When you Look at Me your Honor, What is it that you See?

So tired of being a Number and Not having a True Identity.

Having to Live a Life separate because of BAD Choices I have made.

I know inside I have Changed and now won’t Live that Life again.

But I am being held to Living in the Cell Even though I know I won’t Re-offend.

You see me as my Mistakes. 

You See me as just another Crime.

You Think you can solve all these Social issues by giving me this Time?

You don’t Look inside Me and try to see the Man I truly want to be.

You just look at my past when you’re judging me.

You don’t see the abuse I endured as a Child or a young man.

You Don’t see the dreams that have Slipped away.

Like So many grains of Sand.

The scars are not just on my body but they Cover me inside.

The things I had to do just to even Survive.

True it’s Not your Fault.

You never knew me before Today but you make a snap decision.

Based on what is said by a D.A. to you I am just a Number, Another Criminal Case, but to my Family I’m a Son, A Father, A Husband, a Friend.

Someone who wipes my Child’s tears away, You see I have dreams & Aspirations.

I Just need a fair chance.

I desperately want to do more than Survive.

I want to be a really good man.

You see I Served my Country and did things that they asked me to do.

I Saw & did things I am not proud of.

You wouldn’t even have a clue.

The atrocities of War and the Terror I had to face Just so you could drive these streets and work inside this place.

 You have all your Freedom, You have all your rights because of Women & Men Like me who have laid down their lives.

There are things I have done I’m not proud of, so don’t Judge me too harshly.

I am a product of a Government who asked too much of me.

I came home not knowing who I was on what was Really True.

Yes, I made some mistakes but wouldn’t even you?

So when you think you know who I AM

Just by looking at charges on my rap sheet

Remember I once was a Strong & Worthy Man before I gave myself away so easily and when I get home. 

I will chase my dreams again. 

So will you Please re-consider and allow me another chance?

 

Written by

Russell Scott Cole