If You Wanta Know

By Alisha, Free Minds Poet Ambassador

 I won’t write just to write
Even though they ask me to fill this space with words
They wanta know why I sing and set birds free.
They want to see my faded past
From a story line of poetic theories
Of rocky poetry…
They want me to fill this space
So I tell them
If you want to know of my life
Go into the darkest place of your soul
And let a little light shine through… then reach
And if you wanta know where I’ve been
Just read a book on evolution,
And if you wanta know where I’m going
Just kiss the plams of my hands
Because I’m evolving outa darkness
And grabbing on to life
Just so I can fill your space
With wise words

This poem was written on the recent Free Minds retreat to Sandy Spring Friends School, after walking in silence through a former stretch of the Underground Railroad. 

 

4 Comments

  1. pam on August 12, 2013 at 9:21 PM

    Love this poem! It is smart and sassy. Thanks for sharing.

  2. Ed Jones on August 13, 2013 at 11:37 PM

    I love the big gutsy voice in this poem, how no-nonsense it is and, at the same time, how generous. And it does it all inside the frame of the prompt, which points how the arbitrary nature of the assignment even as it goes beyond it. Very cool!

  3. schmedrake on August 26, 2013 at 5:53 PM

    Whoa, Alisha. You’ve got skillz!

  4. Rebecca Roka on October 3, 2013 at 3:14 PM

    This is so great. Thank you.

Leave a Comment





This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

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.