TROUBLED YOUTH

HE WAS LOST, WHEN A SMALL LAD,
HE DELVED INTO POETRY THAT'S ALL HE  HAD
A LARGE FAMILY BUT STILL ALONE,
YET ALL THAT CHANGED WHEN HE HAD GROWN,
ELEVEN YEARS OF TORTUROUS HELL
SOMETIMES HE WOULD WANT TO SCREAM AND YELL
UNTIL ONE DAY, A FIGHT HE FOUGHT, A FIST IN THE FACE
AN ARGUMENT OVER NAUGHT, A RELEASE OF RAGE
A LONG AWAITED COMING OF AGE, A FEELING OF OPPRESSION
UNBINDING OF CHAINS
NEVER NEEDING TO FACE IT AGAIN.
ALTHOUGH MEEKLY HE WOULD TRAVEL THROUGH LIFE WITH GOOD FRIENDS AND AN ADORING WIFE.
NOT EVEN ONCE WOULD HE FORGET THAT DAY
HE WOULD BOW ON HIS KNEES TO THANK GOD AND PRAY
THEN IT CAME AROUND, HE WAS GIVEN THE SACK BY HIS CONTROLLING BOSS BECAUSE HE WAS BLACK.
"WHY?" HE ASKED IN DISMAY .
 HIS BOSS SAID "COZ I'M SICK OF LOOKING AT YOU, FROM JANUARY TILL MAY.
NOW GET OUT OF MY PREMISES AND JOIN THE CHAIN GANG
ANGER TOOK OVER FOR HE SEE RED
ONE PUNCH IN THE FACE HIS BOSS FELL DOWN DEAD
THE JUDGE ASKED WHY HAD HE COMMITTED THIS CRIME
THEN ORDERED HIM TO JAIL FOR A VERY LONG TIME
HE HUNG HIS HEAD IN SORROW FOR THIS SIN
HE WENT TO PRISON AND POETRY WOULD BEGIN
VERSE AFTER VERSE HE WOULD WRITE SOFT WORDS
OF LOVE AND DESPAIR AND THREE LITTLE BIRDS
UNTIL ONE DAY HE COULD TAKE NO MORE
HE PUT THE ROPE UP AND SLAMMED SHUT THE DRAWER
A SMALL POEM HE HAD WROTE ON THIS DAY
MAY GOD FORGIVE ME AND ALSO MARY MAE.
LAID IN A GRAVE BY A SMALL CROSS
SWEET WORDS ON A PLATE
GOD FORGIVES SINNERS AND THOSE WHO ARE LOST