Untitled
By VB
I came from nothing
or so they claim.
But something from nothing
is outrageous.
You need
at least
a lil’ bit
to make
anything.
I’m here to stay,
forever I’ll remain
a Free Mind,
Open Heart.
My actions
you won’t dictate.
19 Comments
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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.
I enjoyed this immensely and it reminded me of a quote an incarcerated individual once told me. While volunteering in prison one day, someone told me, “Prison doesn’t contain how far I can reach.” No matter the sentence, prison absolutely doesn’t contain how far you can reach. Keep on growing, keep on expanding your mind, and please keep on writing.
Thank you for writing this simply yet eloquently. I shall hang it on a wall, to keep myself grounded. Please keep on creating, you made a tiny difference in my day.
The poem is nice! Thank you for sharing! 🙂
This is awesome! We are all something and there is immense power in declaring our worth. Happy New Year.
“something from nothing is outrageous”– I love this line. It speaks of two things: you literally can’t grow something from nothing (a crazy impossibility) and it makes me (the reader) wonder what wonderfully outrageous (not crazy but courageous) person you will become.
I think that this is a really powerful piece with a very strong structure. Especially with the first four lines, the line breaks add so much to the message. In general, the piece has great shape and rhythm. I like how you start strong and then the shape of the poem goes narrow in the middle before coming out on the lines “I’m here to stay” “forever I’ll remain” and “you won’t dictate.” I also think that it is powerful that the two longest lines end in “nothing,” looking purely at the structure of the poem, they stand out and above the other words on the page, whether or not it was intended, seem to illustrate the point that nothing can be something.
The point you made here really resonated with me. Everyone comes from somewhere and I like how you emphasize how you are here to stay.
AMAZING! You put a new spin on an old phrase, showing how destructive it can be to forget your past and all the love and work in your life. I love the line “Free Mind, Open Heart,” showing that no matter where your body is, you still control your own thoughts and feelings. When you used passive voice in the last line, you catch the reader by surprise (in a great way). Stay strong, you’re doing great!
This is really expressive and I love how you reference Free Minds in your poem as both a call out to the organization and a representation of the idea of widening one’s horizons
The words have a really great rhythm to them. The way they flow is really nice.
This is such a beautiful sentiment that no one is nothing.I love the idea that you have to be just a little bit of something.
Thank you for sharing this with us…….powerful messages here…….
The author’s poem is very good, thank you for writing the poem.
VB,
A strong poem with a message we all can learn from. In today’s society, a lot of us become swayed by others’ opinions and let them drag us down. But, your poem is a staunch reminder that we are the definers of ourselves. Thank you for sharing!
TB, thank you for sharing your words with us. While short in length, there is power in your poem and your words. You provide such a light and inspiration to those who may feel as though they are capped or stuck in prison with no ending or no getting better. Truly, no one can dictate you thoughts, hopes, and dreams. Thank you again.
Hi VB, my name is Emily and I attend school in Detroit. As part of one of the English classes I am taking, we are engaging in service and community and that was how I found this website. I loved your poem because you aren’t letting the system dictate you. You are still yourself and you are allowed to make your life what you want. You are an open heart and free mind like you say and have the power to chose how you live. While short, your poem got your point across. No one can control you but yourself. I hope that you are able to break free from the chains of the system and create the life you want to live. You are powerful and strong and can control your own fate. Your poem showed me that I need to take control of my life and make it mine. No one defines who I am but myself. Thank you so much for sharing this!
Hi VB, my name is Emily and I attend school in Detroit. I am currently in an English class which incorporates service and community into its course work and that is how I came across your website. I found your writing very interesting especially how you only had a few words or sometimes only a single word in a line. I am so glad that you realize that you do come from something and are still important. It is so easy to get lost in this world and it seems like you are trying to find your way. You always will be yourself and I hope that you continue to pursue writing because I loved your work. It was interesting to see inside your mind and how you won’t let people dictate you. You still try to be yourself and live how you can. Please stay this way and never get lost in the shuffle.
Yes, I love this poem, and I love the positive attitude you have in this poem. My favorite line is “Forever I remain a Free Mind, Open Mind.” This is one of the few poems after many that I’ve read where you have a positive mindset on life. It is really important to understand that you can still make a positive out of a negative. I also enjoyed the way that you spaced out the lines of the poem, it was very creative. Keep up the amazing work!
Hi VB,
I really enjoyed reading your powerful poem. In our world today, so many decisions are made on what other people think is right. Your inspirational poem reminded me to make sure that I define myself and my decisions. I also liked the rhythm and structure of your writing, as it made the poem flow well. Thank you for sharing this important message.