level test and i scored a 98%. i m very intelligent. and they would not give me a job because i was a convicted felon. i told the lady, i said you re telling me you d rather pay higher taxes than give me a job? you d rather pay higher taxes and build more prisons and more jails than offer me a job and you know i m qualified for it? and she told me, sorry, those are the rules. so the system is kind of messed up. i think that s why a lot of people keep coming back. though frustrated by the system, collins found a way to voice her grievances. okay. my name is gwen collins. the poem is why i write poetry. i don t write poetry for the fame, speaking loud with no shame, the words i spit i claim, it s part of the game i call life. i consider myself an artist painting mental pictures in my head. we saw collins the slam poet when she gave an impromptu performance for the women in her jail dorm.
so the system is kind of messed up, and i think that s why a lot of people keep coming back. though frustrated by the system, collins had found a way to voice her grievances. my name is gwendolyn collins. and the poem is why i write poetry. i don t write poetry for the fame, speaking loud with no shame, the words i spit i claim, it s all a part of the game i call life. i consider myself an artist, painting mental pictures in my head. we saw collins the slam poet when she gave an impromptu performance for the women in her jail dorm. and the bible says that god blesses baby and fools. i think god has a sense of humor and is amused, you see, because being in a women s detention center is not all he has in store for me. i guess that s how i started to write poetry. it saved me from arguments, headaches, and heartaches. i like it because i feel that i can express, i can teach, i can motivate others. i feel good when i m up there. when i m on stage and i recite
and the poem is why i write poetry. i don t write poetry for the fame, speaking loud with no shame, the words i spit i claim, it s all a part of the game i call life. i consider myself an artist, painting mental pictures in my head. we saw collins the slam poet when she gave an impromptu performance for the women in her jail dorm. and the bible says that god blesses baby and fools. i think god has a sense of humor and is amused, you see, because being in a women s detention center is not all he has in store for me. i guess that s how i started to write poetry. it saved me from arguments, headaches and heartaches. i like it because i feel that i can express, i can teach, i can motivate others. i feel good when i m up there. when i m on stage and i recite and on the mike i feel free. there s no boundaries. living a life of crime bought nothing but misery. i had nice cars, living like a star with the bling-bling and the dress code and my gun always on lock and load on a long, dark r
when she gave an impromptu performance for the women in her jail dorm. in the bible it says god blesses babies and fools, i think that god has a sense of humor because income a woman s detention center is not all he has in store me. that s how i began to write poetry. it saved me from arguments and headaches and heartaches. and like i like it because i feel that i can express. i can teach. i can motivate others. i feel good when i m up there. when i m on stage and recite i m on the mike, i feel free. there is no boundaries. living a life of crime is nothing but misery. i had nice cars and living like a star with the bling, bling and dress code and my gun on lock and load and a long dark road going nowhere. poetry had such an effect on the younger women inmates, being moved to tears. they were so overwhelmed by what she had to say to them. this poet i have deep down in the core. i m here to stay. i found my way. i want to be heard for all to hear and see.
though frustrated by the system, collins had found a way to voice her grievances. my name is gwendolyn collins. and the poem is why i write poetry. i don t write poetry for the fame, speaking loud with no shame, the words i spit i claim, it s all a part of the game i call life. i consider myself an artist, painting mental pictures in my head. we saw collins the slam poet when she gave an impromptu performance for the women in her jail dorm. and the bible says that god blesses baby and fools. i think god has a sense of humor and is amused, you see, because being in a women s detention center is not all he has in store for me. i guess that s how i started to write poetry. it saved me from arguments, headaches and heartaches. i like it because i feel that i can express, i can teach, i can motivate others. i feel good when i m up there. when i m on stage and i recite and on the mike i feel free. there s no boundaries. living a life of crime bought nothing but misery.