Student Poetry
Here are a few poems from our incarcerated students who are in the Orange County Department of Education’s ACCESS Program.
My New Home
These are song lyrics by a female student who wanted to write about the new home that she will create for herself once she is released. A home full of peace and joy.
Reminiscing, smiling
wondering where I’ll go
on the sandy beach
the warm sand under my toes
I don’t want to fly home
let the waves sway me
away from home
bring me to a place
filled with joy
that will be my new home
that will be my new home
Why Didn’t I Listen?
We saw a lot of growth in this male student, he was ready to make some big changes in his life.
Why didn’t I listen to the
street lights when they told me
to go home at night?
Why didn’t I listen to my mother,
when she told me to do right?
Why didn’t I listen to my parole officer
when he told me to stay out of the hood?
Why didn’t I listen to the judge
when he said, “I’ll give you a chance.”
Yet I knew in advance that living a life of sin is playing a game
I’ll never win. I know I’m smart I have a brain
this jail routine is driving me insane.
I think it’s time for a change
before my life goes down the drain.
My freedom is what I’m missing
but why, why didn’t I listen?
Sheep
These song lyrics speak about this female student’s life in prison
The paint you left started to chip
The lies you speak fall off your lips
And I know I tend to let it show
Paper wasted loss of tree
Carved out log set out to sea
But I’ll save the human race
Without leaving a trace of me
Chorus
Well I’ve spent days counting sheep
Who won’t shut up won’t let me sleep
I know the hill you run is steep
But it doesn’t excuse the life you choose
Or why all your talk is cheap
Twenty girls locked up so tight
Inside a box with angles right
Eyes cover the wall, vampires in the halls
On the outside looking in
We’re the ones who never win
To them we look all the same
So we must be alike in some way