About the Poetry Blog
The poets featured on this page 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. These 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.
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Life Choices
Life is way crazy and I know
You know what I mean
Since Day One
Learning how to walk on your own
Two feet and everything was never what it seemed
S**t happens for no reason
And don’t nobody know why
People always got their heads in the clouds
And know damn well they can’t fly
I was told Don’t ever do or say something and don’t stick to your word
Cause people depend on you and lying could really hurt
But if you’re a person that’s sincere and mean what you say when
things start to go wrong
You don’t walk the other way
You do what you can to make it work
Life may be crazy but you can’t never give up
Even when you run out of road
And you’re riding rocks and dust
Freaky House of Pain (6)
Life is so stressing
And when I was in society I was lost
But now as I’m sitting in my cell
I realize I have a future
It’s something in life that’s going to help me fight
If Only…
If only I was born with a silver spoon
If only life was easy
If only I stayed in school instead of being the class fool
If only we had money and I was a popular kid
Would I have dropped out?
Probably not.
I wouldn’t have to hustle
I probably would never have been shot
Maybe not even stabbed
But a life like that is rare on the South Side
If only I was a different color
Would the judge have showed a lil bit more compassion?
If only I had a chance to be a kid instead of a thug
If only I could go on all day
If only I wasn’t in this cell
And I didn’t have to worry about lights out
If only…
Lockdown
Lockdown is not cool
I don’t want to be on lockdown on 23-1
But it cool
I’m cooling down but lockdown make you think about a lot
And think about your freedom
And on lockdown you can have a free mind
And on lockdown you can be by yourself doin’ a lot of things
Sometimes I get mad ‘cause I can’t see my mother
So that’s why I like lockdown sometime…
Way Out
Sometimes I think that it no way out
Sometimes I think it know way out
But I know that I be home soon you know
Being lock up is not for me
Father God forgive me and look over me
Father God please help me
Roses Are Red
Roses are red
Violets are blue
I love you
And you know I do
Sometimes we fight
But I lay next to you at night
And know everything will be alright
Your love is like a train
That makes my heart choo choo
But me without you
Is like a clock without a cuckoo
Untitled (I was walking to the trashcan…)
I was walking to the trashcan throwing my chips in the trash
When I was stopped and handcuffed in front of my neighborhood store
I had an adult warrant and not I’m here
And everybody seen me getting arrested
I felt dumb as a doornail
The handcuffs were as tight as a screw on a bike
My stomach felt like the drop zone at Kings Dominion
My head pounded like a left hook from Ali
Just Think of Me as A… Change!!
Lil Boy 2 Man in Making
Just think of me as a king
But not God
Just think of me as being an excellent person
And not a perfect human
Just think of me as a warrior
And not just a Fighter
Just think of me as being a young man learning from my mistakes
And not a young dumb*** criminal
Just think of me as a Female Lover
And not just a roller wit B****s
Just think of me as Father
And NOT just some young sperm donor
Just think of me as the BEST OF ME
And not just ME!!
Hold On
Hold on to your love
Hold on to your dream
Don’t let it go away
Hold on to the love
Hold on to the dream
Don’t let it fly away
Mak it stay
Da Topic!!!
Every morning I pray.
It’s not one morning dat go by that I wake up and be walking out these prison gates.
And show da young men dat da road I drove down is something they don’t want to experience.
For me to be young and still got a whole lot of life ahead of me,
I never wanted dis life.
For me here, it is I’m 21 years old and wake up in a jail cell not knowing when my time will
come.
When I’ll be able to walk out these prison gates.
And I hurt more cause I know I’m a young, intelligent man dat got a lot to offer.
The Meaning of ‘Saved’
Saved means to be helped by someone
When really needed at a bad time
And you get the help you needed
And you be happy that you got saved
When you needed it
That’s what it means to be saved.
Love Life
Loving Life
The only way you have fun in life
Is to love life
In order to do anything in life
You must love life
And loving life means
Appreciating the things life has to offer
You must cherish the life God gave you
Loving life