What I Want
By TH
I want to be free as a bird in the sky.
I want to become a published author
and pass on a book of advice to my daughter.
I want to be loved and give love
to someone becoming worthy of being called my wife.
I want the federal system to fully acknowledge youthful offenders
incarcerated for offenses committed before their 25th birthday,
just like the IRAA and The Second Look Act already do in D.C.*
I want to travel to Mecca to make Hajj
I want to eat pizza in Rome
I want to drive up the Calfornia coastline in a convertible
I want to speak to the youth to tell them it’s a better way to earn a living
I want to start a non-profit for kids with incarcerated parents.
Last but not least I want to give back more than I take from the world.
*The Incarceration Reduction Amendment Act (IRAA) and the Second Look Amendment Act are DC laws that state that individuals incarcerated for crimes committed when they were under 25 can petition the court for resentencing after 15 years of incarceration
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.