Wait 4 Me
By AS
Wait 4 Me
Because I’m almost free
No more cuffs on my hands
No more shackles on my feet
No more waking up sad
No more crying to sleep
I’m tired of commissary bags
& stupid kiosk machines
I’m almost free
1 million things on my mind
Like when I leave out these doors
Ain’t no more count time
No more waking up 4 dimes
I’m tired of watching Fox 5
I’m on my way to R&D*
With a Kool-Aid smile
*Receiving & Discharge
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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.
AS,
Thank you for sharing this poem! It makes me so happy to think of your freedom and life ahead of you. I loved the images you created by describing the TV and kiosks. I wish you the best!
KC
This poem is very creative and I enjoy how real everything is while also keeping it positive. Perseverance is the key to success and this poem is a step in the right direction. This piece is very emotional and keeps the reader engaged. Freedom is something all humans seek and this poem shows how much everyday people including me take for granted. This poem starts off on the sadder side but ends on a positive note which is very important. You got this and remember the best is yet to come!
This prisoner wrote a poem about how he is almost set free. He is talking about how he will have no more cuffs on his hands, no more shackles on his feet, no more waking up sad, and no more crying him self to sleep. This prisoner is excited to get out and restart his life again. He talks about when he gets set free he wouldn’t have to worry about a million things on his mind and watching fox 5 news everyday.
This made me feel a lot of emotion. You started out saying “ I’m almost free” which gave me such hope for your future and excited for you. In the middle of the poem you go into your experience and wow that was powerful. The line that stuck out to me the most was “ No more waking up sad, No more crying to sleep”, this was powerful because it painted a picture in my mind of how lonely the nights must be and how much you miss everything. You’ve obviously been through hell and back, but your poem put a smile on my face when you said “ On my way to R & D, with a Kool Aid smile” I can see the picture of this in my brain you smiling ear to ear and seeing whoever meets you at the end of this dark tunnel. I hope you keep writing because this poem speaks volumes.
This poem caught my attention for many reasons. It made me realize much more deeply what it may be like to be incarcerated and have the worry of the people you love moving on without you before you are freed. I sit here worrying about that happening now that I have moved to college, but the fact of the matter is that is not nearly the same. I still get to have my family visit and take me out whenever we please, and I now acknowledge that that is not a luxury that everyone has. But while I am sure this struggle has been incredibly painful and worrisome to you; you have almost made it through. And you are creating art out of your struggle that is so painfully beautiful, even to the eyes of a stranger. Thank you so much for allowing me to read your work. I am so grateful to have gotten the opportunity to give feedback on such a touching piece.
I think this poem reflects positively and high spirits of almost being free. I like the words used in this poem and wouldn’t change much. I like the repetition of “I’m almost free” because it shows how important it is to the narrator. One thing I would suggest is maybe changing the ending so it flows better and so it ties back into the story’s meaning. Other than that awesome job!
Freedom in whatever form or situation is necessary. It is something we all look too and can relate to. Whether it be financial freedom, emotional, Freedom to express oneself or Freedom to choose one’s state in life. It is good to have hope and stay positive that one day we can all get to experience the freedom we seek to be liberated. Stay strong.
This is such a great piece of work! I am so happy that you’ll get to be free. When you get released, please keep writing poetry. The words you used were descriptive and emotional. I can imagine what you see and feel. I wish the poem would have been a bit longer going into how prison affected you emotionally. I know incarceration is hard, but it would be nice to be able to tell the whole side of the story.
This is really cute!
I really like the repetition of the word “no”. I feel like it makes each statement more powerful. While I have never been in this situation, your poem is really thought-provoking and helps me imagine how I would feel if i was in this scenario. Great work overall!
AS your poem made me really think what a lot of people were going through in the earliness of 2020. But I can never understand what you are going through this time. All I can do is wish whoever you see after you get set free that they too will love and care about you always. What I really enjoyed about your poem was the Kool-Aid smile, that was really clever of you and applaud you for that.
I thought this poem was very hopeful and looked more at the brighter things in situations. I can feel the excitement of finally getting out, and doing the time. I can only imagine what was going through the author’s head when stated “1 million things on my mind,” I’m just picturing all the things you are thinking about doing when you get out and the life that is still out there that was missed. You gave us an insight into the sadness and pain of being cuffed and shackled, now you do not have to count the time until you get out as it is so closely approaching.
Dear AS,
I am so happy for you and your discharge. Each line you wrote, shows how unfree of a feeling you have been through is. I love how positive you are in this poem about the future as well. Although I don’t know your story from the beginning, I can definitely guarantee you have grown so much as a person just from these few lines. I am proud of you for already planning “1 million” ideas and stuff to do with your new future and the growth you have made along this whole process.
I really like this poem! It shows that even in a dark time, you always have to look forward because there will be good coming soon. You did a great job of expressing how a lot of people in hard situations feel. It is important to look for the good.
This poem is really strong, and it is very exciting and powerful to finally be set free. I loved the imagery you used, and in a way, I felt like I was there with you. You have done all of this hard work and preparation to be set free, so go live the rest of your life to the fullest. Be proud of what you have finished and gone through, but remember how much you will never want to go back. I believe in you, you got this!
This poem is incredibly expressive and evokes many emotions from the reader. I love the internal rhyme that appears in every other line (me, free, feet, sleep, etc.), and it proves that you are well-versed in poetic technique. The imagery in this piece is extraordinarily vivid (my favorite line was “I’m on my way to R&D / With a Kool-Aid smile”; so unique and visceral!) and the meticulously added details about the dichotomous aspects of prison and freedom really make this poem an emotional punch to the gut! The inclusion of the mental, psychological and emotional toll your experiences have had paint an astonishingly evocative portrait in the reader’s mind of the triumph of the human spirit; despite all of the hardships you’ve endured, you have been able to persevere and are now staring into the face of liberty, so all of your hard work is finally paying off. It makes the reader experience wildly different feelings, and each one hammers home the fact that this short poem has a powerhouse impact on those who are lucky enough to read it. This poem was lovely, please keep writing more like it!!
Yes! Freedom is what we all long for be it mental, emotional, financial, or from incarceration. Continue to stay strong and be positive as you await for that day to be released 🙂
AS,
Your work speaks loud and clear. The words show the emotions and feelings you hold inside. I love how you’re able to show what you look forward to in the future and that you soon will reach the place you have looked towards for what seems like ages now. If I could give any feedback, you could possibly extend your poem just a little bit. I think what you have is really good but adding a little more could make it even better. Best of luck to you!
The message of your poem has such light tones that suits your positive message. The verbalization of your thoughts and emotions reflected over the process is elegant. Your word choice allows the poem to flow, enriching the poem to the reader.
Hi AS,
The message you are putting out there is bittersweet. The concept of “waiting” for someone or something is a huge risk and sometimes may come with a high reward. In the end, if something is meant to be it will happen! Great job on this and a great way to look at the positive side!
Hi AS, I love this piece because it offers a sense of hope. I can feel the emotion and anticipation coming from your words. Your use of numbers throughout the poem is a nice added touch as well. I love the last line, “Kool-aid smile”. It made me smile. This is a great poem about better days yet to come.
AS,
I can feel the joy and hope in your words! I love how you combine a feeling of restlessness with anticipation. Keep writing and making others smile!
Hey AS, this poem is so so powerful! I can really feel the emotions in your words and I thank you for sharing them. I can sense your strength and I want you to remember to always stay strong even in hard times! I wish you the best!
Hi AS,
I really enjoyed your poem. This poem makes me feel happy and hopeful especially for you. I’m glad that even while you are where you are now you are still hopeful and staying positive for when you get to reunite with the world and your loved ones. This is a real health way to stay hopeful and happy during your time. The last sentence was really awesome, it gave it a much-needed bit of humor to wrap it up. Great Job on this AS!
Hi AS,
This poem is so powerful. The first part of the poem is very saddening and must’ve been difficult to deal with, but I think it makes the happy part of the poem that follows even more emotional. The way that you were able to express your feelings regarding these experiences is amazing and allowed the reader a little bit of insight into your world. I love how in the second part of the poem, where you talk about your discharge, and the things that you’re looking forward to, I felt the happiness through your language. Thank you for sharing & I wish you the best!
Ainsley
The repetition of “no more” creates a sense of a new start with hope. The word no is contrast with the negativity that follows. It makes me happy to know their is freedom ahead of you. As well as describing your freedom this poem describes a experience inside. This poem changes the negative into the positive especially in the last line “with a Kool-aid smile”. This line i can picture a smile making me feel very hopeful.
Hi AS,
I truly loved reading your poem! It was both sad and hopeful which is such a great mixture when reading poems. You did a great job with the repetition of “No more” which added emphasis of your soon to be freedom. It also helped the poem flow and made it easy to read. Keep it up!
Thank you for sharing your poem! It was beautiful to read about the positive future thoughts on life ahead of you. The imagery was truly so creative and can really feel the emotions through the words. I wish you the best!
This poem is compelling. It shows the struggles of being in jail and what a prisoner experiences. You make freedom sound so sweet, and it really shows through your words.
I can feel your excitement for freedom through this poem. Ending the poem with a smile sure made me smile as well. You are incredible at conveying emotion, and the picture you painted through your words are epic! I wish you the best of luck!
This is a really good poem. You did a really good job painting a picture of your situation and the struggles you have been facing. I am really happy that you will be discharged soon. Keep your head held up high and your eye in the prize. I wish you nothing but the best!
This poem radiates hope! Reading this poems feels like being almost there, so close to getting something you have worked hard for and earned. It is lovely to see those who have been incarcerated be released and return to their lives. I believe everyone has so much to offer to this world, and I can’t wait for you to be able to accomplish everything you have wanted to! Being incarcerated cannot be easy, and I cannot imagine how it must feel to be able to return to your normal life. Best of luck!
It makes me happy to feel your excitement and joy through this poem. Even just reading the screen, I can imagine all of the things you are saying. I love the comment about the kool aid smile. I wish you the best when you are released, and thank you for sharing your writing.
The start of the poem gives the reader a sense of hope for the person seeing if they will be free. It’s very heartbreaking how they say that they were crying and lonely. Really connects with people’s ethos.
This poem captures the excitement for freedom so well. It carries so much hope and desire for what the world has to offer when you are free. It started out very emotional as you addressed the unfortunate events you went through and your experiences overall, but ending the poem with a positive note showed how you never gave up and kept going.
I really like your poem. I think a lot about the concept of time like when I was in elementary school and I had to watch the clock and wait to go home is how I relate to how you are feeling now with waiting to go home as well. Just keep ahold of your hope. You seem to be looking towards your future which is awesome keep track of your goals and do whatever it takes to achieve them. I am glad that you will be out soon and I wish you the best!
To AS-Your poem is all about hope, and your hope specifically. People in your position need a lot of hope to continue dealing with everything that’s happening. Everyone needs hope but when you’re in certain situations it can really get you through those tough times. The fact that you’re “almost free” probably means a lot to you, because you’re almost out of there. Even when you are free, I’m sure you’ll think about your time there and it will mean a lot that you’re no longer in that position. I really like how you said, “No more cuffs on my hands, No more shackles on my feet, No more waking up sad, No more crying to sleep.” Those lines show how much your life is going to change when you’re inevitably free. Great poem, thank you for sharing!
I like the upbeat rhythm of the poem that works will the prospective hope for the future. I hope that life outside is well for you!
I really the hope portrayed in this poem, and I love the imagery of a “Kool Aid Smile” that you use. Congrats on making it to R&D, and I hope you enjoy the new life you will live. You have so much to give to the world! Wishing you all the best in your future endeavors! 🙂
I am so glad to read that you are holding on to the hope for freedom because it WILL come one day and that is all you can count on. Reading your poem and writing this comment I realize the privilege and freedom I am fortunate of and couldn’t see my life without, I pray and manifest that your life will receive the same soon. Please keep using writing as an outlet, you are very good at it.
I really like the perspective of this poem. There is such an optimistic tone that it makes me feel like I am the one who is experiencing this. I hope all treats you well, and best of luck! I very much hope that you and the person you’re addressing in this poem can reunite, as well.
What I love about this poem is the repetition of the phrase “no more” holds power. It shows just how much you deal with each day behind those bars, that you are losing everything that ties you to being locked behind bars. What I also love is that these two words hold so much hope within them. I hope your time is almost done! Even after getting out keep writing your words hold power too many. Never forget that!
I really enjoyed reading this poem. The use of repetition helped me understand the value and emotion that comes with being released. I have so much hope for you and am excited for you to return to your life and do all the things you have been unable to. This was a beautiful poem. Keep up the Kool-Aid smile 🙂
This poem is great, i love how you talk about being free soon, i can feel the excitement from here, i bet you are counting down the days! i hope you are able to do all the things that are on your mind when you get out of prison. good luck to you!
Just wait for me because I’m almost free. It’s great to not feel anymore cuffs on your hands. At least you won’t be in chains anymore and will have complete freedom. It’s sucks to wake up sad and to cry to be able to go to sleep but you don’t need to do that anymore which is fantastic. You being tired of commissary bags is like being sick and tired of your crimes and past life style. 1 million things on your mind is like multitasking and that’s so hard to do and keep track of. At least you don’t have to count to keep track of time. I love the Kool-Aid smile and that’s so iconic and motivating and inspiring.
Hi AS,
I loved this poem! I really enjoyed the repetition of the letter 4 and the repetition of “No more”. My favorite line is “With a Kool-Aid smile”. I have never heard someone use that before! Good luck in your future
Hello AS, your poem is very captivating of what you are feeling. Your choice of words allows for the reader to have a clear understanding on what being free means to you. Although I don’t know you or your story I can tell by reading that were able to grow as a person. I am glad to see that you have so many ideas for your future. I know you will do great things. Stay strong!
Hello! Thank you for sharing this beautiful poem. I love how you talk about almost being free and how excited you are. I also really like that you stayed positive on getting out of prison.
I really enjoyed reading this poem. The message behind it truly made me grateful. I love the rhyme scheme you used and the imagery behind the words of this poem. You truly conveyed a story through the powerful words that you used. I think that you did and amazing job and that you are very talented!