Life journey

By: 

Omar

F

We are grateful to our colleagues at Inside Time for allowing us to reproduce these poems. Inside Time is the national newspaper for prisoners and detainees. Read more here https://insidetime.org/

Everyone’s in a battle, there’s a war we’re tryna win

They either lost a family member or they’ve fallen into sin

But it’s how you overcome this that leads to better things

So listen up my brothers you’re due to be a king

I’ve learnt a lot about myself and learnt a lot in life

I haven’t even let a tear fall down since the age of nine

I held all of my anger in and kept acting like I’m fine

But deep down I’m suffering the suns my only shine

I wish I was a normal kid that never got detention

But I showed off to the other kids, I loved to get attention

Mum said I need to stop these things there was a lot of tension

Now I can’t even get a job let alone a pension

Money was my only love, I used to fight to get it

No matter what the consequence I’d lie, I’d rob, I’d sell it

How I’d turned to this evil child I’ll surely never know

Now my years are stacking up I’ve stopped, I’m done, I won’t

If I got myself a ticket to grab the time I’ve lost

I’d tell myself to dead it if only you knew the cost

Because life is quick and precious we’re family on a rock

Don’t live your life a menace my guy be cool with God

All these years in prison have been a learning curve

I’m happy, I’m done, I’m finished with the things that made me hurt

I could have taken a different turn where they carry me in a hearse

But I’m happy, I’m done, I’m finished with the things that made me worse.

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Become a Member

Our Members are champions of literature. Their support makes our engagement work in schools and prisons possible and they enable us to celebrate literature in all its wonderful diversity. As a thank you, we give them all the joys of a literary festival and book club rolled into one, all year round.