Poem: “Moving Ahead With Excellence”
Moving Ahead With Excellence
Coming from a messed up background where
Boys want to let off shouts and lay strips down
Selling cocaine that is breaking my brothers and sisters down
I done had so many near death experiences
So scared of death now
I been taught as a wild child
Never to back down
To walk with a smile
Even if it should be a frown
Even when I was in school
Too busy trying to be a class clown
Having long talks with my mom
She talking about how I need to turn my life around
She praying that changes come right now
It is a shame that I had to get locked up
To find out that only I can change my life around
Moving ahead with excellence is my motivation
Every time it get hard
I just think of that phrase
And continue my education
Thinking about when I get my high school diploma
How much paper I will be making
When I have a family
I will be bringing in all the bacon
I left bad and went good and left no traces
Hendrix got me on the Novanet
Working ahead, no faking
These tests are my life
Ain’t no time for procrastinating
School is the way I be raking in all the information
Instead of getting paid with money
I’m getting paid with education
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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.
Dear Free Minds Poet,
Your poem reminds me of a line from a George Harrison song (the Beatles): “Try to realize it’s all within yourself / No-one else can make you change.” Keep movin’ ahead! ~Mary
Your choice of words is so definite and impactful. Every line feels carefully pieced together to evoke the mood that is being expressed through text. Thank you great writer.