Hidden Secrets
by Sara, age 16, female, gangbanger, New Mexico ©1998.


Often, at night I think back on my years
I think about the homies, our good times
and sometimes shed tears
behind locked doors, away from the life I knew
not to mention the constant eyes that
watch everything I do.

With one word, everything was gone- all that
existed in my world
by force, they took and hid me away from
my family, my girl
day in and day out, they all seem to fly by«
if not here, where would I be now?
getting drunk? getting high?
if I knew then what I know now
I would've thought twice
but, I can't go back and change things
so now I pay the price
locked away with the rest of society's outcast!

What's the system hoping for? Are they
trying to change our past?
"Put 'em away for awhile, show'em the way to go"
but they're pointing out a road that's not there,
they themselves don't even know
I can't tell as the last years of my life pass
changing faces I see through
a double pane glass
sometimes, my homies will take time out and drop by
they said they'd always be there for me
but sometimes I think it was all a lie
inside these walls, there's nothing I can do er see
not only did they take my freedom
but hey! they took me
will I soon be forgotten?
will someone take my place?
here I'm thought of nothing more than just an aging face.



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