Captive or Ready

The concept of "rescuing the captive," best describes my mission in Biblical language. Youth work is what I do, my purpose in life. Most of us are captive, especially the youth. I have written about how effective poetry is as a teaching and learning method among young that face captivity of the minds and heart. Let's face it, the lack of money is enough to stop dreams. If dreams are not pursued because of captivity, purpose is delayed or denied. The following was written by a young captive as a requirement of Indiana Black Expo in 2014. Their theme for the Youth Summit and the topic of this essay was "Ready for the World." 

Am I ready for the World

by

Adell “Isaac Inman” Badgett III

I know that I’m young, still with knowledge to spare. I pledge my promise to my brothers with the same blood we share. We come from different bearings, hair straight, locked and curled.

Still I proceed to realize that I am not ready for this world.

The world is full of love, enough to increase your heart rate. Yet every day a brother is killed, adding on to the death rate. We try to ready our troops with pistols, gear and knives. Instead let’s ready our children with knowledge...take the world by surprise.

I feel like I’m an ameba in this ocean called earth. I know that I’m not ready because I still don’t know my own worth.  Maybe using rhyme, I can illustrate an image.

 I’m NOT prepared to enter the world, for I barely know what’s in it.

Notice  how white and black races seem to always be at war. You might not see the lion, yet you still can hear him roar.

I believe that I’ll be ready when I feel the time is right. Let me reflect upon my past like LIGHT, reflecting like a cleansed armor of a knight.

I’m still depending on my mom to show me the ropes. I take hold, she tries to push me, screaming “don’t you let it go!” Before I'm ready for the world, I’ll request a team of line-backers. Help me when I’m in need to bounce back, not bounce backwards.

I appreciate you taking out the time to read but before I blossom, I must be planted as a seed.