Hi, my name is Charles Carpenter. My prison number is V08580. The poem that I want to recite today is called “Never Repeat it Again”. The concept of the poem is – I’m the older version of myself looking back at the younger version of myself. and warning the younger version of myself about what he’s about to get into. And I’ll be using a couple of terms. One is YTS, which is a branch of the California Youth Authority. And the other one is Fred C. Nellis, which is another institution of the California Youth Authority. So here it goes.
Say, youngsters, let me holla at you for a minute. Let me tell you what you’re about to do before you take a step in it. You’re going to be great, but I hate to burst your bubble. Before you achieve greatness, you’re going to get into a lot of trouble. Don’t look at me all dumbfounded. The pain you’re about to go through will change your life and ultimately keep you grounded. Right now you don’t want to listen to counsel and you’re doing your heart’s desire. You’ll soon learn the hard way that you’ll get burned when you play with fire. In the meantime, you’ll see a plenty of tears. You’ll be in and out of that revolving door for over 40 years. You’re young right now, so you don’t understand. But I’m the older version of you, so I know your plan. I see you spend a lot of time hanging with the fellas. Too bad, your mind’s eye can’t see, See that soon you’ll be betrayed by one of them because he’s spiteful and he’s jealous. Watch who you hang with is often what they tell us. By the way, very soon, you’ll be doing time in a place called Fred C. Nellis. You’ll return to the start of the cocaine epidemic. You’ll then fall victim to things that are racial and systemic. Eventually that gorilla called crack cocaine will jump on your back. A dirty test and another crime we’ll take you off track. Three years later, you’ll be released from behind the bricks. Still hanging with the homies and right back in the mix. Slinging dope and trying to do your best. But your continuous criminal activity earned you a cell in YTS. Unwilling to change because you think you’re the boss, Eventually you’ll realize that crime don’t pay, it costs. As the world continuously spins, you’ll learn about the death of a lot your friends, You know, the ones you’ve know since elementary. Your fate will be a little different. You’ll be serving life in the state penitentiary. While you’re doing hard time, you’ll get to the point where you start to draw the line. Then the moment will come when you decide that your life of crime is over. You stop doing your own will and call upon the man Jehovah. You start listening to counsel because you’ve learned from your mistakes. Sometimes in life going through hardships and struggles is often what it takes. Now your experience has become your best teacher. And now you know there’s only a few you can call a friend. If there’s one thing we’ve learned from the past is never repeat it again.
These commentaries are recorded by In Prison Radio
