To My Youths

By CL

Don’t let my action be your consequences
Don’t let my lie be your truth
Don’t let my ways be your path 
Don’t let my likes be your loves

Don’t let my past be your future 
Don’t let my knowledge stop your knowledge from growing
Let my past be your ambition to do better
Because at the end of the day your choices
Will be the outcome of your future which
Is the youths after you

Peace!

Please educate Allah’s children everyday

14 Comments

  1. Ian on April 9, 2020 at 2:56 PM

    CL,
    I think this is a very powerful piece so I thank you for sharing it with us. I think this is a poem that many youths will benefit from reading. You have a firm grasp of how choices and paths taken can have serious consequences down the road. I really like these themes and I encourage you to expand on them and continue to share. Thank you again for sharing your work.

  2. Hayley on April 13, 2020 at 12:50 PM

    Hi CL,
    I really liked and resonated with this poem. I work in a school, and everyday before going to work, I try and ask “How can I improve the lives of my students?” I feel like you have a similar mindset, and it’s admirable that you want to help others learn from your mistakes. You’ve shown that you’ve learned from your mistakes and can use your knowledge to make the lives of today’s youth better. Thanks for sharing.

  3. Kayelynn on April 13, 2020 at 4:57 PM

    Dear CL,

    I feel you did a great job of advocating that children shouldn’t let others influence them because at the end of the day, they are the ones living their lives, not anyone else. Your strong voice shines through your writing and it’s easy for readers to tell that you’re very passionate about the topics/things you care about. Thank you for sharing this poem!

  4. Rachel Sorkenn on April 23, 2020 at 2:45 PM

    Really enjoyed reading your poem. I like how you take accountability for your actions and are trying to help others. People make mistakes and your poem can help shape the way others lives will be. Great Job!

  5. Sydney on April 23, 2020 at 7:56 PM

    CL,

    The first line hooked me in. It really made me feel the conversation between generations. To begin with, “think of the consequences of your actions” is a phrase most kids have heard from the adults in their lives, so it really reflects the kind of intergenerational conversation going on in this poem. Also, the way you phrase it made me think more about the passage of time; how everyone’s past shapes someone else’s future in some way. I really admire how you’re using your past and your present to shape the future of younger generations in a positive way.

    I like the words you chose throughout the poem—they’re simple and clear, but powerful and packed with meaning. I also like the shift that happens in the last stanza, when you say “Let my past be your /ambition/…” It moves the focus away from avoiding the pitfalls of the past to actively building a better future. The lines after that really tie the whole poem together by revisiting the beginning (actions to consequences, choices to outcomes), and then bringing it back to the idea of a better future, vested in generations to come.

    This poem reflects on unfortunate events, but what I find so beautiful about it is that you turn these events into lessons and create peace out of turmoil. Thank you for sharing this and spreading your message.

    —Sydney

  6. Donovan on April 24, 2020 at 8:29 AM

    CL this poem is very important for a litany of reasons. It reminds the youth not to let the older generation define who they are and who will they become. It encourages people to have their own experiences and live their own lives and that’s a very powerful message. Donovan

  7. Katie on May 1, 2020 at 12:07 PM

    You futuristic, but also nostalgic poem is very insightful. I hope you continue to write because your words are very touching. Thank you for sharing.

  8. Christine T. on May 14, 2020 at 2:29 PM

    Dear CL,

    Thank you for sharing such an impactful poem. I think the emphasis on learning from the mistakes of others, in order to carve a different and more positive path is evident through your writing. Like you, I believe there should be much more emphasis placed on educating today’s youth on the long-term consequences of immediate actions, as many do not think about the implications that these actions may have, simply choosing to focus on the short-term. As the saying goes, “Those who do not learn from history are doomed to repeat it”– this is not only applicable to global and political history but also the histories of those around us in our communities, who can teach us important lessons through the mistakes that they have made. At the end of your poem where you say “Because at the end of the day your choices/Will be the outcome of your future which/Is the youths after you…” you highlight the very important reality that not only do the youth of today need to be taught about this cause of effect of negative decisions, but that teaching them affects generations to come.

    Again, thank you so much for sharing!

    Best,
    Christine T.

  9. Trish on October 19, 2020 at 6:50 PM

    Thank you for sharing your poem, CL. It highlights this importance of learning from our past mistakes so that we don’t repeat them. I love that you highlight the importance of seeking more knowledge and thinking before we act so that long-term. I think the repetition of first 6 lines hits this message home very well.

  10. JM on November 11, 2020 at 1:48 PM

    Dear CL,

    Thank you for sharing this poem. I really liked it because it was so simple and impactful, with such a powerful message. I think it’s really wise and selfless of you to talk about how the next generation should learn from the mistakes of the past one. Oftentimes adults are unwilling to acknowledge that they messed up, when in reality, all adults do, and the best thing we can do when we make a mistake is to learn from it. Even though this is a poem that says not to follow in your footsteps, I know there are many things you’ve done right as well because of the open-minded attitude you hold and the hope you have for future generations. I also work in education, so I was especially inspired by your message to educate children and prepare the way for them to have bright futures.

    Thanks for sharing this impactful poem,
    JM

  11. AK on February 24, 2021 at 11:23 PM

    CL,
    Thank you for sharing your piece! It was so well written and had such a powerful message. It is incredibly selfless of you to talk about the side of consequence that hasn’t been seen, one where our actions transcend generations. Often, instead of admitting to their faults, adults blame the children for their perils and force them into the same habits. Your open-minded, selfless, and positive attitude is one that we can all take note from. You would be an inspiration to children and show them the way to a better lifestyle where they feel empowered rather than weighed upon by their past. My question for you is, what would your ideal audience for this poem be? Could this refer to the older generations as well teaching them that they do not have to be bound by their past selves but instead change to help the future. Thank you again for sharing!

  12. Katie on May 3, 2021 at 3:59 PM

    CL,
    I love your take on how we need to use the pasts and experiences of others to explore and take into the future. I also appreciate how your message conveys a strong tie to the ideals that we create what is in our lives and we shouldn’t let our lives be affected by the actions of others. We are the creators of our destiny and we should be proud of how we handle our lives and our problems. Lastly I enjoyed how you emphasized the importance of creating better choices so that those who come after us will have better lives because of said choices.

  13. MM on December 2, 2021 at 4:30 PM

    CL,

    Hi, I’m MM and I came across your poem while scrolling through Free Minds, and it stood out to me. I really enjoyed your poem; it brings a new perspective to me. I found it very powerful how you strive to be an example for somebody, or to remind them life doesn’t need to be like that. I think that’s very noble of you and deserving of recognition.

    Your grasp on choices is one to behold. Even though I don’t know you, I can tell you have insights and wisdom just by reading your poem. Your encouraging words about the lives we can live is powerful. The rhythm your create in your lines, especially with your pattern of words of “don’t let my — be your —“ is so effective. I found the rhythm really moving, too, especially because you are using the word “my” referring to yourself. It’s very honorable to refer to and own up to your past mistakes. I think your message gives hope for young people and those who are just coming to that age where they start making decisions that will impact their entire life.

    Poems like this can serve as a great reminder to others of what is possible. Taking your story and applying it to their own lives can give them a goal. I really hope that you write another poem soon. I would like to see more of your poems, and perhaps you can expand on this idea of hope and teaching younger generations. It’s incredibly important to educate our youth and keep them out of trouble for they are our future. I truly appreciated your poem and I think it will have a lasting effect on me. I will carry these words with me and remember the message your put into words. Thanks for your work, I hope to read more someday.

    MM

  14. Free Minds Book Club on September 30, 2022 at 5:16 PM

    Message from the poet:

    Thank you for your insight on my poems, and also I’m pleased to know that I touched your hearts because it let me know I’m doing my part to uplift the next person in these times. If we don’t reach out to help the next person, at the end we all failed because the youth is the ones who going to carry the torch when we gone, so if we don’t teach them now how will they pass it on to their young when the time come?

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