems form you. I think you’ve got a powerful voice, and I hope you keep it up!

  2. Meghan on November 9, 2022 at 3:24 PM

    I really enjoyed reading this poem because your personality shows through your writing. It is very good that you are aware of the mistakes that you made, but that you still are itching to get back into the real world. My favorite quote from your poem is “I can’t wait to come home because jail is not a place for no one.” This is very relatable and is something every person in jail wishes for but doesn’t admit. Keep up the good work, you will get to go home!

  3. Olivia H on January 1, 2025 at 8:36 PM

    I really liked this poem! This poem really captures the pain and frustration of being in jail, and the deep desire to return home to loved ones. The longing to see your mother and to regain your freedom is powerfully expressed. Great job

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