To the Incarcerated Youth by Jeffrey Lamar Young

To the incarcerated Youth
By: Jeffrey Lamar Young
November 2012

 

Lovable V.I.P. seeking transformation to achieve their dreams

A mistake was made at a very young age

At the time the decision seemed right

But now you see the light and you’re ready to change

Poor decisions don’t mean you’re stupid

Like everyone else it only means you’re human

Yet you live in a world that defines you y your past

Thy are quick to judge you and will punish you fast

Rather than nurture you they lock you in a concrete box

Where they might talk down to you and they’ll surely feed you slop

But through this unjust struggle you must always remember

This is not a sign of your value, it’s a sign of their failure

Your breath itself is an indication of your great worth

Your excellence was placed inside you on the day of your birth

You are Lovable, Valuable, Important and Powerful

It’s genetic, in all people so there’s no need to be doubtful

Say yes to your dreams because they can be achieved

Poor, abused, abandon or a young girl with a baby

You still have something special to give to all of humanity

Believe in you and know that others believe in you too

For when Martin Luther King, Ida B. Wells, Sitting Bull and

Eleanor Roosevelt dreamed of a future

They dreamt of you

Dreams born out of the harshest reality do come true

YOU are the proof, YOU are a living dream, the future is YOU

The course of change can be hard to traverse

But a map has been made by the struggle of your ancestors

Study them long and study them hard

See yourself and your struggles in others

and despite the pain, love will exist in your heart

Turn your anger into a relentless focus on success

The entire world is in need of you, just give us your best.

Personal change is manifested from words from within

Through this great power the poetry of your life begins….

Jeffrey Young #213390

Minnesota Adult Correctional Facility

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OID# 213390
7600 525th St.
Rush City, MN 55069