Listen

by Danny Vince Cox

Listen—
Stems from the heart of a well-seasoned O.G.
That’s O.G. as in the original gentleman,
one who has erred much too often,
but now has softened,
and has high hopes of reaching and teaching
pre-dominantly the youth,
no one excluded, all of us included,
that we may curtail our erratic behavior,
reconnect with our savior,
and become more effective human beings.

Please listen,
you in blue like I,
know we are missing, out,
on a wonderful life that we forfeited for
prison politics and strife.
This kind of life ain’t nice.
No!
I’m not content, until I’m totally spent,
my quest is to prevent
our youth
from making the same mistakes
you and I made.

The lifestyle we previously lived was
moronic,
some demonic,
thus it’s ironic
this message comes from a guy like myself,
whose life is basically on the shelf.
I’m doing twenty-five with a “L”
for a twenty dollar sale
of rock cocaine. Years confined. Over ten.
How do I explain to my family and friends
when this misery ends.
I can’t—
it’s hell.
Young America, stay out of jail.

So I share with our youth,
be young, have fun,
but in society don’t be out there doing
something that can ruin
the rest of your natural lives.
Instead, choose a life that’s constructive,
productive,
sometimes be exclusive
but do the thing that’s conducive
to making the world a better place.