Forging A Link Poem by Tony Elsby (Poems of life and love)

There's no excuse that I can make,
I knew it wasn't right,
I shouldn't have let temptation,
Wreck my youthful life,
I failed,
And was jailed.

But when my time was served,
Bright daylight entered my night,
I was truly repentant,
Hell-bent on doing right,
Free,
A new me.

Courses taught me vital skills,
How to mend those broken cars,
How to drive a forklift truck,
And to serve a crowd in bars
I learned,
And yearned,

To get a job to gain respect,
And offered to work all hours,
Was diligent, committed, honest,
But all I got were glowers,
Ex-con!
Be gone.

I thought it just a passing phase,
That soon I'd find a friend,
To offer some salvation,
To help my nightmare end,
But no,
Just go!

And hopelessness turned to bitterness,
And then to mental pain,
Black thoughts gathered in my mind,
That might not be contained,
Deep despair,
Why should I care?

So close was I to falling low,
And back into the gutter,
To crime and grime and yet more time,
Closed cell with bolted shutter,
Thrown away key,
I'd never be free.

All life I'd missed the guidance,
Of proper family and friends,
I never had a Christmas card,
Nor ever one to send
Lonely me,
No leaves on my tree.

But finally the chance I had,
To work a florist's stall,
To load and pack and make some friends,
Pay wasn't bad at all.
Happy days,
Blues away.

And me who'd never known my dad,
Mum left when I was two,
Suddenly had sound support,
And lots of things to do.
Chance to shine,
Quality Time.

Months went by and I soon learned,
The more you gave, the more you got,
The more you cared,
The more you shared,
While once all wrong,
At last I belonged

No deed can right what once went on,
At a time when my life was pants,
But fallen folk can sometimes rise,
If once they're given the chance.
Ever thought, we all need support.
To be all that we can.

© Tony Elsby 29-10-2010
Although written in the first person, this poem is a piece of fiction based on someone I met by chance and who had an interesting tale to tell