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Poetry: Attitude

by Patricia Gilliam

The Self-Made Prisoner-The Importance of Attitude

Once there was a prisoner

caged within a city.

The townspeople would walk by,

and they would stare at him in pity.

As a stranger I approached him

and asked him of his fate.

He said, "There was no crime,

but let me tell you who I hate:

I can trace all of my problems

right up my family tree.

My circumstances and other people

are why I am not free.

So I sit here in this prison,

hoping for the day,

when I'm the one outside this cage,

and they're the ones who pay!

Until then I'll keep waiting,

for someone to let me out.

Someday it will happen,

of that I have no doubt."

It was then when I looked down

and could finally understand.

The keys to this man's prison

were right there in his hand.

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